Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I tripped.

I fell as silently as I could, hoping to not alert Error's heightened sense of hearing, but it didn't work out as I'd hoped. He heard me, and he quickly turned to help me up; I could barely find the strength to move, let alone run more. Even the kid looked distraughtly at my condition. Unfortunately, the guards quickly caught up with us, and we were surrounded. 

We had failed.

"Good job!" Ink smirked. "You practically locked your own cage again, Error; compassion is a weakness."

Error sighed; he wasn't escaping today.

"Take the prisoner back to his cell, lock the child with the others, and bring the skeleton to the interrogation room; I'd like to have a little chat with him." Ink ordered.

"Yes, Sir." The guards did as they were told, and our group was separated; that wasn't good.

The kid was teleported away from us quickly, and rather forcefully; they were a pretty tough kid, but the guards were stronger. Error and I didn't receive the luxury of teleportation, instead being walked back through the hallway. Since I had used virtually all of my energy, I didn't have to walk; I was instead dragged across the sharp rock floor, and it didn't exactly feel great. Error's sadness was evident: he had been locked away all this time, just to see another failed escape attempt. I felt so sorry that I had ruined the escape; if I had fallen softer, or even just kept running, maybe things would have been different..our situation was my fault, and nobody else's. I should have done something! I eventually went unconscious as we continued our trek through the hallway, but I refused to enjoy my dusty nightmare; I messed up what could have been our only chance, and I did it in the worst way possible. Now we were all captured. If it was only me, maybe the others would have been able to do something, but all I'd done was make a mess of it. Ink would probably kill me, and I wouldn't come back again. I worried about Papyrus; what would he have thought? I didn't know. When I finally awoke, I found myself in a room similar to the interrogation room I was familiar with, but there were a few differences: there were weapons lining the walls, and my feet and hands weren't restrained. Ink sat across from me.

"So." Ink began. "Sans, is it?"

"Once.." I hadn't looked up; I couldn't bring myself to look anyone in the eyes after my failure.

"You made it pretty far; I'm impressed. For a moment, I almost thought you would make it. Fortunately for me, you didn't. Are you part of the resistance?" 

"Perhaps.."

"Partially?"

"That term would fit it better.."

"I see. Your plan was to send a Sans and a child to rescue the prisoner, correct?"

"That's obvious.."

"You must be strong for them to select you; perhaps you volunteered for a sacrificial mission, willing to rescue him at all costs?"

"If it came to that.."

"Indeed. I bet you would make a great addition to my army."

"I'm not joining any army. I came to do one thing, and I failed; that doesn't mean I'm switching sides."

"Interesting. I've heard that from so many of my loyal soldiers. Tell me: are you aware of how I run my empire?"

"Not particularly.."

"You must be new, then. Since it looks like you're going to get a firsthand experience, I'll tell you! Determined children are much too rambunctious to keep in their AUs, so I simply lock them in a prison. The inhabitants are allowed to live quite a free and peaceful life without resets..that is..if they obey. A strict set of guidelines is enforced over AUs, preventing rebellion on a massive scale. For extra protection, I take the judge of the AU, which is typically a Sans, such as yourself, and make them a part of my army. But how would you control them, you ask? Wonderful question! I have the unique power to alter code; you probably have no idea what that is, but I won't ruin it for you. I change it, quite simply, so that they have to follow my orders, or their brother instantly dies! Doesn't that sound fun? It does to me!"

"You're sick." I was disgusted by Ink's sense of humor.

"So I am!" Ink laughed heartily. "Anyway, Sans, do you have a nickname? If not, I'll give you an appropriate title."

"I don't want your titles, and I'm not joining your army!"

"You can say that all you want, but it changes nothing." Ink reached across the table.

"Hey!" I tried to keep Ink from pulling my hood up, but I didn't quite succeed.

"What?" Ink seemed shocked. "Dust?"

Contrary to my predictions, Ink began to laugh. He laughed upon revealing my identity.

"I killed you!" Ink laughed even more. "And you're back! Oh, this is too good! You know what?"

I remained silent; now was not the time for talking.

"I'm going to clear my schedule!" Ink chuckled. "This is rich!"

Ink stood from his seat and walked to the back of the room, giving the door a few knocks. It opened quickly to reveal a guard; he seemed frightened of Ink.

"Y-yes, Sir?" The guard was definitely afraid. 

"Have him taken to my quarters, quickly!" Ink emphasized.

"Y-yes, Sir!"

Soon after that, Ink left the room, and the guard called an escort. After he had finished that, he walked over to me.

"He doesn't usually take prisoners to his room unless he regards them as special.." The guard started. "What did you try to do?"

"I tried to save Error..and I messed up right at the end.." I sighed.

"Oh..that would make you special. What's your name?"

"Dust."

"Dust? You mean as in the Dust from Nightmare's gang?"

"Yep.."

"Oh my gosh! You're like, heroes! Everybody thought you were executed..weren't you?"

"We were..my universe reset..that doesn't make much of a difference, now, I guess.."

"Oh. Well, I wish you good luck in whatever faces you! Ink can be...cruel."

"Thanks.."

"I should..get back now. It was awesome talking to you!"

"Same to you."

The guard quickly returned to his post, and he was just in time, too; two more guards entered the room soon after and took firm grips on my arms. I didn't struggle; I wouldn't try to escape when I knew that Error was still trapped. As I was walked through the large hallways, I wondered what Papyrus was doing; he's the best. He and Chara were probably already working on a backup plan, or they could have been working on finding a power source for Last Hope; they would no doubt bring the others back to complete the rescue! I was sure that Paps would find a way to succeed where I failed! He's the best, after all, and he could do anything better than me! When we reached our destination, the guards opened a door to a rather large room, decorated mostly with paint; the majority of it was red - I really hoped it was paint. Ink was lying on a painted bed, awaiting our arrival; he seemed overjoyed. I would have bet he wouldn't have had that smirk on his face if Error did escape. When we entered the room, the guards kept me standing by the door as Ink silently dismissed them; I was left alone with him again. When we were definitely alone, he sat up and smiled at me; I wondered what he was planning.

"Dust." Ink said. "Come over here."

"I don't see why I should." I wasn't stupid. 

"You don't have a choice. If I'm going to inflict pain on you, which I probably am, don't you think it would be better for you to just get over here?"

I crossed my arms and decided to give in; Ink was right, unfortunately. I walked over to his bed, where he forced me onto the ground; I didn't find it wise to fight him. 

"Good!" Ink was pleased. "Now...what do I do when one of the first people I ever hated shows up, and I have nothing to worry about? Turn him into a guard? No, that wouldn't be any fun..I have no leverage, anyway. Hmm..what's something that everyone hates? Feelings..pity..no. Oh! I know! Everybody hates pain! What better to do than make you suffer?"

"Let Error go." I suggested.

"No." Ink was stern. "I think I'll use you as a plaything..that seems to suit my needs perfectly!"

"Maybe not do that?"

"Oh, you're just nervous! Don't worry, Dust! We'll have lots of fun together, and I can introduce you to your new best friend!"

"Huh?"

"Oh, you haven't met him yet! I forgot! Let me introduce you!" Ink unsheathed his paintbrush. "His name..is Pain."

The second he said that, Ink swung his brush at me hard enough to send me flying across the room; I certainly felt pain from that. As soon as I had risen to my feet, Ink had made his way across the room and began to batter me more with his brush; I had a feeling that this would become normal. Ink continued his rampage for over three hours, breaking several of my bones and leaving me essentially crippled; Ink enjoyed that. One of my legs had been severely broken, hindering my ability to walk; the rest of my bones were intact enough to move, but I didn't see a bright future for them. When Ink finished his spree, he sat on the floor beside me, smiling. 

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Ink asked. 

"No.." I felt horrible.

"Well, maybe you'll change your mind tomorrow; I'll use paint, then. Have you ever tasted paint?"

I shook my skull.

"It's really quite the experience!" Ink giggled, holding up one of his vials. "Would you like to try it?"

"No." I had felt Ink's paint before in battle; it wasn't pleasant.

"Suit yourself, but tomorrow, you won't get this choice." Ink began to sip some paint.

"Why are you even keeping me here? Wouldn't I be better off in a prison cell?"

"No, silly! You're my new toy, and my toys get to stay right where I can see them!"

"What are you planning?"

"Hmm..the way I see it, you stay here until I get bored of you - and trust me, I don't get bored easily. During your stay here, most of your time will be spent in pain, which is unavoidable. I figure that first, a sense of normalcy will begin to grow; our pattern will be quite simple. Second, your will will break; that may take some time, but we'll get there. Third happens right after your will breaks: you start to become afraid of me; it's only natural. Fourth, you develop a healthy fear of me, and at that point, you begin to plead for mercy; it won't be given to you. Fifth, your fear grows to be quite extensive, and you are willing to beg for me to stop, which I may respond to - I like it when people beg. Sixth, you begin to realize that it's hopeless to beg and plead, at which point, you merely scream and hope it ends soon. Seventh, you lose all sense of hope, and that is what we're trying to accomplish. I've never seen someone who's lost all hope, but I'm willing to put you in that situation. If there is an eighth, it could be a variety of things; we'll just have to see! Does that answer your question?"

I was a bit shaken by that answer; Ink seemed to realize that.

"Hmm. I guess it is a bit much..my last toy virtually passed out when I told him..he only lived until stage three. I know what you're thinking: 'Am I going to die?'  Well, the simple answer is yes. Don't worry, though: I've got it all figured out. When you eventually die, I'll send you to your AU, and I'll force a reset! You'll soon come back to life, and we can continue! Of course, I know that you probably have some wonders about your AU; at the moment, we're setting the rules in Dusttale, and pretty soon, it'll be completely under my control! To purge any wonders you may have, you will be allowed to roam your AU freely for one hour every time you die! Consider it a gift for being my toy! After the hour, you will be tracked down and returned here, where we will continue our experiment. Does that make sense?"

I nodded; there wasn't anything else to do.

"You're much more helpful than my last toy; I'm sure the guards will love you." Ink grinned. "Speaking of guards.."

The moment he said that, there was a knock on the door; that was confusing and weird. He left me on the floor and answered the door; a few guards were bid to walk in. Ink began to tell them about me and how I was his "new toy," which seemed to sadden them; they obviously didn't want to see anybody in pain. They were ordered to spread the word; I hardly saw a need. When they left, Ink opened some curtains; they blended in so well with the paint that I didn't even notice them. There was a crescent moon looking into the colorful bedroom, and the stars twinkled brightly; they reminded me of my family. They reminded me of the family I failed to save. Error was still locked up, and it was all my fault..Papyrus was probably worried about us; we had failed the mission, and now we were worse off than ever. If Ink wasn't there to watch me, I would have cried; I wanted to cry, but I had to stay strong. I had hope, and that was the best thing to keep close in bad situations; I just hoped I didn't lose it like Ink wanted me to. After Ink had gotten his fill of stars, he closed the curtains and walked over to me. 

"It's night." Ink stated the obvious. "Night means go to bed. Now sleep; you're going to need your rest for tomorrow!"

After Ink said that, he walked to a lightswich, and the room suddenly became darker; he climbed into his painted bed and left me to sleep on the floor. I didn't mind the dark, really, but the floor was hard, and the dried paint gave it a rather uncomfortable texture; I couldn't argue if I wanted to.

I could only hope, and that was what I did.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean fail :(

Imma warn you now. Dusty ain't gonna be met with fluff for like...*time insert here*

Thanks for reading my unaccomplished writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been in Ink's custody for three weeks by this time, and I was starting to understand what he meant when he told me his plan. The sense of normalcy had already settled; it was normal for me to expect pain on a daily basis. The next step unsettled me, however; I didn't want my will to break, but I wasn't sure if I had a choice. Ink seemed to enjoy making me yell out in pain, which I didn't fully understand, but I couldn't question it. I had no place to question things anymore; I had failed my family, and that was the worst thing I could have ever done. All of my hope rested on Papyrus; he's the best, and if anyone could rescue Error, it was him. Paps would save Error; I was sure of it. As for me, I would see what happened; I hoped that Papyrus would come for me, but I would understand if he didn't. I was a failure, and I didn't deserve rescuing..I didn't even deserve Paps. I woke up rather early in the morning, being greeted by aching red bones; Ink really liked to use red paint when torturing me - I was starting to dislike that color. When I opened my eyesockets, Ink noticed Ink climbing out of his bed; he always got up early; when he had finished his morning routine, he picked up his brush, which was beside his bed, and walked over to me. He knelt down to see that I was already awake; that pleased him.

"Good morning, Dust!" Ink greeted. "Did you have a pleasant rest?"

I said nothing; I had barely spoken for about two weeks when Ink was present.

"I'll take that as a 'Yes, Ink! I had a wonderful rest!'" Ink giggled. "Anyway, I have a bit of work to do today before we start, which means you're getting a babysitter. Understand?"

I nodded; he had done this before, and it was useless to argue. 

"Good!" Ink grinned. "You're such a compliant toy; I like that. I'll be back later, bye!" 

At this, Ink stood and walked to the door; I wished I could reach it, but Ink had made a point of breaking both of my legs to prevent that action. Instead, I just lay on the floor as he called a guard to watch me. The guards seemed to pity me; I didn't deserve that. They were really nice when they had some time alone with me, and I enjoyed their company; it seemed that they needed attention, and I was in a position where it was easy to listen to their problems to get my mind off of my pain. Of course, a portion of the guards weren't as kind as the others; there were different ranks of guards, and the highest ones joined Ink willingly when they had the choice. They were the cruel ones, and Ink had no qualms against them taking anger out on me; as far as he was concerned, it simply furthered his experiment when he was absent. I didn't even feel like a person anymore..I was just a punching bag. When the guard came, I was relieved; he was a lower rank, which meant he had a higher chance of being nice. He came over and sat next to me with a soft smile brightening his expression; he was certainly nice.

"Heya." The guard helped me sit up; my entire body ached. 

"Th-thanks.." I winced a bit when my legs settled.

 "No problem. Are you feeling okay? Do you want something to drink? From what I've heard, maybe some water would be a nice change?"

"W-well.." I coughed up some paint; that had been happening recently. "M-maybe a little.."

"Here, take as much as you want." The guard helped me drink some water; it got the taste of paint out of my mouth, and that was a miracle. "The name's Fell; we've met before.."

"I r-remember.."

"I'm sorry for what I did..if it wasn't for me, maybe none of this would've happened.."

"Y-you don't have t-to be s-sorry..it w-wasn't your f-fault.."

"I witnessed in the trial. I led the group that used you as a bargaining chip. I laughed when you were dead. If anything, I had as much to do with it as Ink."

"N-no..it w-wasn't anyone's..agh!" A surge of pain flew through my body, making me whimper.

"Are you okay?!"

I couldn't speak; the pain was too much at the moment. I felt tears running down my skull as Fell tried to comfort me; it didn't do much, but it was a nice gesture. When I had calmed down, Fell told me of things that had happened in my absence, such as how Ink took control and the small resistance against him. Apparently, Ink began conquering newer universes first, while nobody was looking. From there, he began his army. Every judge was offered the choice to join him willingly, but few were willing to help a tyrant - unless they were corrupt; in effect, only the meanest judges received a high rank. Their perks included: free roam of the multiverse, localized power over select areas, access to secret information, ability to request Ink's presence for personal matters, ability to issue orders to a maximum of one hundred lower guards, ability to deal out punishments for misconduct, and the one that I hated the most: ability to request access to Ink's current "toy." There were probably more perks, but Fell wasn't aware of them; when given the choice, he declined without hesitation. He said he didn't regret his decision one bit, and I didn't blame him. 

As for the resistance, my brother was one of the leaders; he's the best. He opposed Ink from the beginning, and, having had ties with Nightmare's gang, he had a great enough influence to get on Ink's nerves. Chara preferred to stay unknown, and that was fine with everyone else; a secret ally was another card in the deck. The other leaders of the resistance included Classic, the original Sans, and Dream, and two other influential members were the Outertale brothers. Fell himself used to support it greatly, but he was captured and his code was changed when he tried to rescue Error; he said that I got farther than he did, with his plan only getting halfway down the hallway. When Fell finished telling me about the state of the multiverse, Ink opened the door; that was all the peace I would receive today. Fell was quickly dismissed, and I was left alone with my captor. He skipped over to me, grinning widely; he alway grinned like that when he was about to inflict pain on me. Before he began, he knelt down to my level and decided to taunt me a bit; he liked to do that.

"Hello, Dust!" Ink unsheathed his brush prematurely. "I have nothing to do for the rest of the day! Do you know what that means?"

I sighed.

"It means that I get to spend the rest of the day with you!" Ink seemed to think that that was a good thing. "That should give us..oh, I'd say..twelve hours?"

I wanted to leave.

"Are you ready?" Ink received no reply. "I'll take that as an 'I'm so ready, I want to feel twice the pain as you usually give me!' Aren't you eager? Well, I'll just have to take you up on that!"

True to his word, Ink made sure that he doubled the pain factor; I was screaming louder than I ever had. He started with his brush, as always, and he managed to break my right arm to a point of immobility; I guess I should have considered myself lucky that I was left handed. Unlike humans, skeletons could move broken bones, but if they were hurt enough, they could be considered immobile; my left arm was only slightly broken, meaning I still had mobility. Of course, broken legs were harder to deal with, since they couldn't handle much weight if they were fractured. After three hours of battering, Ink stopped. He then walked over to his bed and reached under it, pulling out a box of paint cans; he stored paint, apparently, and he found it useful to keep it in an easily accessible area. I dreaded what would happen next as he carried a few cans over to me; before I could do anything, Ink grabbed the back of my skull and pulled it back with haste, producing a crack from my neck - that hurt. When my skull was in position, he began to pour paint into my mouth, forcing out both screaming and coughing; he didn't seem to care that I could choke. He continued this for the remaining nine hours - he had a lot of paint - and by the end of it, I could practically feel my will wanting to break. When he finally finished, he took a seat next to me as I regained my senses.

"That was exhilarating!" Ink chuckled before glaring at me. "You're wasting perfectly good paint; swallow it, don't spit it out!"

I completely ignored that advice, coughing as hard as I could in an attempt to rid myself of as much of it as possible. In response to that, Ink took his brush and slammed the back of my skull, making his point quite clear; I stopped coughing and swallowed the vile substance. 

"That's better." Ink was pleased. "Now, it's bedtime. Get some rest, Dust; we have another big day tomorrow!"

Ink decided to let me go to sleep without any further pain; he occasionally knocked me out just to stop my whimpering so he could get some sleep. I curled up as well as I could on the wet floor, hoping to fall asleep sooner rather than later in hopes that I'd be able to escape the pain quicker. When I descended into my dusty nightmare, some of the pain was indeed relieved, but a lot of it seeped through; I could live with it if it was lessened. I spent my night wondering how Paps was doing; he's the best, and I really hoped he would save Error - and me, too. The longer I was in Ink's hold, the more I wanted to escape. The night flew by rather quickly, and before I knew it, I was being rudely awoken by Ink's ruthless shaking. I ignored it as best as I could, but I responded pretty fast when he began to hit me with his paintbrush, opening my eyesockets in a flash.

"There we go!" Ink sat beside me. "Guess what!"

"Wha..what?" I was still half asleep. 

"Today's the day you get fed, silly!" Ink held up a plate; I was only fed every three days, but he took my magic deficiency into account - he didn't want me to die too easily. "Eat up!"

I wasted little time in beginning to eat; he only gave me five minutes to finish, which meant I would have to savor it later. I finished within my time period, and Ink seemed proud.

"That's a wonderful job, Dust!" Ink paused for a moment. "Dust..y..Dusty. I like the sound of that.."

"D-don't c-call me that.." I was reminded of Killer; he was the one who gave me the nickname, and he was gone.

"Oh? Do you have a problem with it?"

"I-it just.."

"It reminds you of someone, doesn't it?" Ink laughed. "Well, it seems to bring you pain..mental pain. I think I'll call you that from now on!"

I didn't know why, but I simply cried; I missed my family, and Ink was not a good replacement. 

"It's settled then; I'll continue calling you Dusty!"

Ink started his torturing soon after that, and I only missed my family more; I hoped Paps and Chara could find a way to use Last Hope, because even if they were merely alive, it would have lifted my spirits so much. The day went on slowly, and every second felt like an eternity; Ink had a way of making that happen. I wondered if Error had to go through torture as well; I hoped he didn't. Perhaps Ink would let me see him sometime; I could apologize then. I didn't have time to apologize in the hallway, and I really wanted to let Error know that I was so sorry for ruining his chances at freedom; I felt like an idiot. I wouldn't stop thinking that it was my fault, since it was my fault; nobody else was to blame for it.

I was a failure, and I could accept that.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean stop thinking that way >:(

Thanks for reading my unhappy writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been trapped for four months in Ink's room. My will had broken quite some time ago, and according to his 'plan,' I was on step four. I was scared when he lifted that brush or looked at some paint, and the fact that he called me 'Dusty' just made it worse! It seemed as if Ink had no care whether I lived or died; I knew he didn't. Heck, he could just bring me back to life! I hoped Paps was faring better than I was, because I could barely hear my soulbeats; Ink probably wanted me to die. Paps is the best; he probably already had an amazing plan to rescue Error and possibly me - I didn't expect him to want to rescue me after my blunder. It was currently the afternoon, during one of my scheduled breaks; Ink had to put those in place so I wouldn't pass out as easily. I wasn't sure whether that was good or bad. I wasn't able to move my limbs at this point, and I was pretty sure that I would die for the first time pretty soon; I almost hoped the reset wouldn't work. My break was ending soon, and Ink was eagerly awaiting that time; he was sick.

"Dusty?" Ink looked down at me, making me look up. "Do you want to play with someone else today?

"M-m-maybe.." I didn't usually want any of the higher ranks coming anywhere near me, but Ink had beaten me so much in the morning that I simply wanted to get away from him. Even if the higher ranks were a bit worse occasionally, I wasn't scared of them. I didn't exactly get a choice in the matter, anyway.

"That's good to hear! Two of them wanted to play with you today! One will come in ten minutes, and the other will come around five, giving you ample time with each of them! Your break ends when the first comes; don't forget to enjoy yourself! By the way, do you want to know their names? Perhaps you could get a better understanding if you knew who they were."

"N-" I was cut off.

"You do? Wonderful! Their names are Blue and-" There was a knock on the door. "Huh..he's early..oh well! You'll get to know him soon enough! Have fun!"

Ink stood and answered the door; a guard completely covered by armor walked in. Even if I couldn't see his face, I knew he wasn't going to be nice; the upper rank symbol on his chestplate confirmed that. Ink told him to have a good time and left the two of us alone; the guard then walked over to me and knelt down, as if he were inspecting me. When he had gotten his fill of my condition, he summoned a sole bone and began to beat me with it; he was certainly not nice at all. After he managed to break the bone he had summoned, he made some more, all of which produced cracks. I was screaming loud enough for him; that was made evident by his deep chuckles. I could see why he joined Ink; he was almost as sadistic as the artist, but he wasn't quite there. At the end of his few hours with me, he knelt down to me once more to observe the changes he had made; they were many, and he seemed proud. I was in tears when he finally spoke.

"I thought a Dusttale would be stronger." He chuckled. "I guess Ink is capable of breaking anyone..or maybe you're just weak."

At this, he ended his term and left my sobbing figure on the floor; I was glad when he left, but I couldn't seem to stop crying. I wanted Papyrus. He's the best, and I knew he would comfort me if I needed it. I still felt guilty about Error, but I had experienced more pain in the past four months than I ever had before, and it just seemed to build more and more. I was constantly shaking, my whimpering annoyed Ink to no end, and I cried at unexpected intervals; I wasn't okay. This wasn't something I could simply shake off; this would be in the back of my mind for the rest of my life, even if I was rescued. I could remember every beating I had received and who had given it to me; I could even remember who laughed harder the louder I screamed - Ink was in that category. When the clock hit five, the door was slowly creaked open, and a small Sans with a blue cape entered the room; he sat beside me and..shushed me?

"Shh, it's okay." He whispered amidst my crying. "Everything's okay.."

"Y-you?" I could hardly believe that the swapped Sans joined Ink willingly.

"Yep..me. I guess you must be thinking some pretty awful things about me..I didn't pick this role; since I used to be part of the Star Sanses, he forced me into it..at least I can help.."

"H-how?" 

"Your suffering only grows more the longer you continue like this..I'm going to kill you."

The swapped Sans sighed as he pulled my broken body into a hug.

"At least then, your bones will be healed..and you won't be in constant agony.." The swapped Sans made a good point. "Just..let me know when you're ready."

"What ab-bout..your b-brother?" I whimpered.

"Papy's..a lower rank..he doesn't get killed if I do anything wrong..at the most, I'll get a stern beating..but it's for the greater good, right?"

"I d-don't want you t-to be h-hurt..f-for me.."

"Don't worry about it; this is you I'm doing it for, not me."

"I.."

"Shh, everything will be okay. Are you ready?"

"I-if..you are.."

"All right..I'll see you around, Dust."

"B-bye.."

"It'll only hurt for a moment.."

The swapped Sans held me close one last time before stabbing me straight in the soul with a sharp bone. I screamed loudly, but before I knew it, my pain had passed; I was dead. I hoped Papyrus was doing okay; he's the best. It didn't take long for me to begin to feel the power of a reset coming over me, and pretty soon, I opened my eyesockets to see my familiar room. The first thing I noticed was that the swapped Sans was right: my limbs were healed, and I could actually move on my own. If Ink kept to his word, I had an hour to find out what happened to my home, and I wasn't going to waste it. I noticed that Papyrus wasn't there; he wasn't affected by the reset, which meant he was safe somewhere else. As I walked down the stairs, I found a few new things; the couch had been moved, and it was blocking the window. I wasn't sure what that would accomplish, but I didn't question it. I decided to open the door and see the outside for the first time; what I saw shocked me. It didn't look like the Snowdin I knew; it looked like a sadness festival. There were a few guards overseeing the activities of the town, and the inhabitants were less than happy to accomodate them. I walked into the main town square, seeing more of the same; I also noted that it was colder. When I had successfully walked thirty steps away from my house, I was tackled quite hard; I looked up to see Undyne.

"Traitor!" She glared at me; as an after-effect of my recent problems, it frightened me a bit. "You betrayed all of us, and now, you're gonna pay!"

"Hey!" A guard pulled Undyne off of me with the help of another. "Break it up!"

"You joined the enemy! How could you do that?!" Undyne struggled viciously against the guards.

"B-but I d-didn't.." I stuttered.

"Dust?" The guards seemed shocked to see me.

"Oh my goodness..did you die?" One of the guards assumed, receiving a nod. 

"Oh, sure!" Undyne was obviously still under the impression that I had joined Ink. "What did he do, die while taking over a defenseless city?!"

"Don't you read the newspaper?" A guard wondered.

"Dusttale doesn't get that yet." The other reminded. "Word of mouth for a year, then the papers roll."

"Right..we're allowed to tell her, right?"

"I think she'll probably try to kill him if we don't.."

"What are you talking about?!" Undyne growled.

"Undyne, your Sans never joined Ink."

"Then why did he leave?!"

"We don't know.." The first shrugged. "But we can tell you where he ended up.."

"Where, pray tell, did he end up?!"

"Ink's floor.."

"What? What does that mean?"

"Ink didn't use him as a guard..he's a..um.."

"Punching bag." I helpfully supplied. "I'm basically a punching bag."

"But..how?" Undyne had stopped struggling.

"Captured on a mission for the resistance." The second guard enlightened.

"I hate to ruin the moment, but I've been denied any recent information about my brother..is he okay?" I hoped. "Is he still as cool as I remember him?"

"You mean that dopey brother of yours wasn't killed?" Undyne lifted an eyebrow.

"He's not dopey! He's the best!"

"He's too kind; I thought he died on day one."

"Your brother?" The first guard smiled. "He's fine. Heck, he's the best leader the resistance has! Amazing fighter, too; I've seen him fight twenty guards alone and come out on top! Sure, I was one of them, but it was incredible!"

"Really?" I grinned. 

"Yep! You're lucky to have him as a brother. From what I've heard, he's been focusing every effort he can on tracking you down and rescuing you!"

"What about Error?" 

"Not much change there...he's locked up, still."

"It's all my fault.."

"You didn't do anything wrong; nobody could have predicted it."

"I should've."

"Wait..you mean his brother's part of the resistance?" Undyne obviously had no clue.

"Well, duh." The second guard snickered.

"So, are you okay?" The first guard was worried about me.

"I'm not in pain, if that's what you mean." I responded. 

"That's good; I've heard rumors of what goes on in there..they aren't pretty."

"Even without having to hear them, I'll vouch for their truth. So, what exactly is a forced reset? It seems to only have affected me.."

"That's exactly what it is: a reset's power focused on one individual or group of individuals."

"I see.."

"Anyway, we wouldn't want to take up your time; you only have an hour, right?"

"Unfortunately." I sighed.

"That's cruel..an hour of freedom every time you die isn't fair.."

"Any suggestions on what to do?"

"As far as you're concerned, there are no rules; do whatever you want."

"How come he gets freedom?" Undyne hardly felt it fair.

"Let's see.." The second guard pretended to think. "Oh, how about the fact that he might not be able to walk by the end of the day? Or perhaps it's because he has to endure literal torture. Take your pick, please."

Undyne grumbled, saying nothing more. 

"If you want a suggestion, I think there's a group in Grillby's." The first guard pointed toward the building. "It's pretty popular for 'escaping oppression.'"

"Thanks." I smiled.

"No problem, but you might wanna be careful; they know you're the Sans here, and some of them don't particularly like you."

"I'll try to keep that in mind, thanks."

After that exchange, I decided to take the advice and head to Grillby's; it felt like an eternity since I had been there last. When I reached the entrance, I hoped for the best and opened the door. Everybody stared at me; that was a horrible sign. Seeing as I only had fifty minutes left, I decided to ignore it and continue walking; Grillby was in his usual place, and he seemed like the best place to start. Hoping for the best, I took my usual seat. Grillby looked at me for a moment before starting conversation.

"Sans." He said. "You've changed."

"Yeah.." I found it a better start than others. 

"Changed for better or worse?"

"I don't know."

"There have been rumors that you were dead or joined the enemy. I refused to believe them until I had proof; would you care to provide me with anything?"

"I never joined the enemy..but I did die..a couple times.." I included my execution.

"Where have you been?"

"I could get specific, but for sake of clarity, I've basically been being tortured for the past I-don't-know-how-long." I did know how long, but that wasn't important.

"Why? Did you oppose someone you shouldn't have?"

"You know Ink?"

"I know of him."

"He and I go way back. He's hated me since forever, and just seeing me alive seems to annoy him."

"What was he like before he started dictating?"

"Sadistic. He hasn't really changed."

"It's a pity that you have to go through that."

"What's going on here?"

"Being conquered."

"I never would have guessed."

"Sans, are you feeling all right?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You haven't told a single pun in the time you've been here."

"I guess not." I sighed.

"What happened to you?"

"I changed..like you said."

"You're not going to talk about it, are you?"

"Not yet..how have you been doing? What's being conquered like?"

"It's horrible. I'm only open because I have to be, and I can't even close when I choose - not to mention I don't get paid."

"That must be annoying."

"It really is."

"How about everyone else?"

"It's pretty much normal life with too many restrictions to count. Some of the bigger ones include: no speaking badly about Ink, no conspiring against Ink, no complaining about rules more than twice a day, and no casual conversation with the guards."

"Why can't you have a casual conversation?" 

"Apparently they have too much work to do, and they don't care about us."

"That's not true..they care, but Ink has them so wrapped around his fingers that they're too afraid to step up."

"Perhaps..how do you know all this?"

"Being tortured in Ink's room gives me the special privilege of knowing a few things as I try not to fracture my bones more than they are at the moment."

"Your bones don't look fractured."

"I died, and they brought me back without injuries to torture me again."

"Why are you here?"

"I get an hour here before they forcefully take me back..forty-three minutes now."

"You want to learn as much as you can before you have to go back.."

"Mhm. What happens if you break a rule?"

"It depends. Since our home is apparently a 'new' possession, we only receive small punishments..after a year, it's supposed to get worse."

"I see.."

"So, do you have any idea what this 'reset' thing is? I haven't quite understood it."

I chuckled a bit. "Resets! Well, I guess that's overdue."

"Is it one of Ink's weapons?"

"I don't know about now, but I would be glad to tell you how resets work. A determined human child falls into the underground; they're the eighth - usually. They would be the seventh soul we needed to break the barrier. They die. Oh? What's this? Time moves backwards. Suddenly, the child is alive once more, and their soul isn't taken. Unlimited power to mess with time - and people's lives. I seemed to be the only one in the whole underground that remembered them - other than a stupid talking flower - and I remembered them too well. They drove me insane! Of course, it wasn't simply the constant, neverending loop; that's a story for a different time. Does that make sense?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Good. What were those rules, again?"

"No speaking badly or conspiring against Ink, no complaining more than twice a day, and no casual conversation with guards?"

"I think I'll just break every single one of those.."

"Why? Don't you care about the consequences?"

"What's the worst he can do? Torture me? Kill me? He's done both already; I'd love to annoy him further."

"I suppose that's true. Have fun with that."

"I hope I will." I cleared my throat. "Ink is a sadistic freak who doesn't deserve to be in charge of a lemonade stand!"

Grillby had to try so hard not to laugh; we had made a lemonade stand a long time ago, and it had ended in the worst way possible.

"These rules are utter garbage and must be thrown away as such." I stated proudly. "I shall overthrow Ink with a complex scheme involving potatoes. These are stupid rules. The rules must die.

"You've broken three rules in twenty seconds; good job." Grillby gave me a thumbs up. 

"Now I need to find a guard and casually converse. Bye, Grillby."

"Goodbye, Sans." 

I hopped down from my seat and headed towards the exit; I had thirty-five minutes left when I found a guard to talk to.

"Hello." I greeted. "Would you like to have a casual conversation?" 

"Somebody told you about the rules, eh?" The guard smiled. 

"I'm going to break them in a sheer disregard for authority." 

"That's nice. Have any other plans?"

"Is there anything about my brother? Books, posters, pictures, even?"

"I don't have anything on me, but I think there should be something in the guard station.."

"Where's that?"

"The forest, near the entrance to the ruins; I think the conveniently shaped lamp used to be there.."

"Are only guards allowed there?"

"Hey, when Ink said you were to have free roam, we took him seriously; you can go anywhere."

"Thanks."

"No problem. When you get there, files should be about resistance leaders."

"Thanks again!"

"Sure."

I started my trek to the forest, which took only three minutes as I ran. I had thirty minutes left when I reached the new building; I wondered where the lamp was. I found the door locked when I got there, meaning I had to knock; I didn't mind. The door was quickly answered, and I came face-to-face with a couple guards; they looked happy to see me.

"Dust?" One of them assumed, recieving a nod. "We've been expecting you; word travels fast here."

"Come on in!" The other led me to a table with some files spread on it. "We sort of guessed what you'd wanna see, but if you want anything else, please ask; you don't have much time left.."

"Thanks." I grinned.

"No problem!"

I wasted no time in looking for information on Papyrus; he's the best, and naturally, he was easily found. There was a lot of information on him, including his abilities, weaknesses, and even a skill rating - it was high, which pleased me to no end - but the thing that drew me in the most was his accomplishments section. It was five pages long, and it had so many things! What really interested me was that this was only from his time alive! I couldn't even imagine the good he did as a ghost! I eagerly read about how cool my brother was, realizing that he was the best brother ever! I already knew that, but this only increased my admiration; Paps is the best. When I had finished reading, I found that most of Papyrus's missions were..rescue missions. He was trying to rescue me. I didn't know how to express my feelings; Paps had tried over fifty times to rescue me in just the past four months! It didn't matter that he failed every time; what mattered was that he tried, and I couldn't have asked for more. I knew Paps would save me eventually, and he would save Error, too, whether before or after! When I finished reading the last bit of information I could find, I had my skull unexpectedly bashed against the table.

"Time's up." I heard Ink's voice say, before I passed out.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean home?

Thanks for reading my inquisitive writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been in captivity for a year now, and it was less than exciting. I had just finished my third hour in my universe, which essentially meant that I had died three times now, and Ink was more than ready to break my bones once more. The inhabitants of my universe were now well aware of my situation; I hadn't joined Ink. Every time I died, Papyrus's accomplishments increased; I was so proud of him! I had the best brother ever, and I knew that he would save me and Error! Speaking of Error, Ink had agreed to let me see him once a year; today marked the one year point, which meant that I would be spending some time with him. I was so excited to see him that I barely noticed the pain that came when Ink beat me; I couldn't wait! In Ink's plan, I was on step five; he expected the last two to come at a slower rate than the first five, for obvious reasons. After Ink finished torturing me for the morning, he called an escort to take me to see Error; I was required to be handcuffed, but I didn't mind - I was going to see him! Before I went, Ink wouldn't let me go without a bit of talking, of course; he loved to hear himself talk. I didn't mind it as long as I was going to see Error.

"I feel so sorry to let you go like this, Dusty!" Ink dramatized; I had gotten used to his calling me Dusty, but that didn't mean that I enjoyed it. "Don't worry, though! Pretty soon, you'll be back, and we can play more!"

"..Okay." Ink had practically trained me to answer in certain ways to certain phrases; he regarded me as somewhat of a pet, which I didn't understand - I wasn't a dog. Of course, I didn't accept everything he told me to say.

"That's a good little Dusty!"

"C-can I go now?"

"I suppose you may go. Guards, take him to Error; one hour visit only - set a timer."

"Yes, Sir." Two guards - my escorts - saluted.

"Good."

The guards proceeded to handcuff me and lift me off the ground; Ink had fractured one of my legs, but it was still mostly walkable - I just needed some help. With a bit of a limp and a lot of help, I was on my way to see Error; I could hardly wait! I was lucky that I had died recently, or I might not have been able to walk; I enjoyed walking, since I didn't get to do it often. Usually, I would simply lie on Ink's floor; I had no way to walk, which meant that I enjoyed doing it every chance I got. The guards helped me walk down the halls, and we eventually reached the long staircase; I needed extra help for that, but it was eventually conquered, and I could almost see Error through the window of the door. When the door was unlocked, I slowly limped inside, seeing Error's expression turn to surprise; he wasn't expecting me.

"Dust?" Error rushed to the bars of his cage. "You're alive!"

"Yep!" I slowly sat down on the outside of the cage, wincing a little. 

"Are you okay? What happened to you?"

"Just some..stuff.."

"Dust, you look terrible.."

"I may or may not have been tortured a little..I'm fine, really!"

"So..how long have you been here?"

"Ever since the attempt.."

"I'm surprised that you haven't been hurt worse.."

"Yeah..what about you?"

"Nothing. Literally nothing happens down here..unless there's an attempt to break me out, which isn't often."

"I'm sorry.."

"You have nothing to be sorry for.."

"I failed to rescue you! It's my fault that you aren't breathing fresh air right now!"

"Dust, you can't blame yourself for that."

"Yes, I can.."

"Just because we didn't make it doesn't mean that you have to take all the blame."

"I know, but.."

"Hey, at least you're not dead!" Error tried to cheer me up; it didn't work as well as he'd hoped. "Dust? Dust, don't cry! Oh gosh, what did I say?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be.." I couldn't stop crying. "I shouldn't be crying..I'm sorry!"

"Dust, you don't have to be sorry." Error reached his arms through the bars to hug me. "What happened?"

"I shouldn't.." I didn't want to burden him with that knowledge.

"Whatever it is, I can take it; you need to say something.."

"I can't...I can't take it!"

"What have they done to you?" Error could now clearly see my inner pain, and it angered him.

"Error, I'm scared.." 

"I'm here, Dust. Tell me everything, and I'll help as best I can."

So I did. I told him how Ink constantly tortured me, what happened when I died, what the higher ranks did, and I even told him about Ink's outline for my future; Error could hardly believe it, but he did. By the time I finished, we had a mere thirty minutes left until I would be forcefully taken away for a whole year; Error comforted me more than he could ever know. At that time, Error also made it a point to convince me that it wasn't my fault that he wasn't free; he did a pretty good job, too. By the time we had twenty minutes left, I wouldn't dream of blaming myself. When that was settled, I started talking about Papyrus; he's the best, and Error was impressed with his accomplishments - I knew he would be! I had the best brother ever, and Error was sure he'd save us! When we had only ten minutes left, Error offered me some hope; he assured me that everything would turn out fine in the end and that we would be happy. He told me that my brother was no doubt finding thousands of ways to save us; he just needed some time to find the right one. We had one minute left.

"Paps is the best!" I grinned.

"Yep!" Error was happy as he saw me smiling. "I'm gonna be looking forward to next time."

"Yeah..I'll miss you.."

"We'll see eachother again. Promise."

"I can't wait!"

"You'll make it. Okay, Dust?"

"Okay. You will, too, right?"

"Of course I will! If I only get to see you once a year, I'll simply have to!"

"I don't wanna say goodbye.."

"Me neither..how about we say 'Until we see again'?"

"That's better."

"All right! Until we see again, Dust."

"Until we see again, Error." I smiled wider.

"That's so sweet!" A different voice commented. my face lost all signs of happiness, falling to a dead, scared stare; I was terrified of that voice. "Your hour's up!"

"Haven't you caused enough harm?" Error glared at Ink.

"I don't think so; I mean, I doubt it."

"You should pay for what you've done to him!"

"Who, Dusty? Oh, he loves it." Ink knew I didn't.

"You've scared him out of his wits!" 

"That's kinda the point!" Ink walked closer; my fear grew. 

"You're sick, Ink!"

"Oh, Error! You're so naive! How could I ever hope to complete my goal.." Ink grabbed my shoulder and clutched it hard enough to crack something. "If he didn't fear me?"

"You're hurting him!" Error couldn't help me.

"Oh, I suppose I am." Ink didn't let go, opting to grip harder. "Your hour's up, and I'll be taking him back, now. Goodbye, Error."

"Ink! Don't you-" Error was cut off by teleportation; I was back in Ink's room, and I started to cry.

"It's so much better here, isn't it, Dusty?" Ink unsheathed his brush.

"Please.." I didn't want to be hurt.

"Please torture you? I'll oblige!"

And he did. There were only a few hours left until nighttime, but that didn't make the time between now and then any better. Ink really was a cruel captor, but I couldn't argue; the one time I tried that, he beat me to death with his bare hands. That was the second time I died. The swapped Sans and I had formed somewhat of a pact that if I didn't die within four months of the previous death, he would kill me to ease my pain; we would have to break it if Ink ever found out, though. He had killed me the third time, and it was honestly a blessing; I was more beat up than ever, and the pain spikes were too much to handle. When night had finally arrived, Ink hadn't broken a single bone; instead, he had poisoned my insides with his paint. He had an obsession with it, and I hated it. I would have preferred being severely beaten for two hours than being forced to drink paint for only one; Ink knew that, and he made a schedule accordingly: for every one hour of beating, I'd drink paint for three. He said that I would get used to the taste eventually, but I doubted it. When Ink ran out of paint, our time was up; he had a strict bedtime, which sometimes saved me from further pain. As he got himself ready for bed, I was left coughing up paint.

"Dusty, you really should stop that nasty habit of yours." Ink was referring to my coughing up his poison. "I just don't know how I'll get you off of it.."

I continued coughing.

"Perhaps if I simply don't bring you your meal, you'll stop; what do you think about that?"

At this, I immediately ceased my coughing; I only got one meal every three days, and I couldn't risk it. He had denied giving it to me once before as a punishment, and I was in agony until the next came.

"That's better! In fact, that's permanent now; if you continue your habit, you don't eat. Understand, Dusty?"

"Y-yeah.." I sighed. 

"Good! Now, it's time to go to sleep, Dusty! What do we say at bedtime?"

"Good night.."

"Very good!" Ink walked over and patted my skull; that was demeaning in every way possible. "Good night, Dusty!"

After that exchange, I lay on the hard floor in an attempt to sleep; I never slept well after paint had been forcefully poured into my mouth, and it left an awful burning sensation. Ink simply stretched for a few minutes before turning out the lights and going to sleep; he had no trouble. My dusty nightmare was laced with internal pain; I couldn't even escape in my dreams! I did enjoy seeing Error again, and I no longer blamed myself for his predicament; Error had made it clearly obvious that it was Ink's fault for locking him up in the first place, and I could accept that. In an attempt to get my mind off the pain, I thought about Papyrus; he was probably sorting through countless plans for rescue missions at that very moment, trying to find the right one. When he found it, Error and I would be rescued, and everybody would be happy! I wanted everybody to be happy. I wanted the captured universes to be free again, and I wanted everybody to be able to live their lives! If nobody was free, it was useless to guess that they were happy. Nobody liked to be held in captivity; I was a prime example of that. I wished everybody could be happy.

As I slept, my mind drifted to the rest of my family; they were still dead, to my knowledge. I wished they didn't have to be dead! I wished they were alive! I could almost see them gathered in the living room, having fun. Nightmare would be reading a book while talking to us, as always. Killer would be running around the room or challenging everyone to backgammon - or even getting ready to grab my wrist and run as fast as he could! Horror would be telling him to calm down as he got worked up over the little things he loved. Cross would probably be laughing at the display, wondering how he had even become part of an argument over chocolate flavors. I missed them so much..they were the best family in the world..but..

They were gone..

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean converse with Error bean.

Thanks for reading my yearning writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been trapped in Ink's room for a year and a half by this point, and there was no change. Error and I were both still trapped, I was still on stage five of Ink's plan, meals were every three days, and I felt pain almost constantly. In other words, I knew my routine like the back of my soul. Speaking of meals, Ink was serious when he said I wouldn't be fed if I tried to cough up some paint; I did it by accident once, and I didn't eat for almost a week. That really sped up the dying process, making it only come in two months instead of four. That was roughly four months ago, and I hadn't made that mistake again. As per tradition, today was the day the swapped Sans would come to kill me; Ink had told me that he'd be coming about three o'clock in the afternoon - it was eleven o'clock in the morning right now, leaving only four hours. Thankfully, Ink didn't know about our arrangement - or he didn't care - which meant we were safe. Of course, I had to get through a different higher rank before the swapped Sans could come, and it was one of the worse ones. 

I had given the higher ranks nicknames that Ink actually liked to use; he said they were appropriate - which meant that I knew if I was going to get a hard beating or a light one. The nickames I had created, from worst to best, were diabolical, which included only Ink and one other guard - he wasn't coming today; evil, which included about five guards - the one coming was one of them; mean, which included the majority of the higher ranked guards; average, which included quite a few of them; easy, which only included about two; and kind, which was only the swapped Sans. The swapped Sans was the only one who didn't hurt me in a cruel way when he came; he only did it to relieve my pain. The easy and average ones only really came when they needed to blow off some steam, but they never stayed for long. The mean ones simply practiced techniques on me, figuring out which ones hurt the most. The evil ones actually enjoyed seeing me in pain; a lot of the mean ones did, too, but they didn't quite make it to evil. The diabolical guard came about once a week, and he was working to become Ink's right-hand-skeleton, which meant he had to get Ink to like him; he figured that proving he was as sadistic as Ink was would fit the bill, and he had no problem at all using me to do it. Ink still hadn't found an interest in his work.

"Dusty." Ink looked to me, forcing my skull up to meet him. "What do you think?"

"A-ab-about wh-what?" I stuttered; Ink preferred it when I responded, and pain was the alternative.

"Is he late?" Ink was referring to the evil guard that should have come.

"N-no.." If he wasn't present, he wasn't hurting me, and that was good enough for me.

"I'll wait a while longer, but I have to be somewhere soon."

"Wh-where?" I didn't even want to know; I just wanted to know as much as I could.

"Just a meeting. I'll be back around eight."

"Ok-okay.." 

"What is taking him?" Ink was impatient.

Soon after that was said, the door was opened, and the evil guard entered.

"Sorry I'm late.." He apologized.

"That's fine, just be on time next time." Ink ordered.

"Yes, Sir."

"Have fun!" Ink opened a portal.

"I will." The evil guard smirked at me, recieving a scared look; at this point, I didn't care who was hurting me - I was just afraid of the pain...and Ink. 

When Ink had left the scene, the evil guard started his term, pelting me with bone attacks; the guards weren't allowed to use blasters, since those were much more powerful, and I could die from just one powerful attack. They didn't mind that, of course, since they were only present to inflict pain while Ink was gone. It didn't matter if they had to use blasters or fists; they would hurt me with whatever they had available. Halfway through my beating, the guard switched from bone attacks to blue magic, slamming me against the walls of the room; they were only allowed to use blue magic for five minutes, since that, too, was powerful. After five minutes, the guard sat next to me to savor my cries; he was in the evil section for that purpose: he loved to hear me cry. When the clock hit two fifty, he had to leave; the swapped Sans would come at three, and he wasn't allowed to be present. In the ten minutes I had before the swapped Sans came, I thought about my brother; he's the best, and I just knew that he would rescue me and Error soon! When I heard the clock strike three, the door opened just as it always did, and the swapped Sans pulled me into a hug.

"Are you okay?" The swapped Sans worried. 

"Y-yeah.." I winced a bit from my bones settling.

"Do you want it over with now, or do you want to talk?"

"Whatever..y-you want.."

"You're so selfless, Dust.." The swapped Sans was always willing to spread compliments wherever he went; he was responsible for the morale of the entire army!

"N-not r-really.."

"I guess I'll let you go now..goodbye, Dust."

"G-good..bye.."

After that was said, the swapped Sans summoned a sharp bone; it felt like a dagger, but that was necessary to properly kill the soul. If it was done incorrectly, I could come back to life without my memories, or I could possibly not even come back at all! When I was ready, the swapped Sans wasted no time in killing me quickly; it was excruciating, but it could have been worse if he wanted it to be. When it was over, I felt a reset; it wouldn't be long before I woke up in my bed once more. When I opened my eyesockets, I let out a sigh and rose to my feet, wobbling a bit at first. I eventually gained my usual balance and made my way to the forest; I had decided to start with news about Papyrus before seeing my old friends, partly because he's the best, and I always started with the best! It didn't take long for me to knock on the guard station's door, and I was soon greeted with smiles and let in; they had the files about my brother on standby, since they never knew when I would die. When I had been seated at the table I was led to, I quickly looked for new information about Paps; he's the best!

"How many times does this make?" A guard was sorry for me.

"I think five." A different one answered. 

"That must be horrible.."

"At least he gets this time.."

"It should be that he gets this time forever.."

"Ink's too cruel to let him do that."

"You're right.."

I spent twenty minutes reading about all the awesome stuff Papyrus had been up to, and he had been up to a lot! He organized at least one rescue mission per week, which made me smile; Error and I would be saved in no time! When I had finished pouring over the information, I decided to go back to town; I waved goodbye to the guards and began my run. Although running wore me out, I needed to get as much as possible done in my short time in my universe; I didn't know when I'd get it next. When the inhabitants of my universe were made aware that I was present, the ones that wanted to talk to me went to the most accessible place in the underground: Grillby's. It was the ideal spot for a large gathering, and everybody seemed to find it preferable to hoping they passed me on the street. I had thirty-five minutes left when I reached the restaurant, and I didn't waste any time in entering the building; everybody seemed happy to see me, and I spent the next twenty-five minutes talking with some old friends. At the ten-minutes-left point, I made it a point to have a conversation with Grillby; he wanted to know exactly what went on in my absences, and I didn't shirk from telling him. When I had two minutes left, I had to say something.

"Grillby." I addressed.

"Yes, Sans?" He knew I was serious.  

"I'm going to tell you now."

"What is it?"

"I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"I see..what do you want us to do about it?"

"Just..if I ever show up acting weird, like I have absolutely no care about anything, or I'm acting weird in general, would you knock some sense into me?"

"You mean hurt you?"

"If I don't respond to anything else.." I sighed. "I can take it; you should know that.."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks."

"How much time do you have left?"

"About a minute..I guess this is goodbye.."

"Goodbye, Sans. Stay strong."

"I'll try.."

"Or maybe you shouldn't try!" Ink had arrived. "Do you know what I had to go through to get here on time?"

"And thus starts it.." I frowned.

"You shouldn't go dying while I'm busy!"

"Sorry.."

"I'm taking you back, then I will return to my meeting, and when I get to you, you will be beaten so hard that a doctor won't be able to tell your arms from your legs!"

"You could be nicer about it.." I muttered.

"Excuse me?!"

"N-nothing!"

"That's what I thought."

At this, Ink quite forcefully dragged me through a portal as I got my last glance at my universe for a while. When we reached his room, he threw me to the ground and told me that a babysitter would come shortly; he left promptly. I had been left alone in his room before without injuries, but there was no way out; the windows were quite unbreakable, and the door wouldn't be unlocked for anything except a given key. I hoped that my usual sitter would be coming; Ink had practically forced the job upon Fell when I said he was the easiest to get along with, and he didn't mind it at all! When he came, he told me of current news in the multiverse, including some feats that my brother had pulled off; Papyrus is the best. In exchange for those, I offered him some information that the higher ranks had given me during beatings; they were always complaining about things, and since they always took it out on me, I had some pretty valuable information to share with Fell, who shared it with the rest of the guard. Of course, that didn't make much of a difference when Ink was virtually unstoppable..it could only soften the blow. Fell soon entered the room, and I was happy to see him.

"Heya, Dust." Fell greeted. "You're looking healthy."

"I just died..that helps a bit." I shrugged.

"I see."

"I doubt I'll be fine when Ink gets back..he's in a horrible mood."

"Well, I wish you luck." Fell sat next to me on the floor.

"Thanks." 

"Any news?"

"Some of the higher-ups say there's a chance for Ink to accept a right hand, while others say it's impossible."

"What do you think?"

"Guard isn't gonna let up, but I really have no clue."

"Anything else?" 

"Ink's birthday is coming up soon, and from what I've heard, everybody in the multiverse has to get him a gift.."

"If they don't?"

"Torture for a week."

"Agh..we'll be ready. Thanks."

"No problem. Anything on your end?"

"Your brother defeated a large onslaught in Horrortale; it remains free."

"That's good. He's the best!"

"He's pretty cool."

"Anything else?"

"Not today, sorry.."

"That's okay! How's it going?"

"Same old, same old; it feels like the restrictions just keep getting tighter.."

"The higher-ups are behind that.."

"Speaking of them, did you know that Blue's one of them?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know how? I mean, he wouldn't accept Ink's offer."

"Since he used to work with Ink when he was 'good,' he didn't have a choice. If Dream gets captured, he'll receive the same."

"I see. Is he nice?"

"Yeah. Sometimes he comes to relieve some of the pain; it's only temporary, though.."

"That's kind of him - dangerous, too."

"Yeah, but he doesn't care..he's based off of a Papyrus, you know."

"Yeah, and he acts like one....well, not like my brother, but mine is just a special one."

"Every brother is special."

"That's true. Any suggestions on gifts for the 'oh so mighty ruler'?"

I snickered at that. "Let's see..he likes paint, torture, art, and he has a big ego. Maybe a card that says he's cool or something."

"I'll keep that in mind. Let's just hope nobody actually gives him a torture weapon.."

"Yeah.." Last time somebody did that, I was on the receiving end. 

"So, wanna do anything special before you know what happens?"

"Maybe walk a little?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

When that was said, Fell and I stood up and started walking around the room; I couldn't explain how being able to move made me feel! For the next few hours, we talked more and did a few other things; by the time the clock struck eight, I was smiling happily - until Ink came back. Fell was rapidly dismissed, and he had no choice about it; after a silent wave, he left me alone with Ink. Being alone with Ink was one of the scariest things I could ever think of, and it was only made worse by the fact that he was holding a can of paint. He donned a sadistic smile as he came closer to me.

"Hello, Dusty!" Ink chuckled. "Do you remember what I said earlier?"

"Y-yes.." I was scared.

"I changed my mind!"

"Y-you're not going to h-hurt me?"

"I never said that! Just that I wasn't going to disfigure you. I have a present! Do you want to see it?"

"N-no?"

"Too bad!" Ink sat on the floor in front of me and opened the can of red paint. "This..this is a special mixture of paint I've had my top scientists working on.."

I didn't like where this was going.

"They've found an easy way to create it, of course, but there's only one problem.." Ink looked to me.

"Wh-what is it?" I didn't want to know. 

"There's no one to test it on..it's supposed to function as one of the most effective torture devices..supposed to cause lasting pain with no real harm to the body; an illusion of sorts..I wonder who could possibly have it tested on them.."

Being silent was my best option.

"Oh, wait!" Ink snapped his phalanges. 

I was doomed.

"You wouldn't mind, would you?" Ink wasn't fooling me.

"Y-yes?" I hoped he would let me go.

"Did I say you could mind?"

"N-no?"

"That's right, Dusty." Ink grabbed my jacket and pulled me across his lap; that wasn't good. "Now..tell me how this feels."

Before I could say a word, Ink poured the paint into my mouth; to say that it burned was an understatement. Compared to his old paint, this was extremely potent, and I believed that I screamed louder than ever before; Ink enjoyed that. Fortunately for me, he only brought one can of his new paint, but I doubted that I would be so lucky in the future. I screamed for ten minutes after the paint had finished coming, simply because it hurt so much. When I had reduced my volume to loud sobbing, Ink smirked and decided to address me.

"Dusty?" Ink leaned in close. "Can you hear me?"

"Y-y-yes.." I could barely speak; it still burned, not to mention the fact that I was crying.

"That's good. On a scale of one to ten, ten being enough to make you want to die, how bad did that hurt?"

"N-ni-nine.." 

"That's impressive! What did you say the old paint was? Five?" Ink wondered, receiving a shaky nod. "Well, I'll be sure to have it mass-produced! We wouldn't want to run out, now would we?"

"P-please.."

"Oh, I understand! You're tired, aren't you? Ah, it's bedtime; what a shocker." Ink pushed me off of his lap and started his bedtime routine. 

I cried even more when Ink turned out the light; the pain was still there! The old paint never burned that much for that long; it always died down to at least half potential after the first minute! When the lights had been turned out, Ink climbed into bed; I was still crying. Ten minutes later, Ink got out of bed, grabbed his brush, and hit me on the skull as hard as he could; I was knocked unconscious, and Ink no doubt went back to bed. I had a feeling that there would be a crack in the morning.

I wasn't happy.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean ow ow ow!

Thanks for reading my ouchie writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been Ink's plaything for far too long; tomorrow marked two years, but that was also a good thing, because I would be able to see Error again! I missed him a lot throughout the year, and he was commonly on my mind. Speaking of on my mind, Papyrus was on my mind the most; he's the best! From what I had learned, he hadn't stopped trying to rescue Error and me for even one week! Honestly, I felt that he should have been taking breaks; tired little brothers had the tendency to make mistakes, and that was the last thing I wanted him to do. As for me, I wasn't doing so well. Ink had mass-produced his new paint, and it hurt so much worse than the old paint; I wished he kept the old paint. I believed that he was using the new paint to torture others, too; I sometimes heard screams from other places, and they weren't pleasant..at all. I had died one month ago, which meant that I wasn't going to be walking to see Error this time; however, after a full year of begging, Ink did finally give me permission to visit with Error in his cell, in exchange for an extra hour of paint, which was worth it. All I had to do was get through the day, and I would be able to see Error soon; it was morning, and Ink had just woken me up.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink grinned. "Are you ready for a terrific day?"

"Y-yeah.." If I said something wrong, Ink might not have allowed me to see Error, which meant that I would be very good today.

"Great to hear!" Ink patted me on the skull; I assumed it was a form of praise - he had only done it when I followed his rules. "First thing's first! It's your meal day, which means you're being fed! Would you like to know what your food is today?"

"Wh-what?" 

"Today you get a magic granola bar!" Ink held out a magic-infused granola bar; that would hold me for three days, surprisingly.

"Th-thank you.." 

"You are being so good today!" Ink let me have the granola bar, which I began to eat immediately. "I wonder what's different..hmm..oh! You're visiting Error tomorrow! Silly me, I almost forgot! Is that why you're being so good?"

I nodded; he knew it was.

"Well, I can't blame you; you must be really looking forward to it! Are you?"

I nodded again, getting halfway through my food.

"I bet you're going to be so compliant  today!" Ink patted my skull. "Don't for a minute think that I've forgotten about that deal you made; an extra hour of paint. Today or tomorrow?"

"T-today.." I would rather take it sooner than later.

"You're such a brave little skeleton! Would you mind if we didn't take breaks today?"

"N-no.." Ink was taking advantage, but I couldn't risk my visit.

"That's great!" Ink laughed as I finished my small meal. "Shall we start now?"

"I-if you w-want.." I had no chance of seeing Error if I didn't oblige..

"That's a good Dusty!"

Ink wasted no time in starting my morning beating, which I predicted would last around four hours; the paint would take longer, and with the extra hour, it may have even shaved an hour off of the beating - that didn't mean it didn't still hurt, though. It lasted a total of three and a half hours, and Ink had immobilized my left arm; I now only had very limited movement of my right leg out of my four limbs, and I was incapable of hugging Error. I would manage, though! When the first round ended, Ink started the second strong with some paint. I hated paint. It was bad enough being coated in it and having to smell it all day, but Ink took it a step further with making me drink it. I couldn't argue today, though; I had to see Error. After a minute amount of fearful begging - Ink liked that - the pain started, and I had to drink it all. Sure, a lot of it spilled on my clothes, and some got on the floor, but the majority of it landed in my mouth, and whatever Ink put there, I had no choice about. That portion lasted for the rest of the day, unfortunately, and by the time Ink said it was bedtime, I had been constantly screaming for over ten hours; I would have lost my voice if I had vocal cords, but I didn't, which meant I could scream for days on end - Ink would have liked that. When night came, Ink sat next to me; I was still screaming on agony.

"That was a fun day, don't you think, Dusty?" Ink asked. 

I was still screaming.

"Oh..I forgot about that..silly me!" Ink giggled. "Well, it's bedtime now, and I can't have you ruining my rest! Sorry, Dusty!" 

After that was said, Ink unsheathed his brush and twirled it around in the air for a moment before bringing it down on my skull; that was effective in both knocking me out and stopping my screaming. I descended rather quickly into a dusty nightmare, and before I knew it, I was thinking of Papyrus; he's the best, and naturally, I would think of him whenever I could! Of course, tonight I would think of someone else, too: Error. I hadn't seen him for a year! I wondered if he had changed; I hoped not, because I really needed someone to help me, and he was the best choice at the moment, since everybody else was either a guard or a conquered civilian. Error was family, and I needed family. At the moment, my only family in the entire multiverse was Paps, Error, and Chara, but I couldn't reach Paps or Chara, leaving Error. He wasn't a terrible comforter at all; he was actually really good at it! Apparently there was a rumor that he was insensitive, but that was absolutely incorrect, and I stopped it before it grew too large. When my dusty nightmare ended, I opened my eyesockets to see Ink staring me straight in the eyelights.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink smiled.

"G-good m-morning.." I returned; I only had to keep being good until I made it to Error.

"Are you excited for today?"

"Y-yeah.."

"You don't sound excited..are you excited?"

"Y-yeah! V-very ex-excited!"

"That's better! When your escort arrives, you will be taken to Error; when you come back, the 'diabolical' guard would like to play with you! Okay?"

"O-okay.." That news wasn't the best.

"Now, I'm going to do a bit of torturing and interrogation!"

"Ok-okay.."

"What do you say when I go to torture and interrogate?"

"G-good luck!"

"That's right! Bye, Dusty!"

"B-bye.."

Ink left soon after that, and I eagerly awaited the escort; I only got this chance once a year, and I was not going to miss it! When the door opened, I was picked up by a few guards, and they carried me to Error while talking to me about different things, such as my brother. There was no need for me to be handcuffed, for obvious reasons. The trip took a while with my broken bones, but we eventually made it to Error's cell, and his expression lit up when he saw me; it brightened even more when the cell door was opened, and I was let inside. He immediately wrapped me in a warm hug, which I couldn't even return. 

"Dust!" Error held me close. "I missed you so much!"

"I m-missed you, t-too." I laid my skull against him.

"Are you okay?"

"J-just a b-bit..immobile.." I sighed.

"Oh..sorry.."

"That's f-fine."

"Is this what you..usually look like?"

"F-for the m-most part.."

"I wish I could do something.."

"Y-you d-do enough b-by b-being here.."

"You really know how to cheer up a lonely soul, Dust." Error hugged me even tighter, but I didn't mind. "What's new with you?"

"Ink g-got a n-new type of p-paint.."

"Is that bad?"

"I-it's m-much worse th-than the o-old stuff.."

"I'm sorry, Dust." 

"I-it's n-not your f-fault.."

"..Is there anything else?"

"S-some guard is t-trying to b-become Ink's r-right h-hand.."

"And?"

"H-he's u-using me t-to do it.."

"You mean..hurting you?"

"M-mhm..h-he's coming..wh-when I l-leave.."

"It sounds like you need more comfort than me.." Error sighed, wiping a tear from my eyesocket.

"Wh-what's h-happening w-with you?"

"Just a bit lonely..I'm really fine."

"D-does he e-ever c-come d-down here?"

"No..the only ones who come down here are the guards and you, and the guards don't talk."

"Wh-what d-do you m-mean?"

"They're either not allowed to talk, or they don't want to.."

"Th-that's sad.."

"I have a lot of time to think..how about you?"

"Th-the oppos-site..Ink l-likes to h-hear himself t-talk.."

"I'm sorry you have to go through that, Dust.."

"I-it's n-not your f-fault.."

"I know..so, what's your brother been up to?"

"P-Paps?" This topic overjoyed me! "He's the b-best!"

"I know! Has he been doing a lot of good stuff?"

"Y-yeah! He e-even s-saved Horrortale a l-lot!"

"That's great!"

"Y-yeah, a-and he even t-tries to s-save us r-really often!"

"That's the best news I've heard in...a long time.."

"W-we'll be s-saved soon! I kn-know it!"

"Yeah.." Error tried to sound happy, but something told me that he wasn't.

"I-is something wr-wrong?"

"I guess..I'm just a little down.."

"D-don't worry, E-Error! We-we'll be r-rescued s-soon!"

"Sure.." Error didn't seem convinced.

"Error?"

Error said nothing, simply holding me closer.

"We.." I didn't understand. "We'll b-be saved, r-right?"

"Oh, Dust!" Error started sobbing; I realized in that moment just how much this had impacted him.

"E-Error..it's o-okay.."

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't make you sad!"

"I'm s-sad m-most of th-the time, a-anyway..you n-need c-comfort.."

"How about..we take turns?"

"O-okay..t-turns. Y-you first; you n-need it m-more!"

From that point on, we took turns offering eachother comfort in our differing circumstances, and we did it as best as we could manage; this comfort had to stick around for a year, and we were intent on making it do so. I enforced Error's perseverance with kind words, and he enforced mine with hope; hope ran thin in my torture, and I would use anything I could get. Our hour together flew by quickly, and before I knew it, the cell door was being opened. The guards let me say a final goodbye before I had to leave for the next year, but I still wished I had more time; we didn't even get to talk about everything I had in mind! The last glimpse I caught of Error was a soft smile, as if he was encouraging me, saying, "Don't worry, Dust! We'll see eachother again!" I really needed that. When I was returned to Ink's room, the diabolical guard was waiting for me; I knew that I was in for it. I never saw his face, since it was covered by his helmet, which he never seemed to take off; that didn't mean that I couldn't feel his glares burning into my soul, though. He was in the same category as Ink for one reason: he patterned himself after Ink, and that was sick. I didn't even care to know his name; he wasn't worth it.

He was quick to begin his term, using bone attacks, blue magic bursts, and even his hands to hurt me, and he did. He had perfected his technique on me, practicing moves over and over; learning common weaknesses in Sanses, which he usually tested on himself afterwards, just to make sure; finding out what hurt the most during torture by repeating painful actions; and persuading Ink to accept him as worthy. Right now, Ink still regarded him as inexperienced, but he was intent on changing that, and he was willing to do anything to sway Ink's mind, including performing demeaning tasks such as watching a conquered universe. He was determined, to say the least, and he commonly told me that he was on the verge of piquing Ink's interest; Ink told me that he was just not strong or smart enough, but perhaps someday he would make it. Ink really didn't want anyone to be in the position the guard was yearning for, since it would put someone in a higher power level, and that someone could make threats against him for their benefit. If he ever did choose a right hand, it would be someone that he trusted and knew well; that didn't include the guard, no matter how hard he tried. 

The guard continued his term for three hours, stopping the moment Ink opened the door and saluting post-haste; he was a good soldier, but he was an awful person - almost like Ink. When Ink walked over, he examined me for a bit, making the guard stay.

"Are you sure you hit him hard enough?" Ink wasn't convinced; I was.

"I used all my strength, Sir." The guard confirmed.

"Look, I know what you're trying to accomplish, but this is not good enough! I'll demonstrate."

Ink took my broken left arm in his hands.

"When you break a bone, you never do what you did; you do it this way." Ink twisted my arm as much as he could, snapping the bones thoroughly and producing a shriek. "You see?"

"Yes, Sir!" The guard really thought Ink would let him be his right hand; I almost felt sorry for him, but I managed to suppress the urge. "I'll sharpen my technique!"

"Good. Now leave us; we have some business."

"Yes, Sir."

When this was said, the guard quickly left the room, and Ink smiled at me.

"So, did your visit go well?" Ink wasn't interested in pain at the moment; I was thankful for that.

"Y-yeah.." I winced a bit from my wounds.

"That's good. Would you like to hear about my day?"

"N-no.."

"So you'd rather play?"

"No! I-I'd love t-to hear ab-about y-your day!" That was better than being beaten or fed paint.

"Oh, really? Well, in that case, I'll have to oblige!"

Ink laid my body on the floor and began to tell me about those tortured souls he had visited in his absence; it made me sick, but I always had Error's hope to get me through.

Hope would protect me.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean say hi to Error bean again! Yay!

Thanks for reading my hopeful writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been Ink's captive for three years and a month, and Ink had just moved me up to step six of his plan; I no longer begged - it wouldn't work. All I could do was hope that it ended soon..and cry. I felt like I was always crying, even when I didn't have to; Ink found that interesting, in his own sick way. When the guards came to hurt me, they were now allowed to use blue magic for ten minutes instead of five; Ink figured that that would speed up the process of reaching his goal. All that was left was for me to lose my hope, and I was scared of that moment; I didn't know what would happen! Maybe Ink would let me go, or maybe he would kill me for the last time; those would have been better endings than what I knew he would do. He would just continue; I knew he would. My pain wouldn't end until somebody rescued me, just like Error's loneliness wouldn't end until somebody rescued him. I would wait, though! I would wait for years if I had to! Papyrus would save me! He's the best, and he would save me! If he rescued Error first, that would be even better! At the moment, Ink was out, and I was sitting next to Fell; he was good at helping me cope with Ink's torture. I had recently been in my universe, too, which meant I could move!

"Hey, it's all right." Fell assured. "You have the support of all of us in the lowers! So what if you reached a meaningless step in a plot? You'll never reach the last one; we'll make sure of it!"

"Really?" I found that reassuring.

"Of course! Now, wanna know what your awesome brother did yesterday?"

"Yeah!"

"He only fought the strongest guard in the entire army and won!"

"Wow! He's so cool! I didn't know that was why he was so mad yesterday!"

"Yep! Your brother's really the coolest! Guess what on top of that!"

"There's more?" That excited me. "What is it?"

"I've been tasked with a special mission to deliver a letter to the resistance!"

"That means.."

"That's right! I'll be able to talk to your brother, if they let me! Is there anything you'd like to tell him?"

"There's so much! I guess to keep it simple, would you tell him I miss him and love him? And that he's the best, of course!"

"I'll be sure to." Fell smiled. "If he gives me a message for you, you will get it."

"Thank you so much!" I hugged Fell; he was the best friend I had in Ink's domain.

"No problem." He hugged me back, giving me some hope.

"Now, the bad news.." I sighed as I sat back against the wall.

"Yeah.."

"Ink's planning another guard training.."

"Oh..great." Everybody hated those. "Any idea when?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, yet. He's planning it for next year, but it'll be massive."

"Thanks for the warning."

"It's the least I can do."

"How's Ink's mood?"

"He'll be happy for a while; I wouldn't do anything reckless, though."

"Right. What about you?"

"I don't know.."

"Well, we'll be right behind you all the way."

"Thanks."

"Of course."

"Stand at attention!" Another voice ordered; Fell stood and saluted. 

"Yes, Sir." Fell knew our time was up.

"Have you completed your task, yet?"

"I'm about to, Sir."

"Get to it!"

"Yes, Sir."

Fell left almost immediately, not wanting to evoke Ink's anger, which he would have taken out on me. Speaking of Ink, he was quick to sit next to me, smiling joyfully. 

"Did you have a nice time?" Ink looked to me.

"Yeah.." I sighed.

"Oh, I almost forgot that your stutter was gone!" Ink giggled. "Silly me! I can fix that, though!"

I knew what was coming next, and I didn't fight it; there was no use. Ink knew exactly what torture methods would have which effects, and he used them accordingly. If he wanted me to lose my ability to walk, he would beat me. If he wanted me to stutter, paint was the way to go; that was what he used today. I didn't even care about the taste anymore; the pain was so much worse. I wished Papyrus would come soon..maybe Fell would be able to help him! Yeah, Papyrus would come soon! He's the best, and he would come soon! I just had to keep hoping! Hope would get me through! Ink continued his paint-filled torture for roughly five hours before the clock struck bedtime; that protected me from further pain. Of course, this paint had the side effect of lasting longer, which meant Ink had to eventually knock me out to get himself some rest. That didn't mean that the pain went away, but it gave me a bit of relief; at least I wasn't screaming.

I didn't like screaming.

~~~~~

Let us see what the resistance is up to, shall we? This part shall be in Papyrus's perspective; enjoy!

~~~~~

My brother had been captured over three years ago, and I felt like I had exhausted every escape tactic I knew! Disguises, infiltration, and even trying to plant spies into Ink's empire had all failed; I had to get my brother back! The problem was that we had no information on where he could have possibly been! We had infiltrated the compound so many times, but he wasn't in the prison cells; he wasn't even with Error! We were running out of places to look, and our numbers were growing thinner every month; Ink had a way of getting us alone, even if we had strict policies against it. The Great Papyrus wasn't doing so great. My brother had probably waited so long in hopes that I would save him, and I couldn't let him down! I wouldn't let him down! I just had to find a way; after that, he would be saved. Some of the others seemed to think he had joined Ink, but that was simply not true! My brother had too much loyalty and honor to join Ink, and he probably fought every day to avoid doing just that! My brother is the best, and he would never stoop to such lows! At this moment, I was sitting next to Dream and Classic, trying to find a way to rescue my brother.

"Maybe he's in an AU?" Dream wondered. 

"That is highly unlikely." I sighed. "Ink would want to keep him close..."

"You're right.." Classic admitted, before getting an idea. "But how close?"

"What do you mean?" Dream asked.

"What if Ink has a secret prison? Would he keep Dust there?"

"And where would the prison be in correlation with him?" I was starting to catch on. "Somewhere he could easily reach, obviously."

"Guys, I think you should see this!" Outer had run up to us, and he looked rather unsettled.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know yet, but you should come!"

"Let's go, then!" Classic was ready.

Our group guickly followed Outer to the entrance of our hideout; he and his brother were the doorkeepers, and nobody entered without their permission. If they found someone to be dangerous to let in, we would have to take a look. It was a short trip to the entrance, and when we arrived, we looked through a crack in the wall; what we saw wasn't exactly inspiring. One of Ink's soldiers was standing right outside, as if he knew we were in here. I wasn't quite sure how to respond. 

"What do we do?" Outer whispered; the soldier would have heard us if we didn't.

"I don't know.." Classic confessed. "How long has he been out there?"

"Five minutes..I thought he would go away after the first two, but he didn't."

"I think he knows that we're here.." Starstruck didn't look very happy.

"But how?" Dream didn't understand. "How could he know?"

"I don't know." Outer looked again. "He isn't going away, though.."

"Open up!" The soldier from the outside knocked loudly. "Don't you know it's cold out here?"

"It's warm outside.." Dream was confused.

"Wait..wasn't that one of our passwords?" Starstruck remembered that.

"It..was.." Outer hummed. "A long time ago.."

"Do we risk it?" Classic wasn't sure. "It could be a trap.."

"I'd be surprised if it wasn't." I contemplated the dilemma. "He seems to know that we're here..and our passwords..perhaps he used to be with us?"

"Nobody comes back after siding with Ink." Dream couldn't think of a single instance. 

"Perhaps he did?"

"We're going to have to open the door sometime..it doesn't look like he's leaving.."

"Look, I'm just delivering mail!" The soldier held up a letter.

"What kind of mail?" Outer yelled out. "A bomb?"

"A letter and a spoken message!"

"Who are they from?"

"The letter's from Ink, and the message is from..Dust."

"My brother?" I couldn't believe it.

"Let him in." Classic confirmed.

"All right." Outer opened the door, revealing the soldier.

"About time." The soldier handed Outer the letter nonchalantly. 

"What does my brother want to say? Is he okay?" I was worried sick!

"Dust wants to tell you that you're the best, he loves you, and he misses you." 

"Is he all right?"

"He'd tell you that he's fine, but...I don't think so."

"Who are you?" Classic wanted to know.

"I guess it'll be okay.." The solder reached up to take off his helmet, revealing an old friend.

"Fell!" Outer was shocked. "What happened to you?"

"Ink's crazy conversion tactics.." Fell sighed. "I can't come back..even if I want to.."

"What about my brother?" I questioned. 

"Ink isn't making him join his army..but I'd say what he is doing is..so much worse.."

"Can you tell us anything?"

"Ink's practically turned him into a..plaything."

"What does that mean?"

"He's been tortured every day..I don't want to do this to you, but to stress the amount of help he needs, I'm going to." Fell took a deep breath. "You can hear his screams from the other side of the compound. They don't stop until Ink stops, and sometimes, it lasts all day. A lot of guards have requested to be permanently transferred to AUs just because they can't stand hearing it all day! If Ink is angry, Dust takes the blows for it. If Ink is happy, he still does! When he dies, he's just revived to do it again! The higher ranks are allowed to hurt him, too! I've never seen a skeleton with so many broken bones at once..it's horrifying. When you walk into Ink's room for orders, he just casts him aside as if he was worthless! If you break down crying because you can't stand what he's done to the poor guy, he finds it funny! He needs help, and you're the only ones who can do it."

"M-my.." I couldn't believe it; my brother had been through so much, and I wasn't there.. "B-brother.."

"Do you have a message I could relay to him? He needs support.." 

"Tell him...I'll come for him..I will!"

"All right. He'll get it."

"I love him so much.." I believed that I was in tears.

"He knows. That's all I can say..I just hope it's enough. I have to go back now.."

"Why?" Dream saw no need. "Can't you stay?" 

"No. I wouldn't if I could." 

"Why, though?" Outer wanted him to stay.

"I'm the one who has to watch Dust when Ink leaves him..if I stayed here, it would only make his situation worse..and nobody wants that."

"Wait!" I caught his attention. "Where is he?"

"I can't tell you outright..when he dies, he gets sent to Dusttale for a reset. That's your best chance. If I were allowed to say good luck..I would."

"What about the rest of the time..can't you give us a hint?"

"I already did. You're smart; figure it out."

At this, Fell left us, and we were left to figure out what he meant by that.

"Figure it out?" Classic shook his skull. "What did he say?"

"What about Dusttale?" Dream inquired.

"We could try it, but the timing would have to be perfect." I was determined; I had to be.

"Guys.." Outer didn't look very happy; his brother didn't, either.

"Yeah?" Classic looked to Outer.

"Fell told us exactly where Dust is.." Starstruck figured out.

"Where?!" The rest of us wondered. 

"Ink's own room."

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Paps bean got a lot of work.

Thanks for reading my switchy writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been in captivity for three years and nine months at this point, and I wasn't exactly thrilled about it. I had only one source of lasting hope, and that was Papyrus; he said that he would come for me! I couldn't wait for him to come for me - actually, I could, but that wasn't the point. The point was that he was coming! I would wait as long as I had to for him; he probably knew that! He's the best! Today was a special day for Ink, since he had scheduled a massive guard training in the afternoon, and the entire army would either have to attend, or, if they were needed somewhere, watch the recording of it later; it was a big deal. Nobody really liked guard trainings, but they had to live with them; I received constant complaints about them during beatings and while being watched. I had never attended one, since I wasn't a guard, nor did I want to be, but this time, it would be different; I was going whether I wanted to or not. Of course, my role was not to be trained; I was the example. Usually, they would get a dummy, but this time, I was the dummy. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but I had no say in the matter; Ink made sure of that. He had just killed me, but I wouldn't get my hour to roam my universe until after the training, and he said he would give me an extra hour this time, just because he was nice. At the moment, I was in his room, sitting against a wall, as he oversaw the preparations somewhere else.

"He's going to make you do what?!" Fell could hardly believe it; he was watching me while Ink was away.

"I don't really want to repeat it.." I sighed.

"I can understand..is there any way out?"

"Nope..Ink's dead set on it, and when he is like that, nobody can sway him.."

"That's horrible.."

"Tell me about it.."

"Well, I hope you get that extra hour.."

"So do I. Ink's pretty honest when it comes to that stuff, though; besides, he'll be busy wrapping everything up, and I doubt he'd cut my time short when he's so busy."

"True. Got any special plans?"

"Maybe I'll confirm that I'm never drinking ketchup ever again. They keep offering it to me, but I have to keep turning them down."

"Why?"

"I'd have a mental breakdown if I took it..heck, every time I see the color red, I see paint! Ketchup is a red drink..I couldn't take it."

"I can see that..sorry.."

"Hey, it's not your fault that I'm scarred for life."

"I know..it's terrible that you have to go through this.."

"I'd say I'll live, but somehow, I just don't see that happening.."

"You seem a bit off..are you okay?"

"Just a bit nervous, I guess..I don't know what they're gonna do to me.."

"Plus all the people.."

"Being tortured while you're alone is bad enough, but when you're tortured in front of people who have no way to help you, it just...I don't know what'll happen!"

"Hey, don't go losing hope on me." Fell comforted me. "The last thing we need is for you to be feeling hopeless."

"I know.." I was starting to tear up. "I'm sorry.."

"It's okay. You're okay. Nobody's hurting you right now..there's no need for tears.."

"Okay..no tears.." I wiped them off. "Right. I'm okay."

"There we go! You're gonna be okay, Dust!" 

"Yeah, I'll be okay!"

"That's what I like to hear!"

"Thanks, Fell..I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"Ah, that's just nonsense! You're strong enough to get by without my help, but whatever I can do, trust that I will do."

"Thanks.."

"Now, before you have to do this, I figure you'll want something extra."

"What?"

"Just the knowledge that your brother saved Horrortale again."

"Really? He's the best!"

"Yep! He's pretty cool!"

"I can't wait for him to come! I'll be able to tell him how cool he is and how he's the best at everything!" 

"Don't forget how patient you are!"

"Yeah! I'm super patient, and I'll wait forever!"

"I'll vouch for that!"

"How much time is left?"

"Um.."

"None." A new voice had entered the room - Ink. "Guard, go to the assembly. I'll take care of Dusty."

"Yes, Sir." Fell left Ink and me alone.

"We're going to have so much fun today, Dusty!" Ink walked over to me. "The only question is if you can be a good little Dusty and walk behind me willingly, or if I need to use..other tactics."

"What..t-tactics?" I didn't want to know.

"Oh, nothing much. Just a rope."

"A..rope?"

"Gosh, Dusty!" Ink giggled. "It's like you think everything I do is painful!"

"Most of it is.."

"Ah, well, that's true. So, are you coming with or without it?"

"Without it.." I didn't exactly want to be tied up. 

"Great!" Ink smiled. "Come on, Dusty!"

I stood up to follow Ink; there was no chance of escape on my own, and I didn't try. It wasn't very shocking that I would follow Ink without restraints; he probably had eyelights in the back of his skull, which meant that I wasn't going anywhere he didn't want me to. It was actually a long walk to the training area; I was pretty tired out when we got there. It was an outdoor training area with a raised stage for the actual training part, and Ink would be right in the center of it. I saw almost every high rank there, including the diabolical guard; this was truly a big event. When we arrived, I was seated next to the stage with a few high ranks; they smirked at me, knowing exactly why I was there and waiting to hear my screams of pain. I was in for it, unfortunately. When nobody else was entering the area, Ink took his place on stage and prepared the guards; only Fell knew that I was going to be present, which meant that the other guards were in for a surprise. I didn't exactly look forward to it, opting to look forward to my time in my universe instead. When Ink was ready, he began his introduction; I wondered how much pain I would be in.

"Welcome, guards, to your training for today!" Ink greeted. "As always, you will be taught new techniques for maximum performance possibility and new rules that you will be following! Please, hold your questions until the end! Now, we will start with the new rules! Some complaints have been made about being put into two groups under different high ranks, and I will respond accordingly! You have all been placed into a section under a commander! One hundred guards per commander, except for Blue, who gets the overflow. If you're in the overflow, simply wait for a new high rank to join us, and you will be sorted accordingly! Your sections will be listed in the main hall on the notice wall; don't skip out on it, or there will be consequences. Now, I believe that's the only thing other than a few conduct rules, but we always do those at the end! Now for techniques! Please welcome our training dummy for today, Dusty!"

The crowd seemed very unsettled when my name was mentioned. They became even more unsettled when I was forced onto the stage by a couple high ranks who held my arms tightly. Ink looked happy; I was not. 

"Our techniques for today will be quite simple: crowd control and civilian punishment." Ink turned to me. "As always with civilians, they shouldn't be able to move or dodge, hence the restraints. Now we begin."

Ink started to go through different techniques to properly control citizens, all of which were painful; I expected that. From kicking repeatedly to properly placed bone attacks, he cracked my bones and made the guards feel sorry for me; they had to watch this. After three hours of techniques, Ink stopped; everybody knew it wasn't over, though. He looked at my crying, shaking figure with glee; some of the lower ranks were crying as well. Everything was silent for over a minute; I honestly wondered if he was finished - I hoped he was..but I knew he wasn't. Even the crowd's crying slowed..until he said a simple phrase. The crying increased the second he said it, and even the higher ranks holding me seemed a bit tense about it; he wasn't joking.

"Now.." He said. "Execution techniques."

Ink grinned at me as he approached; I prepared for what was about to happen.

"This is fairly simple." Ink summoned a sharp bone. "If a civilian is getting out of hand too much, they deserve the most painful death possible, if they aren't sent to the compound for torturing, of course. The soul should be showing outside of the body, like this." My soul was pulled out. "A sharp object, knife, bone, anything, really, should be used. A death with less pain would be straightforward; we don't want that. Run the point across these spots on the soul, making sure not to hit anything important, and in general, just making them scream out. When you complete this path, jab straight in and twist. The victim will have regretted being born, and if they ever are brought back to life, they'll remember. Now, watch this demonstration of the tactic closely."

Ink brought the point of the bone across the path he specified earlier on my soul, making me scream in pain; the audience was mostly in tears, and the ones who weren't were passing out. Ink had a way of doing that, and my screaming was just a way to prove that his tactics worked, unfortunately. When he finished the first step in his technique, he drove the bone into my soul and twisted it, with my heightened screaming proving the effectiveness of his sadistic tactics. When he twisted for the last time, I died once more, and the hold of a reset took control instead. The pain was gone, thankfully, when I woke up in my bed, but it was a pretty gruesome experience while it lasted; I just had to forget about it and move on. I started my usual routine when I died, heading straight for the guard station in the forest; I had to know what Papyrus had been up to recently - he's the best! There was only one guard in the station when I got there, and he was in tears; he had obviously been watching. After a quick comforting hug, the guard led me to the table where my brother's achievements were kept; there were four more pages than last time, and they included more of my awesome brother's rescue attempts and other missions!

I spent twenty minutes looking at Paps's missions before saying goodbye to the guard and heading to Grillby's; I had an extra hour today, and I wasn't going to waste it! When I reached the restaurant, I took my usual seat and started talking to Grillby and some others; they hadn't heard about the events of the day, which I counted as a good thing, because I didn't want to talk about it. We talked about multiverse happenings and other events that were coming up, but the conversation eventually drifted to the past..when Ink wasn't in control. There was a lot of laughter, and smiling was present.

"Wait, remember when the Librarby was on fire?" I couldn't stop laughing. 

"Everybody was panicking!" Grillby remembered that well. 

"I was the only one with enough brains to look for a fire extinguisher!" Undyne scoffed. "And there wasn't one!" 

"That can't top the time when the hall was flooded!" Asgore commented. 

"Seriously, where was I supposed to stand?" I rolled my eyelights. "The roof?"

"No, you wouldn't stand on the roof!" The old lady found that ridiculous. "Obviously you would stand on the walls!"

"Wall, you got me there." 

"Hey!" Grillby exclaimed. "That was a pun!"

"Heh..I guess so.." I frowned a bit. "Papyrus used to hate those. Does he..ever come around here?"

"No..he's probably too busy finding ways to rescue you and your friend!" Undyne encouraged. "I bet you'll be free in no time!"

"Yeah..hopefully.."

"Would you like a drink?" Grillby offered.

"Got any water?" 

"What about ketchup?"

"N-no.."

"Sans, is something wrong? In the past, you would take it without hesitation..now, you won't touch it."

"Ketchup is red." I couldn't avoid this explanation. "Ink uses red paint..the connection is too much..I'd probably have a breakdown."

"Oh..sorry.."

"It's not your fault."

"How much time do you have left?" The old lady wondered.

"About an hour..Ink killed me twice today, so I get more time as a result."

"That's good..I think."

"Yeah..it is."

"More time to spend with you is great!" Undyne felt sorry for me after our rough reintroduction. 

"I wish all this stuff never happened.."

"Doesn't everybody?" 

"Obviously not Ink.."

Before we could continue, the door opened; I assumed it was someone else - Alphys, perhaps. The voice that came wasn't hers...

"Brother?"

I turned as soon as I heard it, and the entire group was in shock; I started tearing up.

"P-Paps?" I knew it was him. 

"Brother, it's me." Paps smiled softly. 

I wasted no time in leaving my seat to run up to him; I hadn't seen him in years! When I was halfway to him, I tripped; it wasn't caused by a misstep, though. My foot was caught..in paint. Ink stepped out in front of me; I couldn't believe it.

"Dust's brother!" Ink chuckled. "I don't think we've been acquainted!" 

"Let my brother go." Papyrus was stern.

"So, you're one of the leaders of that pesky resistance, aren't you?"

"I won't hesitate to engage in battle."

"Wow, you're getting straight to the point! Well, I don't quite think that you know what you're getting into!"

"Step aside or prepare for battle." Paps wasn't messing around. "You have tortured my brother for far too long, and today, you've stepped too far."

"Oh, come on! A public execution is nothing!"

"And I suppose my brother is nothing to you. I'm taking him back." Paps summoned a long bone; he would fight.

"Well, that'll be pretty hard! You see, Papyrus, you may be able to take out any soldier in my army, but you won't defeat me, because there's a difference between them and me."

"And what is that?"

"I don't play fair." Ink used blue magic to lift me up; the paint holding me back had dissolved. 

"Put him down." 

"No, silly! Why would I put him down..when he'll be taking all the hits?"

"What?!" I struggled, to no avail.

Ink brought me closer to him, giggling. Papyrus wasn't going to wait for him to do anything, summoning bone attacks immediately and aiming them directly for Ink. Ink, however strong he was, wasn't ready for that; his right shoulder was pierced, and I was released from his grip. Papyrus was completely ready for battle, not willing to let me go; he's the best. Ink wasted no time in freeing his shoulder of foreign objects and unsheathing his brush as soon as he could. Before the true battle could begin, Ink created a barrier between them and the outside; Paps wouldn't be getting help, and I was unfortunately on the outside. The fight moved fast, and I could barely keep track of what was happening; I had to, though. Paps was fighting better than I had ever seen him! There was no doubt as to his place as a leader of the resistance. Ink was barely hitting Paps, while being hit few times himself. I felt like it was going to come down to who had more endurance; I knew that Ink had high levels of endurance, having been with him for longer than I would have liked, and I knew that Papyrus would no doubt have a lot. Only time would tell at this point.

I tried as hard as I could to get through the barrier, but there was no use; I didn't even have my magic. Neither of the fighters seemed to be slowing, every movement as quick as the last. It was truly amazing seeing my brother in action; he was better than the stories! I couldn't have cared less about Ink; he was trying to hurt Paps! As much as I wanted to get through to help Paps, it was useless; I could only watch and hope. Papyrus had really become better at fighting; he was taking Ink on move for move, not giving an inch! The battle continued for over twenty minutes, and neither of them looked even a little tired out; I was so proud of Paps! The speed never slowed, not even for a moment; every attack was placed just right, and one wrong move could have meant the end for either of them. I just hoped it wasn't Paps. At the twenty-five-minute point, the battle ended abruptly, and the barrier fell. I couldn't make it to my brother, though; a portal opened below me, and just as I lost sight of my brother, I knew it didn't matter that he had won. All that mattered was that Ink had retreated, and I wasn't left behind. I sobbed on Ink's floor nonstop, wishing I had moved when I could, wishing I could have been with Paps.

He would rescue me..eventually.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean ain't happy bean.

Thanks for reading my retreating writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been a prisoner for over five years - five years and four months, to be exact. I hadn't seen Papyrus since the fight; he's the best, though - even if I couldn't see him. Ink had never been defeated in his time as a dictator before that, but word never got out; he made sure of it. Pelting me with paint for over two straight days and ignoring bedtime was a good way to force me to keep my mouth shut; I wouldn't say a word. He only made me keep his losing a secret, though; I told everyone that I had seen Paps! Just because he couldn't rescue me that time didn't mean that he never would! It was just the wrong moment; I had to wait longer for the right one! I could wait as long as I had to for Paps! At the moment, I was in Ink's room, as usual. I had recently come back from death, which essentially meant that I could move a bit; I couldn't walk, though. Although Ink wasn't present at the moment, one of the evil guards was, and that meant that I wasn't free from pain. I honestly didn't care who was hurting me anymore; all that I knew was that pain would always come when someone mean was with me..it always did. Ink had a special place, though; he hurt me the most, and I would expect the most pain from him..

"I can't believe it!" The evil guard was mad about something as he broke my bones. "Categories! And he gets the same one as Ink?!"

I knew what he was mad about; Ink had taken my category system and made it official. Apparently, the diabolical guard was very much disliked among his peers, which only served to fuel their anger when they heard that he was the only one that made it to Ink's level. All of the evil guards except one felt that their category should have been higher, even if they didn't get any extra perks; it was just a power tester. Of course, Ink never told them who made the system to begin with, which meant that I got to hear every threat made on my life anonymously. I didn't exactly know what to think about the entire ordeal; all I knew was that I got hurt for it, and that made me regret it.

"If I ever meet the guy who knows everybody's power levels somehow, I'll crush him into little pieces!" The evil guard wasn't even kidding; he was dead serious..he had done that to people before. "I guess you'll do until I find him.."

My torture continued. In the instance of a loud scream, the guard would laugh. If I didn't scream loud enough, he increased the pain until I did. I had stopped begging a long time ago; it did more harm than good, and they actually liked it. When I finally realized that, I started to realize other things, too. Things such as control. I could somewhat control how long the abusers stayed by controling myself. If they wanted me to scream as loud as I could, I obliged them. If they wanted to break my arm, I would make sure it was in the line of fire, if only to make them go away faster, and it actually worked, surprisingly. Being tortured wasn't a game of survival for me; it was a game of death. I didn't know how many times I had died at this point, and I didn't want to know; I just knew that if I wanted to escape the pain faster, I would have to die as often as possible. I equated it with the kid. After a while, they stopped saving when they came down. The quicker they died, the quicker I was happy, and now, I was in the kid's shoes. The quicker I died, the quicker my captors were happy. That didn't mean that I liked it; it just meant that I understood it. I understood it perfectly.

"Hello!" Ink had entered the room. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes, Sir!" The evil guard smirked.

"Well, don't let me ruin it; I'll just spectate for a while."

"Yes, Sir." 

The evil guard's time was not up by any means; when Ink walked in on guards, they often stayed longer. That was one thing I couldn't ever control; Ink was completely out of my reach, and when he was present, the pain always increased. It increased more so now, since the evil guard wanted to be placed in the highest category; he wouldn't be. The power test was based off of a compilation of every time the guard had ever entered the room to hurt me; one time with increased pain wouldn't do a thing..aside from hurting me more. The guards were at a loss as to how this mystery person knew all their power levels, but if they just looked at the evidence, it was pretty clear that it was me. They would find out eventually, and every single one of them would probably get in a line to beat me for as long as they possibly could; I was preparing for that moment, and I knew that the only reason Ink had made the categories official was to see it. He wanted me to lose my hope, but I was standing firm, even if I was a bit shaky at times, and what better way to take some of my hope than to make me feel like the world hated me? I couldn't think of many, but there were a few; I just hoped that Ink didn't think of them, too.

"You're really good at this!" Ink encouraged the guard after a few hours. "I'm afraid I'd like to take him away, now."

"Yes, Sir." The evil guard left as soon as he was dismissed, and he looked much happier than he did when he entered the room.

"That looked like a lot of fun, Dusty!" Ink knelt down beside me. "Was it?"

"No.." I was aching all over..and crying.

"Aww, he didn't play nice with you, did he? Oh well, you and I are sure to have much more fun than him! Don't you think?"

"Yeah.." 

"You're so good today!" Ink patted my skull. "We'll have fun! I'll make sure of it!"

At this, Ink pulled out his paint; he found traditional beating lackluster and boring after a while, deciding to leave that to the guards who often came. Instead, he only used paint; the paint that he used hurt worse than any amount of physical pain, and it wasn't even harmful! It was completely safe to drink, despite the taste, and it couldn't kill you, no matter how much you drank. Unlike the old paint, it didn't actually destroy your body; instead, it merely agitated the pain sensors it came into contact with, giving the illusion of unbearable pain until the paint dissolved, which could take from ten minutes to two hours, depending on how much paint was used. I felt like I screamed more than I talked; I knew I did. Ink decided to go easy on me today, only giving me enough paint to keep the pain up for an hour after it had been forcefully poured into me. Choking seemed to be prevalent for me as well; while I didn't need to breathe, it helped keep me slightly more sane, and I could use as much sanity as I could get. When Ink finished torturing me for a while, he waited for me to finish screaming before talking about whatever was on his mind; he treated me horribly before casually talking to me..without regret.

"Wasn't that fun?" Ink always expected certain answers to certain questions, and I didn't want the consequences for not giving them to him.

"Y-yeah.." I could barely speak through my weeping.

"You're always so good, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull. "Don't you just love being my toy?"

"Y-yeah.." I wanted to be somewhere else.

"Well, I love having you as my toy! You've been so good recently! In fact, I think I'll do something special tomorrow just for you!"

"Wh-" I was cut off; I knew it was something painful.

"Ah ah ah! I know you're excited, but it's time for sleep now! Have a good rest, Dusty!"

Ink wasted no time in turning out the lights, intent on getting the best good night's sleep he could; he didn't care that I could have been up all night crying. When I eventually fell into my dusty nightmare, I was reminded of my family once more; I missed them so much! I could only imagine what they'd be doing now if none of this had ever happened..they would probably be happy. I hoped that if they were out there somewhere, they were happy. I hoped their dust would be happy wherever it ended up; I could practically see them dancing in the wind, without a care in the world. It was funny, in a way; I could feel their support, even when they were dead. I didn't understand it, but I appreciated it; their strength was behind me, whether they knew it or not, and I would prevail for them. When my nightmare passed, I found myself faced with Ink; he often met me when I woke up. As soon as I was awake enough to take note of my surroundings, Ink was quick to lift me up by my jacket and grin at my scared expression. 

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"G-good morning.." I felt like I was going to be in a lot of pain today.

"Dusty, I've noticed something recently. Would you like to know what it is?"

"Wh-what?" 

"You're losing hope!"

"N-no!" That statement scared me.

"Oh, don't try to hide it, Dusty! Nobody's coming for you! You've known this since the start!"

"P-Papyrus.."

"He doesn't care about you! Why would he? All you've done is fail!"

"But.." I was in tears.

"But what?"

"H-he tries!"

"Tries to rescue you? Really? When's the last time you saw him try to rescue you?"

"..."

"Exactly." Ink dropped me. "I'll be out for a while. Your sitter will come soon."

"Okay.." I didn't bother to wipe my tears.

I sat on the floor crying as I waited for Fell to come. Ink was wrong; I knew that. Why did I hesitate? Did I just want him gone sooner? Maybe that was it; I wanted him gone, and because of that, I said nothing. I decided to believe that; it was the most obvious reason. Papyrus would come for me! He's the best! Papyrus would come for me; I knew he would. When Fell arrived, he quickly rushed over to me, intent on finding out the cause for my tears. He immediately wrapped me in a warm hug and offered me the reassuring hope that Paps would come. Ink was wrong! Papyrus would come for me!

"It's all right, Dust." He assured. "Your brother will save you, and when he does, Ink will never touch you ever again."

"R-really?" I asked.  

"Of course."

"Thanks.."

"Anything for you, kid."

At this, the door was flung open quite suddenly; Ink stood proudly in the entrance before making his way over to us.

"Dusty." Ink smirked.

"H-huh?" I was frightened; Fell couldn't say a word to help me.

"I completely forgot!"

"About..wh-what?"

"Silly you, you forgot, too!" Ink patted my skull. "I had something special for you!"

"O-oh.." I sighed, expecting pain.

"Have this!" Ink held out a box; it honestly looked like..a gift? "Open it whenever you want! I'll be off, now!"

Ink left us after that brief exchange, and I didn't know what to make of it.

"Got any idea what it is?" Fell wondered.

"No.." I replied. "I'd be willing to bet it's painful, though.."

"Well, he said whenever you want.."

"I guess.." I reached to open it. "If it'll hurt, it's best to get it over with.."

"I'll be right here."

"Thanks."

When this was said, I carefully opened the box, revealing a small sewed doll..it looked like Error had made it..and it was a doll of Killer. I didn't know how to feel when I lifted it out of the box; I knew it was Error's handiwork when I held it closer. Did Ink force him to make it? Why? Was it supposed to make me feel sad? It made me..conflicted. On one hand, it made me remember the family I had lost, but on the other..it made me happier than I had been in a long time. It gave me hope. When Fell saw it, he thought the same thing I did at first, but the hope it gave me was immeasurable. 

"Why would Ink give you that?" Fell didn't understand.

"I don't know.." I stared at it. "But..it helps."

"Whatever the reason, if it helps you, hold onto it."

"I will.." I held it closer; I couldn't describe how it made me feel, but a part of it was good..

I would hold it close.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean get hope doll!

Thanks for reading my surprising writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been trapped for a day under seven years by this time, and I despised it. No matter how hard I tried to hold on, my hope was slipping away, and there was nothing I could do to stop it! It had been steadily declining for over a year, and Ink knew it. The doll Ink had given me was in fact made by Error; it was a gift from him, but Ink took the credit. That wasn't surprising, knowing Ink. The 'little Killer,' as Ink called it - whether I liked it or not, it was a good name - actually gave me a lot of hope; Error figured that it would be a good way for him to offer some support when he wasn't around. I appreciated the gift with all my soul, and I thanked him so much for it when I saw him again; speaking of visiting, my visit with him was tomorrow, and Ink had just finished his spree. It was time for bed, and I held my doll close as I tried to fall asleep; it was a real comfort. I fell asleep quite soon in anticipation for the next day, and I couldn't wait to see Error once more! When I was woken, I recited my morning lines with Ink, trying to appease his whims in order to see Error. 

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink grinned.

"Good morning." I hugged my doll close; I was rarely seen without it.

"Today should be quite a fun day for you!"

"Yep." I was counting the seconds.

"I suppose you want to see him sooner rather than later, don't you?"

I nodded.

"Luckily for you, I have a get-together I have to go to this morning, which means I have to get out early; consequently, you'll be taking your visit soon enough." Ink patted my skull; I had grown quite used to that.

That news made me happy.

"Of course, we'll also have to miss our morning routine, but I'll catch you in the afternoon, okay?" Ink looked to me.

"Okay." I only had to wait a little while longer.

"Dusty, are you going to be taking your little Killer?"

"Yeah."

"Don't lose him!" I couldn't stand it when Ink treated me like a child; I lived with it, though..

"I won't."

"Good. In that case, your escort will be here in about five minutes; an evil guard will be waiting for you when you come back!"

"Okay."

Ink left soon after that, leaving me to hug my doll and think about topics for my visit; an hour wasn't a lot of time, and I had to plan my time wisely, calculating for breakdowns and crying. We hadn't managed to get through even one visit without tears, and I wasn't going to bet against the odds; I knew I would cry. As for the guards, they had found out that it was me behind the categories - even if it was Ink's idea to make them official - and I received my fair share of unwarranted pain for it; they also hit me harder in general after that incident. There was still only one diabolical guard, despite the efforts of the others; the only way to achieve that was to be like Ink, and he was the only one took that step. When the door was opened, I was met with two guards who would escort me to Error for my yearly visit; I couldn't wait! I placed my doll into my jacket pocket to avoid losing it; I would be handcuffed this time, since I could actually move. I allowed the guards to restrain me without hesitation; why would I hesitate to do what I had to do to see Error? The trip was long, as always, but the end result was what I was looking forward to; Error looked happy to see me walking through the doorway, and I met him with a smile. When I was seated next to him inside his cage, we hugged eachother tightly.

"It's so good to see you, Dust!" Error smiled. 

"You, too." I was comforted already. "It feels like an eternity.."

"I know..how have you been holding up?"

"Not good..it's really getting to me.."

"I wish there was more I could do to help.."

"The doll really helps..thanks again."

"I'm glad you like it..at first, I thought it might have brought back a few memories.."

"No, it's actually a big help!" I paused. "But.."

"But what?"

"Error, I'm losing it..I'm losing myself.."

"Dust, you can hold on! Papyrus will come for us soon!"

"Will he?" I felt myself tearing up. "What if he doesn't?" 

"Dust, he will."

"I'm scared, Error.." 

"I know.." Error sighed. "If you had to guess..how long?"

"At most..if I'm lucky..five years."

"At least?"

"I think I can make one. After that, I don't know."

"All right. I'll help as much as I can, okay?"

"Okay..how have you been holding up?"

"I've been all right. Just lonely, as usual."

"Well, I'll help you as much as I can!"

"Heh. I guess I walked right into that one."

"Error?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think is gonna happen?"

"You mean..when you.."

"Yeah.."

"I couldn't say.."

"Okay.."

"How about we talk about your brother? What has he been up to?"

"Oh, he's been great!"

"That's good to hear!"

After that, I began to tell Error about Papyrus's accomplishments, of which there were many. I could talk for hours about Papyrus; sometimes, I probably did, when I had the time. We also talked about other things, such as events, people, and the past; I liked talking about the past, even if I couldn't see my family anymore..their memory would live on. Our time moved quickly, as always, but I gained a bit of hope to see me through; that was good. In addition to that, I was able to give Error some assurance; he had more than enough hope, but sometimes, the loneliness really got to him. When our hour was up, we hugged eachother one last time and promised to last until we next met; we had to. I felt sorry to leave him, but at the same time, I had no control over it; I had to leave when I was told, no matter how much I wanted to stay forever. The trip back to Ink's room felt quicker than the trip down to Error, probably because I was dreading what was waiting for me. As the door opened, I clutched my doll closer - the handcuffs were removed after I had left Error's cell - and hoped the guard would go easy on me; I knew he wouldn't. 

As soon as the escorts left, the guard smirked at me, and I cried, holding my doll close. He walked over to me as I sank to the floor; it would be easier to take the pain down there, and the guards liked it when I was lower than them. When he reached me, he knelt down beside me and examined me; a few of them did that before hurting me.

"You won't be needing this." He chuckled, taking my doll away and throwing it across the room; I cried harder when he did that. "Perfect."

After that, the pain started; I couldn't even hold on to my hopes. The guard showed a blatant desire to break my legs; I obliged him, in order to make him leave faster. He launched a couple bones at my legs, and although they would have missed if I hadn't moved, I didn't want the pain to continue; they were fractured almost immediately. I wouldn't be walking until I died. When the cracks began to come quicker, I could only hope that I would be able to move by the end of the day. The guard kept hurting me for two hours. After the two hours, he had gotten his fill of my suffering, thankfully, and he left before he had to; he would have stayed longer if I didn't let him break so many bones. As soon as the door shut, I looked to the area where the guard had thrown my doll; I was considering giving it a name - calling it "doll" all the time was a bit redundant. I liked the term "Hope," since it gave me hope; actually, I decided then that I would call it Hope. I looked carefully for my Hope, but I didn't see it..anywhere. I was a bit worried; what if I had lost it?! I looked for it more, but it didn't show up...it wasn't in the room with me, and even if it was, it was out of my reach; I could barely move.

I decided to wait; it would turn up eventually, and at that point, I would have it again! I had nothing to worry about! I decided to think about Papyrus; thinking about him would reinforce my hopes that he would come for me! He's the best, and he was no doubt trying to find a way to rescue me at that very moment! I simply had to wait, and I could wait! I was being irrational before! Papyrus had the hard part; he had to make a plan, find a way to execute it, and play it out perfectly, while I only had to wait! I could stand a bit of pain as I waited; it was nothing new. After a couple hours of waiting, there was a knock at the door; it wasn't Ink, since he would have simply opened it. I usually wasn't on my own, unless Ink forced me to be; he called it "isolation torture," and I really hated it. A minute later, the knocking came again. I couldn't just do nothing - actually, I could, but I didn't want whoever was out there to have to stand there all day - but I had no clue what to do! I decided to answer them - with my voice, since my legs were broken. 

"I-it's just me.." I called out softly.

"Oh!" The door was opened soon after that, revealing the swapped Sans, who came over to me. "Sorry.."

"I-it's fine..need something?"

"The guard who was here earlier did a 'not very nice thing.'"

"What's that?"

"He took your doll..I managed to get it back from him." The swapped Sans placed my Hope into my arms.

"Thanks.."

"Sure thing! I'll talk to you some other time, okay?"

"Okay.."

"Bye!" The swapped Sans stood.

"B-bye.." 

The swapped Sans left soon after that, and I was left to hug my Hope. The swapped Sans came at just the right time, too, because Ink came into the room only five minutes later. He seemed happy to see me, but I couldn't return the feeling; I didn't want to return the feeling. He was quick to sit beside me, eager to either talk to or hurt me; I hoped it was to talk.

"Heya, Dusty!" Ink giggled. "Did you have a nice day?"

"Yeah.." I simply recited my lines.

"Great! Would you like to hear about my day?"

"Sure.."

"It started out great! I mainly tortured civilians that had been acting up, but they deserved it! You should have seen this one Undyne!"

He continued his talking for a few hours, trying to scare me out of my wits with his gruesome stories of torture; he couldn't, though. I had grown used to vivid descriptions and insane tactics; I was only scared because Ink was present. If I had been told those exact same stories by a guard, I wouldn't have flinched, but it was Ink, and I couldn't keep a calm outlook when Ink was there. He continued his stories until bedtime. which meant he had missed his chance to harm me with his paint; I was thankful for that, but he told me that I would simply get tortured for twice as long tomorrow. When he was asleep, I, too, drifted into the land of dreams, descending into a dusty nightmare. I thought of my brother as I slept; he would come for me.

I didn't have to worry.

~~~chapter end woot ~~~

Dust bean hug.

Thanks for reading my embracing writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been held captive by Ink for eight and a half years now, and my hope seemed to be fading faster than before. If there was a way to slow its dripping, I wasn't aware of it; even Error couldn't stop it completely. I knew the routine so well at this point that I could say my lines without Ink having to say a word; I knew I was losing my hope. I estimated that I had died more than fifty times over the years, which was a lot, at least for me. At the moment, I was in my universe; I had just died once more, and the inhabitants of my universe were happy to see me again. They were really beneficial in helping me keep my sanity, and they were even willing to knock some sense into me from time to time; I would have lost it already if it wasn't for them. I had five minutes left when the conversation shifted to my well-being, which wasn't the best at the moment, unfortunately. Although my body may have been in perfect condition, my mind was not. I held my Hope closer as the topic unsettled me more; the others had recognized that action as a sign to stop the current train of thought - I was much more sensitive than I had been in the past. I had two minutes left.

"So, the weather's pretty chilly today." Grillby mentioned. "Almost unlighting me on fire!"

"Really?" I chuckled a bit.

"This is why fur is much better at keeping monsters warm!" The old lady smiled. 

"Probably clogs the sink all the time!" 

"True, but it's warm!"

"You might want to think about final thoughts, Sans." Grillby reminded. "Almost up."

"I guess so.." I sighed, holding my Hope closer. "Are you guys doing okay?"

"Yep, just fine!"

"That's good to hear.."

"You can make it through, Sans!" The old lady encouraged.

"Thanks."

"Goodbye, Sans." Grillby  waved.

"Bye.."

"Time's up!" Ink had arrived to take me back to his room, where I would endure more torture. "I hope you had a great time!"

I sighed.

"Did you have a great time?" Ink questioned. 

"Y-yeah!" I was back to my scared self.

"That's great to hear! Time to go home, now!"

"Okay.." I waved one last time to my friends as Ink pulled me through a portal.

When we arrived in Ink's room, I prepared myself for my first pain since death; Ink started strong with his paint. I was lucky that my Hope wasn't able to be stained by Ink's paint; Error had his strings to protect it from that, and they were able to be summoned - although not as weapons - without magic at hand, which was good for me, since I liked to see my Hope without stains. It was the one pure thing I could have, and I treasured it. No matter how many tears were shed or bones were broken, my Hope would always be pure. About a week passed with our routine, and one of my arms had been immobilized; I could still walk, though, thankfully. Today started just like any other day, with Ink torturing me, as per tradition. I had gotten used to the taste of the paint, but the pain was still agonizing; I couldn't exactly get used to that. I held my Hope tightly in my good arm, hoping the pain would leave me soon; it actually didn't last as long as usual today - I wondered why. When I regained my senses, I found Ink angry at a guard who hadn't knocked before entering; he demanded that everybody should knock before entering his room unless it was important.

"What is it?" Ink snapped, unsettling the guard.

"H-Horrortale, Sir." The guard stuttered; I was shaken by that start.

"What about it?"

"It.." The guard gained an air of confidence. "Horrortale has fallen, Sir."

"Fallen?" Ink seemed happier than I had seen him in a long time. "You mean..it's finally under my control?" 

"Yes, Sir."

"Guard, forget what I said earlier. Did you get any prisoners? That pesky Papyrus, perhaps?"

"The Papyrus in question escaped before we could catch him, but..we captured a different leader of the resistance." 

"Oh, really? Who?"

"Dream, Sir."

"That's wonderful!" Ink chuckled as he looked at me. "Aw, I don't want to leave you here alone, Dusty..oh! I know what to do!"

Ink rose to his feet and left me lying on the ground, hugging my Hope tightly; I was sorry for Dream, but I was happy that my brother escaped.

"Guard, have the prisoner brought..here for interrogation. Restraints and magic suppressors, of course." Ink compromised. 

"Yes, Sir." The guard saluted. "Sh-should I have Dust's s-sitter on standby?"

"Hmm, yes, do that."

"Okay, Sir."

The guard went on his way to carry out his orders, while I silently mourned the loss of Horrortale; I was glad that my brother made it out, though. I hoped Dream would be okay, but I highly doubted it. When Ink sent the guard off, he quickly returned to the ground next to me and pulled me onto his lap once more, grinning evilly.

"We'll have some time to play more before he gets here.." Ink pulled out his paint, and I began to cry again, holding my Hope tightly.

Whenever Ink made a prisoner go to his room, he regarded them as special; I was in that category, unfortunately. There had only been one special prisoner since I arrived, and he died the moment he stepped into Ink's room; I didn't even know who he was - other than a member of the resistance. I hoped Dream wouldn't suffer the same fate. There was a twenty-minute period of silence between the guard's leaving and the door's next opening, which meant that I would be screaming for a bit; Ink didn't have enough time earlier to make me scream as much, but twenty minutes wouldn't make me scream for more than a couple minutes after it stopped. I was actually getting used to the pain a bit; it didn't affect me as much as it used to, but it still hurt more than I could handle. When the door opened, Dream was struggling against two guards, to no avail; Ink made them wait for my screaming to stop before continuing with his calm greeting. As soon as it was simply sobbing, Ink bid the guards to bring Dream closer, but not to let go of him. Dream looked sad when he saw my pain; I hoped he wouldn't have to experience it. When Ink was ready, he lifted me up off my back and made me sit next to him as he spoke.

"Hello, Dream!" Ink smiled. "It's been years, hasn't it?"

"Ink, why are you doing this?!" Dream was saddened. "You used to be nice! You used to be my friend!"

"Oh, Dream! You're so naive! Did you actually think that a person like me would ever have friends?"

"Ink, you can go back! It isn't too late!"

"Too late for what? I'd been planning this takeover way before I met you."

"Wh-" Dream was shocked.

"Dream, there are some things about people that you're simply incapable of understanding! Take Dusty, for example. He knew I was bad the entire time, but he never took the steps to stop me! Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"He had a flaw. It's the same one you have. Your flaw is commonly referred to as care. You care too much about every single detail! You cared so much about me that you didn't even realize that I was using you!"

"But.."

"Look around you, Dream. Do you see any care? No, you don't! And no matter how hard you try, you never will! The world is cruel, Dream; it won't care."

"That doesn't mean you have to join it!"

"That's your opinion. I'm looking forward to forcing you into my army."

"Ink, I'm not joining you."

"Funny..that's what Blue said..and Fell, and the two holding you, and just about everyone in my army! Even Dusty said that! Of course, I had other uses for him." Ink chuckled as he patted my skull.

"What did you do to him?!"

"Not much..just torture."

"Why would you do that?!"

"I wanted to see what would happen! Isn't it great?"

"No!"

"Again, your opinion. Anyway, you're going to be staying right here until I gain some leverage."

"Leverage?" 

"Of course!  How else am I going to force you to obey me?" 

"Ink, that's..mean.." Dream was solemn.

"So it is." Ink was pleased by his old friend's sadness. "You know, your aura is so much weaker than I remember it..or maybe that's just you."

"I can't believe I thought you were my friend." Dream lowered his skull.

"Ah, well, times change. Don't look so gloomy, Dream! I'll get that leverage soon, and then you'll be under my power, just like everybody else!"

Dream had nothing else to say; I felt bad for him. Pretty soon, Ink dismissed the guards after having them tie Dream to a nearby wall; Ink didn't want him to interfere with what he was about to do. He turned to me and pulled me over his lap, as always, before pouring more paint. Dream was stunned.

"Ink, what are you doing?!" Dream struggled against his restraints avidly.

"Routine." Ink giggled as I screamed in pain.

"He's in pain!"

"Well, duh. That's kinda what torture's for?"

"Oh my goodness.." Dream couldn't handle it; he fainted.

Dream was forced to stay in Ink's room with me for two weeks before Ink finally gained leverage over him and forced him to become a guard; he was scarred for life. The leverage Ink used was definitely compelling: Dream joined him, or he attacked Dreamtale. Needless to say, Dream gave in to his demands, and there was a new high rank in the army; the swapped Sans helped him to get adjusted to everything. He visited me a lot, mostly because he felt sorry for me; I stopped keeping track of how many times he had fainted from witnessing Ink's torture. He also bore witness to a multitude of the high ranks; they disgusted him. There were times when it was just him, Fell, and me in the room, and it was nice for a while; he liked my little Hope. Dream felt bad that he hadn't noticed Ink's true nature until now; looking back on it, he said that it was actually pretty obvious. I assured him that it wasn't his fault, but he wasn't going to be convinced of that for a while. He tried to visit once a week to comfort me and offer me some hope, which I really appreciated; he told me that Papyrus was hard at work trying to rescue me, and that really helped. He was currently in my room, offering me some encouragement.

"You'll be okay, Dust!" Dream comforted. "Your brother is going to save you!"

"Sure.." I sighed. "He will.."

"Don't let Ink get to you! All Papyrus ever talks about is how he's going to save you!"

"..Really?"

"Of course! He could talk for hours about all his plans!"

"Heh, I guess he will come!"

"Yeah!"

"I just hope I remember that.."

"Don't worry! We'll help you through this!"

"Thanks."

"No problem! No matter how much Ink tries, we'll always come out on top! Right?"

"Yeah!"

"You're a good skeleton, Dust; don't forget that."

"I'll try.."

"Oh, time moves so fast.." Dream sighed, looking at the clock on the wall. "I guess I'll see you soon."

"Yeah..bye."

"Goodbye, Dust."

Dream left me soon after that, since Ink would have probably gone harder on me if he hadn't. Dream was a good friend, and he gave me a lot of hope; it couldn't stop the inevitable, though - only slow it. I hoped Papyrus would come for me soon; I really needed him. If he didn't come soon, it wouldn't be good for any party.

I didn't want that to happen.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean meet Dream bean.

Thanks for reading my dreadful writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been imprisoned for what felt like an eternity - ten years and nine months. If there was any way to escape, I would have already taken it; there was no escape for me. I wasn't even sure if Papyrus was alive, let alone if he would save me. Ink had prohibited everyone from telling me anything about my brother, and I wasn't allowed to see the information about him that was in my universe; all I could get was encouragement that he would save me...if he even could. For all I knew, he had given up on me. I was holding on as much as I could to my last hopes, but they were fleeting. If nothing happened, I would be Ink's toy for the rest of eternity; I was terrified of that outcome. At the moment, it was a new day to be tortured; my legs were severely broken, but I could still move my arms rather well. I had just been woken up by Ink, and he looked as happy as ever; he was always happy in the mornings, unless something was happening that annoyed him.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink knelt down to my level.

"Good morning." I held my Hope tightly.

"Did you have a nice rest?"

"Yeah."

"Are you still under the delusion that your pathetic brother will save you?"

"He's not pathetic! He will save me!"

"Oh, Dusty! When are you going to learn?" Ink shook his skull. "Your brother won't come for you! He simply doesn't care about you!"

"Yes, he does!" I was tearing up.

"I'll clear you of this belief, yet!"

Ink then began our day of torture, filling my body with his vile paint; I could only scream. He continued all day, only stopping to answer the door once; it was just a request to torture me tomorrow, which he approved. The paint continued for the rest of the day, burning me and making me lose more hope. There was a feeling inside me that it would never stop, but I tried to ignore it; I couldn't give in, yet..it was appealing. Nothing would change, right? No, I couldn't think like that! I couldn't give in! As Ink finished the day, he talked for a bit about some plans for tomorrow, which involved mostly torture; he was obsessed with the mere thought of pain coming to someone other than himself, and it was more than often me, which wasn't fun. I went to bed at the same time as always that night, hoping, as always, that my brother would come to save me - that anyone would come to save me. My nightmare remained the same. When I awoke, I was met with Ink's grin; I wished I could wake up to anything else. I lifted myself to a sitting position, trying not to further injure my legs; Ink would have preferred it if I had.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted. 

"Good morning." I held my Hope lightly.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"Still think you'll be rescued?"

"Yes."

"Fair enough. You'll lose hope, soon."

Ink stood and walked over to his bed, where he had placed some food; it had been three days. He gave me the food, which didn't taste too bad to me, but Ink never did give me anything that tasted good. As soon as I finished, Ink gave a guard a notice to get Fell, who would watch over me for a while - the guard that would torture me couldn't stay for the entire time Ink was gone doing whatever he would do. When that was done, Ink returned to me and patted my skull; I actually didn't really mind that much anymore.

"Dusty, when your babysitter gets here, I'll be going out to do some torturing and interrogation!" Ink declared.

"Good luck.." I never liked saying that.

"Thank you!"

Fell came soon, and Ink left us alone.

"How are you holding up?" Fell inquired.

"Okay.." I held my Hope close.

"Is that a good okay or a bad okay?"

I shook my skull.

"Dust, your brother will save you." Fell assured. 

I said nothing, opting to cry instead.

"Dust..please, don't cry.." Fell hugged me.

"I.." I sobbed harder. "I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can, Dust! You have our support!"

"That doesn't change the inevitable!"

Fell sighed. "Maybe..quiet..would be better.." 

I nodded; quiet was preferable at the moment. After a while, we talked a bit about my Hope, partly wondering how it had lasted that long; Error's strings were really durable. We didn't have much time to talk, unfortunately, but we enjoyed it while it lasted. Pretty soon, the diabolical guard came to torture me, and Fell was forced to leave before it started; he seemed sad to leave me. I was pretty sure that he saw me as a little kid, and he wanted to protect me; there wasn't much he could do, but he helped a lot anyway. When he left, the diabolical guard chuckled; he still hadn't given up his goal, and he kept becoming more like Ink. Ink still wasn't going to let him be his right hand, but there was no end to his determination; I doubted he would ever stop trying to achieve his goals. I hoped Papyrus would come for me; he's the best brother ever..I loved him so much. The diabolical guard tortured me in his signature way for a few hours, breaking my other arm to near immobility; when Ink came back, the guard continued, and my pain continued. I didn't like pain. I had been beaten for over four hours when Ink finally told the guard to leave, and I was clutching my Hope as tightly as I could.

"I hope you had a fun day, Dusty!" Ink giggled. "I know I did! Did you?"

"Yeah.." I was weeping.

"That's good to hear! I know you want to hear about my day, so I'll tell you about it!" 

Ink sat next to me and patted my skull softly.

"My day started with an Undyne!" Ink laughed. "She was so angry when her AU was conquered, and honestly, it was hilarious! Of course, I started with some paint, as always, and she changed her mind pretty fast! I just love how paint can do that to someone! Don't you?"

"Yeah.." I held my Hope closer.

"Oh, that reminds me! There was an Asgore that was even angrier!"

Ink continued talking, adding more detail with every victim he had tortured; I felt sorry for them. When Ink finally stopped, he found that it was bedtime, which meant that I wouldn't be tasting any paint before I slept; that was good. When I lay down to get some rest, Ink patted my skull once more, and I cried myself to sleep, holding on to my Hope. My dusty nightmare felt comforting tonight, strangely; I wondered why. As I slept, I thought of my brother; I hadn't seen him in what felt like forever. I wondered if he remembered that he's the best..I wondered if he even remembered me; I wondered if he was coming for me..had I been waiting for something that would never come? I didn't know. I just...didn't know. When I was woken up, I felt rather strange; I couldn't describe it. I slowly lifted myself up into a sitting position as Ink watched me, hoping I would accidentally crack something; unfortunately for me, I did. My broken legs became more broken when they settled, and I let out a yelp of pain; Ink laughed. When Ink finished his final chuckles, he leaned in closer, noticing my tears, and smiled sadistically; he then began to talk.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull.

"Good morning." My Hope rested on the floor next to me.

"Did you have a nice rest?" 

"Yeah.."

"Are you still convinced that you'll be rescued?"

"I.." I looked at my Hope; it did nothing.

"Yes?" Ink was waiting.

"I.." Tears escaped my eyesockets.

"Say it."

"I-I..." I couldn't say what I wanted to..

"Nobody will judge you!" 

I couldn't find any hope. 

"Will you be rescued?" Ink posed the question again.

"..No." I lowered my skull.

"I see." Ink patted my skull. "Tell me..what about your brother?"

"He isn't coming.."

"The resistance?"

"They don't care.."

"What about me?"

"I'll be stuck here with you for the rest of my life..whether I want to..or not."

"Very interesting." Ink chuckled. "Very, very interesting."

Ink put his brush on the ground and stared into my eyelights.

"Dusty." Ink was serious. "Do you love your brother?"

"Yes." I replied. 

"But he doesn't love you."

"It doesn't matter."

"Loyal to a fault..admirable."

Ink stood and walked to the door, telling a guard to cancel his appointments for the day. He spent the rest of the day asking me questions. 

I answered all of them.

~~~~~

Back to the resistance yayyyyy!

Papyrus's point of view, folks!

~~~~~

My brother had been trapped for longer than I could have ever dreaded; I couldn't find any way to save him! Ink had cut any portals to Dusttale except those of him and his army, which meant that I couldn't try my previous tactic again. I had tried countless times to rescue my brother, but nothing was working! We were always caught by guards, thrown into battle, or someone was even captured! It was honestly depressing when an attempt failed; it happened at least once a week! I was running out of ideas. How was I, the most undeserving brother ever, supposed to save the best brother ever? I had no clue. What would my brother have done? He would've already saved me. He would have gathered his closest friends, rushed in without a plan, and somehow come out successful; I was not him, unfortunately. I sat in the main hall of the hideout, recovering from my latest blunder. Classic walked up next to me and took a seat; he, too, had lost his brother to Ink's rule. He knew what I was feeling more than I probably did.

"Are you crying?" Classic had rarely seen me do that - a trait I had picked up from my brother.

"For your information, yes, I am crying." I wiped my tears from my face; I had to be stronger to save my brother.

"Papyrus, you'll save Dust! He's lucky to have a great brother like you!"

"He isn't the lucky one..I am. I couldn't even complete a successful rescue attempt in ten years; he would have done it a million times by now. I'm not fit to be the brother of a great skeleton like him..that's why I stuck around. He always regarded me as a strong, amazing brother, but that isn't what I am; I am simply a little brother who has made a lot of mistakes. Classic..if I tell you something, will you keep it a secret?"

"I'm listening. Purely confidential."

"Before my brother was introduced to the multiverse, he would kill everyone in the underground in an attempt to finally stop the resets which plagued us. He would always kill me last. When I started becoming a ghost when I died, I remembered every death he had ever given me..if I hadn't, I don't think I would have forgiven him."

"What do you mean?"

"The first time I became a ghost, I was afraid of him..I was afraid of what my brother had become. I didn't understand it. The second time, I started remembering; I remembered every time he had killed me. Every time, it was painless, it was quick, and it was saddening to think about. He had such a struggle even coping with the idea of killing his brother, that..he just didn't want to do it. I had a choice to make, and to this day, I regret nothing. I encouraged him to continue. His desire to take that path was so strong that I finally understood; he had to finish it. I kept him going on his path; he took my advice, and the resets eventually ceased - until about a decade ago. In that time, I learned more about my brother than he had ever bothered to tell me when I was alive, and he actually trusted me with his secrets; I never knew that his former laziness was to make me feel like I was useful. I never knew that his zeal for puns was to expand my comfort zone. I never knew that everything he had ever done was..for me. I have to save him."

"Well.." Classic was surprised, but he quickly returned to a smile. "I'll help however I can."

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean and Paps bean are having problems..

Thanks for reading my hopeless writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been Ink's toy for twelve years and a month. I had accepted that I would never be saved; there was no use to resist it. Once I had accepted it, the pain was easier to take; it wasn't something that was opposing me anymore. Now, the pain was simply part of my daily routine; I had no reason to fight it. I had also accepted that Papyrus wasn't coming for me; that was the hardest part, but I got over it. He didn't care, just like all of his new friends. That wasn't a crime, and I still loved him; I just couldn't see him. He didn't have to rescue me; he's still the best, even if he didn't save me. My friends were saddened when they heard that my hope was gone, but they accepted it, too, after a while. Now, they just tried to keep me sane; that was all that was left. Losing hope wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; I merely showed less emotion and care towards a lot of things. I expected nothing, and I received nothing. It was simpler that way; I wasn't suffering as much as I used to. It was currently a bright new day, and Ink had just woken me up; I tried to be a bit more positive about my situation, since it would never end. I wore a small smile as I woke; that helped keep me a bit more sane.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning." I returned.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep."

"That's so wonderful to hear! Would you like to see your babysitter while I'm gone today?"

"Yeah."

"Okay! I'll have him called to watch over you!" 

"Okay."

"Are you going to be good today?"

"Yep."

"You're such a good Dusty!" Ink patted my skull; I actually kind of liked that now, strangely. "I should be back at noon, okay?"

"Okay..where are you going?"

"An AU is resisting. It'll be dealt with..the hard way." 

"Oh.."

Ink then left me to hug my Hope, which I hadn't given up. Even though my hope was gone, my Hope wouldn't leave me. Fell came rather quickly, and I greeted him with a smile; he didn't know whether to feel happy or sad that I had lost hope, since my reaction to it was a bit unexpected. He sat next to me slowly.

"Hey, kid." Fell stretched a bit; he usually didn't get up this early.

"Hi!" I hugged my Hope.

"You doing okay?" 

"As good as can be expected..are you okay?"

"Yeah..just barely missed being sent out to battle."

"With Ink?"

"Yep. One AU has been resisting with everything they have; I feel bad for them, honestly. Now, they've got Ink after them, and, well..it just won't end well."

"I hope they'll be okay.."

"I do, too.."

We continued to talk about random topics for hours, and it was really relaxing; it was nice to relax for a bit in my everlasting torment. I wondered how my brother was doing; he's the best. Even if he wouldn't save me, I still loved him; it was his life, not mine, and I shouldn't have expected so much of him! It was wrong of me to do that, and I realized that now. Ink was gone for much longer than he had predicted, and when the clock struck six, it was honestly interesting. I didn't really have much care for Ink, since he tried to hurt my brother, but the fact that he was gone for so long was..curious. I wondered what was taking him, but I didn't dwell on it for too long - he wasn't hurting me. Fell and I were still talking when the time hit eight o'clock - a portal opened ten minutes later, and a disgruntled dictator hit the ground; he didn't look so good. He wasn't moving, and he surely wouldn't be getting up anytime soon with his injuries; I simply let him be - conversation was much safer than investigation, and Fell agreed. We continued to talk for two more hours, and it was now ten o'clock; I was getting a bit tired, since I had gone to sleep at nine o'clock sharp every night for the past twelve years. Pretty soon, a few guards came in and laid Ink on his bed.

"Sir?" One of them wasn't confident. 

"What?" Ink looked like he was in a lot of pain.

"The AU was successfully conquered.."

"Good. Make Dusty go to sleep and leave."

"Yes, Sir."

The guards soon approached me, and I lay down; I was tired anyway. Fell said goodbye before leaving with the other guards, who looked rather injured themselves; the universe they conquered must have put up a large fight. I felt bad for the universe's inhabitants; they didn't deserve to be conquered, nor did anybody else. The fact remained that they were, though, and nobody could change that. I fell asleep rather quickly, descending into a dusty nightmare, and I enjoyed it. It was easier to sleep at night when I had accepted my situation; I was simply destined to be hurt, and I couldn't change my destiny. If I was to be tortured for the rest of eternity, I could accept it; there was no use in fighting anymore. There was no purpose for fighting anything anymore. I simply couldn't do it. If I was eventually rescued, I would enjoy it, but I wouldn't expect it anymore; I expected nothing to change. Ink would probably keep me forever. When I woke up, it was morning, and Ink was still asleep; that was unusual, but he was injured. I simply enjoyed my time of peace and hugged my Hope tightly until some high ranks entered the room and woke Ink up. 

"What is it?" Ink groaned.

"Sir, are you going to recover here?" An evil guard wondered.

"Yes, I am going to recover here."

"Do you have any orders while you do?"

"Ugh..take Dusty to the guard lounge, make sure he gets fed, and just do whatever the heck you want with him until I get back on my feet.."

"Yes, Sir!" The high ranks looked toward me, receiving a few whimpers.

The high ranks wasted no time in grabbing me and hauling me out of Ink's room; it would have been nice to leave if I wasn't simply being taken to a place where I would receive more pain. I didn't struggle - that was useless - but I did keep a tight grip on my Hope; in the event that I lost it, I would have been heartbroken. One of the mean guards took it for a month once, and I refused to even scream when I was being brutally tortured; it was then that I learned that I could even stop my screaming if I wanted to. When they gave it back, I was willing to oblige their requests for a reaction to pain. On the subject of pain, I was beginning to get used to large amounts of it; sometimes, I didn't even notice fractures until someone pointed them out, and they didn't even hurt! I wasn't quite sure what was happening to me. When we arrived at our destination, I was quite forcefully thrown onto the floor, and a couple high ranks gathered around me as I clutched my Hope tighter. The room was commonly referred to as "the guard lounge," which was really just a sort of living area for the high ranks when they weren't doing anything important; it had beds, food, and practically served as a home for whoever wanted it. Since Dream and the swapped Sans were high ranks, they were pretty much forced to stay there, no matter how much they would rather be anywhere else.

"What's the little guy doin' here?" A mean guard scoffed.

"Ink says we get him to ourselves while he recovers." An evil guard smirked. "No turns, no waiting, and no time limits."

"That's better than conquering!" A different evil guard chuckled. 

"O-or maybe we could..be nice?" The swapped Sans was in the room, and he wanted to avoid having anyone hurt me.

"Yeah, right." An average guard shook his skull. "Why don't we just send him to happiness land and shower him with hugs and kisses?"

"That sounds great!"

"It-It was a joke, you idiot!"

"He's not an idiot.." I mumbled, holding my Hope tighter.

"The little dummy speaks!" An evil guard laughed; I never really said much when the high ranks tortured me, apart from pleading, but I hadn't done that in years.

"Oh, really?" A mean guard leaned closer. "I wonder what he'll say if we do this!" He reached for my Hope, chuckling, and took it from my grip.

I said nothing, only weeping.

"Give it back to him!" The swapped Sans exclaimed.

"What're you gonna do about it?" The mean guard tossed my Hope to another guard.

"I'm going to scold you in a very stern way!"

"Oh, wow. I'm so scared. Somebody. Anybody. Help me."

"You're on your own, pal." An easy guard snickered. "I would never mess with the big, stern Blueberry who can't even put on a helmet right!"

"Quit it!" The swapped Sans crossed his arms. "Give him back his doll!"

"How about..no!" An evil guard caught my Hope and tossed it to the next; they were playing catch with it to keep it away from the swapped Sans.

"I say we make the most of this time!" The first evil guard grabbed one of my arms.

"I agree completely!" A mean guard stood from his seat.

"Here's to pain!" The evil guard snapped my arm, but I gave no response. "What the heck?"

"Ugh, he's done this before." The mean guard who once took my Hope groaned. "Give him back his stupid doll."

"Why?" An average guard, who was quite tall, was keeping my Hope out of the reach of the swapped Sans, who was about the same height as I was - short.

"I took his doll once. Refused to react. Ink got really mad, so I had to give it back. He didn't fight anymore."

"Aw, fine." The average guard threw my Hope over to me, and I picked it up happily.

The pain started soon after that, and I did oblige their wishes for me to scream; I had my Hope. The swapped Sans sat in the corner, hoping it would end soon; I knew it wouldn't. I clutched onto my Hope as the pain increased with every crack, but I didn't ever lose it; I couldn't lose it. The pain continued until I finally went unconscious, at which point, I couldn't delight my captors with my screams. It was sickening to think that the only reason people liked having me around was my reaction to pain; I couldn't fight it, though - I could only give them what they wanted. When I woke up, the pain started again, and I had to endure it. I wondered what my brother was doing; surely, he would be on some important mission for the resistance. Perhaps he was trying to save a conquered universe, or maybe he was retrieving secret information from an informant; those were nice possibilities to think about. I thought about my family as well; I hoped they weren't going to remain dead forever. I couldn't stand the thought of never seeing them again after so long, but I didn't really have a choice in the matter. After about a week of pain, the guards decided to give me a break. The swapped Sans wasted no time in checking on me.

"Are you okay?" He checked my cracks.

I nodded; the pain was bearable.

"Can you move anything?" The swapped Sans found more cracks than he would have liked.

"If he can, we could fix that pretty fast!" An evil guard grinned.

"Haven't you made him suffer enough?!"

"That's unheard of!" A mean guard snickered.

"Be quiet! You've been pummeling this poor skeleton for days, and he hasn't even fought you! Can't you give him a little peace?!"

"You just don't understand how evil armies work, berry." The diabolical guard entered the room. "When the person you're hurting fights back, you beat them into submission. When they don't, they're simply considered normal. Normal victims are fun to work with."

"No wonder Ink hasn't made you his right hand. You're just a meanie!"

"He'll give in eventually. I'm still the only one who's made top rank!"

"Probably 'cause he feels sorry for ya!" A mean guard laughed.

"Just you wait! I will get that title, and then I'll be in charge of all of you!"

"I'm pretty sure Blueberry has a better chance of getting that title than you do!" An evil guard joined the laughter.

"Heck, little Dust has a better chance, and he ain't even in the army!" An average guard teased.

"Yeah, right!" The diabolical guard wasn't having it. "He couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag!"

The swapped Sans was about to retort, but I stopped him; they would have just hurt me more.

"Eh, you're probably right." A mean guard shrugged. "Don't know why Ink thinks he's so special. Looks like a kid to me."

"I think that's enough break time." An evil guard stated.

"Probably too much." The mean guard had already pushed the swapped Sans out of the way.

The pain from the guards lasted for two months, and by the time Ink recovered, I had died twice. It wasn't pleasant to have my bones broken over and over, but I couldn't argue; that would have just brought more pain. As the years passed, I grew used to pain; that could never change, it seemed. No matter where I went, I would be hurt. No matter who was with me - if they were mean - I would be hurt. Nothing mattered anymore; I would just be hurt. I decided to simply live with it and hope for change, but I would never expect it. I doubted that I would ever expect anything ever again; it would just bring pain. That was what my life consisted of, wasn't it? Expectations were just not for me; I was better off not expecting anything than expecting everything. I shouldn't have expected anything to change. I shouldn't have expected things to happen in my favor. 

I shouldn't have expected at all.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean sad.

Thanks for reading my expecting writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been a captive for..eighteen years..I...I had been a captive for eighteen years. Nothing had changed on the outside; I was changing on the inside. Pain was barely noticeable. Broken bones were nothing. I could have mobility in a shattered arm, and I could walk on a broken leg. Paint was the worst pain, but I could handle it. I figured that my pain tolerance was rising, but I wouldn't have bet on it. Today was the day that I would see Error; I couldn't wait! All I had to do was get through a few hours of paint, and I could handle that without too much trouble. A bit of screaming, acknowledgement, and talking, and I would be ready to go. Ink had just woken me up, and I was hugging my Hope tightly.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning." I returned.

"Are you ready to start the day?"

"If you want to.."

"Great!" Ink patted my skull, making me smile a bit; I found it soothing. "I just got some more paint!"

"Uh..g-great.." I didn't like the sound of that.

"You're always so supportive! Anyway, let's begin!" Ink sat on the floor next to me and pulled me onto his lap.

"Okay.." I didn't want to be hurt.

Ink then grabbed some of his paint and began to pour it into my mouth; I hated that. I wouldn't argue on the day when I'd be able to see Error, though; that would be like signing my own death warrant. I believed that I had died from things that I had said more than ten times over the past five years, and that was actually fewer than I had the five years preceding them. As time went on, I was beginning to understand when to keep my mouth shut about things in contrast to when to say something. I didn't mind the taste of paint at all anymore, since it would eventually just go away, and I had done the same thing with tree berries. The paint lasted for four hours, and by the time it had ended, I was ready to see Error; I could adapt quickly. Ink gave me a dramatic goodbye before letting a few guards restrain me and take me to the depths of the compound; I had a few cracks in my legs, but I was capable of walking. The trip down the stairs was less exciting than anything else I could have thought of, but the end result was entirely worth it. As soon as the door to Error was opened, he came up to the bars of his cell with a smile, and he received a large one in return as I entered his cell and sat next to him.

"I missed you so much!" Error hugged me.

"I guess it gets pretty lonely in here.." I returned his hug. "Any attempts recently?"

"Define 'recently.'"

"The past year?"

"One or two. It's a bit like the Anti-Void, but less..spacey."

"How long were you alone there?"

"Oh..longer than here..but I couldn't tell you exactly." 

"I understand."

"How's it going with you?" 

"Ink being Ink, bones breaking, paint plaguing my existence, and all around hell."

"O-oh.." Error wanted to change the subject. "So, how's the doll?"

"It's great!" I smiled, holding up my Hope. "Thanks, again!"

"I'm glad you like it so much. It's also great to see you walking! I don't remember the last time you walked into here.."

"Yeah..it's a recent..development."

"What do you mean?" Error didn't know; I had only gained the ability to walk on broken legs in the past year.

"I think it's best if I show you.." I let Error see my legs; they were definitely fractured.

"But..how? N-not even I could walk on that!"

"You just get so used to the pain that you don't even realize it's there..I barely feel it.."

"I'm so sorry that you have to go through this...I've probably said that dozens of times now, haven't I?"

"It's the thought that counts. Thanks."

"Ink doesn't deserve to even know you.." 

"Let's not talk about him.."

"Okay. How about your brother?"

"He's the best!"

"I've seen him."

"Y-you have?!"

"He tried on one of those rescue attempts in the past year!"

"Really?! I-is he okay?! Did he look well-fed?! Is he as cool as I remember him?!"

"He was fine! Although the attempt failed, he escaped safe and sound."

"That's great! Did he say anything?"

"He said he loves you."

"He's the best!"

"Yes, he is!"

Our conversation continued for the rest of the hour, as always, and we had a great time; it was sad to have to leave so soon. I gained a lot of recent information about my brother from Error, though; he wasn't under Ink's control, and he didn't have to follow his rules. Error said Paps was alive and well, and he cared for me! I was overjoyed when he said that! When the door to the cell was eventually opened, Error and I hugged one last time before I was dragged away. I didn't like being dragged away from Error when our time was up; I wanted to stay forever, but I couldn't do that..I wished I could. When I was returned to Ink's room, he met me at the door, grabbed me by my jacket, and raised me in the air before slamming the door; he hadn't done that before, and I was terrified of what he had planned. We walked me across the room with a smirk and held me up against a wall before saying something.

"Hello, Dusty!" Ink pushed me against the wall harder.

"H-h-h-hi.." I held me Hope as close as I possibly could, shaking.

"I've decided something!"

"Wh-wh-what?"

"You remember your brother, correct?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I've decided that whenever he gets on my nerves, I'm going to double your pain on that specific day! Speaking of that, I've noticed that the pain I've been giving you recently is just..lacking. You're getting used to it. I've planned for this, however! Would you like to know how?"

"N-no?"

"That's not an option! Try again!"

"Y-yes?"

"Correct! Would you like to know what you've won?"

"..."

"Would you?"

"Y-yeah!" I was shaking more than I would have liked.

"Good!" Ink pulled out my soul; I didn't know how he could do that without my permission, and I didn't want to know. "Now, hold still!"

I tried to remain as motionless as I could; when Ink told me to hold still, he meant it. I had moved once when he told me to stay still, and it resulted in one of the worst beatings of my life; he killed me three times in one hour, and he refused to let me take my time in my universe. I learned that day not to disobey Ink - ever - since it would just result in pain. Ink soon took a small paintbrush tipped with red and gently touched my soul with it; he had recently been working to find a stronger paint, since I was rapidly becoming accustomed to the other kind. This was it, unfortunately, and I screamed louder than even Ink would have liked; I wouldn't be growing accustomed to that for a long time. When it was finished - two hours of screaming later - Ink knew that he had found his new paint, and he was overjoyed. He sat next to me and patted my skull as I wept, wishing the pain would stop. He soon posed his question.

"Dusty, how does the old paint rank?" Ink asked. "One to ten."

"F-four.." I sobbed.

"And this?"

"N-no.."

"Where is it?"

I shook my skull.

"Maybe this will be better." Ink stated. "One to ten. One makes you want to die, and ten makes you want to destroy every last bit of your soul before it was ever created!"

"S-seven.." I held my Hope tightly.

"That's much better. We'll use that scale from now on. Now, I know I said I'd double the pain when your brother made me angry, but I didn't expect the paint to work that well! In other words, we'll be using the old paint when he doesn't make me mad, and this paint when he does. Okay?"

"O-okay.." 

"Remember, Dusty, that was only the soul test. That's only equal to ten minutes of what we usually do! So, prepare yourself when your brother gets me angry, okay?"

I gave a shaky nod, still crying.

"Good!" Ink grinned. "Fortunately for you, your brother hasn't tried anything today!"

I was relieved that I wouldn't have to feel any more of that paint today. 

"Now, I know that you think this is harsh, but I find it quite necessary!" Ink sighed. "I will do one kind thing, though."

"Wh-what?" I was interested in Ink ever being kind.

"I will revoke my rule that you are not allowed to hear about your brother's exploits. I mean, you should know what you're being punished for!"

"R-really?" That was the best news I had heard in years! I could hear about my brother! Paps is the best!

"Yep! In effect next week!"

At this point, I had forgotten about my pain; I didn't need to think about pain when I could think about Papyrus! Ink soon started our session, but he used the old paint; I hoped Paps didn't get on Ink's nerves too often..but if he did, that was fine! He's the best, and I could take some pain! For the rest of the day, I thought about Papyrus; I couldn't wait to hear about him! When I went to sleep that night, I thought more about my brother; some would call it unhealthy, and for all intents and purposes, it was. I just couldn't live with the thought of going a single day without thinking about Papyrus; it was impossible. When I woke in the morning, Ink met me with a grin, and I was feeling pretty happy myself; the news that I would be able to hear about my brother was overwhelming! Ink knew that, but he wouldn't stop my hopes for some reason; I passed it off as simply not caring. When I sat up to meet Ink, he smiled widely.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull.

"Good morning." I held my Hope, smiling a bit at the news, which I still hadn't gotten over.

"Did you have a good rest?"

"Yeah." 

"I've decided that I'll be asking you a new question every morning."

"What's that?" I wasn't fond of new questions.

"Do you love your brother?"

"Yes!" I replied without any hesitation; that was a ridiculous question!

"I see. Well, it just so happens that your brother kinda made me a little angry last night!"

"How?" I didn't think that was possible.

"Oh, he just took out a few guards and rescued a prisoner. It wasn't Error, but I had a fondness for that one..they responded to torture so well. I guess you'll pay for it, now!"

That frightened me a bit, and for good reason. Ink wasted no time in starting our session, and he used the newer paint. This paint was designed similarly to the old paint in the way that it created the illusion of pain, but it managed to arouse the pain receptors much more than the old paint. I wasn't sure how it hurt more, but it hurt more. The pain was more than unbearable, and I actually couldn't physically take it; I had to take frequent breaks from it just to keep from straining myself, and they were only taken when Ink said they'd be taken. As much as I wanted to be, I was not a free skeleton; I couldn't change that, no matter how hard I tried. Ink continued for ten hours, and the screaming continued for hours after that, until Ink decided to finally stop me and get some sleep for himself. I felt the pain straight through my nightmare, and it was excruciating; I wanted it to stop. I figured tomorrow would be better, and I would relax then. When I woke up, I realized something. Ink was annoyed by my brother..

Every. Single. Day.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean cry ;-;

Thanks for reading my weeping writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

Ink had kept me for twenty-one years and five months, and I despised it. I had been slowly getting used to his newest paint, but it was a time-consuming process, and it was difficult, as well; overcoming pain was hard. I could now walk on almost completely shattered bones, now, though; I wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. There was one little ray of light that made everything better, though: Papyrus. Since I could now see his accomplishments again, I could see how great he was! He's the best! I didn't feel Ink's newest paint every day, since Papyrus didn't do something to enrage him that often, but six out of seven days in a week, I was feeling unbearable pain, and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt like I was going to die again today, which I didn't entirely mind, since it was easier to walk when my legs weren't broken; that didn't mean that I couldn't, of course. It was a new day, and Ink had just woken me up from a peaceful sleep; I really liked that particular dusty nightmare, but that wouldn't stop Ink. For a minute, when I was gaining my senses - Ink had really hit me hard last night when knocking me out - I thought I had lost my Hope, but I was mistaken, and my calmness returned when I found it.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning." I hugged my Hope. 

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep."

"Do you love your brother?"

"Yes!"

"Let's see..the diabolical guard wants to play with you today! Isn't that fun?"

"Sure."

"You're such a good little Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, making me smile; I really liked that. "After that, I'll be using you in a training course, which will take about half an hour. I figure you'll have died by then, and if not, I'll just kill you myself. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Great! I have a meeting to go to right now, but your babysitter is on the way!"

"Okay."

Ink patted my skull once more before leaving me to hug my Hope; it was a bit weird that I had kept the doll longer than I had actually known Killer, but I didn't dwell on that. Although I had only known my family for ten years, they were the best family I could have ever wanted, and I loved every moment I had spent with them; I missed them so much. If I could have brought them back, I would have done it in an instant, but I didn't have that power. From time to time, I wondered what had become of Last Hope, but I usually just passed it off as my own mistake; I probably messed up with the wiring when I was sleep-deprived and couldn't focus. In any case, there were no sightings of my family, aside from copies, which Ink disposed of as soon as they were discovered; he didn't want any threats to his rule, and that included other versions of the ones who had opposed him for a decade successfully. It was kind of weird knowing that there were others that looked exactly like my family; I decided not to think about that. After twenty minutes, the door was opened, and Fell walked in and sat next to me, giving me a smile; I returned it, happily.

"Hey, kid." Fell looked like he had news about Paps.

"Hello!" I held my Hope loosely.

"Guess what!"

"What?"

"Your brother just took on a whole section of guards and their commander yesterday."

"And?"

"He won."

"He's so cool!"

"He really is!"

"Did he do anything else?"

"Not this time, sorry, Dust."

"That's okay! Um..do you have any idea what Ink's planning?"

"For you?"

"Yeah..something about training?" 

"He said there might be a new training tape soon.."

"..."

"You're going to be the victim, aren't you?"

"It looks that way.."

"Well, good luck."

"Thanks."

The rest of our conversation was about different topics, but we managed to come back to Papyrus quite a lot; now that it was permitted to talk about him, there was so much to talk about! Our conversation continued for a few hours, until the door opened once more, and the diabolical guard stepped in; Fell had to leave then, and I was left to die - quite literally. I put my Hope down so I wouldn't lose it during the screaming; bones breaking didn't phase me anymore, but I was obliged to scream when people wanted me to, and the diabolical guard wanted me to. Needless to say, I would give him his satisfaction as he killed me. He knelt down beside me before he would start his terrorizing.

"Hey, little Dust." He was probably smiling behind his mask.

I said nothing.

"I've been sent to kill you." He probably asked to.

I nodded; only Ink scared me, and as much as he tried to imitate Ink, he wasn't Ink, and that made all the difference. 

"Gosh, I wish you talked more." He groaned. "Oh well. Your cries are good enough."

The guard started soon after that, and within thirty minutes, he had given me a fracture that was fatal; even if broken bones didn't hurt anymore, breakages that would kill anyway would kill. I woke up in my bed after the forced reset and got on my feet quickly; hours passed like lightning, and I couldn't afford to waste a single second. My first stop, as always, was the guard station, where I would look at my brother's latest accomplishments; his file now boasted over three hundred pages! It seemed like the longer I was in captivity, the faster my brother accomplished things, and I loved going over every one of them. I was so proud of my little brother; he's the best! When I had poured over the final page enough, I took my forty minutes and headed to Grillby's, where my friends would no doubt be waiting for me; I wondered who would be there today. More often than not, it was only the old lady and Grillby, since everybody had jobs in their conquered state, and they were hard to get away from. The old lady was a supervisor, though; she could simply watch Grillby's - while engaging in conversation. When I entered the restaurant, I found that it was only the old lady and Grillby, but I didn't mind; their company was a blessing after being killed. I took my seat.

"Hello, Sans!" Grillby seemed happy.

"It's so good to see you again!" The old lady smiled.

"Likewise." I returned. "How have things been going?"

"As well as can be expected. You?"

"The usual."

"Still no sign of your brother?" Grillby inquired.

"A lot of news about him, but I haven't seen him since..you know.."

"Sans, that event was not your fault. You couldn't have known there was a portal about to be opened up."

"Sometimes, I can almost see his expression..I should have moved.."

"Sans, there is no use in dwelling on the past." The old lady stated. "Look to the future."

"All I can see in my future is paint.."

"Well, then.." Grillby had a thought. "Look to the far past. You said you had somewhat of a family, right?"

I sighed. I hadn't said much about my family; it brought back too many memories.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." The old lady assured.

"There were five of them.." I decided that it might have helped. "They saved my life..and I stayed with them. It only took ten years for the family to form and fall; I blame myself. It was the tenth anniversary of my coming, and they had deemed it my 'birthday.' They were getting it set up while I went to sleep; it was a tradition. Our enemies..made a plan to arrest us. A group managed to take me while I was alone, and they used me as..they used me as a bargaining chip to make them surrender! I could have been prepared..we were executed the following day..and only one lived. He was immortal, and he watched us die! I can't imagine that..I.." I was crying; the old lady hugged me to offer some comfort.

"I'm sorry, Sans.." Grillby felt bad. "If I had known that, I wouldn't have brought it up.."

"We can avoid it in the future.." The old lady reassured.

"So, how about the weather?"

Our conversation shifted to lighter topics for the remainder of the hour, and I had stopped crying in the midst of it; they really knew how to make me feel comfortable. When Ink came to take me away, I felt sorry to leave, as always, but I couldn't refuse Ink; he would have hurt me more if I had. When we arrived in his room, I quickly collected my Hope and seated myself on the floor.

"Did you have a nice visit, Dusty?" Ink wondered.

"Yep." I replied. 

"That's great to hear! Would you like to know what I had planned for today?"

"What?"

"We're going to make a training tape on the basics of interrogation!"

"W-we're?"

"Yep!"

"Okay.."

"I knew you'd love the idea! Now stand up and come on! I've got the camera in my personal interrogation room!" 

At this, I stood and hugged my Hope, quickly following Ink out the door. He didn't bother having me handcuffed or tied up; I would follow him just because he told me to - I didn't want the penalty for disobedience, which was either death or paint without breaks for an entire day. The walk to Ink's interrogation room wasn't long, since Ink liked to have his things close by. When we entered the room, Ink made me sit in the prisoner's seat, while he sat in his own, which was considerably more comfortable than mine, but I couldn't argue. On the walls of the room were assorted weapons, which were actually designed by a professional and quite beautiful, but they would look intimidating to any scared prisoner; I didn't mind, since I knew that I would be hurt in this exchange whether the ornate weapons were used or not. There was also a high rank holding a camera to record the tape; I recognized him as an easy guard. When Ink had given a few orders and made sure everything was perfect, he ordered the guard to start recording, which the guard did. Ink began his introduction.

"Hello, guards, soldiers, whatever!" Ink smiled at the camera. "This training tape is for the purposes of interrogation, which is an important part when dealing with rebels and the like. Across from me is our 'victim' for the day, Dusty! Of course, he's reading from a script, but a real prisoner won't! Now, the first step to a successful interrogation is to find the prisoner's comfort zone; the more comfortable they are, the likelier they'll tell you things. We'll demonstrate here. Ahem. Hello, prisoner." Ink paused. "You're supposed to speak, now."

I sighed, looking down at the script on the table. "Hello, dictator Ink." 

"What is your name, prisoner?"

"Sans the skeleton." 

"Do you have a nickname?"

"Oh, I am afraid I do not."

"That's fine! I'll give you one! Your nickname is Cheesecake!"

"Oh wow. What a wonderful nickname. I'll treasure it forever."

"That isn't what the script says, Dusty.."

"Do I have to say that?"

"Yes."

I sighed. "That's the best nickname I have ever heard. Do you want to be my best friend forever? We can make friendship bracelets and sing songs around a campfire."

"Of course! Now, guards, once this level of trust has been accomplished, you may begin to ask questions! Now, Cheesecake, where is the resistance base located?"

"Why would I ever tell you?"

"Dusty, stick to the script."

"The resistance base is 'insert location here.'"

"Thank you, Cheesecake! After you have gained your information, the prisoner may either be executed, tortured, sent back to their AU, or imprisoned. Now, we will look at a prisoner that isn't so helpful. In fact, just the opposite. Ahem. Hello, prisoner."

"Hello, idiot." I actually liked this portion of the script.

"As you can see, this type of prisoner will not be persuaded as easily. Do you have a name, prisoner?"

"None that I would tell you."

"Very well then, prisoner. Where is the location of the resistance base?"

"I will never tell you."

"You have one chance to tell me where that base is, or I will use force."

"Not happening." 

"So be it. Guards, at this point, start with your weakest torture device. For me, that would be a simple stick. I won't showcase the stick. All right, prisoner, I have beaten you with a stick. Tell me the location of the resistance base!"

"Never."

"At this, move up to your next weakest, there should be about five stages, each with increasing pain. For me, it would be my brush. I won't showcase the brush. Okay, prisoner, I have beaten you with my paintbrush. Tell me the location of the resistance base!"

"No."

"Moving up, we have a sharp knife. Because some of you are sensitive to blood, I won't showcase the knife either. All right, prisoner, I have cut you with a knife! Tell me the location of the resistance base!"

"Ow. No."

"The fourth stage for me would be some weak paint. Because Dusty is due for a bit of pain, I will showcase this." Ink pulled out some of his older - not oldest - paint and tortured me for roughly ten minutes before putting me back into my seat; that hurt, but it wasn't as bad as what I knew was coming. "Now, I have tortured you with paint. Tell me the location of the resistance base!"

"N-no.."

"This is the crucial point, guards. Your strongest attack should be used at this point for a minimum of half an hour. For time's sake, I'll only use my strong paint for two minutes. Be sure to note the reactions of your victim." Ink then pulled out his paint and tortured me for another two minutes; he calculated the time wisely, since my screaming persisted after he stopped. When I finally came down to a sob, he spoke again. "Now, prisoner, I have used a strong attack - note that I said a strong attack instead of my strongest attack - on you. If you resist one more time, you will be sent to be tortured until you cooperate. Now, where did you say that base was?"

"'I-insert location h-here..'"

"And that is how to properly interrogate a prisoner. If they refuse the final time, send them to be tortured. That's it for today! Bye!"

The easy guard stopped recording at this point and left after Ink ordered him to make the tapes; that was more stressful than it should have been. I wanted my brother, but I knew he wouldn't come...I just cried as Ink took me back to his room.

There was nothing else to do.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean interrogation.

Thanks for reading my interrogative writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been kept in Ink's room for twenty-eight years and three months. I understood Ink's plot by this time; he was trying to make me hate my brother. I couldn't think of anything more diabolical than doing that to someone..but..he was affecting me. I had to hold on to my love for my brother, or Ink would play me like a fiddle; he was a master of manipulation, and as much as I tried to ignore him, it was impossible. My friends had agreed with me on the subject of Ink's evilness, but all they could do was delay the inevitable; I wanted to delay it as much as possible. The support I received was enough to keep me going, though; I would last as long as I could, and hopefully, by then, something would change. Even if it was the smallest, most insignificant thing, change was needed desperately. At the moment, I was looking around for my Hope; Ink had taken to hiding it while I slept, but he would have given it to me if I didn't find it - I wouldn't even react to his worst paint if he didn't let me have my Hope. After a couple minutes of searching, I found my Hope under a blanket, and I was contented; Ink walked over soon after that.

"Good job, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, making me chuckle a little. "You found it!"

I held my Hope close.

"Well, that's enough play for today." Ink sat next to me. "Dream wants to see you later; isn't that nice?"

"Yeah." I replied; Dream was always kind.

"He should be coming around noon, which gives us a couple hours together! Dusty, your brother has been annoying me lately; he's quite mean at times.."

"He's not mean.."

"That's only what you say. Lie down."

Although I didn't particularly want to, I lay down on Ink's lap, hoping the pain wouldn't last too long. Before Ink could start the torture, he hummed.

"I almost forgot!" Ink laughed. "Dusty..do you love your brother?"

"Yes!" That was still a ridiculous question.

"Then you won't mind this."

Ink started the torture at that point, and I would have been lying if I said it wasn't painful; I was slowly getting used to it, but it still hurt worse than death. Speaking of death, that didn't really phase me anymore; living happened to be more painful in this scenario. Actually, pain that was under the level of just above death did nothing; that included broken bones, Ink's older paints, death, blasters, and pretty much everything other than Ink's newest paint, which hurt worse than anything else. He tried his new paint on torture victims once, but they couldn't handle it; they were still in comas. I was apparently the only one in the multiverse that could stand that much pain - apart from Ink himself; he often spilled paint on himself and didn't even flinch. He was either immune to paint or very disciplined. After an hour, Ink stopped the flow of paint; he was trying to calculate how long I would scream after doses of varying amount, and he was getting closer with his guesses. After two hours, Ink forcibly stopped my screaming; I didn't know how he managed to do it without knocking me out, but I didn't mind not having to scream. Dream knocked soon after that occurred, and he was let in promptly.

"Hello, Dream!" Ink greeted. 

"Hello.." Dream knew what had just happened.

"Dusty, don't do that!" Ink batted my arm away from wiping the paint off of my skull; it would dry if I didn't do that. "I just don't know what to do with you sometimes.."

"S-sorry.." I held my Hope close.

"Anyway, I suppose you want to do whatever you do now; bye!"

Ink left the room immediately, and Dream rushed to my side.

"Are you okay?" Dream immediately looked for wounds. "Did he hurt you badly?"

"I-I'm fine.." I assured. "Just a b-bit..hurt.."

"Dust, you don't have to try to act like it doesn't hurt badly..the cries made it quite clear that you were hurting earlier.."

"I kn-know.." I was weeping harder. "I'm sorry!"

"Hey, it's not your fault." Dream pulled me into a hug. 

"Y-yes, it is!" 

"It's not..you'll be okay. Everything will be okay."

"Wh-what if it isn't?" 

"Then you'll have friends by your side, ready to help out whenever you need them."

"...Thanks.."

"No problem, Dust. You have more friends than you know."

"R-really?"

"Of course!"

Our conversation continued for a few hours, and by the end of it, I was feeling happier; Dream had a way of making anything, no matter how bad it may have been, seem a bit better. He also really liked my Hope, and I found that interesting; the only one who really took an interest in it other than us was Error, and he made it! I guess Fell did, too, a bit, and possibly the swapped Sans as well. Ink only took an interest because it made me happy; he had no attachment to it. After Ink came into the room, Dream was forced to leave, and Ink skipped up to me. 

"Hello, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, which I enjoyed. 

"Hi.." I held my Hope close. 

"I have a surprise! Would you like to know what it is?" 

"Sure.."

"Well, your babysitter is busy at the moment - his commander took him on a mission - which means I have nobody to watch you! To counteract this, I'm taking you with me on my routine today! Isn't that great?"

"Couldn't Dream watch me?" I was hoping with every ounce of my being. 

"I know you're friends, but I don't think you should disturb him. Are you coming?"

"Okay.." I stood, sighing.

"Hmm..I don't want you to get lost, so I think this should do the trick!" Ink solidified some paint into a sturdy rope before tying one end around my wrist and the other around his. "Is that tight enough?"

"Yeah.." I wasn't going to be escaping with a bind that tight.

"Great!"

Ink proceeded to drag me out of his room and into the long hallways of the compound; I would have rathered to be doing anything else, but I didn't have that option. Ink's first stop was a recently conquered universe; I felt sorry for the inhabitants. The universe looked quite peaceful, and there was a nice layer of snow on the ground. He dragged me up to some guards that had been stationed there, who didn't look very surprised to see me; they simply gave me a sad look before turning their gazes to Ink. I held my Hope tightly; I didn't want to lose it.

"How is it going?" Ink looked around.

"F-for the most part, everything is running smoothly, but the judge has continued to fight back, even after being captured." A guard answered.

"What type of judge is it?"

"Sans, about the age of twenty - possibly lower. His attacks are extremely powerful, and he refuses to say a word without the presence of his brother." 

"What's his personality?"

"Arrogant."

"Interesting..send his brother over; perhaps then he'll be more..open to suggestion."

"Yes, Sir." The guards went straight to work as Ink turned to me.

"Isn't this exciting, Dusty?" Ink asked.  

"Yeah.." I felt bad for the Sans.

"Let's get moving! There's much to do!"

Ink started to move in the direction of the universe's prison with a start, and I dropped my Hope! I wasn't going to leave it if I had a choice, and resisting Ink's pull was the only way to get my Hope back; he seemed annoyed.

"Dusty, why are you holding me back?" Ink glared at me. 

I simply reached for my Hope, which was on the ground; I couldn't quite grab it. 

"Oh, you dropped your doll. Pick it up." Ink let me have a little slack to pick up my Hope. When I had dusted the snow off of it, he made another, shorter rope, tied one end to my other wrist, and tied the other to my Hope. "There, now you won't lose it. Come along!"

I didn't resist Ink's pull this time, simply hugging my Hope as he led me to the prison. It was a small dark room with three cells in the back; only one was occupied. A Sans stood at the bars, engaging in conversation with his brother, who was standing on the other side; it was a sad sight, to be honest. Ink didn't waste any time in pushing the Papyrus aside to confront the Sans; I simply sat on the floor, hugging my Hope.

"You're the judge of this AU?" Ink assumed.

"What's it to you?" The judge growled. "I already told you, I ain't giving in! You can tell your stupid leader that the only thing he'll get outta me is a punch to the soul!"

"That's so ironic..the leader of this empire doesn't even have a soul!" Ink always liked to surprise people when they didn't know that he was the leader; he always revealed it at the last moment.

"Why the hell do you even follow him?"

"I guess everyone has their reasons." Ink nudged me with his foot; he wanted me to stand, which I did.

"Who's that?"

"Just a prisoner - ignore him."

"Why should I ignore him?"

"He's the leader's personal plaything; I'm taking him for a walk."

"You have a sicko leading you."

"He doesn't even deny it! So, what makes you so resistant to the conquering of your AU?"

"Maybe I just don't want to be conquered!"

"That's a pity..because you already have been. If it makes you feel better, you're being offered a chance to join this army willingly."

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, if you do, you get certain perks. One of those perks would be the safety of your brother."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't want him to die, do you?"

"You mean you're gonna kill him if I don't join?" The judge seemed to only grow angrier.

"Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no! Oh, you misunderstand! I just mean that..he could die if you don't join. If you join, his safety is secure. If you don't, it isn't. You see, when that is clarified, many people simply refuse to join right then. Of course, there are other perks to joining.."

"..What would happen if I did?"

"Among other things, your brother's safety would be secure, you would be a high rank in this militia, you could visit mostly whenever you liked, you'd be in charge of a sector of soldiers, and you would pledge full loyalty to the leader. Doesn't that sound great?"

"..And if I didn't?"

"You'd most likely never see your brother again; you would be forced to obey every order given to you, since he would die if you didn't obey; you wouldn't be able to visit; and you would be a low rank. You just wouldn't pledge your loyalty. That sounds pretty bad, right? Most people pick that, for some reason, but I have yet to find out why."

"How would that even work?"

"I'm glad you asked! The leader has the unique ability to alter code, which makes up a being on a deeper level than the soul. When altered, a person can be linked to another, and if that person does something to trigger a bit of code, their brother could die instantly. Horrible, right? Somehow, most people pick this; I don't understand it, either."

"..Can I have some time to think?"

"Of course. Take all the time you need! Come, Dusty."

Ink pulled me over to the other side of the prison while the Sans talked with his brother; that was a big decision. Unlike Ink, I knew the exact reason why so many guards had chosen the worse side, even after hearing the benefits of the better one. They didn't like the idea of willingly pledging their loyalty to a dictator; it went against every moral principle a judge had, and it was difficult to make that decision, even with the advantage of being able to see your brother. It went to a moral level, and judges typically had very strong morals; Ink, on the other hand, had no morals. In the end, it came down to three things: the morality of the judge, the love the judge had for their brother, and the personality of the judge. If the judge had strong morals, they most likely wouldn't accept the offer, unless their love for their brother outweighed that, in which case, they might; the ones who accepted for that reason didn't typically visit me. As for personality, a meaner personality would usually increase the chance of accepting the offer, but that wasn't always the case; some of the meanest judges had the most morals. Of course, insanity cancelled out morals in many cases, which meant that a lot of insane judges had joined Ink. 

"So, Dusty, do you think he'll accept?" Ink questioned. 

"I don't know." I simply hugged my Hope.

"I think it's promising; arrogance is good. I wonder if he'd want to play with you. Wouldn't it be nice if he did?"

"Sure.." 

"Isn't this so much better than sitting in my room?"

"Yeah.."

"I knew you'd like it! I'll have to take you out on walks more often!"

"Okay.."

"Oh, I think he's ready! Come, Dusty!"

Ink led me back over to the cell, where the Papyrus was again pushed aside; I felt bad for him. 

"Have you made your decision?" Ink inquired.

"Yeah.." The judge gained a serious expression. "I accept your offer."

"Congratulations. You just made the best decision of your life."

"Whatever."

"Guards!" Ink called a couple guards over.

"Yes, Sir?" A guard answered.

"Have him taken to the compound, introduce him to the others, and get him a suitable suit of armor on standby; I'll check in later to make it official."

"Yes, Sir." The guard went straight to work.

"Come along, Dusty!" Ink opened a portal to another universe. "Just one more stop today!"

I held my Hope tightly as Ink pulled me through the portal to another universe. This universe looked like it was a kinder universe than the previous one; of course, Ink's guards stationed there always made everything look darker. Ink had been called to the universe by a high rank - an evil one - but he didn't receive the details. The high rank was waiting in the center of Snowdin, which happened to be the prison site for this universe; the locations weren't by any means consistent. Ink wasn't that worried about layouts in comparison to conquering. When Ink and I approached the evil guard, he took note of my presence.

"Good evening, Sir." The evil guard greeted.

"Hello!" Ink returned. "What did you need?"

"I have a prisoner here that may be working with the resistance..um..why is Dust here, Sir?"

"I'm taking him on a walk!"

"Oh. The prisoner is right in here." The evil guard opened the door to the inside of the prison.

"Thank you! Come, Dusty!"

Ink pulled me into the building, paying no heed to the fact that I hit my skull on the doorframe on the way in; it didn't hurt, but I still reacted. The guard seemed to take pleasure in that. When we were inside, the evil guard led Ink to a cell, where a Sans resided; he looked sad. I sat on the floor and held my Hope as Ink prepared to talk to the Sans. 

"This is him, Sir." The evil guard gestured.

"I'l take it from here." Ink said. 

"Yes, Sir." The evil guard stepped aside as Ink went up to the bars.

"Hello, prisoner."

The Sans refused to acknowledge Ink's presence.

"Hello?" Ink repeated.

The Sans still wouldn't speak.

"You have one second before I come in there and break every bone in your body." Ink wasn't joking; he had done that to people - including me.

"What do you want?" The Sans remained uninterested.

"That's better. Are you working with the resistance?"

"Why would I tell you if I was?"

"Perhaps for your own best interests..of course, I do have a way to figure out much simply by your reactions to certain things, but I like to give my prisoners a chance. Are you a part of the resistance?"

"I refuse to answer your questions."

"Right. That's fine. I suppose that if you were in the resistance, you would know who this is?" Ink held me up by my hood; the Sans immediately reacted. "That's better." Ink dropped me. "Now, what are your little friends planning?"

"As if I would tell you!"

"Oh, you will tell me. Perhaps not today..but you will."

Ink called the evil guard back over.

"Yes, Sir?" The evil guard awaited his orders.

"Take the prisoner to the compound." Ink started. "Use a reserved cell for interrogation. Crack him by any means necessary, and if you can't do it, I will."

"Yes, Sir." The evil guard opened a portal under the prisoner, transporting him to the compound.

"That's all for today, Dusty; let's get you back home."

Ink opened a portal of his own, which led to his room, before dragging me through it. It was near bedtime when I was finally freed from those ropes; I was never truly free, though. As I lay on the cold floor, I wondered if that Sans would be okay; I hoped he would. I assumed that I would be seeing that new high rank soon; he seemed like the type that would take pleasure in hurting me.

I just wanted to be free. Was that so wrong?

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean walk.

Thanks for reading my adventurous writing! 

Bye!

Chapter Text

Ink had kept me for thirty-five years and nine months. At this point, there was no hope; there was no use to hope anymore. I knew that. Hope was just another unseen thing that had left me long ago; in its place was pain. For all intents and purposes, pain was my new hope. There was so much of it that I didn't feel it anymore. Death was painless. Breaking every bone in my body had no effect. Ink's newest paint was ineffective. I was incapable of feeling any kind of pain anymore; actually, mental pain still persisted, but that was different. Pain now felt like a small tickle; if I wanted to, I could measure the amount of pain that was being afflicted, but I was no longer affected. I supposed that my pain receptors had simply given up. When Ink realized that, he had a slight twinge of panic before gently calming himself down and formulating a plan. He would simply figure out what had happened to me through intensive study for a day; today was the day. As much as I wanted to be killed forever or set free, I knew that Ink would want to keep me around for his own reasons, and I still wasn't immune to his many types of mental torture, which were arguably worse than physical pain. I had just woken up.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted. 

"Good morning." I picked up my Hope. 

"You're going to be going to the doctor today! Isn't that fun?"

"Yeah."

"Let me ask you..do you still love your brother?"

"Yes."

"Very well. The doctor will see you at noon, which means we have a few hours..I can't torture you until we find out what's wrong with you, so let's just play a simple game!"

Ink took my Hope from me and shut my eyesockets; he wanted to play "find Dust's Hope," apparently. Actually, I didn't think Ink was really that bad - didn't I? He was just misunderstood. He may have tortured a lot of people, including me, but that didn't make him bad - yes, it did - per se; it only made him misguided. If someone were to help him to be a better person, I believed he could do it - I doubted it - and perhaps then, he would be nicer. My soul had been feeling weird lately; I didn't know what it was. Ink said it was probably all the indoor air; he decided to take me on walks once a week to clear it up - he probably poisoned me..I didn't want it to be me..

"Okay, Dusty!" Ink let me open my eyesockets. "Go find it!"

"Okay." I looked around for my Hope; it was under Ink's dresser. 

"Good job, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, which made me laugh; I really liked that. "Do you want to play more?"

I nodded; it was actually rather fun - was I crazy?! Fun?!

"All right!" Ink closed my eyesockets.

 The next couple hours were filled with repetitive games, but I didn't mind - it wasn't like I was being tortured. The repetition didn't bother me much, really; I preferred repetition over pain, even if I couldn't feel pain anymore, for some reason. Ink seemed to enjoy it too, which was good - I shouldn't have been thinking like that! - since I assumed that he didn't really have much fun, being a dictator. When the clock turned to 11:50 A.M., Ink stopped our games and gave me back my Hope.

"Okay, Dusty!" Ink giggled. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." I held my Hope close.

"All right! Stay close, Dusty!"

"Okay." 

Ink proceeded to lead me out into the hallways, where we would take a five minute walk to the hospital section of the compound; I hadn't been there before, and I wondered what it looked like. When we arrived, Ink made me sit in a seat by the entrance while he made sure that everything was prepared. As I looked around, I found that it looked like a normal hospital; that was interesting, somewhat. I waited for roughly seven minutes holding my Hope as Ink talked to some doctors. They seemed to look at me as if I was murdering everyone in the room as he spoke; I didn't understand that. When Ink finished, the group of three doctors and a dictator approached me; the doctors seemed nervous.

"Hello, Dust." The lead doctor seemed friendly. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine." I answered; I was feeling quite healthy at the moment. 

"Would you mind coming with us?"

"Okay." I stood up out of the seat. 

"I'll be watching." Ink stated. 

"Yes, Sir." The doctors led us to a specific room; I supposed that I would be staying there for the day. It looked like a regular hospital room.

"Okay, Dust, would you take a seat?" The lead doctor gestured to a checkup table, where I obliged. "Thank you."

"What are you gonna do?" I wondered.

"Today?"

"Mhm."

"A complete physical and mental checkup - nothing to worry about."

"Mental?" I didn't understand why an insane person would need a mental checkup..

"Ink requested it; I'm sure it will be fine."

"Okay.."

"We'll start with the physical. I assume your magic is inhibited?"

"Yeah.." I hadn't used magic since before I was captured; I had forgotten it even flowed through me at times.

"All right." 

The doctors went through the many different procedures of a physical checkup over the next couple hours, and by the time it was over, every bone in my body had been checked; that was quite intensive. Ink watched the entire process, trying to figure out what was wrong with me; the doctors reported everything to him. For me, it was rather tiring. they ended with the soul, which took another hour; I was bored, but I supposed that it was better than torture. When the doctors finished, they took out a medical book as Ink approached them.

"So?" Ink was impatient. "What is it?"

"Analgesia." The lead doctor answered.

"What?" Ink had no clue what that meant.

"He has developed analgesia: the inability to feel pain."

"That's stupid. Can I stop it?"

"At this point, I do not think so."

"Ugh..what about mental pain?"

"We will check that now, Sir."

"Good. Get to it!"

"Yes, Sir." The doctors walked back over to me. 

"All right, Dust." The lead doctor looked serious. "I am going to ask you some questions. Can you promise to tell the truth to every question?"

"Um..okay.." I felt like that was a given, but I would oblige them.

"Okay. First, how do you feel?"

"Bored.."

"How long have you been devoid of pain?"

"Um..all pain?"

"Yes, when was the last time you ever felt any type of pain?"

"Uh..now, it would be...eight months, three weeks, five days, two hours, six minutes, and thirty-three seconds."

"I am not going to ask how you know that..but there has been no feeling of pain since then?"

"Nope."

"Why do you react to it if it doesn't hurt?"

"Was I not supposed to? They would have just gotten angry if I hadn't.."

"Do you feel obligated to react?"

"I guess so..I didn't really think about it. If they don't gain satisfaction from me, they'll just go hurt someone else.."

"I see. And because you do not want anyone else to be hurt, you give the desired reaction to appease the ones who desire it?"

"Pretty much."

"What are your thoughts on the high ranks who hurt you?"

"They have different reasons..some of them are just worse than others."

"The ones who are kind?" 

"They're my friends."

"Ink?"

"I..guess he's okay - no he isn't! - I-I mean..I don't know?"

"That was quite a..change..are you feeling well?"

"My soul..feels weird.." 

"Does it hurt?"

"No..just tickles.."

"I see. Would you tell me how you feel about Ink once more?"

"He's nice - he's horrible! - I guess.."

"Indeed..I think that should finish your checkup.."

"What's wrong with him?" Ink asked.

"It seems that he is developing somewhat of an attachment to you, but there is another part of him that wants nothing to do with you. He is quite literally in a mental battle with himself." The lead doctor seemed concerned. "That is not healthy.."

"Are there any repercussions?" 

"If it is allowed to continue, it would only get worse, to the point where he could act like your best friend one minute, only to attempt to assassinate you the next."

"That's interesting.." Ink liked that idea.

"O-of course, there are numerous ways to stop the growth of the condition at this stage, and he could be quite content with simply fearing you for the rest of his life!"

"What would be involved in that?"

"He would have to be away from you for a while-" The lead doctor was cut off.

"Absolutely not!" Ink snapped. "On the contrary, I think I'd like to see this continue. It would be quite..amusing. Would one side eventually win?"

"It is hard to say..if the side that despises you wins, he could block you out and defy everything you do. If the side that likes you wins..well, I couldn't say."

"What about that mental torture?"

"In this frame of mind, he would be very susceptible to any kind of mental torture.." The doctor felt sorry for me. "With the fact that there is a part of him that likes you, the torture could appear to him as if you were disappointed by something he did, and he would try to adjust whatever he believed he did wrong to something better..if you were to take advantage..it could completely change him."

"How long would it take to begin seeing signs of this?"

"Perhaps a day, perhaps a decade; I do not know."

"So I just treat him like I always do until he starts showing signs?"

"If you wish to go down that path.."

"Oh, I do."

"In that case, yes. The side that despises you may eventually go silent, but I doubt that it would ever completely disappear."

"I see. Thank you, doctor."

"Yes, Sir.." The lead doctor seemed very sorry for me; he didn't want to tell Ink all of that.

"Are we done here?"

"Yes, Sir - unless you would like a checkup?"

"No, I would not. Come, Dusty!"

I stood up, getting off the table, and walked up to Ink. 

"You and I are going to have a wonderful time in the next few years!" Ink giggled. "Aren't you excited?"

"Sure.." I wasn't.

"Good luck." The lead doctor was wishing me luck, but Ink took it for himself.

"Thank you!" Ink laughed. "Let's go, Dusty!"

"Okay.." I followed Ink out the door.

Ink led me back to his room, where I no doubt faced torture ahead of me. I feared mental torture more than physical torture; my mind was damaged enough as it was - I didn't need it destroyed further. When we arrived in his room, he began to talk about everything he had planned for me, including all the torture he would bring upon me; it didn't sound so bad - it sounded horrible! - to me, really. I would simply endure it, just like everything else! As I listened to him talk, I wondered what my brother was doing; surely, Papyrus was doing something great! He's the best, and he could do anything he put his mind to! When I continued to listen to Ink, my mind was once again filled with visions of torture, and that was torture enough. I cried myself to sleep that night, simply waiting to be tortured throughout my dusty nightmare; there was nothing else to do. I wished that I could see one of my friends in the morning; they might have been able to help me, even if I didn't think it was possible in the first place. Maybe Ink would help - no, he wouldn't! Why would he ever do that?! - me..I just didn't know anymore.

I just wanted to understand for once.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean unhappy.

Thanks for reading my - not? - painful writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been staying with - being held captive by - Ink for forty years at this point, and I was going to see Error today; I was excited for that. My feelings had been shifting often recently, just as the doctor said they would; I felt like everything that I thought immediately contradicted itself. Although I couldn't feel pain anymore, Ink still allowed the high ranks to break my bones, if only to appease them. Unfortunately, he also posed a few restrictions on those who saw me: they weren't allowed to try to stop or hinder the progression of my condition in any way; of course, Error could, since he wasn't under Ink's control. Ink didn't make me drink paint as often anymore as torture, since it really didn't do anything to me other than leave a bad taste, but he sometimes did it, just for fun. Instead of that, he opted for forms of mental torture; they were really..horrible. I was sure that Ink didn't mean to torture me - yes, he did! - really; he probably just wanted me to...I didn't know. Ink was nice to me sometimes and mean other times; I didn't understand it. I had just been woken up from my sleep, and Ink had a bright smile lighting up his expression; he would be nice - no, he wouldn't.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning!" I smiled, hugging my Hope.

"I bet you're excited for today!"

"I am!" I really wanted to see Error: he was family - he was the only one who could keep me sane.

"Did you have a nice rest?"

"Yep!"

"Do you love your brother?"

"Yes.."

"You know, it really makes me sad to hear you say that."

"Wh-why?" I didn't want Ink to feel sad - yes, I did!

"I just thought that maybe..you'd let him go?"

"Why w-would I.."

"Oh, Dusty, he doesn't care about you, so why should you care about him?"

"B-because he's my brother.."

"Perhaps. It's time for you to go see Error."

"Really?" That news made me happy.

"Indeed! The escorts are already here!" Ink patted my skull, receiving a giggle; I loved that. "I'll miss you until you return, but never fear! I will be waiting for you!"

"Okay!" 

"Now, go." Ink made me stand and faced me toward the door.

"Okay." 

I walked to the door and opened it, seeing a couple guards, who gave me nice smiles; they felt sorry for me, although I really didn't know why - Ink was torturing me. They started leading me to Error; I knew the path by soul. I didn't need to be handcuffed anymore, since Ink knew that I would never try to escape - I wanted to escape so much! - at this point. My soul felt a bit weird as the thoughts flew through my mind, but that was normal at this point. As we walked, the guards started a little conversation, asking how I was and if I was feeling all right; I felt great - I felt hopeless. The guards seemed happy when I said that I was okay, which was great; I liked making people feel happy, especially when there was so much sadness - Ink was the cause, of course - going around. The walk down the stairs was a bit boring, but I managed to get through it, just like all the other times. When we reached the bottom, the door was opened, and Error's expression lit up when he saw me; that was a nice feeling. I was quickly let into the cell and surrounded with a warm embrace; Error seemed to be really lonely - I wished that I could do more to help him.

"Hello again, Dust." Error hugged me tightly. 

"Hello, Error!" I returned. 

"It seems like the years just keep getting longer.."

"Yeah.."

"How have you been doing?"

"I'm okay! How are you?"

"Just lonely..I really missed you."

"I missed you, too.." I was weeping, but I wasn't quite sure why - I wanted to stay forever; I never wanted to see Ink again!

"Hey, it's okay! No need to cry!" 

"Error..I feel like I'm going to crumble into a million pieces every second I stay here.."

"I know..you'll get through it. We'll both get through it, right?"

"It isn't a matter of getting through it, Error." I was dead serious. "This is a matter of how long we'll last."

"You're right.." Error sighed. "How long can you last?"

"I don't know..maybe a few years. You?"

"I can last as long as I have to.."

"Before you lose it?"

"For all intents and purposes, I already have."

"I'm sorry.."

"It's not your fault."

"I know..but I'm still sorry.."

"Dust.."

"Error, I'm scared!"

"I know..try to stay strong."

"Error, promise me something.."

"Anything."

"When it happens.." I hugged him tighter. "Please, forgive me.."

"I already have, Dust. If-" Error was cut off.

"When."

"When it happens, it won't be you; you won't be in control.."

"I know.."

"Dust, don't dread it; it'll only make it worse. Just hold on as long as you can."

"I will..thank you."

"Of course."

We continued our hour comforting eachother; that really helped.

~~~~~

Hmmmm, what's the resistance up to?

Papyrus's point of view.

~~~~~

My brother had been held captive for four decades; I missed him so much! Rescue missions were too frequent to keep track of, our group was growing smaller, and I felt like it was hopeless. I was the worst brother ever; I couldn't even save him. I wished that I could see him, just for a moment, and assure him that everything would be okay in the end; I did not have that privilege, however. It felt as if I would never see my brother again. Everybody told me that it would simply take time or that I simply had to wait a bit longer, but I was tired of waiting! I wanted to see my brother! I couldn't, though, and that was the worst part. I hadn't seen him in person in over thirty-five years! In the past, we could rarely be separated; now, we couldn't even be in the same universe, let alone be together! In all honesty, I was at the end of my rope; I didn't know what to do next! The Outertale brothers had almost been captured on several occasions, and Classic was not too far behind; it was unfortunate, to say the least. I was currently sitting with them in the hospital: Outer had been wounded in a battle, and it was difficult for him to move; he would become well in time. That seemed to be what we lived by: time.

"Are you feeling okay?" Classic inquired. "Joints mobile?"

"I'll be fine, really!" Outer grinned sneakily. "No need to..worry abouter it!"

"He'll be fine." Starstruck assured. "No doubts."

"That is good." I smiled. "I wish you a quick recovery."

"Thanks, Spec." Outer preferred Chara's nickname for me, and his brother agreed with it; Classic simply called me 'Papyrus,' which was fine with me.

"Of course."

"Hey!" A certain ghost floated over.

"Hello, Chara." I waved; the others could not see Chara, but I had the ability. "Is something wrong?"

"Ink's attacking one of our bases! They can't hold out for long without help!"

"What is it?" Classic was ready.

"Attack." I simply stated. "Where is it, Chara?"

"Base 2c!" Chara yelled. "Hurry up, Spec!" 

"2c. Immediately." I opened a portal to the destination.

"I'm coming!" Classic declared.

"Then let us go."

Classic, Chara, and I entered the portal to a battleground, finding Ink leading his forces against our small base. The base was in a smaller universe, which was mostly abandoned, but a few escaped prisoners would occasionally end up there. We would pick them up, give them a proper place, and make them feel welcomed; Ink never treated a prisoner nicely unless it was profitable for him to do so, and it never was. The ones we rescued would also often join our cause, partly because if they went anywhere else, they would simply be arrested once more and sent right back to Ink's prison, where they would no doubt be treated worse than before. I hoped my brother was okay. Classic, Chara, and I were a good team in battle, and we could often make a difference in critical battles; this was one of those. We wasted no time in confronting Ink's forces and joining our friends, who were being overpowered; there were only twenty of our fighters against two hundred of Ink's specially trained soldiers, which was not a fair fight by any means. The battle eventually came to a calm point, and Ink decided to speak; in order to gain a bit of energy, we allowed him that - it wasn't as if he had anything good to say, anyway.

"Must you be in every fight?" Ink asked. "You overwork yourself, don't you? Well, I can understand that; you just want to be so tired out all the time, that when you eventually try to save your brother again, you get captured, am I right?"

"You are not worthy to speak of my brother." I gripped my weapon tighter.

"You're one to speak about worthiness. I bet you aren't worthy of anything. Of course, that's not my place; that's yours, Papyrus. Why don't you just give up? I mean, you and your friends could be inducted into my army, you wouldn't have to fight anymore, and you could be with your brother! What part of that doesn't sound nice?"

"The part where you are in control of the entire multiverse."

"I don't see what's so bad about that!"

"You would not."

"Well, I guess not. You know what I like to do? I like to make people feel horrible. I think I can do that to you right now." 

"You could not tell me anything that I do not already know."

"Oh, Papyrus! You're the worst brother I've ever seen!" Ink was laughing; I wasn't phased.

"Spec, maybe we should continue the fight before he says something else." Chara suggested.

"Did I mention that he's ill?" Ink's statement unsettled me, but I showed no outward emotion.

"Oh, no.." Classic knew that I would be quite out of it later. "Ink, go away!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

Classic began using some of his most powerful attacks, aiming them all at Ink; Ink wasn't ready for that. The battle soon escalated once more, and attacks came swift again; we were outnumbered, but our teamwork would hopefully prevail. It seemed as if the harder we fought, the more difficult it was to combat Ink's forces, but we were determined to do something to stop him, even if it was simply protecting a small base. As the battle raged, it seemed as if we were winning, but an unexpected turn of events decimated our chances of success; we were losing the base. Ink managed to surround us, which was a terrible position for us; we had the choices of surrender or retreat - we chose to retreat. It was quick and we lost nobody, but the base would be taken out of our possessions list; it was a sad day. As soon as we returned, I decided that it would be best to get some sleep; I had been up for over forty-eight hours caring for the sick, and if I didn't take care of myself, I would have ended up becoming ill myself. When I was lying in my bed, I thought of my brother; I hoped Ink wasn't being truthful when he said that my brother was ill. After a few minutes, Chara approached me.

"Hey, Spec.." Chara sighed. 

"Hello, Chara.." I didn't feel like talking at the moment, but I would.

"You know, I'm sure that Ink was just trying to get under your..bones. Dust is probably just fine!"

"Chara, when has a prisoner of Ink ever been fine?"

"There's a chance!"

"Chara, I hope with every ounce of my being that my brother is fine, but I simply cannot imagine it. Chara, for all we know, Ink is trying to mind control him!"

"Spec, your brother is strong. Very strong."

"Even the strongest fall, Chara."

"I know.."

"Spec!" Another voice shouted from across the room.

"Hm?" I wondered what was going on.

"We intercepted a document!" Starstruck proclaimed.

"What kind of document?"

"A newspaper!"

"A newspaper? How would that help?" 

"It isn't just any newspaper." Starstruck held it up. "This is the empire's newspaper." 

"How did we intercept that? He keeps everything that he produces within the borders of his empire!"

"A soldier had it on him, and one of our spies took it."

"What is it dated?"

"Today, last year."

"I see. May I look at it?"

"Of course." Starstruck handed me the newspaper.

As I looked across the headlines, something stood out; Ink played with children's toys? 

"Toys?" I didn't understand.

"Spec, I don't think that's what it means.." Chara seemed hesitant. "L-look at the bottom.."

"What's down-" My gaze landed on a small article. "N-no!"

I could hardly believe what I saw.

My brother was losing his mind.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean and Paps bean uh oh.

Thanks for reading my newsworthy writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been in Ink's custody for forty-seven years and four months now, and it really wasn't so bad - it was. Ink hadn't actually been torturing me - everything he said was torture; the fight was a losing one - which was a bit weird, but I wasn't complaining. Actually, Ink was kind of..nice - I was letting myself be fooled! He didn't hurt me with paint or break my bones - that was the point - and he didn't even use attacks on me - he attacked ME! My soul felt weird almost all the time, which I attributed to my "split personality," as Ink called it. I really didn't like that feeling, but I couldn't control it. It was a bit weird having two parts of myself to keep track of, but I managed to do it. There was the side that liked Ink, and there was the side that didn't; I sometimes didn't even know what I was saying when one of them took full control, but I knew which one Ink was trying to get into full control: the side that liked him. If he succeeded, I didn't know what would happen. I called the sides Kind and Sense. It was a new day, and Ink had just woken me up; I met him with a smile as the side that liked him took over.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, making me laugh.

"Good morning!" I held my Hope close.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep!"

"Do you love your brother?"

"Y-yes.."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am." Sense took over, before being suppressed. 

"What are your reasons?"

"I-I..just do?"

"That's not good enough. Do you love him?"

"Y-yes."

"Very well. Tell me, Dusty: what do you think of me?"

"I think you're really nice - you're a rotten manipulator."

"Yes, I am!" Ink patted me on the skull once more. "You're so smart! Hmm, Dusty?"

"Huh?"

"Do you like this?" Ink patted my skull again.

"Yeah!"

"Interesting."

"What's interesting?"

"Oh, nothing. Say, do you want to go on a walk?"

"I'd love to - why would I ever go anywhere with you?"

"That's great! Keep your doll close, though! You forgot it last time, remember?"

"Yeah.." It was lost for a week until it was finally found in a universe we had visited; I was in tears the entire time. I picked up my Hope and held it close.

"All right! Today, we have a nice walk: one universe for post-conquering duties, two interrogations, and one check-in on a 'friend.'"

"Why do you emphasize friend?"

"Ah, that's a good question." Ink knelt down beside me and smiled softly. "I emphasize it because I don't mean it. He thinks we're friends and that I care for him, but I don't. You see, his AU is a tougher one to keep under control, and if I can keep him happy, his universe will be happy. Understand?"

"Why would you lie? Manipulator."

"It's for a good cause. Do you really think that every AU likes being conquered?"

"I guess not.."

"If I lie to the judge, he won't become discontented and attempt to fight back. For this one, I simply give him the high rank and visit him once a month; he's never caused a single problem."

"Do you do more for others?"

"For one of them, I give the rank, visit, and a bit of leisure for his brother; a little leniency goes a long way."

"But isn't lying bad?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"My brother.."

"Your brother doesn't know what he's talking about! Of course, for some people, it's terrible to lie. Actually, you would be one of them."

"Don't speak about my brother like that - what about you?"

"I lie for gain. You shouldn't do it, however." 

"Why not?"

"If you did it, I wouldn't be able to trust anyone."

"You trust me?"

"Of course I trust you!"

"Why?"

"Well, I could go into the entire mental thing, but to make it simple, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Dusty!"

"You're so nice - you're the worst scoundrel I've ever seen!"

"Aw, thank you! Are you ready to go, now?"

"Yep!" I hugged my Hope tightly.

"I think I'll tie your doll for the first stop: we don't want you losing it again!"

"Okay!" I gave my Hope to Ink, who tied a painted rope around it before tying the other end to my wrist; I wouldn't lose my Hope this time!

"All right. Can you walk without being tied yourself?"

"I think so - why would I want to be tied to you?"

"Okay. Let's go, then." 

Ink opened a portal, which we both stepped through. Ink went straight to the guard station in this universe, which was right next to the Christmas tree in Snowdin, and I quickly followed behind. The guards were used to seeing me with Ink at this point, and they said it was even a bit saddening when I didn't show up; I wanted to make them happy, and in order to do that, I went on walks with Ink. I didn't really mind walking with Ink, anyway - I hated it. When we arrived at the station, Ink began to talk with the guards as I sat on the floor and hugged my Hope; I loved hugging my Hope. Sometimes, the guards would speak to me while I was there, but they were a bit preoccupied with Ink at the moment; I simply listened to their conversation. 

"How does this AU look?" Ink questioned. 

"It looks like a good addition, Sir." A guard answered. 

"Judge?"

"In a cell right now."

"Captain of the guard?"

"Under control."

"Ruler?"

"Stripped of power."

"Good. Perfect. Amazing. Bring the judge right here, restrained, of course."

"Yes, Sir."

The guards walked to the cells after that, and when they returned, a Sans was struggling against them, in vain. 

"Let me go!" The judge couldn't break free.

"That isn't an option." Ink smirked. "You're here to be inducted into the army."

"I'll never join you!"

"Oh, you will. The question is if you'll do it willingly..or if we'll have to use harsher methods." 

"What do you mean?"

"If you join willingly, you get certain..perks. If you don't, you get nothing."

"Absolutely not! I won't join you if you offer me the world!"

"Strange. How about the safety of your brother?"

"What are you talking about?" 

"If you join me willingly, your brother will be in good hands; you'll see him often, you'll be able to visit, and you'll get chances for..the future. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"Sounds like blackmail."

"Well, the choice is yours. Make the right one, will you?"

"Listen, I want nothing to do with you!"

"What is your decision?"

"No!"

"Very well. Guards, hold him down."

"Hey! Let me go!" The judge was forced the the ground; this wouldn't end well.

"Now, don't worry! This will only hurt..for a second."

Ink opened a check box full of code and began to switch, delete, and add bits of code and script; he was changing the judge, and the judge was pleading for mercy. Changing code was often a harmless process, but Ink always found a way to make it the most uncomfortable experience a being could ever have. The guards holding the judge down had solemn expressions; they had been through it, as well, once, and they knew exactly how the judge felt. As for me, I looked on in pity; although I had never been in that situation, I knew Ink well - too well - enough to know that the judge would receive no mercy until it was over. Ink wasn't very nice to anyone when he was out - ever. I didn't like hearing screams from others, since I knew what kind of pain would bring them on, but I sat through it, just as the others did for me. When Ink finished, the box was closed, and the judge was convulsing on the floor.

"That wasn't so bad." Ink motioned for the guards to pick up the judge once more, which they did.

"Wh-what did y-you do t-to me?!" The judge was afraid.

"I simply changed your code."

"M-my what?!"

"Code. You'll learn more about it later. In essence, you're under my control, now. If you disobey my orders, your brother will cease to exist as a living monster; congratulations on joining my army."

"Wh-what?!"

"Guards, take him to the compound and make sure he gets proper training."

"Yes, Sir." The guards left immediately with the shaky judge.

"That was fun, wouldn't you say, Dusty?" Ink looked to me.

"No.."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't really like pain.."

"Aw, Dusty! Did I make you upset?"

I nodded.

"Well, you'll get used to it eventually." Ink patted my skull, which cheered me up a bit. "It's time for our next stops, which are interrogations. Are you ready?"

"Okay." I held my Hope close as I stood to follow Ink.

"Let's go!"

Ink opened a portal to the compound, but instead of going to his room, we went to his personal interrogation room; that made sense. There was nobody there at the moment, which was unexpected: usually, the prisoner would already be there, albeit unconscious. Ink seemed to know that the prisoner wouldn't be there and simply took his seat while motioning for me to sit on the floor; I sat up against a table leg, holding my Hope close. After a couple minutes, a struggling Sans was brought into the room by a couple of guards and forced into his seat; Ink ordered that he be restrained, due to his fighting nature. When the guards had left, Ink began his work.

"Good morning." Ink greeted.

"What's so good about it?" The prisoner growled.

"Do you have a nickname?" 

"No, and I don't want one!"

"You have some temper, there. We'll just have to call you Temper."

"Let me out of here."

"You were captured on a resistance run, correct?" 

"I'm not talking."

"I think it would be in your best interests to do so. Speak. Are you a resistance soldier?" 

"I am. Let me go."

"One of your leaders is a Papyrus, correct?"

"You already know that."

"Do you regard him highly?"

"Higher than you." 

"Good fighter?"

"Better than me."

"He cares for his brother, correct?"

"You have his brother. What're you working at, keeping them apart?"

"I'm asking the questions, here. I assure you, Dusty is completely fine!"

"You don't know the meaning of the word! You probably have him locked up in some cell somewhere!"

"Actually..he's in this room!"

"What?"

"I sometimes take him to work with me. Say hello, Dusty!"

I was hugging my Hope too much to listen. 

"I said..say hello!" Ink pulled me up by my hood and made me face the prisoner.

"H-h-hi.." I was shaking; Ink was scary when he was mad.

"What have you done to him?!" The prisoner was in shock as Ink dropped me back onto the floor, weeping.

"Oh, just a bit of normal, everyday stuff." Ink chuckled. "What have your friends been up to, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Trying to rescue him, of course."

"We don't use that word around here." 

"What are you talking about?"

"Rescue. Dusty's sensitive about that; don't speak of it."

"Why not?"

"Dusty, why don't you tell him?"

"I don't want to.." I shouldn't have said that.

"Excuse me, what did you just say?"

"I-I.." I was terrified.

"That's what I thought you said. Excuse me for a moment, Temper." Ink stood from his seat and grabbed me by my jacket.

"What are you doing?!" The prisoner was frantic, but his restraints prohibited his movement.

"You say one more thing like that, and I'll take away your doll for a year, do you hear me?" Ink pressed me up against a wall.

"I'm sorry!" I was sobbing. "Please, don't! I'll tell him! I will! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"

"That's better. Now, tell him why we don't talk about rescues." Ink dropped me.

"W-we..we don't talk about it..b-because it'll never happen.." I curled up with my Hope.

"You've brainwashed the poor kid!" The prisoner was tearing up. 

"So I have!" Ink laughed. "So, tell me about the current plans of the resistance.."

"Never!"

"I could always play with Dusty until you feel comfortable."

"P-play?"

"Interchangeable with torture..unless you'd like to talk."

"I..I'll talk." The prisoner didn't want me to get hurt, but Ink didn't tell him that I couldn't feel pain - that blackmailing fiend!

The prisoner began to tell Ink about the future plans he knew about, and Ink took detailed notes of every facet. When the prisoner was finished, Ink sent him to a cell to await his eventual drafting into the army; I felt bad for him. Since the prisoner told Ink about the plans of the resistance, the second interrogation was cancelled - Ink didn't need information about what he already knew. When I had finally stopped crying, Ink opened a portal to a universe that a high rank came from; it looked more peaceful than others, since the judge had accepted Ink's request for him to join. I held my Hope close and followed Ink to the house of the skeleton brothers, where the high rank would no doubt be. As soon as we arrived, Ink knocked on the door calmly and waited for a high rank to open the door; he was an evil guard, and he was happy to see that Ink had brought me along. Ink wasted no time in pulling me into the house and placing me on the floor to wait while he talked with the guard. I supposed they were going to have a nice discussion about things - as if. My soul started feeling weird again. I listened to the conversation as I hugged my Hope.

 "How are you doing?" Ink sat down.

"Just fine." The evil guard replied. "You?"

"Having a great time. New recruit today as well as protection from the silly little resistance's plans for a while."

"Sounds exciting."

"Nobody said it would be boring being a dictator, and I do have little Dusty to keep me company."

 "What are you planning to do with him, anyway? I mean, when he's of no use."

"Depends on when that happens. If his personalities can ever stop fighting, and one wins, my actions will reflect it. If he decides that he likes me, I could just keep him forever, but if he decides that he doesn't, I might have to forget the entire thing. I wouldn't kill him, of course - that would be too kind - but I might isolate him for a couple..centuries. Perhaps then he might change his mind."

"Nobody can ever accuse you of being too nice."

"I know! Of course, I'm hoping that he likes me in the end; it would be hilarious!"

"Ink, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Why him? You could have had any being in the multiverse as your toy, yet you pick him. His AU resets, he immediately joins the resistance and gets captured, and out of all the resistance fighters, he's chosen?"

"How long ago did you join?"

"About twenty years ago?"

"That explains it. Ask Blue or Dream; they'll tell you all about little Dusty before I took over."

"You mean the two you forced into the high rank position?"

"Yep! Used to be 'friends' before the entire conquering thing. They knew Dusty as well as I did. Of course, there were a few that knew him better. I don't talk about them around him, though; he's so sensitive about them."

"What'd you do to them?" The evil guard was interested.

"Killed them in front of him before killing him, too. Come to think of it, that's probably why he doesn't like me."

"Interesting."

"Yeah. I guess it's a bit interesting, but it's strictly business to me." Ink chuckled. "Anyway, how's your brother doing?" 

Their conversation continued for an hour, mostly talking about the multiverse and lives that weren't their own; it would have made me sick if I hadn't heard it before. Of course, I was sure that Ink didn't mean to talk about people that way; he probably didn't know what he was saying - he knew exactly what he was saying, and he meant it. When the hour had passed, Ink decided that it was time to leave, and he said goodbye to the evil guard after giving him clearance to torture me tomorrow - he was such a nice guy..not. He wasted no time in lifting me up and dragging me through a portal which led to his room; that was the last stop of the day, and I was tired out after it. It wasn't even bedtime, but Ink filled the space with conversation. That seemed to be all he did with me recently; I didn't understand it. He mostly asked me questions, but sometimes he just seemed lonely; I could hear it in his voice. I didn't know what to think of it - he was trying to manipulate me - but I would always notice it; I wondered how he was lonely if he was always surrounded by people - I shouldn't have been letting those thoughts get through! I decided not to dwell on it for too long.

I just couldn't understand it at the moment. 

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean travel.

Thanks for reading my battling writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been Ink's toy for fifty-four years and two months now. I felt like I was losing my mind just a little bit more every day. My sides were fighting for control, and it honestly felt like there was a battle going on inside of me; I wanted it to end! I didn't care which side won anymore! I just wanted peace! Ink just kept being himself while keeping me close by; he wanted to see the outcome of my war more than even I did. He also helped my 'Kind' side out by discouraging my 'Sense'; I could do nothing but wait. Recently, my Sense side had been coming out less frequently, which meant that my Kind side was dominating; Ink said that a winner would no doubt be declared soon. As the battle progressed, I could feel it, too. I woke this morning with a bright smile; I didn't care about the broken bones that I had been given the day before - I couldn't feel pain in them, anyway. When I sat up and hugged my Hope, Ink kindly greeted me; he was so kind - he wasn't kind..

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted. 

"Good morning!" I returned happily.

"Did you sleep well?" 

"Yep!"

"That's so nice! Do you love your brother?"

"Y-" I stopped - why did I stop?

"What was that?" Ink leaned in closer.

"I said..y-yes?"

"Dusty, are you lying?"

"I.."

"Tell me the truth. Do you really, with all that he's done for you, which is nothing, still love him?"

"I..don't know.."

"Aw, are you unsure? Let me help you make up your mind."

"H-how?"

"Well, your brother hasn't been around to help you, has he?"

"I-I guess not.." What was I saying?!

"Well, let's think. Who has?"

"Who has..been there?"

"Yes, who has been with you for the entire time you've been here? Who fed you, made sure you got your sleep at night, and even kept you out of trouble?"

"I.." I couldn't be thinking like that! 

"It would have to be someone close.."

"Not you!"

"Dusty, be truthful."

"Stop!"

"I'm only trying to help."

"I can't.."

"It's only one word."

"L-losing.."

"What's their name?"

"D-don't do this.."

"What's their name?"

"I can't give up..."

"Who's been there instead of your brother?"

"I.." My soul tickled once more..before it..stopped.

"What's their name?"

"Why, it would be Ink, of course! You!" I giggled as Ink patted my skull.

"That's right! Unlike your brother, I'll never abandon you!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Your brother simply..failed."

"How did he fail?" I didn't understand. 

"He left a great kid like you!"

"I'm not great.."

"You're better than him."

"I'm not better than anyone..I don't want to be better than anyone.."

"Well, that's okay. What do you think of your brother now? Do you love him?"

"No." I was sure of that.

"Do you like him?"

"Like?"

"What do you think about him? Honestly?"

"I don't know..what should I think of him?"

"You mean you'd let me decide?" Ink grinned maliciously; it was probably the lighting.

"Of course. You would know best.."

"I think it would be best to sever all ties. He doesn't care for you, so why should you care for him?"

"A-all ties?" I wasn't sure about that. "H-he is still my brother.."

"It may be difficult to take at first, but you'll get used to it. Trust me."

"Wh-what about taking it slow?"

"Of course! That's a wonderful idea!" Ink patted my skull, making me giggle more. "What do you think of me, Dusty?" 

"I think you're one of the nicest souls in the world!"

"Nicest?" Ink looked displeased; I had to fix that!

"Is that wrong? I-I can make it something else if you're not happy with it!"

"So eager to please, aren't you? How about we just replace nicest with best?"

"Best?"

"Yes, best."

"Okay!" That sounded fine to me. "You're the best?"

"That sounds amazing." Ink chuckled. 

"You're the best, Ink!" It felt wrong to say that, but Ink said it was right, and I couldn't argue with him!

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!"

"Should I say it more often?"

"Say it whenever you want."

"Okay!"

"Would you like to come with me to the doctor?"

"Why do you need to go to the doctor?" 

"Just stopping in to say hello! Would you like to come?"

"I'd love to!" I hugged my Hope.

"All right! Come along, Dusty!" Ink started to walk towards the door.

"I'm coming!" I stood and followed Ink, holding my Hope tightly. 

I didn't know why, but I felt lighter after that conversation. As I followed Ink through the long halls, I found that it was easier to think; I believed that a side had won. It was obviously the side that liked Ink, since I wasn't complaining at all; that was new. With my mind free from stress, I decided to think about my brother, but I didn't seem to think hard enough; nothing was happening. I tried again; no result. Had Ink blocked my thoughts? No, he wouldn't do that! I probably just had too much on my mind! Ink was way too nice to hurt me! When we reached the hospital, I sat down near the entrance and waited for Ink to finish his greeting the doctor; only the lead was here today, but that was fine. I believed that it was some sort of holiday, which would explain the absences. After two minutes of talking, Ink and the doctor walked over to me. The doctor looked tense; I wondered why. I simply hugged my Hope tightly and waited for someone to speak; Ink didn't like it when I spoke out of turn.

"Dusty?" Ink inquired.

"Yes?" I responded. 

"The doctor wants to ask you a few average questions, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Hello, Dust." The doctor greeted.

"Hello!"

"How do you feel?"

"I feel fine!"

"And your soul?"

"My soul feels fine, too!" I was smiling.

"Any conflict at all?"

"I don't think so.."

"What do you think about Ink?" 

"He's the best!"

"The best? Would you explain that?"

"Well, he knows best! Everything he says is right!"

"What about you?"

"I'm not important.."

"What if Ink said something was wrong, but you believed it was right?"

"Then it's wrong. He knows best."

"I see." The doctor turned to Ink. "I am not sure how to put this..you have successfully changed him, Sir."

"Perfect." Ink chuckled. "Anything else?"

"At this rate, if you tell him to jump off a bridge, he will do it. He will do anything for you, even to his own detriment. I would not be surprised of the lengths he could go to just to please you. In other words, you have got his life in your hands. If you are willing to take advice..please, do not abuse your power on him; he is fragile."

"I'm not taking advice, doctor. I'm taking control." 

"All right..you may want to go easy on him the first few days, though; if he is pushed too hard too soon, he could end up in a coma, or worse."

"Ugh..I guess I don't want that. How long?"

"Perhaps a week."

"Right. What is classified as 'too hard'?"

"Large amounts of physical activity and mental strain. Aside from that, he should be fine."

"All right. I've been looking for the Head of Announcements for a week, now; where has he gone?"

"I believe that he is spending the holiday with his brother. If you are willing to wait, he should be back tomorrow."

"I was never good for waiting. His AU?"

"Correct."

"Right. Come, Dusty." Ink opened a portal.

"Okay!" I was ready to go, holding my Hope closer.

Ink then led me through the portal and to a house, where I assumed the skeleton brothers of this universe currently were. Ink knocked on the door a few times before a Papyrus opened it and greeted him.

"Oh, hello, Ink!" The Papyrus smiled. "Are you here to see my brother?"

"As a matter of fact, I am!" Ink declared. "Is he here?"

"He is. Come right in, and I'll fetch him."

"Thank you." 

Ink entered the building, closely followed by me, and sat on the couch; I sat on the floor. I didn't mind sitting on the floor, really; Ink liked it when I sat on the floor, and I would do anything to make him happy! We only had to wait one minute for the Sans of this universe to come; he wasn't a guard, of course. Some judges had other jobs based on their talents; this one wasn't skilled in battle, which meant that he took one of those. He was the Head of Announcements, responsible for making sure everybody got the current news that Ink wanted spread. He took a seat on a coffee table.

"What brings you here, Sir?" He asked. 

"Business." Ink replied. "I need you to spread an announcement - a large one."

"Well, you came to the right place! What do I say?" The Sans pulled out a notebook.

"I have decided that I will finally pick a right hand; the high ranks have been bugging me for decades, and, well, I won't let them down."

"That's a bold move, Sir. How do you know the one you pick won't betray you?"

"I have my ways."

"All right. When are you planning on doing it?"

"Ten months. Dusty's anniversary would be appropriate."

"That it would. Any extra comments?"

"It's going to be difficult to get the position. The one selected must be skilled in diverse weaponry, have a loyal attitude - at least around me, and most of all,  the one selected must gain my trust. The one chosen can be someone from any rank, as long as they are willing to pledge their service to me now, if they haven't before, and the one chosen, after they are chosen, must complete a mission given by me alone. If they fail, another will be chosen one year later, but it will not be them. This is a one try deal."

"Yes, Sir. You've put quite a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"

"I've been planning it for quite some time."

"Is that all?"

"One more thing."

"I'm listening." 

"The mission will not vary from year to year unless someone completes it during the year. It will be announced in ten months, and not a day before."

"Yes, Sir."

"That is all. You may finish your time off, but I expect the announcement to be in full swing by the end of the week."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Come, Dusty!" 

Ink opened a portal back to his room, and I followed without hesitation. When we arrived, Ink had a bit of business to work on, and he had to do it alone; my sitter was called immediately, and he was present within five minutes. I was excited to see Fell; he hadn't been called since the holiday break started, and there was so much to talk about, especially with that new announcement! When Ink left, Fell joined me on the floor.

"Hey, kid." He smiled. 

"Hello!" I felt energetic.

"You seem happy today. Did something happen?"

"A lot happened!"

"I see."

"I think the war ended."

"W-war? The war..your war?" Fell seemed very surprised.

"Uh-huh. The Kind side won."

"I see. Do you..feel better?"

"I feel great!"

"Well, that's good to hear. You deserve to feel great after all you've been through. Has Ink been nice?"

"Really nice!"

"That's good."

"Guess what else!"

"There's more?"

"Ink's gonna pick a right hand!"

"Wait, seriously?!"

"Yep!"

"That's another person in charge.."

"He said it could be someone from any rank.."

"And that's another thousand or so that actually want the position. I'm one of the ones who doesn't."

"That's understandable. I just hope they're nice, whoever it is."

"Agreed. So, do you want to hear about what your brother did recently?"

"..Not really."

"D-did I hear you right?" Fell was unsettled.

"I don't want to hear about him."

"Did Ink.."

"Ink just told the truth..my brother doesn't care about me; why should I care about him?"

"Oh, Dust.." Fell hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry.."

"For..what? You didn't do anything."

I could hear him softly crying; I didn't understand it. I decided to believe that he had made a mistake somewhere and was sad because of that; it was the most logical assumption. I decided to comfort him, but I didn't say anything, in case my guess was wrong. We stayed like that for a few hours, and by the time Ink had returned, Fell had stopped crying and was in a discussion with me about colors; I liked colors. My favorite was blue; I didn't really care much for red, though. As soon as Fell left, Ink started to talk about his day, which I enjoyed; he talked for over an hour about things people said and the priceless reactions he received towards the announcement; he had told a few of his associates about it, and they apparently took the news quite well - for Ink's standards. I wondered who would become Ink's right hand; it would be exciting to see it in the future. When bedtime came, I laid my skull on the floor and held my Hope near; I enjoyed that dusty nightmare as much as I could.

I had no reason not to.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean...oh no.

Thanks for reading my mellifluous writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

Ink had kept me for fifty-five years now, and today was the day everybody had been waiting for. The past ten months had been filled with compliments towards Ink and attempted pain towards me; I couldn't feel that, though. It was a bit weird seeing so many guards with smiles; usually, they were all sad or angry. Fell, Dream, and the swapped Sans hadn't changed, though; they didn't want the job. Actually, only about half of the guards were happy while Ink was present; the other half knew that they wouldn't be picked, and they didn't try. As for me, I just did what Ink told me to: I followed him wherever he wanted to go, I did my best to keep him in a good mood, and I helped him pick who would be chosen; I didn't understand why he would allow me to help, but if he needed it, I wouldn't argue. I figured that he just found it fun to see what I would say to certain things, and he laughed at times, wondering how I came up with my responses. At the moment, I had just been woken up by Ink. The event would be taking the entire day, but I got to see Error yesterday instead of today, which was fun; he seemed sad about something when I said that I didn't want to talk about my brother - he cried a lot, too. I didn't understand it. I sat up with my Hope to meet Ink.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted. 

"Good morning!" I smiled brightly.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep! Did you?"

"Oh, I slept very well, thank you! Are you ready for today?"

"Yep!"

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"I don't know."

"He's been looking for the position for decades." 

"He'll probably want to beat me if he fails.." Although it didn't hurt, it was a bit unpleasant.

"Aw, don't worry about that! He'd want to if he succeeded, too."

"I guess you're right. You're the best, Ink."

"Thank you, Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, making me laugh. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yep!"

"Oh.." Ink looked disappointed.

"What's wrong? Did I say something? I'm sorry!"

"No, it isn't that.."

"What is it? I can fix it!"

"Your clothes are covered in blood.."

"Oh.." I looked down; they were almost completely covered. I wasn't going to deny that I bled a lot; I just ignored it. "I don't know how to fix that..m-maybe I can find a way!"

"Oh, don't worry about it! I can clean them right now!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Hold still."

"Okay!"

I was as still as a statue while Ink ran his paintbrush across my clothing, and it was actually pretty cool; the stains came out immediately! Of course, the dust that was forever on my clothing wasn't harmed in any way, further proving how cool Ink was! When he finished, he took a step back and admired his work.

"You look much better!" Ink grinned proudly. 

"You're the one who did it!" I complimented. 

"Dusty, you are just full of sweet things to say!"

"I can't help it; you're just the best!"

"You are so sweet! Oh, look at the time! We'll be late if we stay another minute! Come along, Dusty!" Ink began to walk towards the door before stopping. "Oh! One more thing!"

"What is it?" I walked up to Ink.

"I don't want you getting lost; I'll tie you, okay?"

"Okay!" I held my wrist out, and Ink tied a painted rope around it before attaching the other side to his own; we had done this many times before.

"Now we're ready!"

After that, Ink led me through the halls of the compound, passing many smiling faces and receiving last-minute compliments; of course, those who gave them didn't know that the candidate had already been selected. The diabolical guard that had wanted the job since he joined was going to be tried for the position; Ink didn't necessarily fully trust him, but out of all the guards and high ranks, he made the most effort towards the position, and it would have been unfair to deprive him of the chance. The selection area was the same place that guard trainings were hosted; I had died there many times, but I didn't mind much anymore. It had also grown over the years, and now it boasted enough room to fit the entire army and then some! When Ink and I reached the stage, Ink walked up to a podium and set me on the floor beside him; I would stay there until the event ended - unless Ink didn't want me to, in which case, I wouldn't. As soon as everyone had gotten into position, Ink began to address the audience with his calm expression; he had many expressions, but his calm one was the one that everybody enjoyed the most.

"Good morning, guards and others!" Ink began. "I know you're all very excited for today, as we will be finding out who, if there is one, will be receiving the prestigious title of 'Right Hand.' As we get started, allow me to tell you what the job entails. This job will be difficult to keep up with, as you would be reporting directly to me about everything. You would be in charge of troop division, minor disturbances, and you may even take care of a few torture victims. You would also be responsible for anything that goes wrong that you are in charge of, and punishments for said 'mistakes' would be brutal; in case you were wondering, brutal essentially means taking over for Dusty for a week." The crowd seemed a bit unsettled by that; I didn't understand it. "There are various other aspects of the job, such as being in charge of every guard in the army, of course, but it seems that some of you just don't think about the cons. Anyway, you want to know who the candidate is for this year, don't you?" The crowd was certainly ecstatic. "All right, then. The candidate for this year is..Stultus!"

At this, the crowd sighed, and the diabolical guard took the stage; he seemed proud of himself. When he reached the middle of the stage, Ink walked over, pulling me along, and faced him. 

"Stultus." Ink addressed. "Are you ready to take this role as my right hand and to bring upon yourself the full responsibility of the job?"

"I am." He replied, saluting.

"Are you ready to bear the weight of your mistakes, when or if they occur?"

"I am."

"Do you swear full loyalty, without any restrictions or holdbacks, to me? This means that if I tell you to kill yourself, so be it."

"I do."

"Then you are now the legal, sole candidate for this year. Lower your hand and prepare for your mission."

The diabolical guard lowered his salute; he looked ready. Ink gave him one minute to prepare himself mentally; physical preparations were supposed to already have been done. When the minute had passed, Ink spoke again.

"Are you ready?" Ink inquired. "You only get one try. If you fail, you will be in your current position forever - unless you betray me, in which case, you'd be dead."

"I'm ready." The diabolical guard confirmed.

"Your mission is.." Ink paused for dramatic effect. "To capture the head of the resistance." 

"Dust's..brother?" 

"Correct. Get to it. You have the rest of the day. At sunset, you either succeed or fail. Oh, and and prisoners you take will be extra credit. Alive, please."

"Yes, Sir." The diabolical guard opened a portal to begin his search, and Ink turned to the crowd.

"Now, I know that this is a bit unfortunate for those of you who weren't picked, but never fear! We get to watch. Please direct your attention to the screen."

As soon as Ink said that, the curtain at the back of the stage was hit by a rather large projector, and the diabolical guard was clearly visible; it was actually pretty amazing! The crowd sat down to spectate the diabolical guard as he attempted to capture my brother; I supposed I should have felt something at the thought of that, but I didn't - Ink didn't want me to care about my brother, which meant that I didn't. Ink sat down on the floor next to me and laid his skull on my shoulder; that sort of reminded me of Cross when he used to have nightmares...I missed my family, but Ink filled the gap well. The diabolical guard started in the universe of a well-known resistance base. He sneaked up to the entrance of the base, summoned some bones, and kicked the door down, startling the residents and engaging in battle immediately; my brother wasn't there. He continued battle for five minutes before a couple portals opened up; my brother and the Outertale brothers entered the battle. The diabolical guard was strong - I knew that well - but he made a mistake in taking on over twenty people at the same time; I noticed that my brother only attacked when it was necessary - that was honorable, but it would get no respect from me. The fight soon ended, and the diabolical guard returned to the stage, panting; he looked to Ink.

"I have..until sunset.." He breathed heavily. "Right?"

"Until sunset - any methods." Ink chuckled. 

"Right..sunset.." 

The diabolical guard started to realize that this task would not be straightforward; he was not as strong as the leader of the resistance. Throughout the rest of the day, the diabolical guard attempted many different tactics and even used books to help him figure out how he was supposed to capture my brother. It was ten minutes to sunset, and he had tried over thirty different times to capture my brother, all in vain. This would be his last attempt at capturing my brother, for there would be no more time afterwards. His body was covered with injuries that he had received in his countless attempts, but he would not rest until it was done. His last attempt would be at a base that he had attacked earlier; my brother was not there. He entered the universe through a portal and went to the entrance of the base. After he broke the door down, the Papyrus from Outertale, Starstruck, hit him in the skull with a rather large frying pan; that was the end of that. He was knocked unconscious by the blow and transported back to the stage by one of Ink's portals; he had failed - miserably. He hadn't captured a single being, not to mention the fact that he was going to need to spend some time in the hospital. When everything had calmed, Ink stepped to the front of the stage, bringing me along.

"Well, that's that." Ink stated. "There will be no right hand this year. You may all go about your business; now is a great time to start preparing for next year. Oh, and someone get a doctor for Stultus, please. Come, Dusty." 

The crowd began to disperse after that, and Ink led me back to his room, where I was seated on the floor. Ink seemed happy, which was good.

"That was exciting!" Ink giggled. "How did you like it, Dusty?"

"It was fun!" I smiled.

"Good!" Ink stared closely into my eyelights. "What did you think of your brother?"

"I don't know. Honorable fighter, but I wouldn't go around bragging about it."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"That's exactly what I think of him!"

"Really?"

"Actually, no. I hate him!"

"Why do you hate him?"

"He makes me so mad!"

"Should..everybody hate him?"

"In my opinion, yes."

"Sh-should I-I hate him?"

"Dusty, it would make my day so much better if you did."

"But..hating is wrong.."

"Who told you that hating was wrong?" 

"My brother.."

"Why do you think your brother told you that hating was wrong?"

"So I wouldn't hurt other people?"

"No. Think about it in his perspective." 

"So I wouldn't hate..him?"

"Even further than that."

"So..he could influence my every thought." I understood it now.

"Bingo." Ink knelt down beside me. "Doesn't that just make your blood burn?"

"A little.."

"Doesn't that make you upset?"

"Yeah.."

"Doesn't that sound like everything you've ever been told?"

"It does.."

"Doesn't that remind you of the past, when he guided your every motion?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't that make you see him in a different light?"

"Yes!"

"Doesn't that make you hate him?"

"W-well.."

"Doesn't that make you hate him?"

"..."

"Don't you hate him? He used you! He ruled your life! He..controlled you. Don't you hate him?"

"..He did."

"And?"

"I hate him with every ounce of my being."

Ink patted my skull softly. "That's a good Dusty. That's what I like to hear. You don't have to worry about your brother controlling your life anymore.." Ink started to whisper. "A much, much more capable being is doing that now."

"You're the best, Ink." I could be sure of that.

"I know, Dusty." Ink smirked. "I know."

~~~chapter end woot~~~

This isn't good, Dust bean..

Thanks for reading my hateful writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had stayed with Ink for a day under sixty-five years now. For the past ten years or so, candidates for the right hand position had all failed; Ink was still alone. Actually, he wasn't completely alone: I was there, I guess. Tomorrow was another choosing, and it was appropriate to say that nobody had tried this year; the past candidates couldn't find a way to capture my brother, and nobody else had any ideas on how to do it either, meaning that it was essentially pointless to try until a different task was chosen. Of course, in order for a different task to be brought forth and posed to the candidates, somebody would have had to capture my brother first; nobody could. It was currently night time, and Ink still had no idea who to pick; I had just returned from my visit with Error, and it was exciting! He had so much to talk about, and I loved to talk with him every year about just about everything! I was currently sitting on the floor in Ink's room, and he had just sat down to talk to me; he was the best. I held my Hope close. 

"How did your visit go, Dusty?" Ink asked. 

"It was great!" I replied. "He's so lonely, though.."

"Oh, he's lonely? That's such a shame.."

"Yeah.."

"Well, we can't fix that.."

"..."

"Hey, Dusty?"

"Yes?"

"You used to have determination, didn't you?" 

"Um..actually, I still do, it's just not..noticeable anymore.."

"I wonder if we could change that.."

"What do you mean?"

"Bring the determination back out, but for different reasons. In the past, what did you use it for? Be honest, nobody's judging."

"Resisting..mostly you.."

"I see. If we were to bring it back, how would you use it?"

"Any way you wanted me to."

"Hmm..I've never had determination before. What's it like when it works?"

"Well, first, the user picks a path; it doesn't matter what it is as long as determination is able to be used. Um..what should the path be?"

"Try painting pictures."

"Okay. The user decides to paint pictures for the rest of their life. Even if it's only a joke, and they didn't mean it, determination will start working. It's really hard to stop once you've started..almost like a drug. If the user tries to stop painting pictures and the determination doesn't give up, they'll be stuck doing it..for as long as it takes."

"How did yours stop?" Ink was taking notes.

"It was...opposed too much. If it's put under too much stress and can't hold on, it will give in..eventually."

"What's the best way to stop it that you know of?"

"I haven't done that much research, but in my experience, the best way to stop is to replace the determination with an intense emotion. In order to stop killing, I replaced my determination with love. If I love the people that I coexist with, why would I kill them?"

"That's interesting. Very interesting. What if you were to try to kill again?"

"I'd just have to say the word..it's too easy to start, and it's too hard to stop."

"What if I were to tell you to use your determination for something?"

"I'd do it. I'd do anything for you!"

"You're just the sweetest thing, aren't you?" Ink patted my skull; I loved that! "Well, it's time to get some rest. Good night, Dusty!"

"Good night!" Something popped into my mind. "Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Who are you going to pick tomorrow?"

"I'll decide. Don't worry, Dusty!"

"Okay." 

I lay on the floor after that and fell asleep; a dusty nightmare met me, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I wondered who Ink would pick tomorrow; surely, it would be someone who could complete the mission! I supposed that I would just have to wait and see. Morning arrived rather quickly, and before I knew it, Ink was in the process of waking me up; I met him with a smile.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning!" I returned.

"Are you ready for today?"

"Yep!"

"We've got to get an early start today, Dusty! I'm sorry I can't clean you up, but it's very important!"

"I don't mind! If it's important, let's get to it!"

"That's what I like to hear! Come, Dusty!"

Ink hurried to the door, and I followed him without hesitation; this was obviously important to him, and I wasn't one to hold back a great skeleton like him! The crowd was only half there when we arrived, but they were arriving quickly, and within ten minutes, everybody was there; that was actually impressive. As soon as the last guard arrived, the crowd was filled, and Ink took the stage, followed by me, who sat on the floor. He cleared his voice for a moment before speaking; I wondered who he would pick. 

"Good morning, guards!" Ink began. "As you know, today is the day when we pick the candidate for the right hand position; however, it seems that none of you have even tried this year. I know why. You're scared. You're scared of him. Well, I can't blame you. Leader or the resistance, impossible to capture; I wouldn't take him on myself. However, we need a candidate. If anyone stands up right now, they'll get the chance. If not, I'll pick someone myself. What will it be?"

Nobody stood. Nobody moved. There wasn't even a cough; were they really afraid of my brother?

"Right." Ink chuckled. "Right, right, right. Okay. That's fine. That's fine..I guess I'll just pick someone completely random, eh? Right. Most qualified for this year is.." Ink looked down at me. "Dusty."

"Wh-what?!" I was a bit unsettled; I couldn't do that! The crowd seemed to feel the same way about it.

"Come now, Dusty. Obviously, you know how to do the job; you've listened to every word I've said about it for the past few decades. You're even trustworthy. Take the chance, won't you?"

"B-but I.."

"Use that determination we talked about. You want to make me happy, don't you?"

"I-I.."

"Determination."

"D-determination?"

"Use it. I want to see it. It won't hurt. Just let it out. Use your determination for me. You won't have to worry about anything...I'll do that for you."

"You.." That didn't sound so bad..

"I will. You have my word."

"You will?" Ink wouldn't misuse it..

"I will."

"Okay." 

I felt my determination working. It felt good.

"Then you'll do it?" Ink questioned. 

"I'd do..anything..for you." I felt determined.

"Then do one simple thing."

"It will be done if it's the last thing I do."

"Bring me your brother..alive."

"Of course, Ink. I can do that." I already knew how.

"Right." Ink turned to the audience and gestured to me. "Your candidate for this year."

The crowd was silent; this wasn't expected by anyone. After a couple seconds, one of the past candidates spoke up.

"How's he supposed to do what none of us could?!" The guard yelled. "He's a weakling!"

"At the moment, he's got a better chance of doing it than you do!" Ink giggled and turned back to me. "Are you ready, Dusty-"

Ink was a bit unsettled when he looked at me. I didn't understand it; I had only broken a few of my limbs and started bleeding.

"Um..wh-what are you doing?" Ink was very confused.

"You'll see." I gave a simple answer to a simple question. "I'm ready."

"Okay...go ahead." Ink was silent for a minute as I did nothing. "What are you waiting for?"

"I don't have magic." I couldn't make a portal.

"Right." Ink chuckled. "Where to?"

"Dreamtale."

"All right." Ink opened a portal for me. "Give a signal when you want to come back."

"Of course."

I entered the portal without hesitation. I had no weapons, magic, or protection; I had only a few broken bones and some blood-stained clothing - that was all that I needed. When I arrived in Dreamtale, I found the entrance to the base that my brother had shown me so long ago; I remembered it like it was yesterday. Instead of knocking, I used gravity to my advantage and fell to the ground; when that was done, a few tears were in order - I had experience making those with the high ranks who liked my crying. After that, all I had to do was wait. It took no time at all, as the ones who were guarding the door from the inside had heard my fall. They no doubt had a way to see me, and the door was opened with no wait; it was the brother of their leader. One of them went running for my brother as the other transported me inside. As I was being moved, I plotted my next course of action; it would be relatively simple: capturing my brother. As I had planned it, my brother came running the moment he heard the news, and he wrapped his arms around me; in the past, I would have taken that as a sign that he missed me - not anymore. The ones around me started speaking as I continued to fake unconsciousness.

"He doesn't look so good.." Someone said.

"I wonder how he got here.." Another hummed.

"Maybe he escaped.."Yet another hoped. "But how?" 

"We can ask him when he is better." My brother stated. "For now, we can simply accept that he is here."

"I think he's starting to come to!" Someone seemed excited.

"Brother?"

I opened my eyesockets to see him and gave a halfhearted smile; he passed it off as weakness. 

"Hey.." I acted like I was in pain; I wasn't, of course. "T-took you..l-long enough.."

"I missed you.." My brother acted so genuine. "Would it..be all right..if we had some time?"

"Sure, Spec." The Outertale Sans started to walk away. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you."

"See you in a bit." Classic Sans took his leave; this was working better than I could have ever hoped.

When it was just my brother and me in the room, he gave me a warm hug; I almost hated to take my course of action, but there was nothing opposing my determination. Even if there was, I wouldn't stop; I didn't want to be near him any longer than I had to be.

"It has been so long.." My brother was weeping; I didn't believe those tears, just as he shouldn't have believed mine.

"That it has." I snapped my phalanges. My brother noticed the lack of strain in my voice, but it made no difference. Before he could react, we were on the stage; Ink had created the portal back, and my brother was instantly restrained.

"Wh-what?!" He didn't understand. "B-brother?" 

"Good job, Dusty." Ink smirked as he patted my skull; I was immediately by his side.

"What did you do to my brother?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I turned him against you, and nothing can stop me now!"

"You..you used his determination!"

"That's an amazing guess, and it's completely correct." Ink giggled."Guards, take him to a holding cell; I'll be by later, and I'll even bring Dusty along!"

My brother's expression as he was taken away was one of sorrow; it almost made me believe that he cared, but I knew that he didn't. Ink, on the other hand, looked proud of me; that assured me that what I had done was right. The audience looked quite distraught; I didn't understand. Ink stepped up to the front of the stage once more, pulling me along.

"Well, I think that speaks for itself." Ink chuckled. "It looks like I have a right hand. You're all dismissed; go back to work."

The crowd began to disperse after that. Ink turned to me with a malicious grin; I assumed that he was just happy. 

"Dusty." Ink addressed. 

"Yes?" I wondered if he needed something; I would have been glad to get it for him.

"I think I'm going to like the future."

"That's great! Could I do something for you?"

"Let's get those fractures fixed up and your clothes cleaned."

"All right." I held out my arms and allowed Ink to heal me; he was great at that.

"There we go."

"What now?"

"Say something - anything."

"You're the best, Ink." 

"Dusty, you never fail to impress. Come: we've much to do and not enough time to do it."

"Okay!"

Ink led me through the hallways of the compound once more, and we stopped at the entrance to the prison cells; my brother was in there. After a brief chat with the guards that were watching the entrance, Ink entered the cell block, and I followed without hesitation; why would I hesitate? It didn't take long to find my brother, since the guards had told Ink where he was; Ink had actually created a cell just for him in anticipation for his capture. My brother was solemn when he saw us.

"Why?" My brother had been crying.

"Why what?" Ink grinned.

"Why would you hurt him like this? Why would you use his determination to make a path of no return? Why would you take the one being that I loved away?"

"Papyrus, talk plainly: Dusty doesn't like rambling."

"I don't?" I didn't know that.

"You don't." Ink confirmed; that was good enough for me.

"What did you do to him?!" My brother was crying.

"Because I'm nice, I'll give you a detailed explanation. First, I captured him. Second, I decided to torture him. Third, I silenced his determination. Fourth, I made him lose all hope. Fifth, I started to force him to like me. Sixth, I accidentally tortured him too much and he ceased to feel pain - that was unexpected, to be honest. Seventh, I started to force him to hate you. Eighth, I started to take your old place in his mind. Ninth, I took it. Tenth, he now hates you. Eleventh, I used his determination to get him to do anything for me. Twelfth, I made him my right hand after he captured you. Is that good enough?"

"B-but..brother, please!"

"He won't respond, Papyrus. He's mine now. Besides, he hates you. Why would he want anything to do with you?"

"That cannot be true! Brother, tell me it is not true.."

"Go ahead, Dusty. Tell him the truth."

"The truth?" I didn't know which truth to tell him.

"Tell him how you truly feel about him."

"Okay." I looked at my brother. "I hate you. Is that good enough?"

"Expound."

"All right. Papyrus, I hate you with every ounce of my being; I now realize that you never cared about me, but you were simply using me for your own benefit. I thought that my brother would have given a little care when I was being tortured, but I was wrong to think that; at least Ink wouldn't use me. I was naive to think that you would care; I'm not anymore, and I can now say without a doubt that you are the worst brother ever. You were never the best; you deserve everything that happens to you here, and I will give you the same treatment you gave me: nothing. You're nothing, Papyrus. You mean nothing to me. I'm sorry I even know you."

"Then why.." My brother was sobbing. "Then why are you crying?"

"..." I felt my skull. I was crying; I didn't know why.

"Ink.." 

"What is it, Papyrus?" Ink questioned. 

"Ink, if you let my brother free from your control, I will do anything you ask. Just please, stop torturing him.."

"Oh, that's tempting, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass up that offer. Instead, I'll just make you do anything I ask by threatening your brother."

"What do you mean?" 

"Don't be so naive. I've spent decades perfecting Dusty to make him exactly how I want him; did you really think that I wouldn't plan ahead? Your love for your brother creates one of the strongest bonds I've ever seen. I figured early on that if I were to make one of you despise the other, I could then force the other to do what I ask willingly. You don't want your brother to kill innocents, do you?"

"N-no.."

"Then my plan is simple: you'll do it in his place."

"That is-" My brother was cut off.

"That's exactly right: it's diabolical. At the moment, your brother would kill if I asked him to; if you ever want to take his place, feel free - he's going to have his hands full with his position."

"You have planned this from the start.."

"That's quite right! I knew from the beginning that the only one that would be capable of capturing you would be your own brother, and I know that you'll do anything to keep him safe, including wiping out your resistance."

"You are a manipulator, Ink!"

"Dusty's called me that so many times! He used to act just like you! Of course, after I shattered his last bits of free will and became able to mold him how I wished, he became much more likable. Would you like to see what I've done with him? I think you'll find it quite interesting."

"..." 

"I'll show you." Ink turned to me. "Dusty?"

"Yes?" I wondered how I could help.

"Say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"You're the best, Ink!"

My brother fainted.

"Huh.." Ink didn't expect that. "Well, we'll talk to him later. Would you like to help me with a few boring work-related things?"

"Of course!" I loved helping Ink.

Ink was the best.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean capture Paps bean..

Thanks for reading my loyal writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

Ink had kept me for eighty years and a month. The resistance had long since crumbled, and Ink was now the undisputed ruler of the multiverse. I was called his right hand by some, a follower by others, a tyrant by many, and a victim by more; I didn't think of myself as any of these. I was Ink's toy, and I would stay that way as long as he needed me. Error was no longer isolated; he now received many visitors, and he would do his best to keep them happy - they needed it. I had also given him my Hope to make him feel a bit more comfortable. My brother was Ink's left hand, doing whatever Ink asked of him in fear that I would do it if he refused. It seemed like everybody was afraid of Ink - except me. My brother had regretfully taken the resistance out under Ink's orders; he said he never should have given in. The members of the resistance were all eventually inducted into the army over a course of two years, and at the moment, there was no such group - only a few single resisters. Ink's only worry would be a large-scale coup, but that would never happen with the prevention methods he had used. I still slept in Ink's room, and high ranks were still allowed to take their anger out on me; I didn't mind. I had just been woken up from my dusty nightmare, and I was ready for another beautiful day.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning, Ink!" I returned.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I always do!"

"We have a busy day today! Are you ready?"

"Always ready!"

"Right! First, you have to come with me to an AU that's resisting and help me crush them."

"Sounds great!"

"Second, you have to solo an interrogation on a resister - force may be used."

"Got it!"

"Third - wait, this should be first..ah, whatever; make this first, okay?"

"Okay!"

"First, your daggers have been cleaned."

"Perfect!"

"Fourth, you, your brother, and I are going to do something special."

"I can't wait to see what it is!"

"You're such a good Dusty!" Ink patted my skull, making me giggle. "Now, go pick up your daggers, and I'll wait for you right here!"

"Right away, Ink!" 

I wasted no time in getting up off the floor and heading out the door; Ink liked it when I was quick. Since the resistance had fallen, Ink had found out that my magic wasn't exactly something to brag about; he preferred my weapon capabilities, and I preferred using daggers. Needless to say, Ink made sure that I had a lot of daggers available; they needed to be cleaned on a regular basis due to how much I used them, but it worked out fine. I was also one of the few people who didn't wear a suit of armor; it was a bit hard to fight when you were heavy and your joints were hindered. I reached the weaponry section rather quickly - two minutes - and found Fell running it today; the guards took turns, and after he wasn't needed as my sitter anymore, he was simply a respected guard. We were still friends, of course; Ink encouraged me to keep any friends that I had, which meant that I did.

"Hello, Dust." Fell waved.

"Hello!" I responded. "Nice day?"

"Better than usual. If there ever was a good day, this is it. Got a lot of work?"

"Not as much as some days, but I really don't mind."

"You're a good kid, Dust."

"I don't really think so, but thanks for the thought."

"Well, good luck today. Here are your weapons." Fell handed me a few daggers.

"Thanks! Good luck to you, too!"

"Thanks."

As I made my way back to Ink's room, I sheathed all of my daggers in an order I had long since memorized; Ink liked everything done perfectly, and I wasn't one to shirk from responsibility. When I made it back to Ink's room, I found him waiting for me, just like he said he would be.

"Ready to go?" He inquired.

"As I'll ever be." I replied.

"Then we'll be off!" Ink opened a portal to the universe we would be taking care of, and we stepped through; it looked pleasant. "The judge is leading the resisting party; take him down, but keep him alive."

"Of course, Ink."

"He's in Snowdin. You take the judge, and I'll take care of the rest."

"You're the best, Ink."

"Thank you!"

We started our route towards the Snowdin, and we found the inhabitants of the universe battle-ready; they had obviously been attacked more than once. On Ink's signal, I stepped out of our cover and unsheathed my daggers; the inhabitants attacked me immediately, but only the judge made it past Ink's defenses. He was a Papyrus; that didn't surprise me, and I was more than ready to do what had to be done. His magic was finely tuned to be used exactly how he wanted it, but I had determination on my side, and that was stronger. I had fought thousands of Papyrus judges, and this one was no different; he was no match for my experience, and within ten minutes, he was unable to stand without help. With the judge out of commission, I was able to assist Ink with the rest of the fighters after transporting the Papyrus to a cell. The universe was taken care of within half an hour, and guards began to occupy the area immediately. After another half an hour of assisting with the occupation, I returned to Ink's room to report the success; Ink didn't help with the occupation because he had something more important to do. I walked up to him.

"Ah, Dusty." Ink smiled. "How did it go?"

"Perfectly fine, Ink." I returned the smile. "The universe is under your control."

"That's wonderful. Now, you have an interrogation to get to in your room; good luck!"

"Thank you! Good luck to you, as well!"

"So sweet! Get to it."

"Right away, Ink!"

I started my walk to my interrogation room; Ink had insisted that I get my own, but I didn't really need it. I accepted, though, since I would never go against Ink's wishes; that was ridiculous. When I reached the interrogation room, I found a prisoner alone; he was a Sans, and he looked a bit confused - he must have just woken up. I took my seat post-haste and smiled at the prisoner.

"Hello!" I greeted him happily.

"Ugh..another idiot." The prisoner was less than helpful in past interrogations. "Look, I'm not telling you anything about me! I know what you do! You take all my information and put it in a little file and in the future, you'll somehow use it against me! I'm not stupid!"

"I never said you were stupid.."

"Others have."

"What? That's rude. Why would they say that?"

"Because I'm a rebel. Don't you care?"

"I don't mind that! Used to be one, myself!"

"Really?"

"Yep!"

"Then why the heck did you join that tyrant?"

"Um..he tortured me..like, a lot."

"Huh. What's that badge you're wearing mean?"

"Oh, this?" Instead of armor, I wore a badge sewn into my jacket; it was easier. "That's just my rank; it isn't important."

"What about the suits of armor everybody else wears? You too low for one of those?"

"Inefficient for my skill set."

"I see. You're not like the others, are you?"

"Not exactly. If you're worried about what the information's used for, don't be. There's a ninety-five percent chance that it'll never be pulled off the shelf, and even if it is, it'll most likely be just to rearrange the files."

"No blackmail?"

"No blackmail. Honestly, it's better just to give up the information when you're asked; it skips a lot of pain."

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you don't tell me what I ask, I'll be forced to hurt you, and I can tell that you're a smart person; I don't want to hurt you."

"Hmm..you promise that it won't be used against me?"

"I can't promise a thing; I don't rule this empire."

"Huh..deal. What do you want to know?"

"Have you got a nickname?"

"Nah."

"You'll probably get one along the line. Do you have any family?" I was writing everything down.

"A brother - Papyrus."

"What are your powers?"

"I can summon bones and fancy blasters, manipulate gravity, teleport, levitate objects, make attacks blue, and absorb magical signatures if they're on a certain frequency which I have yet to determine."

"That's pretty special."

"I guess."

"Can you even do that with suppressed magic?"

"I think so, but I can't even feel your frequency."

"Ah, I've got a deficiency; that's probably why."

"Ouch. Do you take good care of yourself?"

"As well as I can; thanks for the concern."

"I've heard some pretty scary things."

"You know the thing about a magic deficiency?" 

"What?"

"Everybody automatically thinks that you can't use magic, while in reality, you just can't use a lot of magic. They also think you're weak, but, well, I really am."

"Well, good luck to you."

"Thanks."

"Do you have any more questions?"

"Would you be interested in joining this army willingly? They're going to pose the question at some point - they always do."

"What's the difference between willingly and unwillingly? 

"Well, if you join willingly, you get special perks, and if you don't, you're forced to anyway."

"What did you pick?"

"I was a bit of a special case: I said no for a couple decades while being tortured until I finally gave in and said yes. I still got the perks, but they come at a price."

"What would you recommend?"

"I'd recommend just saying 'yes' and taking the perks while you still can, but there are a lot of people who are happy with their choice of saying 'no' and doing the right thing. It's still up for debate. Do what your soul tells you: you can't go wrong, then."

"Thanks..what's your name, by the way?"

"I'm called Dust."

"Wait."

"Huh?"

"You're the one who everybody thinks is a tyrant?"

"I get mixed feelings. I wouldn't say that I'm a tyrant, but apparently a lot of people would. Feel free to think what you will about me."

"But..you're supposed to be this fearless fighter that doesn't give up for anything, and here you are, openly stating your weaknesses?"

"I guess I'm kinda weird.."

"Sorry..but..you?"

"Me."

"Wow." The prisoner took a breath.

"I have one more question, if you don't mind after..that."

"Go ahead."

"What are..your weaknesses?"

"You said this wouldn't be used against me."

"I said it probably wouldn't. If you just tell me, I won't hurt you."

"I can't tell you that."

"Please, don't make me hurt you." I unsheathed a dagger. 

"I'm not telling!"

"I don't want to hurt you.." I was tearing up.

"I'm sorry. I can't."

"D-do you just not know? I can write that down!"

"I do know..I just don't want to tell you."

"This is your last chance. Please, just tell me."

"No."

"Fine..p-pick a number, from one to five."

"What is that supposed to do?"

"Just pick it.."

"Fine. Five."

"I'm so sorry.." I stood.

"No matter how much you hurt me, I will not give in!"

"I'm sorry that I think you will." 

After this, I grabbed the prisoner and pinned him on the ground; he couldn't move. He made a mistake in picking the highest number; I would have to use one of my strongest attacks. I checked the tip of my dagger to make sure that it was sharp enough before forcing his soul out of his body; Ink had taught me how to do that. After another apology, I touched his soul with the end of the dagger, making sure not to touch anything that was important; his screams weren't as loud as some of mine, but they were loud enough. After a minute of careful torture, I lifted my dagger from the victim and returned him to his seat; he was in obvious agony from his persisting screams. I kept up my expression by crying the entire time and constantly apologizing. Ten minutes later, the prisoner reduced his volume to a loud sob, and that was my cue to pose the question again.

"I don't want to do that again.." I wiped some tears away. "What are your weaknesses?"

"I-I.." The prisoner was shivering. "O-okay..f-f-fine..m-my weaknesses a-a-are m-my s-soul and m-magic h-hindering at-attacks.."

"Thank you."

"Wh-what d-did you d-do?"

"I didn't hit anything important. Your soul just looks like a lot of others now. The pain will go away eventually, but just remember it next time you're asked a question. That's the end of your interrogation; I hope it was a learning experience." 

At this, I stood and knocked on the door of the interrogation room. A guard answered.

"Yes, Dust?" The guard was a friend.

"Have him taken back to his cell, and be careful with him: his soul isn't what it used to be." I always used that line to let guards know of what transpired. Some people were even beginning to call me the 'Soul Carver' for what I did.

"I understand. Have a good day, Dust."

"You, too."

I then started walking back to Ink's room, where he and my brother were waiting. Although my brother was an associate, we would never recover our 'bond.' After what he had done, I wouldn't think of ever even trying; he wasn't worth it. Now, he just focused on his work; that was best for all parties. Ink seemed happy, which was good.

"Hello, Dusty!" Ink grinned. "How did the interrogation go?"

"A complete success." I answered.

"Dusty, you never fail to amaze me." Ink patted my skull, making me laugh. "All right, we have a special job today."

"I'd love to hear what it is!"

"You're so sweet! I'm going to be giving a speech in an AU today, and you two have to be there. Can you do it?"

"Of course, Ink!"

"It is possible.." My brother was never really happy anymore; it was weird.

"Great!" Ink was happy. "Well, let's go!"

Ink soon opened a portal to a universe, and our trio walked into it. The universe seemed to be a recently conquered one, since the inhabitants weren't exactly thrilled that the guards were there; they would get used to it eventually. Ink always liked to give speeches on a stage, which was good, because there was one. The inhabitants were gathered in front of the stage - mostly by force - to hear Ink's wonderful speech; I really enjoyed hearing him talk. As for my brother and me, we would double as protection for Ink; he wouldn't be harmed on our watch. As soon as the last inhabitant was forced into the gathering, Ink was ready to begin.

"Good morning, newly acquired subjects!" Ink liked to use that line. "It's great to meet you all. You know, not every AU gets this opportunity - only the unruly ones. Some of you have been wondering where your Sans is; well, he's been forced into my army, and I think that's the best place for him. This is a strong AU; I admire that. However, you must learn obedience, and I think that the best way to teach you..is example. I will be leaving my right hand here for a few days, and in those few days, I want you to develop a healthy relationship with him. Invite him over to your house for tea or something, seriously, I don't care. As long as you're obedient, he won't hurt you in the slightest. If you aren't..he'll make you wish you had never been born. Now, some of you may not believe that; I understand completely. You don't think anyone can hurt you more than you already have been. Well, I think a demonstration is in order. One of your friends has been acting up a bit too much; this is her." 

Ink gestured to an Undyne who was resisting a couple guards as she was brought onto the stage.

"Take careful note." Ink chuckled. "Dusty?"

"Yes?" I was ready to serve.

"Give her your level five."

"Of course, Ink."

I unsheathed a dagger as I approached the Undyne; she was moving too much for a proper job, but I could fix that. As soon as she wrenched free from the guards' grasp, I grabbed her arm and sent her flying into the floor; that would keep her down for at least a minute. As she was immobilized, I brought her soul out and readied my dagger; her screaming was proof enough to the crowd that Ink wasn't joking. I believed that I had done this to over five thousand souls, including my own; Ink had decided that I should have a signature move, and I wasn't one to disappoint. I spent two years perfecting the technique and gaining the steadiest hand I could manage; by the end of it, I had created an attack that would last even through a reset. Ink loved it, and that was good enough for me. He often made me use it when conquering universes; once the inhabitants had seen what it could do to someone, they never made any more trouble. When I had finished my work, the Undyne was left screaming on the floor; Ink seemed to enjoy it. After this, I spent a few days in the universe, but the inhabitants made no trouble at all; their Undyne even suggested that they try harder to follow the rules.

It was another beautiful day.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean..um..make ows.

Thanks for reading my unkind writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

I had been Ink's toy for ninety-four years and two months. My brother was trying to rekindle our relationship, at least to the point where I would actually talk to him without Ink having to order me to. I wasn't quite sure what to do, but I knew the one person who would be: Ink. Ink always looked out for me and gave me the best advice, and I knew that he would know exactly how to handle my problem. As for other things, the name "Soul Carver" had been becoming somewhat of a calling card; Ink seemed to like it, and he even made it an official title! Ink said that I would be doing a special job today; I couldn't wait to find out what it was! When I woke up, I found Ink smiling; today looked to be a good day.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning, Ink!" I returned. 

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep!"

"Hmm..you look like you have something on your mind.."

"I do."

"What is it?"

"My brother..he's been trying to talk to me. He makes it seem like he really cares..I don't know what to do.."

"Well, I don't think it's worth it. Tell him to leave you alone until he stops."

"Thanks, Ink."

"Of course! I can't have my little Soul Carver confused, now can I?" Ink patted my skull; I knew that he was right. "Now, would you like to know what you'll be doing today?"

"I'd love to!"

"You're going to help train a few guards!"

"That sounds fun!"

"It does! You know what to do, right?"

"Of course!"

"You're such a good little Dusty!"

"When do I start?" 

"In an hour, but I want you in the waiting room with the students until then; if you need any help or have any questions, just ask the trainer!"

"Okay! What are you going to be doing? If it isn't too much trouble, of course."

"Wonderful question! I'm going to have a little talk with your brother about your problem; I'm sure that he'll leave you alone after that."

"You're the best, Ink!"

"Thank you! Now, you don't want to be late for the training!"

"Okay, Ink! Bye!" I waved as I made my way to the door.

"Good bye!" Ink returned the wave.

I began to make my way to the training section of the compound. I had been there many times before with Ink; he liked using me as a dummy, but I didn't mind - why would I ever mind? On my way there, I passed my brother in the hallway; I managed to ignore him successfully, though. I didn't understand why he kept trying to talk with me; didn't he understand that I wouldn't fall for his tricks again? Maybe he was just too thickskulled to realize. That frown he wore would have melted my soul in the past; now, it did nothing. When I reached the training section, I noticed that the swapped Sans and Dream were training the new guards today; they were good friends. I took my seat in the waiting room next to a few students; I knew why Ink wanted me to help today: there were many more students than usual, and three instructors could do more work than two. I listened to a few conversations as I waited; one of them was right across from me, and it was undoubtedly the most memorable. One guard was being sent through the routine once more due to improper conduct, and he was telling a new guard about mostly everything. 

"Now, these three are the most important out of all of them." The older guard held up a picture.

"I recognize one of them..the one that changed me.." The newer guard still hadn't recovered mentally.

"The one that changed you would be called Ink. He's the leader of this empire, and he's not one to mess with. Do you know the extent to which he changed you?"

"He told me..is it true?"

"Unfortunately, yes. You have to obey every order given to you, or you risk losing your brother."

"What happens if you do? D-do you still have to follow orders?"

"He'll find some other way to control you.."

"Oh.."

"His main attacks are paint-based, but he can also use his large brush as a weapon. If you ever see red paint, don't touch it - it burns worse than anything else."

"Who's this?" The newer guard pointed to the picture.

"That would be Ink's left hand, Papyrus; he has a nickname, but few use it. He used to lead the resistance against Ink until he was captured by his brother and forced to join. He does a lot of the dirty work for Ink..if only to keep his brother from doing it."

"Why would his own brother capture him?"

"Dust - an unfortunate soul. This is him: Ink's right hand." The older guard pointed to a different part of the picture. "If you ever see him, it's safe to say hello - just don't bring up his brother."

"Why not?"

"I don't really know. I've only been here for a decade or so; in all the time I've been here, I've never figured out why he hates his brother so much. There are rumors that Ink brainwashed him, and they're honestly believable; I couldn't tell you past that. Dust is probably the one you have to look out for the most; if you ever get him angry, run."

"Why?"

"They call him the Soul Carver for a reason."

"The what?!" 

"The Soul Carver. Either by Ink's orders, someone making him angry, or his work, he has done this to thousands of souls." The older guard pulled his soul out; I had touched it.

"B-but..how are you still alive?!"

"Nobody knows. The pain never fully goes away, either. It's a permanent reminder of your disobedience, and not even a reset can take it away."

"How did he..how could he.."

"Rumors say he practiced on himself."

"Why would he do that to people?!"

"He's insane. What else needs to be said?"

"That isn't good enough! I need to know!"

"Look, I think the instructors today know why; ask them, but I have no desire to know about that..that..that murderer."

"Why are you guys talking about murderers?" The swapped Sans walked up.

"You know why Dust is Dust, right?" The older guard wondered. 

"Well, I do, but it's not exactly the happiest fairytale.." 

"This kid wants to know why."

"I'm not a kid!" The newer guard crossed his arms. "Why, though?"

"Well, we have some time before the lesson starts." The swapped Sans took a seat. "Dust used to be one of the first people to oppose Ink; he knew Ink was evil before even I did! Everybody thought he was dead for good after Ink executed him and his friends, but his universe went through a reset, and he was brought back. Before Ink could take over, he managed to escape his universe with his brother and joined the resistance to fight back. His first mission was an attempt to capture Error..but he didn't make it. When Ink found out that he was alive, he decided to make him his own personal plaything, and he tortured Dust every..every day. After decades of torture, Dust simply couldn't take it anymore; he started to lose his mind. At that point, he started to develop somewhat of a disease - I think humans call it Stockholm syndrome - that made him actually grow attached to Ink. Ink used it to his advantage, and he tried to replace Dust's brother's place in Dust's mind. After a while, he did it. He forced Dust to grow a hatred for his brother, and once that was settled, he made Dust capture his brother; everything fell into place after that. Papyrus keeps his brother out of harm's way, and Dust keeps Papyrus under Ink's control.."

"But.." The newer guard couldn't believe it. "Doesn't Papyrus love his brother?"

"We're not allowed to speak about it while Dust is near.."

"What do you mean?"

"He's been listening." The swapped Sans looked over to me; I waved.

"Wait, he's been there the entire time?!"

"I get to help train today." I smiled.

"That's good news." The swapped Sans stated. 

"Wait.." The older guard hummed. "If you've been listening..did you do it to yourself?"

"Yep." I pulled out my soul for the others to see.

"Ouch..why'd you do that?"

"It doesn't hurt.."

"It doesn't?"

"He can't feel pain - side effect of torture." The swapped Sans explained.

"Oh.."

"Well, it's time to begin the lesson; you know what to do, right, Dust?"

"I've been through it about two hundred times.." I reminded.

"Wait, you took this course two hundred times?!" The older guard was shocked.

"No, that's silly!" I laughed. "I was the dummy two hundred times!"

"When you say decades of torture, you mean it, don't you?"

"Afraid so." The swapped Sans confirmed. "Let's get going."

After this, the students and instructors entered the main training area, and the training was ready to begin. The swapped Sans and Dream demonstrated the attacks, while I ensured that the students were performing correctly; it was a good teaching strategy. The main attacks were finished within three hours, and by the end of it, every student was efficient enough in every one. Secondary attacks were covered next, and they were some of the hardest, due to being used while main attacks were already in motion; students sometimes took three training sessions to master them. After four more hours, they were finished. This was a basic training session, which meant that unique attacks were not covered. It was time for questions now, and the students would certainly have those after all the effort they put into their attacks; they seemed invested enough.

"If two attacks were to collide, would it be proper to summon another to prevent peripheral injury?" A student inquired.

"If it's powerful enough, it would be wise." Dream confirmed.

"What if you're in an area with suppressed magic?" Another asked.

"That is covered in a different lesson." The swapped Sans enlightened.

"How many lessons are there?" A student was bored.

"As many as you make it." I replied. "Act like that every lesson, and you might end up doing a hundred."

"What would happen if I insulted you?"

"Nothing."

"What about your brother?"

"Still nothing."

"You're a weirdo."

"Yes, I am."

"Your brother's an idiot."

"You don't know how much I agree."

"Is it too much to ask to be suspended?"

"We don't suspend students, but if you'd like, I could give you something to cry about instead."

"What are you gonna do, take my candy bar?"

"No, but if you keep pushing, you'll find out."

"Maybe you should just stay quiet." The swapped Sans suggested.

"I don't like your stupid regime!" The student was dead set on getting into trouble. "I want to go home! I want to be left alone!"

"Please, just be silent!" Dream requested.

"I don't care about any of you or your idiotic leader!"

"Oh, no.." The entire room knew that he had made a big mistake.

"If you value your life, run!" Someone shouted.

"Why should I?" The student didn't know what he had just gotten into; I pinned him in an instant. "Hey! Let me up! Get off!"

"Nobody talks about Ink like that." I unsheathed a dagger. 

"W-wait! I-I was just joking! Ink's great!"

"That's what you'll be saying for a long time." 

"P-please, don't!"

I started my work, and the entire room knew that it wouldn't be pleasant. The student begged for mercy, but he received none; I never gave mercy. Ink said that mercy was only to be used when you knew you couldn't win a fight with someone; I could win in a fight with this student, and he knew it. After a minute, I left the student on the floor, screaming in pain; he wouldn't speak of Ink like that again. The training session ended soon after that, and I returned to Ink's room to find out what he had done. When I got there, I noticed a bit of red paint where it hadn't been before; it was mixed with blood, unsurprisingly. Ink was smiling, and I returned the happy expression by habit.

"Hello, Dust!" Ink giggled. "Did the training go well?"

"Yep." I answered. "Only one large offense, but it won't be happening again."

"You took care of it, I assume?"

"I always do."

"You're such a good Dusty!" Ink patted my skull; I loved that.

"What did you do today?"

"Just that talk with your brother. I don't think he'll be bothering you again."

"You're the best, Ink."

"I know! Now, I have a bit of work to do; would you like to help?"

"I'd love to." I unsheathed a dagger.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean isn't very nice right now..

Thanks for reading my crazy writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

Today was the day exactly one hundred years after my capture; much had changed since then. Ink claimed that he had something special for me, but I didn't really need it; of course, if Ink wanted it to be done, I wouldn't get in his way. My brother still tried to get me to talk to him, despite the injuries he had received in doing so; he really was an idiot. As time went on, the amount of souls that I had touched grew to over ten thousand, and the number increased every day. I supposed that people were scared of me, but I wouldn't stop unless Ink told me to; Ink actually liked it, and I wasn't going to stop if he liked it. I had even touched the soul of my brother, but he still insisted on trying to talk to me; I didn't understand. The day started out as a bright morning, and it was hardly evident that a century had passed. I met Ink with a bright smile to start the new century; it would no doubt be even better than the last.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted. 

"Good morning, Ink!" I returned happily.

"Did you sleep well?"

"How could I not?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"A bright new century under your rule?"

"Oh, Dusty, you are just the sweetest thing!" Ink patted my skull. "It also happens to be your anniversary!"

"You know, we don't have to celebrate me. We could celebrate you instead. You're much more deserving than I am."

"Dusty, you make me feel like I'm on top of the world! We really should celebrate your anniversary, though."

"If you insist. You're the best, Ink."

"Thank you! Now, come on! No work today!"

At this, Ink picked me up off the ground and made me stand; that was quick. Before I could process what was happening, Ink had tied a rope around my wrist and started dragging me down a hallway; he seemed excited. Ink led me to the place where large trainings occurred; it also happened to be the place where I got my rank. Ink untied me next to the stage and told me to wait as he addressed the crowd. Ink looked so happy today; I was happy for him. Pretty soon, Ink began his speech; I could have listened to him talk for hours. 

"Good morning, everyone!" Ink grinned. "As some of you know, today is a very special day! Exactly one hundred years ago, a prisoner was taken. I made him my personal toy - and I honestly tortured the heck out of him, but that isn't important right now - before making him my right hand! Some of you know him as 'that guy that passes me every day in the hall,' others think he's somewhat of a bully, more think of him as a friend, and a lot of you know him as the Soul Carver, but everybody knows his name! Please welcome Dusty!"

I walked up to the stage and met Ink in the center of it. I wasn't much for theatrics - that was Ink's department - but I did give a small wave.

"Now, Dusty?" Ink turned to me.

"Yes?" I wondered if he had something for me to do.

"Are you happy?"

"I'd be happy anywhere if you wanted me to be!"

"I mean it. Are you honestly happy?"

 "Yes!"

"Great! In that case, when was the last time you ate cake?"

"Um..before I was executed.."

"Do you realize that was over a century ago?"

"I hadn't really thought about it.."

"Dusty. Eat this." Ink handed me a plate with cake on it.

"Now?"

"Whenever you're ready. Let's get some tables out."

Before long, everybody had cake and a seat; that was impressive, but Ink was the best. I wouldn't have put it past him to manage it. Surprisingly, cake tasted much better after an extended period of time without it. I was seated at a table with some of my closest friends, and they were glad that I was happy.

"Wait, you seriously haven't had cake in over a hundred years?" Fell couldn't believe it. "That's insane!"

"Well, I'm insane, too." I pointed out.

"I forgot what the sun looked like.." Error had been let out of his cell for the first time since he was captured - other than escape attempts. "It's so pretty.." 

"Error, would you be interested in joining my army?" Ink inquired.

"Do you realize that that's the first and last thing you've ever said to me, now?"

"What do you mean first?" Dream didn't understand.

"I originally created him to be a supersoldier, but he turned out better as a corruption destroyer." Ink shrugged. "Not to mention he turned me down."

"I am a peaceful skeleton..for the most part." Error didn't enjoy fighting, but he would if he had to.

"Fair enough. Rot in your cell for another century, see who cares."

"You mean you'll let me out again in a century?"

"You're Dusty's friend."

"I never knew you were capable of 6b 69 6e 64 6e 65 73 73."

"Oh, shut up."

"What..did he say?" The swapped Sans had no clue.

"I'm fluent in code." Error enlightened. "Ink is, too."

"Ooh, can you say something cool in code?" 

"Which code shall I use and what shall I say?"

"Umm..say 'banana' in..base64?"

"QmFuYW5h."

"Congratulations, you're a nerd." Ink sighed.

"Being a nerd is fun!" The swapped Sans giggled.

"What are you doing here?" I noticed that my brother had walked up behind me.

"Brother..I know you do not care for me, but please, accept this." My brother handed me a wrapped gift. "I will go now.."

"Huh.." I didn't know what to feel when I held it; I looked to Ink.

"Ah, it's probably a hateful prank." Ink stated. "Here, I'll open it later, and if I think you'll like it, I'll let you have it, okay?"

"Okay." I gave Ink the box. "You're the best, Ink!"

"Ink, you're the most 73 61 64 69 73 74 69 63 20 6d 61 6e 69 70 75 6c 61 74 6f 72 I've ever seen." Error didn't seem very happy.

"Truer words have never been spoken." Ink chuckled. 

"What did he say?" Dream wanted to know.

"Nothing important." Error responded.

"So, I bet you didn't expect this when you were captured." Fell changed the subject.

"It was unexpected." I admitted.

"Brother, something important has come up." My brother showed up once again.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Ink was tired of my brother's antics.

"It is a plot to overthrow Ink, and it is dangerously close to succeeding if we do not move now."

"Oh, fine. Go with him, Dusty. If you're not back within the hour, I'm going to come looking for you."

"Okay, Ink." I left my seat.

My brother then led me through the halls of the compound; after a minute, I was wondering where we were going.

"Where is this so-called plot?" I saw nothing.

"It should be right in this room." My brother stopped in front of a door. 

"All right. I'll go first."

"As you wish." My brother gestured toward the door.

I opened the door and entered the room; it was pitch black. As I reached for the lightswitch, my arm was grabbed and I was instantly restrained; that wasn't good. As soon as I was strapped into a chair and immobile, my brother flicked the lightswitch, entered the room, and shut the door before locking it. I was surrounded by guards.

"What is this?!" I couldn't escape my restraints. "Papyrus, I should have known that you would betray Ink!"

"We have one hour." My brother stated.

"That's not enough time!" I recognized Classic Sans's voice.

"We'll just have to make do." The Outertale Sans's voice was there, too; was the resistance still in operation?

"I hope this works.." My brother had a desperate tone in his voice. "Brother, stop struggling; you will only waste your energy. These restraints are some of the strongest in the entire multiverse, and you will not escape."

"You're a traitor, Papyrus!" I growled.

"Please, brother. Just stay still."

"We're ready." Classic Sans said.

"Activate." 

"Let me go! Let..l-let me.." I struggled once more before a relaxing feeling came over me; I went unconscious.

So many images flashed through my mind; I saw every event of my life. The resets, the killing, and even my isolation were all there! I saw Nightmare, Killer, Horror, Error, and Cross as they were before the execution! I saw the execution..again. I saw them fall again. I saw Ink's torture once more; every day was like a bad dream. With all the events dashing through my mind, I saw one character that popped up time and time again: Papyrus. He was there for me when I was killing everyone over and over. He was there for me when I was isolated. He was there for me when I needed him the most..he was there for me. What had I done?! I replaced him! How could I do such a thing?! I replaced my own brother with..Ink. How could I ever care for him? He had done nothing but kill my family and tear it apart at the seams; he had tricked me, but I wouldn't be tricked again. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I would stop him once and for all, and I didn't care how many soldiers I had to fight to do it. When I started to regain my consciousness, I realized why my brother had brought me to that place: he was trying to save me. I treated him worse than anyone else, and he still cared!

"Brother?" Papyrus noticed that I was awake, and I noticed that I wasn't restrained anymore; I instantly lept towards him and burst into tears.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry! I'll never do that to you again, Paps..I'm so..so sorry.."

"It is all right, brother." Papyrus held me close. "Everything is all right, now."

"P-Paps?"

"Yes, brother?"

"I think..we should pay someone a visit." I wiped my tears.

"You were always one for action."

"We've been waiting to do that for decades." Classic Sans smiled. "I say we remove our little 'problem' from the throne."

"Sounds good to me!" I smirked.

"It is settled, then." Papyrus smiled. "Ink falls today."

"Been waiting for that for a long time." Outer summoned a bone.

"Should we use stealth?" Starstruck wondered.

"I have a plan, if it's all right." I stated.

"Of course, brother!" Paps was happy.

I stated my plan quickly, and the others found it to be appropriate; with only ten minutes of preparation, we were ready. Papyrus accompanied me back to the celebration, but I couldn't go without saying something.

"Paps.." I looked to him.

"Yes, brother?" Papyrus asked. 

"I was..really horrible to you..I'm sorry.."

"Brother, it was not you. Ink was controlling your determination."

"Paps, it started before that..I said it when I had a choice."

"Brother, I forgave you long ago."

"You're the best, Paps."  

"I am the Great Papyrus!"

"It's been forever since I've heard you say that..say, whatever happened to Chara?"

"I have no clue." Paps shrugged.

"Huh..well, we're almost there..I'm sorry in advance for what I'll have to say in here.."

"It is for a good cause, brother. If we do not convince Ink, we will not make it."

"I know.." I stopped in front of the exit. "Good luck, bro."

"Good luck, brother."

We walked into the celebration area, noticing our cohorts in their places - perfect. I took my seat once more next to Ink at the table, and my brother came behind me.

"Took you long enough." Ink commented. 

"They gave us the runaround, but it wasn't difficult." I explained. "Just one thing."

"What's that?"

"He won't stop following me."

"Papyrus, get out of here."

"I dropped my hat." Papyrus excused.

"You don't even have a hat."

"Oh, in that case, you dropped a paintbrush." 

"Wait, I did?"  Ink looked under the table, and that was our cue. 

"It's not nice to play with people's minds, Ink." I relieved the artist of his brushes and grabbed him with Papyrus.

"I like this!" Error chuckled, stood from his seat, and helped us.

"Oh, no!" Fell was legally supposed to protect Ink, just as all the other guards were. "It's time for my legally required break."

"What in the world?!" Ink tried to escape our grasp, but our cohorts were ready to help. "Somebody do their job!"

"I've never taken a break, but I'm willing to start." The swapped Sans giggled.

"Yeah, somebody'll help you, Ink." Dream assured. "It just won't be us."

"You're all traitors!" Ink was handcuffed, and not a single guard helped him - not even a high rank; he should have treated them better. 

"Guilty as charged." I responded. "And you're under arrest."

"This isn't fair!"

"You think it was fair when you made me your slave?!"

"Well.." Ink chuckled nervously.

"That's enough, Ink." Paps knocked the artist out, and a resounding cheer flooded the air.

"What are we supposed to do when he wakes up?" Fell wasn't sure. "We'll just be under his control again.."

"How so?" Error inquired.

"He changed the code of every low rank.." The swapped Sans was uneasy. "Papy's been struggling with it for a century.."

"Code?"

"Error..you can change code." I looked to him.

"That I can." Error knew what I was thinking.

"Form a line." I smiled.

Over the next few weeks, Ink was knocked unconscious many times while Error reverted the code of the low ranks; there were thousands, but he managed to do it. It was decided that Ink would be locked up for the rest of eternity. As for me, I gave a personal apology to those whose souls I had touched, including my brother; that was a mistake. In order to make up for it, I would see to it that all the universes would be completely freed of occupation, and I would never use my technique on anyone ever again. It took twenty years to finish the job, and by the time every universe was safe, I was tired out. I couldn't stop, though; there was one thing left do to: make a new Last Hope. When it was finished, Error, Paps, and I - along with Chara, who had somehow reappeared - gathered in the living room of Nightmare's old house and hoped for the best.

"You still haven't told us where you were." Error reminded.

"It's none of your business." Chara rebuked.

"Let's just begin." I put the dust in its place. 

"I'm ready." Error was going to be our power source.

"If the strain is too much, just let us know."

"I will."

"Right. Here we go!"

Last Hope started its work immediately, and the dust was converted into bodies and souls for our family. The room was soon shrouded in light; that was a good sign. When the light passed, four familiar figures stood before us.

"What happened?" Nightmare looked around.

"Didn't we just die or somethin'?" Killer noticed us. "Hiya, Dusty!"

I said nothing, simply running up to my family and giving them a hug as the tears flowed from my eyesockets.

"Woah!" Horror was a bit taken back by that. "Well, we love ya, too, Dusty."

"Wh-why are you c-crying?" Cross questioned. 

"He's been through a lot." Paps joined the hug, soon followed by Error.

"How much is..a lot?" Nightmare was worried.

"You were d-dead for over a century.." I sobbed.

"What?!" They were in shock.

"C-can we just stay like this?" I didn't want to let go.

"Sure, Dust." Nightmare knew that I was in a serious state. "We can stay like this as long as you want."

"I love you, brother." Papyrus hugged tighter.

"I love you, too, Paps." I felt comforted. 

Everything would be okay.

Sticks and stones will break my bones

Ink can always hurt me

But I hold my brother near

I know he won't e'er desert me.

~~~story end woot~~~

Dust bean happy for once YA YEET!

I honestly wanted to cry while writing parts of this..

Congratulations to those of you who decoded Error's hexadecimal! ;)

Thanks for reading my finalizing writing!

Bye!

Chapter Text

Extras 1:

Garden: Ink has a garden.

Missing: Dusty goes missing.

Rescue: Dusty gets rescued.

Leader for a Week: Dusty gets temporary control over the empire.

Painless: Dusty goes on a mission.

Nightmares: Ink has nightmares.

Punishment: Dusty wants to be punished because he did a bad, but Ink doesn't know how to do so.

The Newcomer: Dusty meets a new friend, but he feels envy instead.

Rescue (Alternate version)(Bad ending): Dusty does not get rescued.

Illness: Dusty gets a cold.

Dungeon: Ink and Dusty visit the dungeon.

The Takeover: Fell recounts Ink's plot to take over the multiverse.

Daily Life of a Guard: Fell recounts his daily life.

Failure: Ink stops the plot to overthrow him.

Revived: Nighty's gang sees the light again.

Pets: Dust bunnies.

The Rival: Someone tries to take Dusty's job.

Error 404 - File not Found: Error recounts his life after the execution.

Horrortale: Dream recounts Horrortale's capture.

Tricks: Ink thinks that Dusty is going to a pet show and acts accordingly.

Visiting: A new high rank visits Dusty.

Mission: Mail.

Torture: Ink teaches Dusty the art of torture.

Scare: Dusty wants a glass of water.

Check: Dusty checks on the high ranks.

Coercion: Papyrus recounts the reason why he joined Ink.

Lies: Papyrus does a good, but is countered by Ink's bad.

Another Toy: Dusty gets his own toy.

Human: Dusty visits his human.

Introduced: Nighty's gang gets a tour.

Jacket: Ink tries to take Dusty's jacket, and dress up occurs.

Papy: Papyrus tries to escape being a toy.

Accepted: Nighty's gang has a good day.

Compliments: Dusty compliments Ink in paragraph form.

Care: Ink and Dusty take a day to relax.

Walk: Ink and Dusty take a walk.

Extras 2:

Kidnapped: Dusty gets kidnapped.

Ignorance: Papy does a bad.

Hide and Seek: Ink and Dusty play a game.

Reverse: Ink and Dusty are switched in a different multiverse.

Celebration: Papy has his anniversary party.

Begging: Dusty begs for his brother's life.

Bath: Dusty takes a bath.

Carve: Ink hears of the term "Soul Carver" and intends to see it for himself.

Need: Dusty has torture withdrawal.

Kneeling: Ink gives a speech about how he's better than everyone else.

Demon: The fact that Ink is possessed by a demon is exposed.

Painting: Ink makes a painting.

Realization: Ink discovers Dusty's ability to not feel pain.

Breaks: Ink and Dusty take breaks.

'Amnesia': Ink has amnesia..or does he?

Comfort: Dusty comforts Ink on a bad day.

Blame: Dusty has the lowest self-esteem of all time.

Reward: Dusty gets a reward for being a good toy.

Sense: Dusty's sensible personality commits die.

Protecting: Papy protects Dusty.

Brother: Dusty is mean to Papyrus.

Birthday: Ink has a birthday.

Insanity: Ink suffers in isolation, and Dusty feels pity for him.

Withdrawal: Dusty has another torture withdrawal. *Nighty's gang edition*

Initiation: Swapyrus gets to join an evil army.

Death: Ink makes Dusty commit no-nos.

Switch: Ink and Dusty switch bodies and mock eachother.

Arena: Ink has a gladitorial arena.

Stolen: Hope is stolen, and Dusty gets an attitude.

Childlike: Dusty is an innocent bean, and Ink is cruel.

Rain: Ink and Dusty play in the rain.

Extras 3:

Camping: Ink and Dusty go camping.

Papa: Ink adopts Dusty.

Visit: Nighty's gang visits Dusty in a dream.

Immortality: Ink explains what it is to be immortal.

Crying: Dusty cries.

Induction: Soldiers join the army.

Video games: Ink is a murder mystery pro.

Cruelty: Ink tortures Dusty with nice cream and a blow dryer.

School: Dusty goes to school.

Forget: Dusty gets amnesia.

Disobedience: Papy wants to stay asleep.

Spectate: Dusty watches Ink torture someone.

Hatred: Dusty expresses his hate for Papyrus in a hallway.

Joyride: Ink commits grand theft auto.

Confession: Dusty reveals that all the high ranks have emotional issues.

Catch: Papyrus rescues Dusty in Grillby's.

Hurt: Dusty has had enough bullying and asks Ink to help.

Discipline: Ink beats Dusty publicly.

Attention: Ink neglects Dusty.

Behavior: Ink recounts another normal day of manipluating Dusty.

Abducted: Dusty gets kidnapped. *Papa edition*

Harm: Ink gets hurt, and Dusty gets help.

Knights: Ink and Dusty have a conversation about knights.

Science: Dusty is hit by a laser.

Life: Dusty recounts another normal day.

Cold: Dusty asks Ink why his room is Antarctica.

Family: Dusty has family problems.

Testing: Ink tries to torture Dusty with a book.

Isolation: Ink isolates Dusty for the first time.

Commands: Ink orders Dusty around.

Tailor: Ink rips Dusty's jacket, and Dusty cries about it.

Blanket: Blue and Dream give Dusty contraband.

Cheer: Thunder and Lightning cheer up Ink.

Extras 4:

Reset: Dusty gets reset.

Grief: Dusty dies, and Ink cries.

Drowning: Dusty doesn't like drowning.

Isolated: Dusty is isolated again.

Crack: Papyrus worries about Dusty.

Rock: Dusty accidentally hurts Ink.

Destruction: Dusty's Hope falls in lava.

Arts and Crafts: Ink and Dusty have an activity time.

Sick: Ink gets a cold.

Heirs: Ink has children.

Treats: Dusty likes tree berries.

Conquering: Dusty conquers an AU for Ink.

Trouble: Ink hurts Papy, and Dusty gets neglected.

Ink's View on Heroes and Villains: Ink explains why he is a hero.

Captive: Ink's children get kidnapped by the resistance.

Resistance: Classic makes his rounds in the resistance base.

Schemes: Paint has a grudge against Dusty.

Relieved: Nighty's gang visits Dusty in Ink's room.

Disturbance: Dusty has a nightmare.

Laws: Ink upholds his laws.

Chicken: A chicken bites Dusty.

Logo: Ink gives his empire a brand.

Ticklish: Dusty is ticklish.

Picnic: Dusty, Ink, Fell, and Papyrus have a picnic, and Ink and Papyrus have a war.

Manners: Ink is well-mannered. 

Documents: Ink tortures Dusty with a file.

Purring: Dusty purrs.

Extras 5:

Oops?: Ink tries to conquer another multiverse.

Negative: Ink forces Dusty to eat a black apple.

Murder: Dusty hears his old nickname.

An Omega Problem: Ink summons Photoshop Flowey.

Intimidation: Dusty gets stuck in a T-pose.

Redeem: Ink feels remorse.

Baby: Dusty becomes a baby.

Collar: Ink collars Dusty permanently.

Strict: Dusty leads a meeting.

Feeding: Baby Dusty gets fed.

Fun: Dusty tortures a Papyrus.

Guest: an unfortunate forced Destroyer Error falls into ATE, and Ink takes advantage.

Blankets: Baby Dusty gets a cold.

Returning: Dusty gets returned to Ink after getting thrown into a portal.

Friendly: Ink tortures a child.

Underestimate: Ink gains stalkers.

Swearing: Fell showcases fruity language in front of Dusty (no actual swearing).

Massacre: Ink kills people.

Mathematics: Dusty doesn't understand geometry.

Physics: Papy doesn't obey the laws of physics.

Armor: Ink makes Dusty wear a suit of armor.

Error: Nighty's gang comes with Dusty to visit Error.

Vantablack: Ink consumes black apples and becomes more evil.

Repent: Ink consumes golden apples and becomes good.

Cannibalism: Hororr eats Ink.

Bring Your Baby to Work Day: Ink brings baby Dusty to a meeting.

Medieval: ATE in medieval times.

Gone: Classic dies.

Big brother: Baby Dusty meets Papyrus.

Cell: Classic Sans recounts his first days in Ink's dungeon.

Mastermind: Dusty being the bad guy for once.

Another Torture Short Because We Deinitely Need More Angst: Ink beats Dusty.

Petting: Ink pets Dusty.

Alive: Hope has been watching those horror movies about dolls.

Bandaids: Baby Dusty discovers bandaids.

Windowsill: Dusty enjoys Ink's windowsill.

Playing: Ink plays a game with Dusty, but it is a torture game.

Reasons: Fell tells Dusty a story about Ink.

Amusement: Ink takes Dusty to an amusement park.

Thunder: Baby Dusty is afraid of thunder.

Balloon: Dusty plays with a balloon.

Extras 6: 

Light: Dusty is diagnosed with trauma. 

Alphabet: Ink corrupts one of the most innocent things in the English language.

Giant: Dusty has a science-induced growth spurt.

Progress: Ink has a pleasant talk with Classic.

Demand: Dusty demands something of Ink.

Protest: Dusty feels the consequences of a protest he didn't even take part in.

Photos: Ink and Dusty get their picture taken.

Babynapped: Baby Dusty is kidnapped, and Ink has a mental breakdown (not that bad).

Nature: Dusty takes a stroll in Ink's garden.

Wind: Dusty is sensitive to the wind (I will not lie, this is kind of based on me in the winter).

Defiance: Dusty recounts his first week in captivity.

Breaking: Dusty recounts the moment when Ink finally broke him.

Future: Ink and Dusty look into the future.

Dark: Dusty recounts Papyrus's turning (this is Vantablack btw), and Fell gets him nice cream.

Impressions: Ink enlists Dusty to help him win a "best empire" contest.

Pointless: Ink tries to get a clingy Dusty to go away.

Christmas: Ink is the Grinch.

Meeting: Papyrus is bad at planning interventions. 

Darker: Dusty is treated very badly and needs help.

Blue: Dusty thinks about why Blue is such a good friend.

Attempt: Dusty tries to escape.

Capture: Dusty accompanies Papyrus to a base in a universe, and it gets attacked.

Buddy: Dusty meets a new (very new, never seen before) friend. (I just got the wonderful idea to introduce Dusty to Dustbelief Papyrus- I should totally do that in Extras 7).

Nom: Baby Dusty likes to eat things that are not food.

Invasion: Cape recounts the story of his AU's capture.

Fighting: Ink spars with Dusty.

Paranoia: Cape recounts his week in the dungeon.

Coincidence: Papyrus comes to rescue Error while Dusty is visiting.

Attack: Dusty has a torture withdrawal. *Unintended attack edition*

Exhaustion: Dusty is tired, and Papyrus tries to help.

Introductions: Cape meets high rank eighty-three.

Ghost: Ink turns Dusty into a ghost. *flashbacks to that one short series I lost about Dusty dying and cries*

Sand: Ink makes the one typo that all Undertale fans fear.

Taming: Ink explains how to tame a wild Dusty.

Yet Darker: Ink forces Dusty to take a harmful substance.

Saved: Broomie gets murdered, and Ink is free.

Extras 7:

Consideration: Dusty decides that Papyrus is not all bad.

Darkest: Dusty learns some things.

Spies: Ink interrogates possible spies.

Curtains: Error dies.

Intelligence: Dusty is not smart.

Escape: Dusty escapes.

Warmth: Ink tempts Dusty with warmth.

Rake: A variant of Dream dies from a rake.

Growing: Baby Dusty grows up.

Time Travel: Ink travels into the future (this is one of my favorites).

Succession: Dusty takes Ink's job (this one, too)

Crawler: Ink turns into a baby.

Mommy: Dusty is led to believe that Fell is his mother.

Red-Handed: Ink stops a babynapper.

Recovery: Dusty begins to recover from his experiences.

Shatter: Dusty's frail mind shatters, but Brush is here to help.

Carwash: Ink takes Dusty through a carwash.

Impossible: Papyrus and his resistnce soldiers try to rescue Dusty again.

Pet: Dusty enjoys being Ink's pet.

Appreciation: Dusty spends some quality time with Papyrus.

Pitch: Dusty gains Ink's trust.

Dustbelief: Dusty meets Dustbelief Papyrus (I did it!).

Demotion: A high rank gets demoted.

Repute: Cape has a reputation.

Interrogation: Dusty interrogates a rebel.

Protected: Dusty's family cares for him.

Shadow: Papyrus tests Dusty.

Disowned: Cape gets disowned.

Solemnity: Blue is not as happy as Dusty thinks he is.

Desperation: Cape tries to escape the dungeon.

Reassurance: Cape helps Dusty recover from a nightmare.

Perfect: Ink lists the reasons Dusty is the perfect pet.

Friendly: Ink forces Dusty to torture Fell.

Extras 8:

Multiversal: Dusty gets sent to a different multiverse.

Inverse: ATE is swapped!

Commanding: Dream lives a day in the life of a commander.

Alternates: Papa timeline meets Heirs timeline.

Watching: Dusty's family watches him get tortured.

Matters: Dusty's family gets revived. *Papa edition*

Desires: Ink punishes Dusty by not letting him torture anyone.

Resisting: Cape joins the resistance.

Brand: Dusty's family see his brand.

Try: Ink tries to get Dusty back from the other multiverse.

Challenge: Ink challenges his soldiers to a defensive test.

Clone: Ink clones Papyrus.

Punishing: Papyrus punishes Dusty. 

Approaching: Papyrus talks to Cape.

Replacement: Ink's (tor)mentor takes over the empire.

Surety: Dusty can't tell if he's asleep or awake, but Ink can help with that.

Darkness: Papyrus commits a Dusty crime.

Reunion: Dusty is rescued by Papyrus.

Heritage: Dusty gets a toy (not Papy, this time).

Tickling: Ink tortures Dusty with merciless tickles.

Ink Cuddles: Dusty.

Floaty: Baby Dusty floats.

Purpose: Cape finds his purpose in life.

Mama: Dusty plays hide and seek with Fell and Ink.

Bunny: Dusty is the bunny king, and all must bow before him.

Hiding: Ink is afraid of Error 404.

Night Terrors: Dusty wakes up screaming from a nightmare, but his family help him.

Lineage: Ash is revealed to the empire.

Guest: Dream visits Dusty.

Wishing: Error and Dusty discuss their wishes.

Extras 9:

Nothing: Dusty does nothing.

Payback: Ink gets slapped with some very cold revenge.

Possessive: Dusty wants Ash to himself more than he already gets him.

Mercifully: Ink definitely does not overthrow the resistance. Nope.

Recompense: Ink is found after being slapped with sixty years' worth of revenge.

April: Ink discovers April Fool's Day.

Ignored: Dusty and his family ignore the high ranks.

Outdoors: Ink takes Dusty outside to relax.

Limitless: Dusty can't stop torturing people.

Chaos: Ink wakes up to Dusty, Dusty, Dusty, Dusty, and Dusty, as well as Dusty and Dusty, and maybe a few more.

Experiences: Dusty has a great time.

Another: Dusty is kidnapped by a bad guy.

Visitor: Dusty visits Dream.

Checked: Broomie vists the empire again.

Learning: Ash is bad at learning things.

Falling: Cape recounts the falling of the resistance and the expert way in which it was handled.

Protective: Dusty won't let anyone hurt Ink.

Throne: Ink finally falls to the temptation of a golden throne.

Alone: Dusty fails surviving.

Feared: Ash becomes afraid of the bean.

Snooping: Dusty gets into Ink's camera footage.

Playdate: Dusty plays with his definitely-okay-and-not-hurting friends in the resistance base!

Comforted: Ash finally realizes that he likes spending time with Dusty.

Gifts: Ink gets a menacing tower of presents every year for his birthday.

Three in the Morning: Papy and Dusty get a drink of water.

Choices: Dusty has to choose between Ink and Papyrus. He picks wrong.

Evaluation: Cape gets a job interview.

Show: Ink thinks that torturing someone publicly is great entertainment.

Good: Papyrus tells Dusty how a "good" brother is supposed to act.

Worry: Ash is kidnapped, and Dusty panics, overreacting to everything.

Froggy: Dusty befriends a frog.

Instruction: Ink tries to teach Dusty how to get people to listen to him.

Extras 10: 

Mute: Dusty goes mute.

Duo: Ink and Dusty both get captured by rebels.

Necromancy: Last Hope does not work.

Thunderstorm: Dream is afraid of thunder.

Job: Cape gets a job.

Celebrating: Paint and Brush have their twenty-second birthday.

Mistake: Ink turns Dusty evil again.

Burglar: A clumsy burglar tries to steal from an immortal artist with a watchDusty.

Better: Dusty is a good brother.

Satisfaction: Dusty tortures his brother.

Truths: Ash tells the truth.

New: Ink conquers another multiverse.

Fear: Dusty is afraid of Ink.

Masochism: Dusty decides that he wants to be tortured now.

Acceptable: Dusty is more of a good brother than last time.

Mental: Cape manipulates Dusty's emotions to help him in the end.

Dreamswap: Ink conquers Dreamswap.

Quickly: Ink proves that the fact that he saved a life does not mean that he is redeemable.

Abuse: Dusty is kidnapped by mean people.

Aftermath: Ink has been overthrown, and Cape is waiting for his trip home.

Together: Ink captures Papyrus, who proceeds to meet Ash.

Black: Dusty is content with his life.

Dread: Papyrus has a horrible nightmare.

Movie: Dusty and the Star Sanses have a movie night.

Alternatively: Ink conquers yet another multiverse.

Bad Day: Dusty has a bad day, but Papyrus and Ink are there to help!

Powers: Paint unlocks a new ability.

Dummy: Dusty is used as a dummy.

Hopelessness: Error and Dusty talk after Dusty loses hope.

Extras 11:

Perfecting: Dusty is a great toy.

Domestication: Ink teaches Dusty the joys of cuddling.

Quarrels: Ink and Dream do not like eachother.

Reality: Dusty loses his grip.

Relapse: Dusty has a relapse.

Volition: Dusty experiences life as a robot.

Judging: Ink is a judge, too.

Inmprovements: Dusty proves that he is better than all those home improvement magazines.

Trauma: Dusty gets bullied. 

Lashing: Dusty gets whipped.

Guardian: Dusty gets a kid. 

Likeminded: Ink gets a new pawn, and Dusty gets a friend.

Beginnings: Dusty gets a new life with the potential for more trauma than ever before, yayyy!

Leading: Dream gets crash courses in obedience and loyalty at two different times.

Cactus: Cacti.

Home: Cape finally gets the bus ticket to his home.

Respect: Ink and Dusty fool around, and Dusty shows off how much trauma he has.

Insanity: Dusty hecking loses it.

Asylum: Dusty ends up in an insane asylum.

Determined: Dusty stays determined.

Changes: Reverse finally gets a sequel after 73694276446 years.

Goodbye: Papy runs away.

Extras 12:

Vengeance: Ink bullies Papy.

Like Brother, Like Brother: Papyrus gets well-acquainted with Paint.

Retirement: Ink retires.

Earn: Dream gets a new power.

Grief: Ink faces consequences for killing a child.

Hatred: Papyrus rescues a Dusty who hates him.

Perfection: Papyrus may or may not be a platonic yandere.

Changes: Nightmare figures out one of Ink's evil plans..and has to ignore it.

Work: Ink and Dusty share a work day.

Possession: Dusty gets possessed.

War: Ink finds baby Dusty a friend.

Yellow: Undertale Yellow exists.

Toybox: Ink gets some new toys, and Dusty doesn't feel special anymore.

Wrong: Papy will never forgive himself.

Worth: Ink reminds Dusty that he means something.

Extras 13:

Coming soon!

What to expect (not guaranteed!):

More "Goodbye"!

More "Papa"!

Requests are open!

Chapter Text

"Garden"

Warnings: none.

Classification: probably on the fluff side.

~~~~~

Ink had quirks. Sometimes he would talk to himself, other times he would play with my Hope just for kicks, but mostly, he would experiment with me. When he couldn't gain enough satisfaction from torture - mental or physical - he thought of something to do that wasn't torture; those were essentially "off-days." Not to say that they didn't end in pain - a lot of them did - but Ink wasn't interested in hurting me, and that was enough for me to like them. Today was one of those days. Ink had gotten bored of my screams from his paint, and his forms of mental torture weren't giving him the satisfaction he desired; as a result, he lay down on his bed and looked at me as I hugged my Hope.

"Dusty.." Ink took my attention. "I'm bored..do you wanna do something?"

I shook my skull; things were painful.

"Fine, I'll think of something." Ink sighed. "Dusty, come here."

There was once a time when I might have refused; I knew better than that now. I stood up, holding my Hope tightly as I walked over to Ink's bed, being pulled onto it as Ink pondered his options. I didn't struggle as Ink pulled me into his lap, rubbing my skull slowly; that was the only thing that he did that I liked. I was fairly sure that Ink believed that he owned me; it was obvious by the way he treated me. I couldn't argue, though..that would have led to pain.

"I got it!" Ink laughed triumphantly. "Dusty, have you ever seen my garden?"

"No.." I didn't know that Ink had a garden..

"Perfect! Well, prepare yourself for an experience!"

Ink was smiling as he opened a portal to what I believed was a different universe. He wasted no time in grabbing my hand and pulling me through it, and I was immediately awestruck; when Ink said "garden," he meant lush green grass with exotic flowers littering the landscape..I had never seen anything like it!

"I knew this was a good idea!" Ink giggled. "You should see the look on your face!"

Ink began to lead me through the garden; with all the torturing he had put me through, I had forgotten that he could create such beautiful universes..I had never seen anything like this..

"Peaceful, isn't it?" Ink sounded calmer than he usually did. "I created it a long time ago..before most of the people we know even existed..it was always so peaceful.."

I had to agree; it was indeed peaceful.

"You know, this gives me an idea..let's go, Dusty!" Ink opened a portal. "I wonder how well you can fare against poison!"

And my peace ended.

~~~~~

"Missing"

Warnings: Possessiveness...? Idk..

Classification: Slight angst.

~~~~~

Ink's point of view.

Where was he?

My toy..was gone! It wasn't time for him to visit Error, and he hadn't died recently; I would have known about that. Oh, Dusty, where were you? Not in my room..not in any of the AUs we walked in before his disppearance..he had even left his doll! Could he have been rescued by his stupid brother? No..that only left one possibility. Had I kept the door unlocked? No, I hadn't..the windows were shut, too..he couldn't have escaped! I refused to believe it..no, I wouldn't believe it, because it wasn't true! Dusty knew I needed him..I had told him all of my secrets..I had relied on his strength to lean against..that was why I had forced Dusttale to a reset in the first place, after all! I had been losing it..I had needed someone to support me! The other toys were worthless; nobody was strong enough. My empire had been crumbling; Dusttale had been the only logical answer. As soon as Dusty was under my control, I had the power to go on; my empire was strengthened. I needed to find him..without him, I was doomed. He was the only one I could go to for the reassurance I needed! I didn't know why it was him, but it was, and I knew it, and he knew it! He wouldn't leave me..right?

"S-Sir?" Oh, a guard; maybe he had an update on the search..

"What is it?" I just had to act completely normal..everything was totally fine!

"W-we found Dust, Sir.."

"Oh?" Well, that was what I needed to hear! "Where was he?"

"You..threw him put the window, Sir..he was stuck in the courtyard for two days with broken legs.."

"Oh." That event did seem familiar.. "Where is he now?"

"He's right outside; would you like him to be brought in?"

"Yes, bring him in, then leave."

"Yes, Sir." The guard did as instructed, and Dusty was once again safe in my room; he went for his doll first, of course. He was even resilient with broken legs..

"You gave me quite a scare, there, Dusty." I would have been lying if I said that I hadn't confessed to being scared in front of Dusty. "Come over here."

My toy did so, likely wondering what horrors I had in store for him. He was a bit surprised when I grabbed him by the neck and brought him up to face me.

"Dusty..did you scream for help when you were down there?" I needed an honest answer.

"Wh-when I woke up.." Dusty nodded.

"How long did you sleep?"

"I-I don't know.."

"How long were you awake?"

"A-about three hours.."

"And you started screaming for help as soon as you were aware of your surroundings?"

"Y-yes.." Dusty's responses held no lies.

"Good." I set my toy down and began to pet him; I liked his small giggles. "You've been a good Dusty; only a good Dusty would have tried to be found so quickly..and you would never be a bad Dusty, would you?"

"N-no.."

"Good to hear.."

I needed my Dusty.

~~~~~

"Rescue"

Warnings: none.

Classification: fluffy fluff.

~~~~~

I had been Ink's toy for about twenty-five years now. I had been through a lot..there were bad days, good days, and okay days; today seemed to be a good day, since Ink had meetings to go to all day and no high ranks had volunteered to torture me. I was going to enjoy this day. I didn't get anyone to watch me today, since Fell had come down with a cold and Dream and the swapped Sans were on missions, but I was okay with being alone for one day. In times like these, I mainly played with my Hope; it could keep me occupied! I was currently playing "Hug My Hope," which was my favorite game; my Hope liked it, too! I had been playing for three hours when I heard a sound coming from..outside? I hummed, taking my Hope over to investigate the mysterious sound. Something was outside a window? I climbed onto the windowsill of said window to see a rope..? . That was weird..right? Actually, there was more than one rope; there were several. I put my skull up against the window curiously to see..Papyrus? I knew what this was..but I never thought it would happen..I needed to open this window! Where did Ink keep his keys?! I put my Hope in the back of my jacket hood and began looking.

I knew that my brother and whomever he had brought weren't going to be able to open the windows from the outside; that was nearly impossible. Most of the windows in the compound were reinforced, but the windows of Ink's room were unbreakable, and only a key would open them. Only Ink was able to break the windows; he sometimes threw me out of one on a bad day. I hummed as I looked through Ink's dresser, trying to find his keys..until I realized where I had seen them before. I groaned softly, reaching under Ink's bed; of course he kept them in a paint can..with his most painful paint..wonderful. I pulled the lid off the can carefully before reaching inside as quickly as I could to get those keys; they were there, thankfully. I ignored the burning sensation as I dried off the keys and returned to the windowsill, where my brother was confused as to why the windows wouldn't open under the force he had used. I plopped a key into the lock on the window before opening it and being hugged by my brother.

"I will not lose you again, brother." He stated, descending the rope with me safely in his arms.

"I-I missed you.." I hugged him tightly, not intending to let go.

"I know..I am sorry it took so long."

"Y-you came just in time..you're the best, Paps."

"I am the Great Papyrus." Paps smiled, reaching the ground safely. "Now, how do you feel about being safe for once?"

"I'd love to.."

I didn't let go of Papyrus as he opened a portal to the Dreamtale base and entered with me, followed by the ones who came with him on the rescue mission. I cried tears of joy when we were through, never having thought that this day would come, but it was here! Soon enough, Paps brought me to what seemed to be a medical room, where I was laid on a bed; a few people who looked like doctors began to look over me as I talked to Paps.

"I-I didn't think you were coming.." I admitted.

"It took much longer than we had anticipated.." Paps sighed. "If you had not found those keys, we would still be trying to get you out."

"I guess it's a good thing you came now.."

"How so?"

"I didn't know the location until about a week ago.."

"Well, that is what we call luck. Are you okay, brother? I mean..as a whole?"

"..I'm not the same..but I'm okay."

"I will take you any way I can, brother." Papyrus held my hand. "And I am never going to let you go again."

"I love you so much.."

"I love you more."

"I..um..want to show you something.." I reached into my hood.

"What would you like to show me, brother?"

"Error gave me this.." I pulled out my Hope. "Doesn't it look like Killer?"

"It really does, brother." Paps smiled at my enthusiasm.

"It's the only thing he let me have..I don't think I'd be okay without it.."

"Then you hold on to that, brother, and when we rescue Error, everything will be okay."

I was safe.

~~~~~

"Leader for a Week"

Warnings: teeny tiny bit of violence but I wouldn't worry about it.

Classification: fluff and angst. Mostly fluff.

~~~~~

"Dusty, I'm bored.." Ink groaned. "Do you have anything you want to do?"

I shook my skull; I was content with doing nothing.

"Ugh.." Ink hummed, trying to figure out something to do.

I waited about ten minutes before Ink looked at me; his expression said that he had an idea.

"Dusty.." He chuckled. "You know..I think I need a vacation..and while I'm gone..you're in charge. Got it?"

I was a bit unsettled by that; I had no idea how to run an empire, and if I didn't go along with it, Ink probably would have hurt me a lot more than normal. He grabbed a piece of paper, wrote a few things, and gave me the paper; it was a list of rules.

"Now, I'm going to make the announcement, and you're going to stay here and read that." Ink said. "When I'm gone, your babysitter will come here to help you. See you in a week, Dusty!"

I flinched when Ink slammed the door shut, leaving me with the list of rules, which I began to read; it began with a threat for if I decided to shirk from my "duty." I wasn't getting out of this. Well, I could basically order people to do things; I didn't really want to do that, but ideas were forming in my mind for things I could do..Ink wouldn't have liked them, but he never stated anything about them in the rules! When Fell entered the room, he sat next to me.

"Hey, Dust." He smiled.

"Hi, Fell!" I greeted happily.

"From what I hear, you're taking Ink's place for the next week?"

"Apparently..wanna help me ruin his kingdom?"

"Heck, yes!"

So we plotted. When we were done plotting, I wrote down all of my totally official orders and read them out loud.

"So, this is what we've got." I cleared my nonexistent throat. "All judges are off-duty and can go home to their universes until Ink comes back, no conquering, universes will be reset if the judge wishes, all prisoners except Error and the determined children will be released in a universe containing a known resistance base, Error will receive a large box filled with chocolate bars, and every judge will be granted a warm blanket. Does that sound good?"

"I think we're going to have a very angry dictator in one week, but it'll be so worth it!" Fell giggled.

"Okay, then!"

"But wait, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're going to be here alone.."

"I'm okay with that."

"But..you could starve to death.."

"If I do, Ink will either reset me, or I'll finally be free, which I doubt."

"You shouldn't value your life so lowly.."

"...But I'm not worth anything..Ink has made that clear."

Fell hugged me. "That won't stopme from getting you something to eat."

"You really don't have to.."

"I want to."

"Well..okay. Would you take this wherever it's supposed to go? I'm still not allowed to leave.."

"Sure thing, kid."

"And..you don't need to stay.."

Fell smiled sadly. "I know you'd like me to, though."

"Y-you have your own life..I have mine. I wouldn't expect you to stay here just because of me."

"Well, I guess I'll be off home, then..I hope it hasn't changed too much.."

"I hope you enjoy it..bring back some stories, please?"

"Of course I will."

With that, Fell took the paper and left the room, waving a goodbye as he went out the door. And for once, everything was quiet. After Fell brought me something to eat for the next week, he went home to his universe, as did almost all the guards; Dream apparently went to Underswap to spend time with the brothers there. And I was alone. I spent most of the week sleeping or playing with my Hope, happy to find that there were no screams from the basement, and nobody seemed to be in pain; everything was peaceful. Until the door opened. I had expected and dreaded that moment. After one week of peace, Ink returned to his room with a very angry expression, and it was aimed towards me. I whimpered slightly at the pain that I knew was coming; he was obviously not in a good mood. He began his rampage by stepping on my sternum and cracking it; thus a week of pure torture began. When it was over, Ink left me, presumably to rebuild what I had broken, but I didn't care about the pain; it had been worth it. As soon as Fell came into the room, I knew it was worth it; he helped me sit up.

"Hey, kid." He smiled. "You made a lot of people happy."

~~~~~

"Painless"

Warnings: mention of torture, nothing graphic.

Classification: neither fluff nor angst..it is..um..undecided!

~~~~~

I had been Ink's right hand for ten years; everything was fine! My brother hadn't been pestering me as much in the past month, and Ink had been sending me on very important missions! He had said that he had an important mission for me today; I hoped it was fun! I had just been woken up.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning, Ink!" I returned.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yep! Did you?"

"Actually, I didn't sleep last night; I was too busy with some planning."

"Oh? I-I could have handled it for you! I wouldn't want you to lose sleep!"

"No, that's okay! I just wanted you to be well rested for today's mission!"

"Okay..but if there is work to be done at night in the future, won't you consider asking me to do it for you? You deserve more sleep than I do..."

"I will, Dusty." Ink's answer made me smile; I loved helping him! "Now, your mission is very important: you need to take out a hostile force of rebels; they've defeated every guard sent before you, and they're after information."

"I understand."

"I want you to allow yourself to be captured by them; you will be undercover as a low rank. You can still judge pain levels, right?"

"I can."

"Good. I want you acting as if pain still hurts you, and if you feel the pain being high enough, I want you to scream. Once they exhaust their torture methods and you haven't told them anything - don't tell them anything - make a proposition: if they let you go, you'll tell them everything they want to know. Of course, you won't tell them; the second you're free, take them out with whatever you have."

"What if they recognize me?"

"They shouldn't, at least not with your change of eyelights."

"Ooh..I'll be posing as an Undertale copy?"

"Precisely. As you know, every guard gets a two-day vacation if they've been completely obedient throughout the year; you'll be acting as a guard dedicated to me, and you'll be on that vacation. Your code name will be.." Ink hummed. "Brush, sure, why not? Any questions?"

"I understand my mission perfectly, Ink."

"Good." Ink patted my skull, making me giggle. "Now, change your eyelights and get in this portal."

Ink opened a portal, and I did as he ordered, soon wandering a Snowdin forest. It didn't take long for me to be completely surrounded, in which situation, I surrendered; I actually would have been able to take on the rebels present, but Ink wanted me to be captured, and that was what happened. I acted scared, and my captors bought it. I was chained to a wall, and soon enough, the leader of this rebel faction approached me with a host of scary-looking tools.

"Buddy, what exactly were you doing here of all places?" He asked a question.

"I-I was just on my v-vacation.." I stuttered. "I-I always wander on it.."

"Likely story. He sent you, didn't he?"

"H-he said this was a g-good place to relax.."

He laughed heartily. "Okay, that was a good one! I haven't heard that before! Seriously, though, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"M-my name is Brush..I'm h-honestly just on my vacation.."

"I see." He picked up a blade. "Well, Brush, would you care to tell me about your leader? Does he have any weaknesses?"

"I-I haven't heard of any.." I actually had, but I wasn't going to tell this guy.

"I see." He swung the blade around in the air a couple times. "Well, I think you're lying. It's interesting that you're the first liar we've caught..turns out everyone else in your little army knows nothing. Yet..here is one..who knows. So, Brush, if that is your real name, I think you'd better tell us what you know, unless you'd like to see your bones being split before your very eyes."

"I-I don't know!" I wasn't afraid; I had seen my bones being split before, since some of the high ranks liked to use knives occasionally.

"Suit yourself."

So he used his blade on me, and he forced me to watch the process, but I wasn't phased; I acted like I was though, since Ink had told me to. When I still wouldn't tell him anything, he began to break my bones in other ways, but I still wouldn't give in to his demands; I was unaffected by his torture processes, despite outwardly crying and screaming. After five hours, he decided to take a break.

"You're pretty resilient for someone in the army." He commented. "Have you ever considered betraying the dictator? We have some wonderful spots open over here."

"I.." I acted as if I were tired.

"Say again?"

"H-how..about.." I decided that now was a good time to offer the proposition. "I-if you let m-me go..I-I'll tell you..e-everything.."

"Oh?" He seemed interested. "You're offering us all your knowledge..in exchange for your freedom?"

"Y-yes.."

"That's tempting, but it also means you're at the end of your rope; you're trying to hide something..and you'd rather tell us important information and have us let you go instead of staying here and having it crushed out of you.." He chuckled. "But..we aren't going to let you go."

"O-oh.."

Okay..what was I supposed to do now? Ink never told me what to do if they didn't let me go, and I didn't ask! I decided to quit the act; I was a bit tired of screaming, and it was getting me nowhere.

"How about you just let me go, and then we can have a nice chat?" I changed my tone.

"Um, excuse me?" My captor was a bit surprised at my sudden change. "You're in no position to bargain!"

"And you're in no position to continue hurting me; you're better off letting me go."

"Nice try, but pretending to be strong will get you nowhere; with that said, shall we continue?"

"Go ahead." I smirked. "Try me."

"Oh, I will."

I began to hum a song as my captor continued his attempted torture; he was confused as to why I wasn't screaming in pain anymore. He began increasing the pain to levels that would have sent even the most resistant monsters into a scream, but I didn't flinch. After three hours of quiet, he gave up and threw his torture weapons aside.

"What are you?" He growled.

"Let me go, and maybe you'll find out." I smiled.

"As if I'd let you go after that performance!" He scoffed. Oh, no, you're staying here, and you will continue to stay here until you answer my questions; you may not respond to pain, but you may respond to hunger."

"I'd die first." I told him plainly.

"Then die."

"Huh. Guess you'll never know."

That made him pause. "Know what?"

"I know everything about the empire; I only wish to be free from these shackles. Is that too much to ask?"

"..." He was contemplating it. "Fine."

"Thank you."

"I don't see how you're going to support yourself with all those fractures in your legs."

"I'll manage."

He sighed, beginning to release my limbs from their binds; that was the worst move he could have made, but he probably believed that he had no choice in the matter. As soon as I was free, I attacked him, effectively knocking him out. One set of keys later, and the rebel faction had been overthrown.

I slept well that night.

~~~~~

"Nightmares"

Warnings: I don't think cuddles are a warning but just in case, you have been warned!

Classification: fluff.

~~~~~

Ink had nightmares. He didn't have average, run-of-the-mill nightmares, though; he had bad nightmares. He sometimes told me about his nightmares, and they were enough to scare me..I couldn't imagine going to sleep and having one of those. I preferred dusty nightmares. Ink always woke from nightmares with a start, and I usually got no sleep while he was having one; he rolled around and whimpered constantly until he woke up..sometimes, I just decided to interrupt his nightmare, if only to get some quiet. Tonight, Ink was having a nightmare. I lay on the ground sighing, hoping he would be quieter, but knowing he wouldn't until he woke. Soon enough, he did awaken, and my drift to sleep was promptly interrupted.

"Dusty?" Ink's voice was always timid after having one of his nightmares; it was a large contrast to his usual tone, which was usually commanding, or sometimes mocking. "Are you awake?"

"Mhm." I had learned that the proper response to that question was a confirmation; he would throw something at me to wake me up if he had to.

"Come over here, Dusty."

I sighed softly, getting up off the ground and walking over to Ink's bed, where I was promptly pulled into Ink's arms; when he said I was going to be his "toy," I hadn't known that he also meant it as a toy a child would hold onto when he slept - Ink was the child in this case, and I was the toy.

"Good night, Dusty." Ink seemed calmed by my presence; I still hadn't figured that out.

"Night.." I yawned, accepting my fate; I couldn't have declined it.

Ink was weird sometimes.

~~~~~

"Punishment"

Warnings: manipulation into guilt, I guess?

Classification: not really fluff or angst..maybe a bit of angst, but meh.

~~~~~

Ink's point of view.

I had completely won over my toy recently; in his eyes, I was just as amazing as he had used to regard his brother. I doubted he would ever turn against me; if he did, I would have ripped him to shreds. It was actually exciting seeing his reactions to things. If I told him that something he said was wrong, he was in a frenzy to correct himself, even going so far as to surpass moral boundaries that he might have lived his whole life by in the past; I had even convinced him that torture was a valid pastime! He still didn't enjoy seeing others in pain, but I would get him past that point. Someday, I was going to make him completely mine; I just needed to wait. He was the only one who could capture his brother; I had known that from the start..I just needed to get him into the proper position to force him to strike. Until then, however, I would enjoy his dedication to me as a toy. It was currently nighttime, and I had just been roused from a pleasant slumber..ugh..

"Dusty?" I looked up to see my toy with a..guilty expression? He had never shown that look before..this required further investigation. "Is something wrong?"

"I-I think.." He seemed hesitant; I wondered what was going through his mind. "I-I.."

"Tell me what's wrong, Dusty." I was wide awake now; this had never happened before..

"I..d-did something bad.."

"What did you do, Dusty?" This was unexpected..had he betrayed me?

"I-I didn't..s-say good night.." He was..he was whimpering because of that?!

"Oh, I see.." Well, that was anticlimactic, and I needed rest. "Well, good night, Dusty."

"B-but we can't do it now! I ruined it!" What kind of monster had I created for myself? Taking sleep because of a ruined goodnight? That was evil..

"What do you propose we do, Dusty? We always have another goodnight tomorrow."

"B-but if you let it go this time, it means it isn't special! If-if you let me ruin special things, nothing will be special anymore, and-and I'll start to disobey you on other things because you never dealt with this on time, and I don't wanna be disobedient!"

"..." I couldn't, for the life of me, understand where he got that. I sighed. "Okay, Dusty, you did something wrong, but what am I supposed to do?"

"Punish me!" He- was I hearing him right?! He wanted me to hurt him now?! Now?! After he lost the ability to feel pain?! It was a bit too late for that!

"Dusty. You are invincible to pain. I cannot simply..punish you."

"Th-then..you don't care about me?" He frowned bitterly. Well..this was just great.

"Look, Dusty, I didn't mean it that way..I just mean that I don't know how to punish you without hurting you."

"B-but you can hurt anyone.."

"I can hurt a lot of people, Dusty, but I can't hurt you."

"Can't you use your code powers?"

"Your code is broken, Dusty; I can't do that."

"...Can't you make something to bypass it?"

"What..do you mean?" This interested me, if it was possible..

"You could create a device that, when given to or worn by an individual, would bypass broken code, and you could use that to punish me!"

"..Dusty.." I had created the most perfect being imaginable.. "You are a genius!"

"I am?"

"You may have just solved all of my problems, Dusty.." I chuckled at the scenarios I could make with an invention such as that..Dusty wasn't the only being with broken code, after all! "Yes, you're an absolute genius!"

"Are you going to punish me?"

"Yes, Dusty..I am going to punish you..as soon as that device is complete...now go back to bed."

"Okay!"

Dusty ran back to his favorite spot on the floor and lay down, soon sleeping peacefully, unknowing that he had just made my life so much easier! I rose early that morning, going directly to the laboratory in the compound and finding my top scientists; I was able to draw the blueprints quickly and simply, and they would have my designs ready in one week. When that week ended, I immediately returned, finding an invention that would change the world; I had wanted it to have a simple design, but I didn't want it to be easy to take off, which posed me with a tight bracelet or a collar. Being the person I was, I chose the collar. After a quick exchange of words, I brought the invention to my room and faced Dusty once more.

"Dusty!" I hoped this invention worked.

"Yes?" Dusty was always so loyal..

"Do you remember that horrible night when you forgot to say goodnight to me?"

"Uh-huh." Dusty frowned. "Are you going to punish me now?"

"Yes, Dusty; I'm going to punish you very hard, because I care about you. But this device I have hasn't been tested yet; you're going to be the test, unless...you don't want to be.."

"I want to make you happy! I'll be the test!" Always so willing..so trusting..so naive..

"Thank you for doing this, Dusty!" I snapped the collar around his neck. "Now..with this on, you should be able to feel pain, and the pain should be amplified to ten thousand times what it would normally feel like."

"Isn't that deadly?"

"Oh, no, it's just going to hyperactivate your pain sensors; we won't be doing any harm to you, just punishing you. Are you ready?"

"Yep!" Dusty would trust me with his life..I wondered for a moment how we got to this point.

"Good! Now, try not to scream if it doesn't hurt!"

"Okay!"

I activated the collar; he gave an uncomfortable expression for a moment, indicating that something had changed within him..good. With that in mind, I flicked him softly. His reaction told me everything I wanted to know; this device worked..very well. I giggled at the screams received from my toy; I felt like I did twenty years ago! He probably felt worse. With that, I could now punish my wonderful toy, and I had a final solution for beings with broken code. Within the month, every known being with broken code aside from my toy had been equipped with a permanent collar that would place them under my control; my toy was so smart, loyal, and trusting! He even gave the credit for the idea to me! Yes, my toy was the best.

And what he didn't know..didn't hurt him.

~~~~~

"The Newcomer"

Warnings: mention of death a bit.

Classification: hmmm a bit of angst.

~~~~~

I had been Ink's toy for about fifty-six years. I liked being Ink's toy; he took super good care of me, and he always told me everything! He said that I was his favorite, and I liked being his favorite! Today, he said that he had a surprise for me; I had waited a while to see what it was. I hoped it wassomething that would help me tell him how amazing he was, since he deserved to know that! He always worked so hard every day, and I liked helping him relax!

"Dusty!" He shouted, entering the room with a box.

"Yes, Ink?" I tilted my skull, wondering what he had.

"Today's the day!" He placed the box in front of me; it was a big box.. "Open it!"

"What is it?"

"You'll have to open it to find out, silly!"

"Okay!"

I opened the top of the box, finding-

"Why is there a person in a box?" I was confused; why was there a bound Sans in the box?

"He's my new toy!" Ink's words echoed in my mind; new? Was there something wrong with me?

"Why?" I needed to know; had I done something wrong?! I had upset him, hadn't I?!

"Because I felt like it."

"I thought I was your toy.." I felt like I was going to cry; Ink was replacing me!

"You are! I just..wanted another. It makes me happy, Dusty. Don't you want me to be happy?"

"..."

I just nodded; if having someone else around made Ink happy, I couldn't have tried to ruin it. I was only there to make Ink happy, anyway! I would just have to try harder to make Ink happier! He would see that I was all he needed! Yeah! Ink soon took the newcomer out of the box; I put myself off to the side to watch. Ink unbound the Sans, beginning to speak to him; I didn't listen. I didn't bother to know the Sans's name; I didn't need or want to know it. All I knew was that Ink was replacing me with someone who was obviously better..no. No, I wasn't going to stand by while Ink was tricked into thinking that the Sans was going to be good for him! Ink was being tricked, and I wasn't going to stand for it! I glared at the Sans as he began to scream from Ink's torture; he didn't even know how to properly give satisfaction! I stood by until night came; Ink only said goodnight to the Sans..not me..? This wasn't right; I didn't like it. When Ink went to sleep, he only put the Sans to sleep; he passed over me? I knew that this wasn't right. So I did something about it.

Ink never did find his dust.

~~~~~

"Rescue" (Alternate version) (Bad ending)

Warnings: sad Dusty :(

Classification: angst.

~~~~~

I had been Ink's toy for about twenty-five years at this point, and today was a day like any other; Ink had just returned early from some meetings, and he was..furious. I was used to Ink's rage, and I was preparing for pain, but he was going to rant first; Ink liked to rant about things, and I was apparently a good listener.

"So he says that I've been overworking myself!" Ink was in the middle of a long one. "Like I wasn't an immortal with high energy levels, and he said I needed to take a break! I mean, talk about standing up to your superior! He acted as if he was in charge of me! In any case, we have one less high rank, but still! Do you get it, Dusty?"

"Mhm." I honestly didn't, but Ink tended to be less angry if he felt like I understood him sometimes.

"Oh, Dusty, you're the only one in the world who could understand me." Ink patted my skull gently; I giggled.

Then we heard a sound. Ink stopped patting my skull and went over to the window to see what was going on; I tried to follow him, but he held me back.

"Go sit in your corner, Dusty." He ordered. "And do not come out for anything except me."

I wondered what was going on, but I knew better than to ask Ink while he was in such a mood. Instead, I walked over to the corner of the room that Ink had proclaimed to be mine and sat down. It was actually a nice corner, and he had placed a pillow and blanket there for me; there was also food. He didn't often allow me to go there, since it was more of a "if something's going to go wrong and Ink may not be able to feed me for several weeks" spot; he occasionally allowed me to sleep there, but it was only when he was in an extemely good mood. It was also protected by a spell that made it seem as if there was nothing there; only a few people knew about it. On the inside, it looked like a small tent; I couldn't see the outside, but I could hear it. I lay down under the blanket and hugged my Hope, wondering why Ink had made me go there, but making no sound; I wasn't allowed to make too much noise in my corner. Maybe Ink just didn't want to see or hear me for a while; he sometimes made me go there because of that. After I had cuddled up with my Hope, I heard..voices?

"How nice of you to pay a visit.." Ink said that.

"Where is he?!" That voice was familiar..but I hadn't heard it in decades..

"Take a look around, I don't care; he isn't here, stupid."

"But.." Was that..my brother?

"You didn't honestly think I wouldn't get bored of him, did you?"

"...Y-you could not have..n-no.." That was Papyrus!

I had to get to Papyrus! I held onto my Hope tightly and left the warmth of the blanket, intending to leave my corner, when something grabbed my ankle: a rope made of paint. I tried to pull away, but it kept pulling me back in; I decided to scream. But nothing came out..a similar rope had quickly taken my ability to speak. I wept as I found myself bound to my corner; Ink was telling my brother that he had killed me! He hadn't killed me! I was right here! But..Papyrus believed him. I sobbed quietly as I heard my brother retreating, not knowing the truth. He thought that I was dead. My brother had lost hope of my living..and he had left. I was never going to leave this place..

"Dusty!" Ink's voice called; the ropes around me vanished, and I left my corner. "Ah, good to see you! You know, I'm feeling much better! Would you like to play now?"

I just nodded; there was no hope anymore..

If there had even been any in the first place.

~~~~~

"Illness"

Warnings: um..sick stuff? This is a sick fic short..

Classification: fluff with a tad of angst.

~~~~~

It wasn't often that Ink would skip out on torturing me for his amusement; if anything threatened to hinder that, he would just kill and reset me or destroy the hindrance. There were times, however, when he would let something get in his way, if only to see what would happen. I had been his toy for about fourteen years when just such an event occurred. I woke up with a headache, feeling rather weak; I was usually weak, but not this weak.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink started with his signature line which he used over and over.

I just whimpered slightly, not being used to any sort of bad feelings except Ink's paint or bones being broken.

"..Dusty?" Ink tilted his skull and rolled me onto my back, placing a hand on my sternum. "Ooh, you feel warm..wait here, Dusty; I'm gonna check your temperature!"

Ink ran out of the room, and I hugged my Hope for comfort. When Ink returned, he had a thermometer, which he placed on my soul.

"Ooh, that's kinda bad!" Ink chuckled. "Guess you have a fever or something! Well, I suppose I'll play doctor! Doesn't that sound fun?"

I whimpered; talking was out of the question with how I was feeling. Ink just shrugged it off and checked my magic levels - I didn't know how he could do that, but I had learned not to question it at this point - since he knew from past events that my magic dissipated faster when I was ill. Soon enough, he picked me up and laid me in his bed. It was unfortunate that he only cared for me when it suited him; nine out of ten times I caught an illness of some sort, he would just kill me to bring me back without the illness. Occasionally, he would let the illness go through my system, acting as if he actually cared, which I knew he didn't, but I wasn't arguing when it came to being cared for; Ink was better than nobody, and due to the fact that he viewed my entire existence as a game, I knew he would actually take proper care of me if he said he was going to. Ink was unpredictable and confusing to most people, but I understood him rather well: he just didn't care in general; if something seemed interesting to him, he would do it, whether it was good or bad. He didn't care about the consequences unless they were serious, and even then, he likely still would have gone through with whatever he wanted, since he was immortal and had nothing to lose but his freedom. After most of the multiverse would have been dead, he still would have been roaming the AUs, until the multiverse died..if it ever died.

"Open wide, Dusty!" Ink had a spoon of soup in his hand, and he had every intent to feed me as if I were a baby; it suited him, and he would do it. I wasn't one to ruin his fun - that would have been suicide - which led to my obeying his orders and eating the soup. "Good job, Dusty! Let's do it again!"

Ink only fed me once every three days normally, but when he wanted to feed me a snack or if I was ill, he would break the pattern and do whatever he wanted; I had learned to just go along with it. Soon enough, I finished the soup, and Ink rubbed my skull. As much as I hated to admit it - I would likely never admit it - Ink was good at comforting people when he wanted to; it was easy to forget that he was a murderer of millions and your personal torturer if he changed his outlook.

"Feeling any better?" Ink inquired.

I still didn't feel well enough to speak; I let out a slightly smaller whimper than the previous ones, holding on to my Hope.

"I get it." Ink glanced toward the door. "I have a couple meetings to go to today, but I'll be back soon enough; your babysitter will watch over you, okay?"

I nodded slightly, closing my eyesockets to get some sleep; Ink would allow it, apparently, since he wasn't stopping me. I soon drifted off to a pleasant slumber, having a dusty nightmare that comforted me greatly. I didn't sleep for very long, but when I woke, I noticed Fell beside the bed, smiling at me.

"Heya, kid." He greeted. "He's letting the illness ride out, I assume?"

I nodded slowly; I felt worse than before, unfortunately.

"Well, it could be worse; he could have killed you again." Fell always liked to look on the bright side. "In a way, you're lucky; he doesn't hurt you when an illness rides out, and you get good care, food, heck, he even lets you sleep in his bed! Be glad you aren't a guard, kid; we don't get that when we're sick.."

I coughed slightly, noting that some paint came up; I was good at keeping the paint down, but when I was ill, I couldn't control it - I once threw it up constantly, until Ink had the decency to kill me.

"You..do get the worst, unfortunately.." Fell wiped a bit of paint off of my face. "I'm sorry, kid. I'm sorry you have to endure all of this torture, and I'm sorry I played a part in helping things get to where they are now. Heh, if it hadn't been for me, everything might have just stayed the same, y'know? You'd still have your family..I'm so sorry, kid.."

I felt weaker than ever, but I made my way over to Fell and gave him the best hug I could conjure; he deserved comfort more than I did. After a moment, he set me back in the bed and gave me a smile.

"Thanks, kid.." He said.

Time passed slowly, but eventually, Fell left, and Ink sat at my side, offering comfort that felt so real, but I knew it was as fake as it could be; nevertheless, I accepted it, and I paid attention to the feeling. Ink would never provide real comfort, but I liked to pretend it was real, if only to stay more sane. So I was comforted, and Ink spent most of his time doing so. The days eventually went by, and I recovered from my illness, at which point, I was pushed out of Ink's bed and onto the floor, where normal life resumed. Well, if there was anything to be gained from those few days, it was clear.

Being sick had its perks.

~~~~~

"Dungeon"

Warnings: fairly graphic descriptions of torture.

Classification: angsty angst.

~~~~~

Ink had a lot of places in the compound. Sure, it looked big on the outside, but it was actually huge; the compound was likely larger than the entire underground, which was fairly large. I knew of all the places, of course, having been dragged to and fro from time to time for different reasons. There was..one place, however, that I had never been: the dungeon. I had been to the medical wing, the guard lounge, the lower guard chambers, the training rooms, the arenas - those were terrifying whether I was in the ring or not - and the outdoor fields. In eleven years of staying in the compound, I had been everywhere but the dungeon. One morning, Ink realized that, and he wanted to correct it. He tied my Hope to my wrist and patted my skull, receiving a giggle.

"Are you ready to go, Dusty?" He asked.

"Yep!" I was ready!

"Good! I've been waiting for this day, you know! I wanted to wait until you lost all hope to show you the dungeon, and now we can finally do it! I'm so excited!"

Ink was smiling as he led me out of his room and down the hallways of the compound. I was scared of the thought of the dungeon, knowing that I would likely suffer various torments down there, but I couldn't decide where I went on my own; Ink did that. We didn't take long to reach the destination in question, and soon enough, we were standing in a dimly-lit room made of stone, where various cages were scattered around, promising only pain and suffering. I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit. I whimpered, holding my Hope as close as I could for comfort and receiving looks of pity from the guards that were stationed down here..I couldn't imagine their situation. Ink ignored my silent pleads to leave immediately, all but dragging me to our destination, which happened to be a small cage in the back of the room - it seemed to be the most menacing one. Soon, we reached the cage in question, and Ink pushed me into it; it was small, even for me. With a smile, Ink took my Hope from my hands, claiming that he didn't want it to get hurt during the torture; I supposed that was logical, since he seemed to want to use a blade, judging from the contents of the table next to the cage. He placed my Hope in sight, knowing that I wanted to see it at all times.

Still smiling, Ink grabbed a large blade (it was more of a sword) and rammed it through the bars of the cage, driving it directly between my left ulna and radius; I couldn't move my arm without being cut in some way. I tried to stay still as he repeated his actions with another blade, putting my right arm in the same condition. He continued to take advantage of the horizontal and vertical bars of the cage, using as many blades as he could to fill the space. I noticed that the guards down here gave looks that said they were sorry for me; they likely had no choice in being here either. Within a few hours, Ink had successfully placed over one hundred blades into the cage, now only seeing how many he could fit without killing me..or maybe he was trying to kill me..I didn't know. I couldn't even move my skull without being hurt in some way. After eight hours, I couldn't see out of the cage; there were too many blades to see properly. Ink placed the final blade and chuckled, telling me so. Without warning, I felt someone - Ink - grab the small, suspended cage tightly, beginning to..shake it. There was no way for me to stay still anymore, leaving my only option being to cry and hope it was over soon. It lasted for three hours, but it did end..

I didn't like the dungeon.

~~~~~

"The Takeover"

Warnings: I don't think any..let me know if there is something I missed, please! Thanks!

Classsification: maybe angst.

~~~~~

Fell's point of view.

When Ink first started his conquering, nobody took it seriously. Like, seriously, how was the "innocent" Protector supposed to conquer the multiverse? We should have taken it seriously. Ink may have acted like a naive artist, but he wasn't one. Turned out Nightmare's gang had already learned that, and if I could have gone back in time, I would have joined them. The first inkling we got that something was wrong came during a meeting; they were monthly, at the time. This one took place one week after the execution of Nightmare's gang.

"Welcome, judges of the multiverse!" Ink always started like that; he never strayed from his signature lines. "Does anyone have anything important before we begin?"

That. The second thing he said had never been said before, and it made the biggest difference. He was not asking if we had personal issues; he was wondering if anyone had noticed that he had taken his first universe - the first of many. Nobody knew which was the first, to be honest; whichever it was, it was unlucky. Likely a copy. Like idiots, we didn't question it, just putting in some personal issues that seemed important. He asked the question during every meeting, waiting for someone to notice, and two months later, someone did.

"Does anyone have anything important before we begin?" He questioned, just as the previous meetings.

"Actually, yes!" Blue spoke up. "I heard something from a magnificent copy of mine the other day!"

"Oh?" Ink's full attention was on Blue; we should have stopped him when we had the chance.

"He said that someone attacked his AU the other day! I think we should look into it! It may be very serious!"

"Attacked.." Ink hummed. "Did he give a description? Did he see the attacker?"

"Nope, all he said was that there was a lot of sticky stuff left over, and a bunch of people were captured! He barely made it!" It was obvious that Blue was distressed about it.

"Sticky? Interesting...I think we should investigate it, definitely; we don't want any repeats of Nightmare's gang..one is enough."

"Will you accompany me to the magnificent copy after today's meeting, Ink?"

"Absolutely! Anyone who wants to help may!"

And that was that. Blue was the first original taken, and the few judges that accompanied Ink to the Underswap copy were taken as well; Ink reported it as a group of rogue judges, probably intending to pass it off as another Nightmare's gang. We didn't realize that every time someone was alone with Ink, they went missing. It went on like that for five months, and the attendance at meetings became scarce. By the time there were thirty of us left, paranoia was spreading; I, myself, was scared to the bone. Twenty originals attended the meetings when Ink finally dropped his act.

"Welcome, judges of the multiverse.." Ink had pretended to be working night and day to stop the threat; he actually pulled it off. I wished he had become an actor instead. "To the final multiversal meeting.."

"Final?" Classic repeated.

"There will be none after this." Ink stated plainly. "The threat is too large to keep these up. As a result, I have invited the threat here. Hands in the air."

"What..?" Classic didn't believe it.

"I do believe I said hands in the air!" Ink shouted, holding out his famed paintbrush.

We did as he said, not wanting to risk death; everyone knew of Ink's paints, especially the red that decorated the tip of his brush. Before another thing could be said, a portal opened up in the middle of the table. Needless to say, it was the only way out of possible..whatever he was planning to do. Most of us ran for it, but not all of us made it. The portal closed before Ink could reach it to stop us, and anyone who wasn't fast enough was left behind. When we were through, we looked at who had made it: Dream, Classic, the Outertale brothers, and I were the only ones who were present; Classic wouldn't have made it if Dream hadn't quite literally carried him.

"What..just happened?" Outer looked at the spot the portal used to be.

"Where are we?" I didn't recognize this ruined landscape.

"This..is Dreamtale.." Dream looked around, plopping Classic down on the ground.

Before anything else could be said, two figures appeared before us. One began to speak through some sort of device.

"Um, hello." He looked like..the head of a Papyrus?! "We are very sorry we could not save all of you, but we could not risk Ink following."

"Wait just a second, what are you?!" I wanted answers.

"My name is Papyrus, and this is Chara. You may call me Spec. We are the final remaining members of the group you may have previously known as Nightmare's gang."

"Wait, they were-" Dream started.

"Executed. We know. I..Dust was my brother. Chara was the companion of Cross."

"How are you here?" Starstruck wondered.

"We are ghosts; we know about a lot of places that others pass up. You must stay here."

"Why do we have to listen to you?" I asked. "How do we know you aren't the ones that have been kidnapping everyone?!"

"We are not. Ink is the culprit, unfortunately. We tried to stop him, but ghosts of our variety do not have physical attacks; we can merely manipulate."

"But Ink is..was our friend.." Dream thought.

"Ink was never the friend of anybody. He is a villain; he has always been so. He framed Nightmare's gang for so many things..all they did was keep the balances."

"Balances?"

"We can speak about those later. Ink is on a path to conquer the multiverse; he will not stop for anything at this point."

"But Ink's not that strong!" I argued.

"He has been amassing an army. All of those missing judges and sealed off universes are ones that he has forced into an army; we cannot fight him head-on. If you go back out there, you will only end up with the same fate."

"So what do you propose we do?" Classic was beginning to believe Spec.

"We must rescue Error."

"You mean unleash that guy on the multiverse again?!" I wasn't having it.

"He was a corruption destroyer! He was not a universe destroyer! Some universes, he had no choice, but it was to protect the ones that had not been affected!"

"What's corruption?" Dream was not familiar with the term.

"Every being is made out of code. Code is able to be corrupted, and when it is, it spreads. Error was the one in charge of stopping the spread, which he is no longer doing! If he is not released, the entire multiverse could crumble! Not to mention the fact that Ink once had his job..he is able to manipulate code, and we have determined that that power is what has enabled him to create his army. We need to stop him before things get too out of hand; we may never get a chance if we don't."

"So..where is Error?" Classic inquired.

"I do not know..we did not see him after the execution. We were mourning.."

"I'm sorry..that must have been hard for you.."

"It matters not. We must protect the remaining universes."

And so it began. The resistance was formed that very day, and we started opposing Ink. We set up bases in selected universes, recruited anyone we could find, and protected the weak from Ink's tormenting; we tried so many times to rescue Error, but..

"Fell, are you sure you want to do this?" Classic was worried.

"I gotta." I nodded.

"What if you don't make it?"

"In that case..remember me, will ya?"

Classic sighed. "Of course we will. Stay safe..don't let them catch you."

"I'll do my best."

My plan was to disguise as a soldier. It..didn't go so well.

"Nobody is allowed down here." A soldier blocked my way.

"Orders from up top." I was glad that those voice disguising lessons were coming in handy.

"Oh..uh, go right ahead, then."

I was glad that was simple. I began to descend the staircase, finding that it was the longest staircase in the history of the world, but I was on a mission. When I reached the bottom, I made quick work of the soldiers guarding Error's cage, and I began to pick the lock on said cage..I wished I was a better lockpicker. It took five minutes to get the stupid thing open, and by then, it was too late. As soon as the lock was opened, I was hit in the back with a sticky substance that burned like nothing else; the lock was quickly returned the the door, and I knew I had failed. Well, that was it.

The end of my freedom.

~~~~~

"Daily Life of a Guard"

Warnings: tiny bit of violence..dunno if it qualifies as torture.

Classification: angst with a nearly unnoticeable bit of fluff.

~~~~~

Fell's point of view (Ooh, two in a row!).

Being a guard wasn't so hard. Just kidding, it was hell. I woke up in my small room, which was honestly more like a cell than a room, and stretched on my bed. It wasn't the most comfortable bed in the world, but it was better than..some. It had to be better than at least one bed..at least I wasn't sleeping on the floor. I sighed, sitting up in my stupid bed and standing up slowly to avoid the shelf that sat above it; I had made the mistake of getting up too fast way too many times. I leaned against the wall of my room as I reached above my bed to grab my armor; it was required for all soldiers except special ones to wear their armor at all times except when asleep, and it was uncomfortable! It was probably bad that I could actually touch the side of my room from the opposite end, but so could every other low rank. I wasn't special. It took about ten minutes to get my armor on in the small space, but I couldn't argue; that was against the rules. When I finished with my armor, I reached for my weapons, which every guard had; we mostly stuck to magic, but if that wasn't available, we were required to know how to use a blade. When I was completely finished, I sat down on my bed and waited for the door to my room to open. Soon enough, I heard the speaker system start up.

"Good morning, guards!" Ink's voice always greeted us; it was unbearable sometimes. "Today is a brand new day, full of surprises and joy! On my little schedule, I find that sections ten and twenty-three are going to be meeting with their commanders in the morning, section twenty-one will be meeting in the afternoon, and sections forty-five and eight will be meeting tonight. I need the Head of Announcements in my room in twenty minutes, and I need Dusty's babysitter in thirty. High ranks who aren't meeting, please go to the main conference room for a meeting in thirty-five minutes. The other unimportant people..you know what to do! Have a great day!"

The door to my room opened, as well as everyone else's. I walked into a large hallway, finding myself instantly in a crowd of guards - just like every morning. In an attempt to escape the crowd, I slipped into the first relatively empty hallway I could find, sighing. Well, I was part of section twenty-one; my commander wasn't the best, but he certainly wasn't the worst, either. The commander of section forty-three was apparently the nicest, as he only joined willingly because he wanted to be able to see his brother; he was known to be nice. Mine, however, was rather cruel; he was one of the many higher-ups who enjoyed making a certain skeleton suffer; out of everyone I could have chosen, I had the most pity for Dust. I was also his babysitter. It wasn't easy keeping the little guy happy, since his entire life was a virtual hell, but I managed to make it a little better, particularly by telling him about what his brother had been up to. There was a point once when nobody was allowed to talk about him, but that time had passed, thankfully. I made my way to the newsroom, intent on getting my good news for Dust today; I hoped his brother had done something truly amazing. I found Blue there; he often helped out wherever he could.

"Hello, Fell!" He waved, now shakily balancing a stack of newspapers in one hand.

"Heya, Blue." I waved back. "Got anything good I can say about a certain you-know-who?"

"I think so!" He put the stack of papers down and reached under the desk. "Um, what's the date?"

"Tenth."

"Right..here we go! On the ninth of this month, the pesky resistance leader led another failed rescue attempt to save his brother, almost immediately turning to try to save Error. Later in the day, he preserved a resistance base in an occupied AU. He got away from all occurrences successfully."

"Well, that sounds very good; we're going to have a happy Dust."

"Yep! Good luck today, Fell!"

"Thanks, Blue."

I smiled at my little blue friend, turning my attention toward Ink's room after glancing at a clock; I had ten minutes to get all the way across the compound..great. I took a deep breath and walked quickly through the many hallways, intending to be on time; Ink hated it when people were late, and I had felt his wrath more than once. I reached the colorful bedroom one minute ahead of schedule, sighing in relief when I knocked on the door and being met by the dictator that ruled over everyone's lives.

"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we?" He chuckled slightly. "Anyway, come on in! Dusty is ready for you, and I'm in a rush."

Ink quickly pulled me into the room and left it himself, leaving me with a familiar friend. Judging from the state of his red clothes, the paint being semi-dry, I assumed that he had gone through a bit of torture this morning; the screams I had heard earlier in the day confirmed that. Ink and Dust got up an entire hour before everyone else did, and Ink liked to torture the poor kid early in the morning. He recorded his morning messages before waking up the kid. I put on a soft smile and approached the small skeleton, helping him sit up; he thanked me almost silently, holding onto his doll tightly - he loved that thing.

"Heya, kid." I greeted.

"Hi, Fell.." Dust was shaking slightly, but I wasn't going to mention it.

"Bad morning?"

"Mhm.."

"Well, I think I can tell you something that'll make you feel a bit better!"

"R-really?"

"Yep! Your brother tried to rescue Error again yesterday!"

"He's so cool!"

"Indeed! He also protected a resistance base!"

"Wowie!" Dust was excited; I had long since stopped telling him about the attempts to rescue him - he couldn't take it after having lost hope. "He's the coolest!"

"He really is!"

I didn't really know who the coolest skeleton was, even if I said it was Dust's brother; I liked to think my brother was the best, but when I was with Dust, it was always his brother. Dust had a love for his brother that surpassed most bonds, and we didn't want to make him feel worse than he already did. Even Blue was willing to curb his nature to give the title of coolest skeleton to Dust's brother when he visited Dust; we needed to make sure he was happy, since if he wasn't, the guilt was..unbearable. Dust had long since lost his ability to judge others, now only being able to determine small things from facial expressions; he didn't know when someone was lying unless he knew them ridiculously well. Occasionally, if Dust was having a very bad day and his brother hadn't done something to oppose Ink, I made something up to cheer the kid up; Dust never questioned anything said about his brother's accomplishments. I didn't know if he checked the validity of the statements; all I knew was that Dust needed help, and I was able to give it. I spent a few hours with Dust, talking about whatever he wanted to until Ink returned.

"Do you think stars are universes?" Dust believed that; he could always find the one that he deemed his.

"Yeah." I honestly wasn't sure, but there were a lot of myths surrounding stars and the multiverse; it may very well have been true.

"Stand at attention!" The commanding voice resulted in my immediate standing; that was Ink. "Did anything go wrong today?"

"No, Sir." I didn't like referring to him as 'sir,' but he had made it a requirement for all guards; I supposed it could have been worse: he could have forced us to call him 'master,' or something.

"Good. You are dismissed. Leave."

"Yes, Sir."

When it came to Ink, I was never granted the ability to say goodbye to Dust. I sighed when I reached the outside of the room, hearing Ink speak to the kid; I almost flinched when I heard the word "play"; I decided to leave quickly. I heard the screams start two minutes later. The screams were yet another facet of life in the compound; Dust's were the most prominent, but there were others. I glanced up at a clock, realizing that if I wasted one more second standing around, I was going to be late for my section meeting, and my commander was not a forgiving one. It wasn't uncommon for me to run in the halls; there were no rules against it, anyway, and I often had a full schedule. I reached the outdoor area before three (the standard afternoon meeting time), finding..everyone already there..and my commander speaking..oh, boy. I attempted to edge my way along the wall of the stage to avoid being seen, but luck was not on my side today.

"Look who decided to show up!" My commander didn't miss the sound of my armor; I was in..so much trouble.. "Would you care to tell the rest of us why you're so late?"

"Uh.." I hated being the center of attention. "I was babysitting.."

"Babysitting." He scoffed. "Get up here."

Well, if anything, being in an evil army was exactly how the movies depicted it (gosh, when was the last time I had seen a movie?). In other words, I was in deep trouble, and the guy above me in rank was cruel. I scaled the steps of the stage, finding my commander in a bad mood; he was always in a bad mood. Used to this routine from the countless other times I had been late for various reasons, I sighed and began to take off the armor protecting my left forearm before my commander had to say a word; I had been through this many more times than I would have liked to admit. I had gotten used to the marks on my arm; they were the standard punishment for tardiness. Compared to some guards, I was the most tardy person ever; compared to others, I was relatively on-time. I simply took my blows as my commander wielded his blade; it hurt, sure, but I knew of someone who was hurting far worse at the moment. When my punishment ended, I took my place among the ranks of my section and listened to my stupid commander speak about a stupid mission to expand the stupid empire for the stupid dictator's stupid ego. The aforementioned stupid mission was going to take place today. Right now.

I didn't like missions. They were invasive and cruel. We low ranks had no say about it, however, left to just do as we were told. I was part of the "Attack" team in my section, which was one of the largest teams, with thirty members. We were to attack and restrain as many civilians as possible before the "Cleanup" team came in, who would finish the process and place the civilians in a makeshift prison which the "Cell" team would have built. There were other teams, but I didn't bother to memorize them all. All I knew was that I had to do my job; the punishment for tardiness was better than the punishment for direct disobedience..I wanted my brother to stay alive. So I fought the civilians of the AU, restraining whomever I could for the Cleanup team. When they came in, the Attack team was to go for the judge, who would be placed in a different cell until the dictator came to turn him into one of us. I was the first one to find said judge this time, and our force of thirty easily overpowered the poor judge before putting him in a cell; he was scared, but we couldn't help him. He would likely know the feeling one day. When we were finished, we were permitted to return to the compound, where the screaming still had not ceased; it likely would soon, though - it was night time. I slowly walked to my small room, where I took off my armor and lay in my bed.

Tomorrow would likely be no different.

~~~~~

"Failure" (Bad ending to ATE)

Warnings: torture and a wee bit of manipulation.

Classification: Depends on who you're rooting for. Dusty and friends: angst. Ink: fluff.

~~~~~

Ink's point of view.

"It's not nice to play with people's minds, Ink."

"I like this!"

"Oh, no! It's time for my legally required break."

"What in the world?!" I was panicking. "Somebody do their job!"

"Yes, Sir!" A guard..good.

A group of guards grabbed the conspirators; they had even turned Dusty to their side..I groaned, knowing the work that was going to have to be done to rebuild after this one. One hour later, the conspirators were in the dungeon, being forced to their knees in front of me. I glared at the group before me before smirking.

"Well, it seems that you've found a way to take Dusty away from my control, but that can be easily fixed." I smiled at the unsettled expressions of the conspirators and turned to a guard. "Take Dusty to the sustaining isolation chamber. Make his period one hundred years; he'll be more than willing to become my pawn once more after that."

"Yes, Sir.." The guard grabbed Dusty, who was scared stiff of the thought of isolation: good. I chuckled softly at the screams of fear heard from my right hand.

"As for the rest of you.." I turned my attention to the conspirators. "You're not getting off so lucky. As a result of your insubordination, you've all been promoted! You're all no longer guards, but torture dummies." I laughed at the fear that now coated their eyelights. "You'll stay down here until you're willing to obey orders without hesitation! Oh, and you can't fake that; I'll make sure of it! It was a good try to overthrow me, but utterly pointless. The guards will show you to your new quarters and your new uniforms! Good luck!"

With that, I turned away from the afraid idiots and turned toward my room, where I immediately took a nap. I was glad that I had a camera in the isolation chamber; I would be able to watch Dusty's suffering on an entirely different level! And I did. For decades. I watched as the years passed and every single one of the previous conspirators was broken into submission and returned to the army. I watched as my favorite toy lost his mind due to not seeing another soul. Then came the fateful day, one hundred years later, when I went to the dungeon to get him back, to mold him to be mine once more. Thinking about it, I wondered if he even remembered how to speak; he likely didn't, but I had treated him like a child once - I could do it again. The door was a bit difficult to open at this point, but I managed to get it open after a while; I was glad that Dusty's brother was present, since I wanted to see the look on his face when he saw his brother again for the first time in a century. When the door opened, a quivering skeleton was discovered in the empty room; his clothes had been torn, and he looked like the embodiment of mentally ill, but I would take him. He would soon be my Dusty once more, and he would no longer remember his brother.

"Take him to my room." I ordered, resulting in the skeleton's being grabbed by my guards; aw, they seemed sorry for him! How sweet!

Dusty's brother was practically on the floor crying when I followed the guards and Dusty to my room, where I was soon left alone with him. I tried speaking to him, but he didn't understand it; that was fine. I would just have to make him trust me in a different way. I brought the small skeleton up to my bed, where he whimpered for a moment before I began to rub his skull softly; he had always liked that before, and he was liking it now. I began slow, introducing him to things periodically and teaching him how to use them; eventually, he caught on to speaking, although he was shaky.

"Why..I..here?" He asked, at one point.

"I own you, Dusty." I replied, rubbing his skull; he was always open to that.

"What..own?"

"That means that I take care of you, and someday, I'm going to ask you to do things, and you'll have to do them."

"What..things?"

"Oh, simple things, like being a guard. You know the guards, right?"

"I..know."

"I can sense that you will be a good guard, Dusty! You may be the best guard!"

"Think..?"

"Yes, I think so!"

"I..hope."

And the years went on, with Dusty regaining no parts of his previous memories. His brother attempted to become his friend, but I told Dusty explicitly not to listen to him; Dusty ignored him completely. After thirty years of learning and training, Dusty accepted his role as my right hand once more, but this time, he was mine, and he would always be mine.

"Dusty." I addressed.

"Yes, Ink?" Dusty's eyelights lit up at the sound of my voice; I had him right where I wanted him.

"How do you feel about my left hand? Give me your honest opinion."

"He..isn't the best. I don't really know him that well. Nobody could compete with you, though, Ink; you're amazing."

"I'm glad you think so, Dusty!"

"I only speak the truth. You've always been the best."

~~~~~

"Revived"

Warnings: inhumane treatment of Dusty. (DPS help-)

Classification: fluff and angst.

~~~~~

"Where are we going?" I asked; Ink had planned something for today, and I wanted to know if it was going to be painful.

"The laboratory." Ink smiled, continuing to lead me through the halls. "We recovered some items of importance on a raid of one of the resistance bases. I've had a few scientists working on a project concerning them, and I want you to be there when it's conducted."

"Is it going to hurt?" Well, I had to know.

"Not unless something goes wrong. I think that you, in specific, will want to be there."

"Okay." I held my Hope closer as Ink led me through the compound.

I had lost my hope about a year ago, and Ink had been ecstatic to show me things with my new world view; it was apparently different now. He had been more interested in my reactions to different things than hurting me, at least, but I still managed to be hurt more than before, somehow. I never really knew what Ink was going to do next. When we reached the laboratory, Ink grabbed a metal collar from a table and attached a leash to it; he had used them before. It was a collar that looked like a device, but it was honestly just a regular one made out of metal; he liked to lie about what it could do. He also used them to keep me close when we were doing something in a crowded area or a place that he feared I would run off in. After putting it on me, Ink walked farther into the laboratory, pulling me along behind him. When we reached our apparent destination, Ink tied the leash around his wrist to keep me even more connected to him; he must have been worried about something. We reached a place where a device was in a cage; it looked like..Last Hope? It..was. I had no time to ask questions, as Ink was speaking to a scientist already, oblivious to my thought processes.

"So, will it work?" Ink hoped.

"It should." The scientist confirmed, holding up a pair of glasses. "You may want to wear these, though."

"Why?"

"The device makes a flash of light; it could be harmful to vision."

"I see." Ink accepted the glasses. "Dusty, you just close your eyes, okay?"

I nodded; if it was Last Hope, the flash wouldn't have been harmful, but if it wasn't, I didn't really want to take chances.

"Is it ready?" Ink looked away from me and back to the scientist.

"Whenever you give the word, Sir." The scientist said.

"Let's get this show on the road." Ink put on his glasses. "Start it up."

"Yes, Sir."

The scientists began to prepare the device, which was seeming more and more like Last Hope; I wondered if..they were going to revive..them. But..Ink was in control..they couldn't have done that! My family didn't need to see this! I had no say in the matter as the device was started and I was forced to close my eyesockets. I hoped my family weren't coming back yet; they wouldn't have liked this world..but deep down, I knew it was them. Ink was bringing my family back to life, and I had no idea what he was going to do to them. After a few minutes, I was permitted to open my eyesockets, finding the remaining members of my family trapped in that cage; I felt tears running down my face.

"What in the.." Nightmare looked around confusedly.

"Dusty!" Killer saw me first. "What is this?!"

"Have them brought to my room." Ink ordered a nearby high rank. "Magic suppressors, restraints, anything necessary to keep them from escaping. They're top security prisoners, and I need them in my room by the end of the hour. Make it your mission. I don't care if your entire section has to help; I want them safely in my room at all costs. I don't care if the entire resistance decides to attack; they must be secure."

"Yes, Sir." The high rank went on his way.

"Good. Dusty, we'll meet them in my room. Come."

Ink began to lead me away from my family, who were being restrained by several guards. The hour passed quickly, and before I knew it, there was a knock on the door of Ink's room. He had decided to make me keep the collar on, for whatever reason, and had also decided not to hurt me yet today. Instead, he was just sitting on the floor, rubbing my skull softly. When the knock came, he called for whoever it was to come in, and they did. Nightmare, Cross, Killer, and Horror were heavily restrained, and they were fighting it with everything they had; unfortunately, there were a lot of guards keeping them in place. They were soon forced to their knees on the ground in front of Ink; I had missed my family so much..but this felt wrong.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Nighty!" Ink chuckled.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Nightmare wanted answers.

"Aww, would you like a rundown?" Ink mocked. "Okay, Nighty, I'll tell it to you simply. I am the undisputed ruler of the multiverse, and I've brought you back to life to serve me."

"As if that could ever happen."

"Oh, I think it can! Especially with Dusty, here!"

"What did you do to my son?!" Nightmare was angry.

"Not much.." Ink fingered a crack on my skull. "Just a little torture..maybe a bit of breaking.."

Nightmare had no words when he noticed my condition.

"I'd like to make all of you part of my army.." Ink grinned. "How does that sound?"

"You're insane." Nightmare gave off the feeling that he wanted to kill Ink, but that was impossible.

"Perhaps. I mean, I do have an alternate route, if you don't want to be soldiers. You could stay here, watching Dusty. We have some fun times together! I especially like it when he begs for mercy; that's always a good feeling."

"Why're ya hurtin' Dusty?!" Killer was crying.

"Because I like it. These are your options: join my army willingly, or you can stay here, chained to a wall. For every one of you who stays here, I'll be sure to hurt Dusty...twice as much as before! Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"..." Nightmare saw no way out. "May we have some time with him?"

"I figured you'd want that." Ink giggled. "I'll give you..an hour. I'll be back soon!"

Ink left the room, followed by the guards that had brought my family in here. As soon as the door closed, I lept into the arms of my family; I had waited so long to see them!

"Shh, it's okay, Dust." Nightmare comforted me; I was crying. "We've got you now. We've got you."

"I-I missed you s-so much.." I didn't know whether to be happy or sad that my family was here.

"Wh-what happened, Dust?" Cross wanted to know; I wiped my tears and stopped crying..I was fine.

"Ink..took over." I knew this story like the back of my soul. "Once we were executed, he began conquering universes, one by one. Before anyone knew it, he had taken too many to be stopped, amassing an army."

"Dust, what happened to you?" Nightmare was more concerned with me.

"I..Dusttale was reset..eleven..twelve..I think..twelve years ago? I..joined the resistance. Paps..leads the resistance. Ink keeps Error in the dungeon; I tried to rescue him, but I failed. I...failed him. Ink has kept me ever since then. He calls me his toy..that's all I am anymore..a toy."

"My poor son.." Nightmare held me tightly; he was crying, as well as the others.

"It's okay; you don't have to cry!" I hugged them. "I'm very happy to see you again!"

"You're very strong, my son." Nightmare smiled sadly. "What will happen next?"

"Ink wants you to join his army..I would suggest accepting. If you accept, you'll be able to request permission to see me!"

"If we don'..?" Horror continued.

"..Ink doesn't break his word. It would be better if you accepted rather than being chained to the wall. Dream was chained to the wall once; it wasn't nice."

"My brother is.." Nightmare said.

"He's here. He's one of my best friends! He sometimes comes to visit, and he's really nice!"

"I see.."

"He's known as a high rank, which is probably what you'll be if you accept, unless Ink makes you low ranks..you wouldn't be able to ask to see me if he does. I hope you're high ranks.."

"And..what are you?"

"I'm..Ink's toy. I'm not in..the army..I'm just here.."

"So it's either dedicate our lives to Ink..or be prisoners for the rest of our lives?" Killer didn't like those options.

"Mhm. If you pick the latter, he might kill you again..and I don't think he'll bring you back.."

"So o-our only choice i-is to join th-the army.." Cross sighed. "Wh-what about Error?"

"Error is in the dungeon. He's..a prisoner."

"Would we be able to see him?" Nightmare hoped.

"No..only if you're set to guard him..which would be rare. I visit him once a year, though! Actually, I get to see him next month! I can't wait to tell him about you guys!"

And the conversation went on, with different questions and answers, comfort and relief. By the end, my family knew what had happened while they were dead. When it was over, Ink came back into the room, followed by the same guards as before, and he immediately took a seat on the floor, pulling me back from my family with the leash - so that was what it was for. As soon as I was seated next to Ink, he made me lie down and began to speak, rubbing my skull softly as he did.

"So, I assume Dusty has given you any information you need?" He assumed.

"Yes.." Nightmare sighed.

"What is your decision, then? Will you join me?"

"It seems that we don't have much of a choice.."

"Quite right."

"We unfortunately must accept..as much as we hate to."

"I see we understand eachother." Ink smirked. "If you make one move against me, it won't be you who's paying the price, if you understand me."

"We understand.." Nightmare looked at me sadly; he knew what Ink meant: I would be on the receiving end of any missteps.

"Good! I'll have you sent to the guard lounge! Dream will show you around and to your duties; he's been informed of them. I wish you luck in your service to me."

Nightmare and the others were soon escorted out of the room, and Ink prepared his paint for today's first torture session. I sighed as he took off the collar and complimented me on my holding back; he had apparently made me wear it since he thought I would have been constantly trying to get to my family while he spoke to them. Over the next few weeks, the newest high ranks got used to their jobs, trying to visit me whenever possible; I enjoyed their visits more than any others. Error was both sad and happy when he heard the news, as I was, but everything was going to be okay.

My family was here for me.

~~~~~

"Pets"

Disclaimer: I know nothing about animals. All I know is that bunnies look soft and fluffy. And that's good enough for me.

I haven't even finished this but it's totally canon to ATE because I said so-

And now I'm contemplating making this canon for most of my variants of Dust...hmm..

Warnings: if you are allergic to cleaning, I'm very sorry; I know that this is a serious problem these days.

I am also allergic to cleaning hehe.

Classification: the fluffiest fluff.

~~~~~

It was spring. Every spring, Ink engaged in the art of spring cleaning, and everybody else was required to do it as well. Honestly, the compound was kept rather clean during the year, but Ink wanted it sparkling in the spring. Everyone had their own duties, and even Ink engaged in work. I didn't have a very big job, since the only place that was really mine was my corner, and I had managed to make it clean in about ten minutes; my spring cleaning was over. Everyone else? Not so much. Ink was very intent on cleaning his room himself, even if I had literally offered to help just to not feel guilty; everyone else had a lot to do, and I didn't want to feel like I was getting special privileges. Ink was adamant about my not helping, however, and I eventually just played with my Hope. Ink spoke to me as he cleaned.

"I don't think it's all that bad, really; turtles should be more athletic." Ink stated his opinion as he ducked under his bed to clean. "Oh, look at all these dust bunnies-" Ink paused. "Dust bunnies? What a terrific idea!"

Ink continued to talk to me as he cleaned his room, albeit at a faster pace. When he was finished, he left the room without a word, and I continued to play with my Hope in the now-clean room. The floor and walls were still coated in paint, but that was a given at this point. I played with my Hope for about two hours before Ink returned to the room, holding a box in his hands. He set the box before me, and I stopped playing with my Hope.

"Open it, Dusty!" Ink seemed excited about this; I hoped it wouldn't be too painful.

I opened the box cautiously, hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I closed my eyesockets when the box was open, expecting some sort of weapon to launch out at me; it wasn't crazy - Ink had done that before. After a couple moments with no pain, I cracked one eyesocket open, bearing witness to..bunnies? There were two bunnies: a white one and a black one. I looked up at Ink confusedly; why were there bunnies?

"They're yours!" Ink exclaimed.

"Why?" I tilted my skull; I didn't understand.

"Silly! Your name is Dust! Dusty, these are your dust bunnies!" Ink broke out into laughter.

Oh. It was a pun. Well, if Ink was giving me bunnies, I wasn't going to turn them down. I took the bunnies out of the box and hugged them; they were soft. I smiled at the softness and pet the bunnies; they seemed to like it. Apparently, Ink had only meant it as a joke; he didn't actually expect me to want to keep the bunnies, but I did. He made a home for them in my corner, and they were named within the week; the black one was named Thunder, and the white one was named Lightning. Ink had even made them immortal bunnies! Everyone really liked my bunnies, and my bunnies liked them! The swapped Sans probably liked my bunnies the best, though; I wondered if Paps would have liked my bunnies.

"Can they do tricks?" The swapped Sans questioned, during one visit.

"I don't have time to teach them tricks.." I sighed, feeding Thunder an apple slice. "I think they're happy, though."

"It's nice that you have them to look after when Ink isn't around." The swapped Sans was petting Lightning.

"Mhm. They're the best bunnies in the world!"

"I'm sure they are! I wish I had bunnies.."

"Have you tried asking?"

"Ink has a strict 'no pets' policy for guards..it's nice that you can have some, though!"

"Oh..I'm sorry."

"It's fine, really! Your pets are like our pets!"

"Stand at attention!" Ink had entered the room; the swapped Sans stood immediately. "Your time's up. Get out."

"Yes, Sir." The swapped Sans left the room, sighing.

"Did you have a nice time, Dusty?" Ink sat down near me, picking up Lightning and stroking her fur; Lightning was a girl, while Thunder was a boy.

"Yep." I smiled as Thunder cuddled with my Hope; my bunnies liked my Hope.

"That's good. Well, it's bedtime; put your bunnies to sleep, Dusty."

"Okay."

I picked up Thunder and accepted Lightning from Ink, walking over to my corner and putting the bunnies in their homes; Ink had made it so they had food given to them if they were alone for long periods of time, which was good, since I couldn't play with them every day, unfortunately.

I loved my bunnies.

~~~~~

Those bunnies are totally canon to ATE now and shall be in at least one other non-ATE fic :3

"The Rival"

In which we see the noncanon return of Stultus.

Warnings: death, naivety, offer to suicide.

Classification: I dunno. Probably leans toward angst.

~~~~~

I had been Ink's right hand for about two years at this time, and everything was going smoothly! Ink was happy, and that was wonderful! He had been speaking of something important that he was going to show me today, and I was more than excited to see what he had planned! I was currently waiting in Ink's room, doing a bit of cleaning, since Ink's room had gotten a bit dirty with all the work we'd had recently. When Ink entered the room, the diabolical guard followed him; I wondered why.

"Hello, Dusty!" Ink waved.

"Hello, Ink!" I smiled happily at his presence.

"I believe you've met Stultus?"

"Yes, Ink. He's murdered me on many occasions."

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot about that. You don't hold grudges, do you, Dusty?"

"Not unless it's against someone who doesn't like you."

"Good. This is Stultus, and he saved my life last week! Isn't that wonderful?"

"That's amazing, Ink!"

"The thing is..he wants to take your place..and I'm not sure what to do. I need help making this decision; would you help me?"

"Of course, Ink! I can make your decision easy!"

I walked up to the diabolical guard, unsheathed a dagger, and stabbed him in the soul. He dusted quickly, and he hadn't expected it; Ink no longer had to make a difficult decision!

"..I didn't expect that." Ink admitted. "I..expected you to talk to him..not kill him.."

"Oh..I'm sorry.." I frowned; had I made Ink sad? "Do you want me to talk to his dust?"

"..No..I think I've just suddenly realized how much I've rubbed off on you..and I'm not sure that's a good thing."

"..Do you want me to kill myself, too?"

"No..let's just forget about Stultus..he doesn't need to be reset.."

"Did I make your decision easier?"

"Yes, Dusty; you made it much easier."

"Yay!"

I had made Ink happy.

~~~~~

I honestly imagined that going much differently.

"Error 404 - File Not Found"

Warnings: um..I don't think there's anything too serious..please correct me if I'm wrong; I may have written it, but I'm no expert.

Classification: likely angst.

~~~~~

Guess whose PoV? (It's Error's!)

I wanted the voices back. I wanted the blinding whiteness of the Anti-Void. I wanted my family back. Wanting was useless. After the execution, my crying figure was taken to a prison cell - solitary confinement. I spent the next five months mourning and waiting for corruption to overtake the multiverse; I wasn't able to do my job, and Ink wasn't going to do it! It had started as another day of solitude. I didn't bother to get up from my bed; there was little space to walk anyway. I was a bit surprised when I heard a lock unlatch; I sat up for the first time in what must have been weeks, finding what seemed to be a knight looking into my cell. At the moment, I was quite confused as to why I was being kidnapped by several knights in shining armor, but the second saw Ink, I knew something was up. I was pushed to my knees before him, powerless to do anything against my creator..maybe he would finally kill me; I doubted that.

"It's been a while, Error." He mentioned.

"You haven't changed." I replied. "Still as sadistic as before, I see; code manipulation isn't the cleanest strategy."

"At least I actually use my powers to their true potential, unlike you."

"You use them for evil; I will never suffer myself to be like you."

"You never were any fun. I've decided to give you a gift!"

"Death?" I wanted to be with my family; if death was the only way, I would have happily obliged.

"Oh, Error, I would never kill you."

"Just everyone else, huh?"

"Precisely!"

"Can I refuse your stupid gift?"

"Nope! Put him in the cage - the place of honor."

"Yes, Sir." One of the knights responded; I pitied them.

I was taken away from Ink - that wasn't a bad thing - and taken down a long flight of stairs, where a door lay; behind the door was a cage, which I was pushed into - that was a bad thing. The lock clicked, and I was left there. I was immortal. I was given no food. I never tasted the sweetness of chocolate. I was never given anything. People started trying to rescue me. A twenty-mile hallway stopped them. I began to learn the bumps and tripping hazards in the hallway, to be faster. I couldn't break out of the bars of the cage; I could use them to strengthen myself. I began to get stronger, faster, smarter. I waited for the day a rescue attempt would give me my freedom. Five years passed. I found a familiar face; Dust was back from the dead. He tried to rescue me. We made it so far; I was farther than I had ever gotten. Dust tripped. If I hadn't turned back, I would have been free, but I turned back. I didn't want to be free if my family member was a prisoner. I didn't try to strengthen myself for a year. Dust visited me. He reassured me. He told me that if I were to be free, I would make a difference. I would have been able to save him. I started the cycle again.

I needed to be free for Dust.

I had to wait.

~~~~~

"Horrortale"

Warnings: mention of water..?

Classification: angst.

~~~~~

Dream.

Horrortale had always been regarded as the last battleground; we had protected its freedom at least one hundred times. We always knew we were going to lose it one day, but we had never expected it to be today. When we first got the signal, we rushed to the AU in question and took our positions in defense of the universe. I was defending the Snowdin with a few others, but we quickly realized that we were being overrun; there were hundreds of soldiers against our measly ten, and no amount of fighting experience was going to help us against those numbers. We were forced to flee further into the Underground, soon joining with the ones in Waterfall, who were also overrun. People began falling to the ground and being apprehended. Before I knew what was happening, a soldier ran into me - quite literally - and knocked me off balance. I had fallen into the water, and that severely limited my fighting ability; I was so glad skeletons could float! My clothes were weighing me down slightly, but that was fine; I wouldn't sink for a while, at least. I shot my bow as well as I could, not realizing that I was being swept away by a current. There was more than one waterfall in Waterfall..and I realized that too late.