What was Ink thinking when Karma appeared?

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SevenSins Multiverse

Ink was an ancient being, there was no denying that. Dream may have thought he knew exactly how long Ink had been alive but the other was way off in his guess. Ink had been one of the first to be chosen as a Power and he had seen a lot since then.

The world had been very primitive back then and he had not learned how to hide his rather bold new features. He had wandered the land for years alone, being seen as many things by the mortals. He had been worshipped as a God and just as often was seen as the devil himself.

He saw no issues with these roles being thrust upon him and he often played into them, every chance he got. It made him briefly forget that there was truly no one else like him and filled in the void of loneliness that continued to grow.

He started to create emotional distance from the mortals and continued with the motions, with no feeling in his actions. He often lied to the other Powers about not remembering this period in his life. That was due to how miserable those days used to be and how even the memories made his SOUL feel cold.

When he felt his hope close to fading, that is around the time he met Error. It had been exciting when he met another like him and even their black boned and multicoloured wings, further separated them from the usual monsters.

He had been so pleased to meet them that it was a shock when he first spotted them a growl had built up in his throat and his magic prepared to attack. He managed to restrain this weird impulse but it seemed the other couldn't, thus started years of endless battles with no clear end in sight.

Their battles had been helpful to learn the more intricate part of his powers and it eventually led to them being able to stand in the same room as each other. Just when he thought this was the new normal, he sensed others like him suddenly appearing. When he went to the source he found two monsters that were clearly related, shaking in hunger and living alone in an abandoned village.

He felt drawn towards both twins and he noticed so did Error, who had followed him on his journey. He eventually learnt their names and aided them in controlling their instincts towards others and each other.

He also grew more fascinated by the twins as it seemed their forms could switch around. One day Nightmare would have antler like horns but the next Dream would have some instead. He found it amusing how Dream never realised and wondered how long it would take for them to notice.

Around this time he had also become more able to hide his extra features, which coincidentally made the others more relaxed around him. He was unsure why his form inspired such extreme emotions in others, but he would rather not scare away his new interests so soon.

Time passed on and the mortals had assigned names to what they were. He had felt a click in his SOUL when they spoke a certain name, making him finally feel complete. He was more at ease after this and even his magic seemed to purr at finally being fully understood.

He further noticed how the twins Powers differed to his own or Errors. This odd fact was confirmed when he sensed the next Powers and saw what they could do. He also took note that the others were chosen as pairs and were often found near each other. Ink observed these pairs were more stable and had easier time learning their Powers. He had tried to be friendly to the new Powers but it always seemed his presence alone overwhelmed them, even when he restricted his magic.

He had kept trying each time but only felt his sorrow increase, at never being able to truly connect to any of the Powers. Even Error barely tolerated him, no matter how hard he tried. He slowly started hiding more of his features till at first glance, he came across as an eccentric monster. Around this time Dream had slowly gravitated towards him but Ink was puzzled when they mistook him for a Virtue.

It might have been a few millennia since he had shown his true form, but it was odd that their memories of that time had been forgotten. Error had found this whole misunderstanding hilarious and loved to encourage this 'fact' to the others. The other had even managed to gain added features, usually only seen in a Sin.

It was rather impressive but he realised what an opportunity this was. The majority of Powers seemed to think that Virtues were a softer Power, therefore safer to get close to. He almost laughed when Love had said this to him as if it was written in stone. Had she never seen the violence mortals could get into, due to the feeling of love alone? How sheltered had some of his Powers become he wondered.

He was pleased with having so many like him around, but he still felt like the odd one out with having to hide so much of himself. More time passed with the latest Powers being added. He felt his SOUL hum in comtement and felt this would be the last lot to be added.

He entertained himself by instigating fights and observing new things the mortals had discovered but nothing filled the aching feeling of loneliness. He even started hoarding items to help but even his Sin wasn't happy.

That is when a new Power was felt in the world. He felt compelled to get closer but resisted. This felt like an extra chance to get things right and make a good impression. When Blue came to him, alerting him about a message from Sloth, he almost created a portal straight to their location but resisted. He instead sent Blue to answer the message in his stead, using the excuse of Blue being one of the kinder Virtues he had met.

He waited in impatience and as soon as Blue appeared he could already smell the new Power's scent on them. His instincts screamed at him to go see them but hearing about the severe injury, he resisted. He would be of no help in this instance and might even make the situation worse.

Time seems to crawl for the next few months as nothing new managed to catch his interest. When he found out the new Power was missing he requested Nightmare to look for them. He expected the other to drag Dream along, which would help him know what type of Power he would be dealing with.

He teleported to the room the Power had been staying in and his eyelight focused on an item that was drenched in their scent. He admired the scarf and all the colourful trinkets attached to it.

A spike of emotion caught his attention and he started following it. While he was not as strong an empath, like the twins, each Power did have some skills in this area. They were easily able to sense whenever someone felt the emotion pertaining to their domain and more, if they put in the effort to learn.

When he arrived at the source he stayed just out of view, watching Dream and Nightmare sitting near the new Power.

" Hello fledgling. My name is Nightmare and this is my twin Dream. May we know your name? "

"Karma"

This was certainly a change, compared to when he first met the others. The small being seemed to be fully present and if it wasn't for the wound, he would have said in perfect health as well. It seems it was a perfect moment to further test his theories.

"Dream Dream Dream! Look how cool their scarf is. It looks like mine but it's even shinier! I should do that too".

While he addressed his speech to Dream he never looked away from Karma. He was amused when he was regarded with the same interest as the twin received, which wasn't much to begin with. That look of disinterest changed when they spotted their scarf in his hands.

Their whole demeanour switched and they started glaring at him in contempt. His smile widened at the reactions he was garnering and wanted to see how far he could push. Getting closer to them he started increasing his magical output, never looking away from them. He crouched down and was thrilled when he spotted no changes in expression, due to his magic.

He almost hissed at the sight of the wound and barely noticed when the scarf was being tugged by small hands. He snapped back into focus when the other started curling up in distress. Now that reaction wouldn't do at all. Covering them with their scarf he pulled them into his arms and spotted the wince they tried to conceal.

First step was to sort the wound out before he did anything else. He mentally went through the list of Powers and settled on Love. She was likely to be the most useful in this case, so he made sure to teleport to her current location. He might not see some of the Powers often but he made sure to keep track of where they were. Who knew when they would be needed.

A small hiss originating from his arms made him coo at how cute Karma was. They looked like a tiny animal trying to look intimidating. He stroked their skull to calm them down and withheld a snort at how they instantly settled down. He started walking quicker when he noticed how warm their bones felt, even through their clothing. He checked the time and changed direction to where Love would most likely be in her home.

He was happy he was correct in his guess and smiled when Love finally spotted him. The other had lived by themselves for quite a while, after their counterpart had lost control one day. Love felt truly guilty for never noticing how the others struggled with their Powers and stayed in isolation since. Once Envy had come back to his senses they had gone into hiding in shame, deeper into the forests by the sea. Not that anyone else knew that but he saw no reason to share this information with the others.

"I-Ink. What a-re you doing h-here? N-not that you aren't w-welcome, o-f course!"

It was intriguing how scared of him Love was, when he had never done anything towards her. Perhaps she was just more sensitive to the magic he locked away? It seemed most of his fellow Powers forget what he was.

He tried to sit down gently but the tensing of the small body in his lap, made him know he had failed. He spotted more marrow drip from the dark wound and glared at Love to fix this now.

"Oh dear. I'll be right back. I-Ink, the scarf needs to come off"

He easily fended the tiny hands away from the garment and was saved from more distress sounds, by Love's arrival. He was glad they were on the same page about not using healing magic. Until they knew more about this tiny monster they would play it safe, he didn't want to accidentally hurt them further. He didn't look away when Love started applying the cream on Karmas chest.

As more cream was being added he felt his face start to darken. That cream was infused with Love's powers and was great for counteracting the negative intents wounds received. It was surprisingly effective even for Sins, as he could attest to. That it was taking this much to heal Karma meant someone wanted to destroy the babybones from existence entirely.

"That's all i can do. H-ave tt—t-hem k-eep i-it on for a-a-s l-long as p—ossble"

He had been observing Karma closely so easily intercepted the hands in time, before Karma wiped off the healing substance. He quickly schooled his features, after he noticed how sharp his fingers looked. His control had slipped a bit too much for his liking, no wonder Love had looked at him like that.

"Let's put some bandages over. No need to wipe away all the hard work Lo-Life did"

He had stopped trying to call the other Powers by their type, after Dream mentioned it felt strange to be referred to as it. He also didn't want to explain what exactly he was to Karma yet, as he was scared of their reaction. He would give it a few days before he tried.

The spare chair next to him was very useful to place Karma, as it helped to efficiently cover the small one in bandages. He checked their face often and was pleased when no further signs of pain were spotted.

He did notice the odd magic coming from the wound, but he could tell it wasn't Envy's magic. This felt darker than his, like it would drag all that came near into the night sky to never be seen again. He would make sure to remember this magical signature, in case they tried to finish the job.

He grabbed the shirt he had kept in his inventory for the past months and was pleased how well it fit Karma. Grabbing them he was pleased to be leaving this place so he could take them home.

He relaxed further when he was in his own spaces and started to head towards his bedroom. He walked slower when he felt the babybones' rising curiosity of the surroundings. He wasn't sure what parts in particular caught their attention but he felt pleased either way at their admiration of his collection.

When he reached his room he dropped them on the bed, watching in amusement how they were in awe, at how far they were sinking in his mattress.

He tugged their wing to get their attention, smirking at the screech he received in response. They were rather unhesitant voicing their displeasure with him. Would that change if he increased the intensity of his presence even more? He was startled when he felt them tug his magic and absorb it for themselves.

"You are an odd one aren't you?"

He straightened up when Error finally decided to announce their presence. He wasn't sure how they had been there, as their Power was always annoying to sense. He had been expecting the other to come much sooner than this. The other always was entertained at the chaos he could cause.

" Idiot, you don't touch random people's wings. Just because you don't take yours out doesn't mean you can pretend you forgot "

He was usually better at sensing errors nowadays but he must have been too distracted by Karma. He felt his magic prepare to rage, when he saw the interest Error directed at the babybones.

" Calm down. I'm not taking them away from you "

His anger quickly changed to amusement when Error got near Karma. Watching Error being treated as an unwanted nuisance was hilarious. He almost cheered when Karma almost bit them for getting too close to them.

" Heh. Fiesty one, aren't you. Here. Welcome to the club "

His amusement drained away when he spotted Error smirk in mischief. When they deposited shiny stones in the other's lap, he wanted to dispose of the items. He could feel Errors magic in them and by the smug look he was given, Error did this on purpose. Sadly he saw how much joy the gift brought Karma, so let it be.

" See ya Ink. Dream is already being irritating so expect company soon"

Ink had almost forgotten what had occured this morning. He supposed he did leave Dream suddenly, with no explanation. He had also felt his phone buzz occasionally but he would deal with that later. For now he had something more important to do.

Ink started to condense his power and admired how his magic was colourful, even if his extra features were not. He dropped the new items on top of Errors 'gift', becoming gleeful when they suddenly became the centre of attention.

"We can add it to your scarf right now! They are even multicoloured making them the best"

While Errors ' gifts' were more numerous, this would be seen more easily by others and sooth his instincts as well. He was feeling happy at this development, when he spotted feathers falling from the others wings. That did seem like a rather large issue but he hoped it was temporary.

Laying down on the bed he sighed in relief and grinned at the babybones, easily placing them on his chest. He abruptly summoned his wings, in order to cover them both. This had to be the first time he was pleased at how dark they were, as all light was blocked out by them.

The dark environment soothed the other, as did his increased magical output. He had a soft smile when the other fell asleep minutes later. His mind whirred with possible plans, now he had finally met the new Power. He stayed awake all night, for once being able to fully enjoy the presence of another.

In the morning he made sure to hide his features before the other awoke. No need to scare them so soon after meeting. He let them explore his home and followed them on their journey. It was refreshing watching someone new fawn over his items and even pick some out in awe.

He felt happy to let them explore his space, as he had already decided it was theirs as well. He knew if anyone else had dared move his items he would react violently but with this one it was different. Every time he thought he would be bored of them, something new popped up. He wanted to learn even more about them and he rarely denied himself anything.

Their wings might at first glance look dull but he saw the true beauty in the darkness of the feathers. At night they blended into the shadows, making Karma look like a spirit of the night but in the light they seemed to reflect all the colours at once. They truly suited the role the other was given. He stopped trying to touch them as often, when he accidently hurt the other when grabbing a damaged feather. He wanted to give the other more reasons to stay, not drive them away.

He was happy he had managed to stay alone with them for so long, so he wasn't surprised when one day Fresh messaged he was coming over. He had nothing personally against the other, it's just sometimes their Sins overlapped. This led to many fights over their instincts insisting the other was a threat. He could easily overpower the other but he didn't want to severely hurt them.

With this news he had to alert Karma to this new change in plans.

"Now, little balance. We are going to meet one of my friends today. They didn't say when so don't be scared if you see another being in the house"

He just about spat that word out and felt his magic react to his agitation. He was glad Karma didn't seem to care about his claws, as it was a pain to try and hide them all the time. When a colourful mist covered the room, he sighed. Fresh could never enter without making some sort of scene. He let the other grab Karma and took his time following.

He knew the other would not hurt Karma and was probably just wanting to get a reaction out of him. He followed the magical trail and appeared on a beach, located not far from his home. He smirked at the look on Fresh face, at personally experiencing how strange Karma was. If the babybones didn't react in any way to his magic, he doubted Fresh would have much luck either.

"So, what do you think?"

He relished in their blank look and how the other was driven speechless. Getting closer he saw that Fresh was allowing Karma to touch their wings. He openly mocked the other and laughed when he saw them start to blush. Karma was truly special to affect even Fresh, he had chosen well. He took Karma out of their grip, teleporting straight to the living room.

"You know Dream is coming soon, bro?"

Ink knew, as the texts from Dream were getting more frequent the longer he left them. He would probably get a visit soon, perhaps even today. His mood changed from annoyance to glee, when he knew he could use this to his advantage.

He still hadn't told Karma anything about what they were, but Dream was a perfect candidate to do it. Also if it went wrong he could put the blame on Dream and still be seen as a safe place for Karma. It's a win-win scenario!

"Yes, i do. You staying then?"

Fresh simply sat on the ground and he huffed, but placed Karma down as well. He then teleported to his bedroom and then back, depositing the items Karma had taken shine to on the ground.

"Heya, baby wing. Wanna show me your rad new items?"

He watched in silence and was pleased Fresh remembered to keep his hands to himself. While Karma hadn't exhibited any defensive instincts yet, chosen items were a personal thing for Powers. Rarely did others touch other Powers select items, especially this early on. When Karma just placed an item in Freshs hand, he checked this off as another thing he wouldn't have to worry about.

He purred at how animated Karma was and knew he would allow Fresh to visit again, just to witness this. All was going well until the babybones paused in showing off another item. Ink spread his magic to find what could be the issue and noticed that Dream and Blue had arrived. How impressive that Karma already noticed them so soon. What other powers did they gain, he wondered?

"Don't worry, little wing. It's just two of Ink bros friends"

While he had been expecting them to come over eventually, he wasn't pleased to have so many people in his space, in such a short period of time. He watched as Dream and Blue entered the room, making sure to look more relaxed then he felt. He didn't want to alarm them, he still needed them for his current plan. He must have failed as he could see how tense the two looked in his home.

"HELLO KARMA. I AM KNOWN AS BLUE. CAN I SEE WHAT YOU ARE PLAYING WITH?"

Ink thought all was going well until he noticed Blues alarm. He knew they had spotted his beads, probably thinking the worst. While most would see it as a claim he saw it as added protection. Now no Power would go against Karma, in fear of his reaction. Error might have been a threat to Karma's safety but the other seemed to want to annoy him more. It was sadly working as he had watched too many times of Error gifting new stones, trying to gain the others favour.

"Hey Karma. Do you know what a Virture and Sin are?"

He hid his smile at Dream's question. Dream was such a good friend getting the hard questions out of the way. He moved to stand directly behind Karma, in silent support and saw Fresh move bedside Dream. He would be a perfect example of the obvious differences between the two types, without Ink having to expose himself. He wasn't ready to test how understanding Karma was just yet.

"Karma, do you know what you are?"

"A balancer"

So he already knew what he was? That would help with training later on.

"Do you know what we are?"

Now this was the part he feared the most. He didn't know what Karma's opinion was of Sin or Virtues. He remembered that Cross at the start had acted like all Sins needed to be eradicated, as they had a very religious upbringing. Ink probably shouldn't have played around so much in his early days but it was too late for regrets now.

He watched as Fresh started to release his extras features and the magic pressure in the room increased, as Dream and Blue followed their example. He was ready to grab Karma and leave should they panic but nothing happened. When Karma looked at him he saw no judgement or disgust, only confusion. He did pick well indeed.

He didn't really listen as Dream explained what they were but observed the babybones reactions. When he saw Dream, he looked closer at Karma and saw they looked close to crying. He dropped down and pulled them on his lap. Rubbing his skull against them gently, his next words were spoken softly.

"We are the embodiment of the Sins and Virties, little one but you are something rather new. I can't wait to see what you can do"

~~~~~~~

*sees Karma happy at gift from Error*

Ink: I am not jealous! On a random note here is something shiny
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Ink: I need a scapegoat if telling Karma the truth goes terrible wrong

*Dream appears*

Ink: You will do