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The happy ending had finally arrived. Dream, the Guardian of Positive Emotions, now lived a peaceful life with her loyal knight — Cross. Their happiness seemed complete, but fate had a surprise in store, one that had once shocked the entire multiverse.
They had Lux.
It was utterly absurd: by all laws of magic and logic, the two of them simply could not have children. Dream was a genderless embodiment of light, even if she took a female form — but the miracle still happened. Later, Lux gained a younger brother — Starcross — cementing their family's impossible status.
Even Nightmare, returned to life, couldn't quite believe it. Now he shared his body with the very being that had once taken control, keeping him trapped inside. Nightmare still struggled to get along with Cross, but seeing his sister's happiness, he accepted it. He even grew fond of Lux — though he would never admit it.
The Guardian and the Destroyer were also doing... well, normally for them.
In this universe, Ink, though genderless, presented as female. She bore the responsibility of caring for children — she had enough experience. One son was her own creation: out of curiosity, she took the soul of a dead person and literally wove a child from ink. She also had an adopted vampire daughter.
But the strangest case was Paper Jam. Error considered him a "massive mistake," a system glitch arising from the accidental merging of their magic. For Ink, it was merely a "scientific curiosity," and she enthusiastically took on raising him. The Destroyer, grumbling and cursing, still helped.
Lurking in the shadows of these family stories were others — children born in the cold laboratories of a mad scientist. Gradient, Crescent, Goth, and Palette were experiments. But they survived.
And now, ten years later, Gradient was already a teenager.
As was Lux.
— Mom… — Gradient hesitated, adjusting his glasses. A faint ripple of digital interference ran across the lenses, betraying his nervousness. His voice, usually even and dry, trembled slightly.
— What is it? — Ink looked up from the stove.
— Well, here's the thing… how did you and Dad… I mean, Error… become a couple?
— We-ell, — she drew out, — you should ask him.
— …he said you imposed yourself on him. And your "not-quite-date" happened in Outerfell.
Ink froze.
Slowly, she turned her head.
— …what did he say?
Gradient immediately regretted starting this conversation.
— I quoted him verbatim.
Ink snorted, turning off the stove.
— Well, technically… he's not lying.
— Mom.
— Okay, okay, — she smiled, wiping her hands on a towel. — It wasn't just "imposing myself." It was… a targeted scientific initiative.
— That sounds even worse.
— Once we realized we were both needed by the universe… though I realized it earlier. But we had to fight. The spirits of the past Guardians and Destroyers kept pushing us toward it.
— That sounds dubious.
— Very romantic… in some strange way, — Ink tilted her head slightly. — We were friends. Stretching the definition.
— A lot, I hope.
— A cosmic amount, — she nodded calmly. — We fought more often than we talked. It's just… over time, that stopped meaning anything.
— What do you mean?
— Well, you know, — she shrugged. — Today he's trying to erase me from reality's code, I seriously wound him… and tomorrow we're already discussing why it didn't work. And I heal him.
Gradient stared at her.
— That's not normal.
— It's stable, — Ink corrected.
Pause.
— And when did you stop being… enemies?
Ink thought for a moment.
— When we met in Outerfell. There he… gave me a compliment.
— Error?
— Yes.
— I don't believe you.
— He said my eyes looked like stars.
Pause.
— …that's it?
— That's it, — she shrugged. — The rest just kind of happened on its own. Long story.
Gradient squinted.
— I thought you forced him.
Ink spun around to face him.
— What do you take me for?
Pause.
And then her gaze turned suspiciously sly.
— Wait… why are you even asking this? You've never been interested in this stuff before.
Gradient froze.
— …
— A-ha, — Ink drawled, narrowing her eyes. — Don't tell me you—
— Just curious! — he cut in abruptly.
Too quickly.
Ink's grin only widened.
— Don't lie to me. You know you can't fool me, — Ink crossed her arms, clearly savoring the moment. — So who is it? She, he… or they?
Gradient froze.
Adjusted his glasses. Then again.
— Uh… um… Lux. I just… asked her on a date — he admitted in almost a whisper, as if it were a state secret.
Silence.
Ink blinked.
Then again.
— …oh.
A pause lasting a few seconds.
Then her face practically lit up.
— Oh.
— Mom, just—
— MY SON IS GOING ON A DATE?!
— Shh!! — Gradient whipped around toward the door. — You want him to hear? My brother will tease me for an eternity!!
Ink immediately lowered her voice, but her smile didn't go anywhere.
— Sorry. It's just… this is a historic moment.
— It's not a historic moment.
— For me it is.
Gradient covered his face with his hand.
— I already regret telling you.
— Don't you dare, — she said more seriously, but softly. — This is good.
He lowered his hand slightly.
— I don't know how to do this.
— Dates?
— …talking.
Ink chuckled quietly.
— Don't worry, it'll go fine. Since she already agreed, it means she really wants it, — she smiled gently, stepping closer. — Lux isn't the type to say "yes" just to be polite. She's her father's daughter through and through — blunt to a fault.
Gradient sighed heavily. His glasses briefly flickered with a ripple of digital interference.
— That's the problem. I asked her a week ago, in Heaventale. I said it… well, you know how I do: stumbling over every other word. And she just smiled and said, "Finally, Gradi! I was starting to think I'd have to force you to make up your mind."
Ink couldn't help but snort, covering her mouth with her hand. — Oh, that's so like her!
— Mom, it's not funny, — he tried to adjust his tie, which Ink had already fastened a bit tighter than comfortable breathing allowed. — She agreed, but now I keep running scenarios through my head. What if a hurricane starts in Sakuratale? Or some kind of system glitch happens?
— Gradient, — Ink placed her hands on his shoulders, making him stop and meet her eyes. — You're overanalyzing. A date isn't an algorithm. It's… like drawing. You just take a brush and see where the line goes. You've already done the hardest part — you opened a portal to her heart. The rest is just details.
She paused for a moment, and her pupils shifted to pale blue diamonds. — Speaking of details. Cross. Are you sure he doesn't know?
Gradient paled noticeably. — She promised she'd talk to him herself. But knowing her… she might have just tossed out, "Dad, I'm going out," forgetting to mention that this "going out" is a date with me.
— Well, then you really should hurry, before Cross decides to run an unscheduled inspection of the Multiverse's borders, — Ink winked conspiratorially. — Are the flowers ready?
Gradient nodded silently. He extended his hand, and a cluster of dark energy began to materialize above his palm. Slowly, pixel by pixel, it formed an elegant, almost ethereal flower. Its petals shimmered with a deep purple light, and tiny golden sparks of living code traced along its edges.
— I put a bit of creation magic into it, — he said quietly, looking at his creation. — It won't wilt. Ever.
Ink froze, and genuine admiration flickered in her eyes. — That's… really beautiful, Gradi. Truly. There's a piece of your soul in that flower.
Gradient carefully folded the magical object into a protected digital file and tucked it into his pocket. — Alright. Time to go.
— Wait! — Ink grabbed his shoulder. — I'm not letting you go out like that.
— I still have an hour left! And… Mom, is this really necessary? — he asked resignedly, as his mother began actively tidying him up.
— Absolutely necessary, — Ink cut him off, deftly fixing his collar and tightening his tie knot. — Be grateful I'm not touching your hair. Were you really planning to go on your first date in your usual hoodie?
Finishing the "ordeal," she gave him a critical once-over and was satisfied. — Okay, go. Good luck! — Ink gave him a light push toward the door. — And remember: if something goes wrong — improvise! Your father always does that when he has an unexpected reboot.
— That's the worst advice in the world, Mom, — Gradient muttered.
But despite his grumbling, a faint, barely noticeable, but very real smile appeared on his face for the first time all morning. He stepped into the hallway, opened a portal to Heaventale with a short gesture — their usual meeting place — and stepped into the bright, all-encompassing light.
Heaventale greeted him with a soft, almost living light.
Everything felt different here — as if reality itself breathed more calmly. Gentle streams of energy passed through the space, shimmering between shades of gold and soft blue. Even the silence sounded different here — not emptiness, but anticipation.
Gradient took a step forward and stopped.
He habitually adjusted his glasses.
Then again.
And only then realized he was still standing still.
— Alright… — he exhaled quietly. — Just… wait for her.
He glanced toward the familiar path.
Twenty minutes of waiting in Heaventale always felt strange — time seemed to deliberately slow down here, forcing you to think too much.
And Gradient, of course, was thinking too much.
What if he'd said something wrong?
What if the flower was too strange?
What if—
— You look like you're about to hack reality again.
He flinched sharply.
Standing before him, as if emerging from the light itself, was Lux.
She tilted her head slightly, watching his reaction with interest.
Today she looked different — not too flashy, but still as if Heaventale itself had adapted to her presence. A light dress with golden accents shimmered softly, and her gaze held its usual mix of curiosity and confidence.
And… something else.
Something warm.
Gradient felt his system briefly glitch.
— I… just came early, — he managed.
Gradient felt heat creep across his cheekbones, turning into a purple blush. He adjusted his glasses again, even though they sat perfectly.
— You always come earlier than you need to, — Lux smirked, stepping a bit closer. — But this time you've outdone yourself. You even wore a tie?
— Mom… insisted, — Gradient looked away, studying the glowing grass beneath his feet. — She said "tradition demands it." Do I look stupid?
Lux didn't answer immediately. She circled around him, making the boy stand at attention, then stopped directly in front of him. Her eyes, always burning with a spark of mischief, softened for a moment. She reached out and carefully adjusted his jacket collar, her knuckles lightly brushing his neck.
— You look… unusual, — she finally said. — And it suits you. Seriously, Gradi.
They fell silent. Heaventale wrapped them in its soft golden haze. Five minutes passed, feeling like an eternity to Gradient. He could hear his own core humming with excess static, while Lux simply stood beside him, swaying to some internal melody and gazing at the floating islands in the sky.
The silence was awkward, yet strangely perfect.
— So… are we going? — Lux was the first to break the silence, squinting playfully.
Gradient flinched, snapping out of his endless calculations of the petal trajectory. — Huh? Right… sorry, I… zoned out.
— I noticed, — she giggled and, without waiting for an invitation, intertwined her fingers with his. — Sakuratale won't wait. Open your portal, Mr. I-Came-Early.
Gradient nodded, feeling the warmth of her hand through his gloves. He extended his free hand, and lines of code began to materialize in the air, quickly coalescing into a soft pink portal.
— Let's go, — he said, more confidently now.
They stepped through the shimmering veil, and reality instantly changed its palette.
Sakuratale greeted them with a blinding, almost pearlescent light. This world was always known for its endless gardens, but today it seemed especially bright. The sun, soft and warm, hung at its zenith, bathing the soft pink canopies of the trees in such radiance that the petals looked translucent, as if carved from gemstones.
Gradient instinctively shielded his eyes as his glasses adjusted to the sudden brightness. A brief status line scrolled across the lenses: "Brightness level: 95%. Analyzing environment…"
— Wow… — Lux breathed, releasing his hand to spin around. — I've been here a couple of times, but I've never seen it so bright. Look, they look like they're glowing from the inside!
She was right. A gentle breeze swept over the hills, and thousands of petals broke from the branches, swirling through the air in a pink vortex. In this world, petals didn't just fall — they floated slowly, obeying the soft magic of this place.
Gradient watched as one petal landed on a golden strand of Lux's hair. His system, usually occupied with calculations and error analysis, fell silent for a moment. In this flawless, bright world, Lux looked so natural, as if she were part of it.
— Dad said today has ideal conditions for… — Gradient faltered, adjusting his tie, which was once again starting to feel unnecessary. — For walks. The magic stability index is at its maximum today.
Lux turned to him, and her eyes shone brighter than the sun overhead. — Forget your indexes for at least an hour, Gradi! Look around.
She ran to the nearest tree, whose roots twisted intricately to form a natural bench. — Come here! You can see the whole lake from here.
Gradient slowly approached, feeling the carpet of fallen petals spring softly beneath his feet. He sat down beside her, trying to keep some distance, but Lux didn't seem concerned — she settled very close, their shoulders touching.
— You know, — she said quietly, gazing at the pink haze in the distance. — I'm glad you chose this place. It's really beautiful here…
Gradient felt that this was the moment. The most stable. The most right. He slowly reached into his jacket pocket.
— Lux, I… I wanted to give you something.
Gradient swallowed, feeling his processor working at maximum capacity. He handed her the flower — the one he'd been trembling over all morning. The purple glow of its petals and the golden threads of code within softly contrasted with the soft pink light of Sakuratale.
— Oh… thank you, Gradi! — Lux carefully accepted the gift, her fingers briefly brushing his hand, sending waves of static through his system. — It's incredible. I've never seen such strange and beautiful magic.
— That's… that's not all, — he whispered.
Lux raised an eyebrow in surprise. Gradient concentrated, and a tiny portal, the size of his palm, opened directly in front of him — not to another universe, but to his personal system archive. He reached inside and pulled out a small, elegant brooch.
It was shaped like a star, but not an ordinary one: the metal looked dark, almost inky, and at its center was a crystal that changed color depending on the viewing angle — from soft blue to rich gold.
— I… I thought a lot about what to give you, — Gradient began, trying not to stammer. — The flower is magic, a symbol of… the moment. But the brooch is a physical object. I designed it myself and assembled it from fragments of code from old worlds that Dad was going to delete. I cleaned and stabilized them. It's… well, it's tangible. So you have something you can touch when I'm not around.
Lux looked at the brooch as if he'd given her an entire universe. Her usual confidence momentarily vanished, replaced by genuine, almost childlike wonder.
— You made this yourself? From "error" code? — she carefully took the brooch, examining the crystal's shifting colors. — Gradi, this is… the sweetest and craziest thing anyone has ever done for me.
She suddenly moved even closer, almost flush against him. — Will you help me pin it on? — she glanced at him slyly from under her lashes, pointing to the collar of her dress.
Gradient felt his system about to crash with a Blue Screen of Death. His fingers, usually adept at keyboards and complex magical formulas, suddenly became completely clumsy.
— I'll… try not to miss, — he managed, reaching for the brooch.
He carefully pinned the brooch on.
And then she kissed him on the cheek.
Gradient froze, his hand still on Lux's shoulder. His fingers were still trembling slightly after he'd secured the brooch to the delicate fabric of her dress. The kiss was fleeting, almost weightless, but for his internal systems, it was the equivalent of a massive hack attack.
Crimson error messages raced across his glasses at breakneck speed: "CRITICAL OVERLOAD. HEART RATE OUT OF BOUNDS. REBOOT RECOMMENDED." A deep purple blush flooded his entire face, reaching, it seemed, to the very tips of his bones.
— Th-thanks?.. — Gradient barely recognized his own voice, which now sounded more like a malfunctioning radio. — I… mission accomplished. I mean… I'm glad you liked it.
Lux laughed cheerfully at his stunned expression. She touched the new brooch with her fingers, and her eyes shone so brightly they could have outshone the sun of Sakuratale.
— You're so cute when you glitch, Gradi, — she whispered, moving even closer.
Meanwhile, in the thick Sakura bushes…
A few meters from the "bench," behind a lush pink bush, an equally tense scene was unfolding.
— Did you see that?! Did you see that?! — Ink could barely stop herself from jumping up and doing a victory dance. She clung to her large sketchbook, which already featured a quick sketch of this moment. Her pupils shifted wildly: from soft pink hearts to golden stars. — My "creative initiative" with the tie worked one hundred percent!
Dream, sitting beside her, looked much calmer, but waves of soft golden light practically radiated from her — so strong were the positive emotions she was picking up. She smiled, pressing a hand to her chest.
— It's so pure… so sincere, — the Guardian whispered. — I can feel their souls resonating. This is a beautiful moment, Ink. Cross would definitely…
Dream suddenly trailed off, and her smile became slightly nervous.
— Speaking of Cross… Ink, are you sure he's still on patrol with Nightmare? If he finds out we're here spying, and his daughter is kissing the "son" of the Destroyer…
— Oh, come on, Dream! — Ink waved her hand dismissively, not taking her eyes off the teenagers. — Error is busy cleaning up junk code, Nightmare is grumbling at Cross somewhere across the Multiverse… Just enjoy the show! Look, he's trying to adjust his glasses again, and they're sliding down his nose! This is absolute comedy gold!
Dream sighed, but her gaze remained tender. She understood that this "spying mission" might get them in trouble with their husbands, but the children's happiness was worth any risk.
— Shh, — Ink shushed, ducking back down toward the grass. — I think Lux wants to put her head on his shoulder. If he shuts down now, I'm jumping out and reviving him with fresh ink!
— Ink, no! — Dream whispered in horror, grabbing her friend's scarf. — Don't you dare ruin their date!
And beneath the shade of the sakura trees, Gradient truly felt that his system was about to undergo a forced reboot from an excess of emotion.