-Earlier-

~Ink's POV~

I was in my frequent state of panic and indecision, but amplified by a hundred percent.

The message from Cross had come 10 minutes ago in the form of a visual projection of himself. How the hell he managed to do that, I had no idea. How did he even know where I was? If this place isn't safe, no where is. He had said to meet him in Overtale, the place we last fought. He threatened that Y/n would be harmed if I didn't arrive on time... in 30 minutes.

I hadn't told the others just yet, it was my fault she got into this mess and I'm the one who has to get her out of it. I knew it was a trap, there was no doubt about it. But if he's telling the truth about hurting Y/n I couldn't just let that happen either.

"He's bluffing, he's not going to lay a hand on her."

The voice of Blade interrupted my thinking. I sat up on the bed and saw she wasn't even a foot away from me. She had her mask back on but I could still tell she was scowling. I was surprised she was even talking to me after that argument.

"I can't take that chance."

"There's no chance to it. I know Cross way better than you do."

"...You don't know him at all if you aren't thinking of what I'm worried about."

An expression of confusion spread across her face as she sat cross-legged in front of me. Even if she couldn't actually touch the bedspread she was still acting like she could. I sighed as I prepared an explanation, "I knew Cross way before you two met. It's a very long story but we were friends for a while after his universe was destroyed... Have you ever wondered why one of Cross' eyes is red?"

Blade didn't answer and her confusion was only becoming more clear. "He has part of his Chara's SOUL inside of him. It's actually a pretty similar situation to us. X-Chara is, um, a lot different than you though. He's very sadistic and-"

"How is that different than me?" Blade interrupted with a raise of her eyebrow.

"You didn't hurt people for your own amusement. I know that much about you... X-Chara on the other hand, does. He's a dangerous individual and Cross has managed to hold him back this whole time. When we encountered Cross in Deltarune something was off about him though, I didn't think of it in the moment but I realize it now. Cross was in much more control of himself than I've ever seen him."

"How is that a bad thing?"

"It means X-Chara is either ready to burst or him and Cross have worked out an agreement."

Blade went quiet once again and I only now realized I was wasting time. Five minutes had gone by while I explained to Blade. I scrambled out of the bed and grabbed my paintbrush, ready to make a portal. I'm going to come early which I hope will catch them slightly off guard.

"So X-Chara can take control of Cross' body, correct?" Blade suddenly came in front of me right as I was about to swipe my paintbrush across the air.

"He can, that's what I'm worried is going to happen if I'm late." I answered quickly as I tried to make the portal next to her, but she blocked me again.

"And you said that we're similar?"

"Yes. Now please let me make the portal."

"How does he do it?"

I didn't even think as to why she was asking me this, "I think it has to do with the SOUL. Please, Blade, just step aside."

I could tell that under her mask, her face had contorted into a smile. It was only then that I realized what I mistake I just made. Our SOUL was out before I could say anything. Everything went white as the last thing I saw was her floating straight into it.

~~~

~Y/n's POV~

The figure covering my mouth looked a hell of a lot like Ink, but I knew it wasn't him. For starters, both of his eyes had turned DETERMINATION red just like Cross' had. Second, he was sporting a wicked smirk that I knew he wasn't capable of.

"Hello again, Y/n. Been a long time." His voice was almost spiritual sounding, it was echoing and somehow more feminine sounding as well. I wasn't totally naïve anymore, I knew who this was almost immediately.

I pulled myself out of their admittedly weak grasp on me and I bit back a scream. The sound of my slight struggle was caught by Cross, who turned around from the unmoving figure of Horror. His eyes widened at the sight of them but composed himself quickly.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't show up, Ink."

"He wanted to, but I had other plans."

Confusion was on Cross' face, he glanced over to me and concern replaced it. I was frozen in place, probably looking scared out of my mind as my eyes darted between the both of them. "And you... aren't him?"

"I thought you would've recognized an old friend, Cross. Then again, I wouldn't of entirely called us friends. Friends are supposed to support each other but you refused to do that when I tried to kill that one." Ink's possessor pointed to me, malice all over their face.

"Blade, you know my views on causing unnecessary harm." Cross had caught on as easily as I did. He was slowly starting to move backwards, was he afraid of her?

"Unfortunately, I do. And now I have to make an apology due to you, and you know how much I hate making apologies."

"What do you m-"

He was cut off by Blade teleporting to him and giving him a powerful punch to the side of the skull. Cross fell down into the grass with a thud that seemed to echo across the hills. Killer and HL ran from wherever they had been patrolling but froze once they saw the scene. Blade snapped 'her' head towards them and growled like she was some kind of animal. Then, she looked towards me and all of the hate from 'her' face had melted away.

"Run. I'll catch up and get us out of here when I deal with these guys."

She turned back to the two petrified skeletons and started to move towards them, a small limp in her steps that only increased her creepiness. Half of me wanted to take her advice but... I looked to Cross who was standing back up and readying his knife. I couldn't let her harm him or vise versa.

I threw myself in front of Cross, blocking his way. He looked down at me with a mixture of exacerbation and what seemed to be admiration as well. "Y/n, move out of the way."

"I'm not going to let you two fight. I don't give a shit about Killer or HL but-" I was interrupted by the sound of a Gaster Blaster going off. I slightly turned my head to see what had happened, only to see that HL was in a headlock from Blade and at the same time she was deflecting the beam from Killer's Blaster. Upon seeing this, I realized that I was no longer under any confines. I could use my magic too.

I mustered the magic inside of me to summon a floating skeleton hand, but unfortunately I felt tired just from doing that. Cross looked at the wavering magic and sighed, "Don't drain yourself, Y/n. Your SOUL is already using up a lot of magic from your pregnancy. It's harmful to both of you to use it."

I knew he was telling the truth but what choice did I have? I directed the hand to try and quickly unarm Cross from his weapon, only to find out that it wasn't as quick as I wanted it to be. It was painfully slow and Cross had no trouble in flicking the hand away, where it crumbled upon impact. I was feeling some panic set in, I didn't want to resort to hand to hand combat. I didn't even want to fight him anyway.

Cross looked behind my shoulder and immediately started to back away. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Blade had dealt with the other two skeletons. They were both banging against a force field of her creation.

"Are we going to be doing this the easy way or the hard way, Cross?" She had a teasing tone to her voice as she let go of my shoulder and strode towards him.

"It was going to be the easy way if you just let Ink come here on his own."

"And let you lure him with your bait? If he gets trapped, I get trapped and I'm not letting that happen."

"I was only going to talk to him about a negotiation."

"I'm the better liar here, Cross."

Cross had no reply and only readied his weapon for a fight. Blade was about to pounce on him when I spoke up, "Don't hurt him."

I hadn't even meant to say it, it just slipped out of my mouth without warning. They both looked over at me like I was insane. I took a deep intake of breath and walked to be beside the both of them.

"Please, we can work this out without anyone being harmed..." I pleaded with them, putting both my hands together with nervousness.

"Y/n, now isn't the time to be a bleeding heart." Blade grumbled, which sounded strange coming from Ink's mouth.

"No. She's right." Cross surprisingly said, desummoning his weapon and taking another step away from Blade. "Let's talk through this instead of going at each other's necks."

"You're only saying that because you know I'd win..." Blade looked over at me to see my begging eyes. She rolled her own and groaned, "Fine. I still have to make it up to Y/n. Sorry for the whole, uh, trying to kill you thing by the way." She didn't look at me as she apologized, barely even sounding sincere. Actions were speaking louder than words, though.

"It's... alright... I kind of understand? Maybe?" I wasn't sure if I actually meant the apology yet but for some reason I didn't want her to feel bad. I remembered how bad her anxiety was in the past.

"Anyway, what do you suggest Cross? You know I'm not going to let you keep her." Blade crossed 'her' arms in an unimpressed way.

"I don't think you would be able to stop me if I tried, but I'm not going to. In exchange for you having her, I only ask for access codes to some universes. That's why I asked for Ink specifically to come."

"Access codes?" Blade repeated in confusion. I was thinking the same thing.

Cross sighed with annoyance, "I can't enter universes I haven't been to without it."

"And why do you want to?"

"That answer isn't part of the trade."

Blade looked conflicted and looked over to the right of her, but there was nothing. I didn't need much time to think this through, "Don't do it."

They both looked at me in bewilderment so I continued, "It hasn't been so bad being captured. I miss Ink so much but... Cross I know you're doing something shady and those access codes are part of it. You have to understand that I can't let you do that." I turned to face him with resolve.

"That's true, but Ink here is making another good point. Cross would just find somebody else to manipulate into giving it to him. At least this way, you're back together. Even if personally I hate how lovey-dovey you two get." Blade made a face of disgust as she thought back to pretty much any time me and Ink were in the same room.

"I would ordinarily find somebody else but Ink's codes are the ones I need. I wouldn't of gone through this much effort otherwise." Cross halfheartedly gestured to me when he said 'effort'. Had he been planning my kidnapping then?

Blade looked back towards the right and I made the connection Ink must be there and talking to her. It was kind of messed up of her to take over Ink's body like this, assuming it probably wasn't with permission. I love Ink but I don't think he could've had the intimidation factor that Blade displayed.

"If you're sure, Ink... We have a deal."

~~~