Palette's POV a few days later

Ding ding! Ding ding!

I walk through the library, sorting books, hearing the bell over the door ring to alert us to a new guest.

"Hello?"I say

I hear quick footsteps approaching the aisle that I'm in. I glance over, seeing Gothy running over.

"Oh! Hey, Gothy!"I say, waving to him

Then I notice how panicked he looks.

"Are you okay, Gothy?"I ask

His cheeks turn a deep purple.

"I-I-I...Hmmm...."He stutters, hiding in his scarf

He timidly tries to hold my hand. I grasp his hand gently, interlocking our fingers and rubbing his knuckles to soothe him. He steps closer, glancing around to make sure that we're alone.

"I...We need to talk about the, um, box incident? Ya know...a few days ago..."He says softly

I realize what he means. It took two days for his soul to settle after the holiday and two more for his head to clear up. So I didn't think to tell him about what happened during the holiday and have kept it casual with him. Just the mere mention or tease from our friends on what could've happened makes him a blushing mess shutting down so I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by telling him.

"Ah, so your parents broke the news to you?"I say

He nods quickly.

I smile at him.

"It was a really sweet surprise, Gothy. I loved it."I tell him

"I'm sorry, Palette..."He says

"Huh? Sorry? What for?"I ask

"I k-kissed and passed out on you...I shouldn't have...I had no right t-"He stutters nervously

I shake my head.

The difference between then and now. Who would've thought that Gothy, so timid and shy, would've been so forward and bold to get the first kiss?

"Gothy, you have nothing to be sorry for. I know that this sensitive time takes a lot out of you. It's meant for love, isn't it? You were just sharing love. Nobody can deny you the right to that."I say

"But I didn't a-ask-"He begins

"Gothy, you didn't really have to ask. You know that I love you. If anything, it cleared up the fact of where your feelings stand. And I have no issue with it."I say

He turns into even more of a blushing mess, his face as purple as a grape.

"Or are you just upset that you can't remember it?"I ask teasingly

He glances away but the way that his face burns even more and his wings twitching at the suggestion told me that I may be right.

"N-Now that you say that..."He mumbles

"Do you wanna fix that?"I suggest, lifting a book

He glances around.

"B-But you're working. What if my dad sees?"He asks

"He will just be glad that you haven't had a soul attack when you were given the news."I say

He squeezes my hand, gripping his scarf tightly.

"It's up to you, Gothy. I won't force you into anything."I say

Then a portal of glitches opens up.

"Gradient?"I call to it curiously

Blue strings leap out of the portal, wrapping around me from head to toe before yanking me through.

"Palette!"Gothy shouts before it shut

I get dragged roughly across the blank ground by the strings until I see two black sandals on red skeletal feet. I glance up, seeing none other than the god of destruction himself. Error, glitching in the radiating white of the anti-void. He frowns, glaring down at me.

Now which Error is he?

"LiStEn hErE yOu liTtLe sHiT, I'vE heArd yoUr aCtIvIty aNd I aM noT gOinG to lEt iT slIdE."He says

I roll my eyes.

"I don't care what you say or do, Mister. Gradient and PJ are my brothers and they're going to stay with me no matter what you think of them. You can't drag them around, hurt them or try to change them or whatever a glitch like you could want to do."I say

"WhO tHe heLl aRe yOu tAlkIng abOuT?"He asks

"Uhh, your sons with Ink? I assumed you meant them. You don't like my activities and I've been taking care of Gradient at my home with PJ coming every now and then. Ink didn't like me doing this so I thought you were making the same point."I say

"I dOn'T hAvE kiDs. I'vE juSt hEarD aBoUt yOu gEtTinG cLosE t0 mY frIeNd aNd hIs fAmIlY, esPeciAlLy h1s s0n. I wAnT tO mAkE sUre yOu'Re nOt a tHrEat lIkE thE pAsT nEwc0mErS."He says

"Okay, how do I prove it?"I ask

He pulls up a code screen.

"Oh! I've seen those!"I say

"hUH?"He says

"Gradient uses them all the time! It is interesting! What's that one for?"I ask

He doesn't answer, examining the screen. After a few moments and scrolling, he dismisses the screen away. The strings loosen up, dropping me.

"CoUld YoU lOoK aT tHeSe aNd AnsWeR ThE QuEsTiOns?"He asks, summoning some code screens

I nod, getting up to see what questions await me to be tested by. A few questions just show pictures of other people. Dream, Ink, Nightmare, Asgore, Gaster, etc.. I had two choices, to put an X or heart to the picture. I swipe through them, tapping on them. Once done, it got to open-ended Q's where I have to type through them all. I put in my answers and he looks them over carefully. He slowly nods.

"OkAy, nOw hAnD oVeR tHe nEcKlaCe."He says

"May I ask why?"I say

"I wAnT tO mAkE sUre yOu'rE noT hIdiNg AnYThInG iN iT."He says

"It's my gift from Goth so it just has a gem and a picture of us. Nothing harmful."I say, showing him the inside of the locket

He glances at it, then nods.

"OkAy, yOu pAsSeD. I wiLl sEnD yOu hOme nOw. BuT i hOpE yOu kNow tHat iF yOu mIsbEhAve tHat tHe nExt tImE i SeE yOu thiNgS woN't bE aS frIenDlY."He says

I nod.

"Yep, I know."I say

He opens a portal and I walk through, waving to him before he shut it.

"Palette! There you are! Goth got us worried when he said you got taken! Where'd you go?"Mr. Geno asks, running to me

"Your friend Error took me for testing. I passed."I say

He sighs with relief.

"Let's go."He says, leading me out of the library

I see Gothy nervously pacing back and forth, holding his scythe and mumbling to himself.

"Got Palette, Goth!"He says, alerting Gothy

"Palette!"Gothy exclaims, dropping his scythe and rushing to me

He knocks me down in a hug.

"Never scare me like that again!"He snaps

"I'll try not to, Gothy."I say

His face burns again at the nickname.

"Okay, now I see what Reaper means..."Mr. Geno mutters

Gothy picks me up and starts to carry me away. Pakeekee lands on his shoulder with an envelope tied to one of his ankles.

"Hello. Is everything okay?"He asks

"Yep."I say as Gothy nods

"Then why is Goth carrying you as if you're hurt?"He asks

Gothy grips me tighter, pulling me closer. Pakeekee glances to see his blushing face and nods.

"Oooh, I see."He says

"What's that on your ankle?"I ask

"Apparently our home got served with a warrant. Something about getting sued and court. Someone reported that there were undocumented crimes or criminals in the home."He chirps

My soul stops beating.

"What?"I ask

"Yeah it's supposed to go into action at sundown."He says

"Let me see that."Mr. Geno says, taking it from Pakeekee

He opens it to find a letter. He reads it before crumpling it into his pocket.

"Bunch of nonsense..."He says

Then he takes out his phone, making a call.

"Hey, Reaper. Gaster's manipulating things again. Teamed up with golden boy and Ink to make some court case...Ridiculous, I know. Oh hey, Asgore...I see. Got it. See ya there."He says, then hangs up

He glances at us.

"They're both pissed. Palette, we won't let this stand. Everything will be okay. We'll make sure of it."He says

Wait..Gaster...Golden boy...Ink...My parents teamed up with GASTER? Suing what? Reported crimes or criminals in my home...My family!

My soul sinks, not beating when the connections were made. They're going after my family again!

"Papa, I'm getting Palette home ASAP. It's nearly sundown."Gothy says

Gothy's wings unfold and he quickly takes off, Pakeekee flying beside him.

"It's going to be okay, Palette. I promise, we will-"He begins

Then we hear a loud, glitching scream in pain. Then another, familiar yell in a panic.

"Radier!"

TBC