Back in the mansion, Umbra grew restless. He stood up and began pacing, earning looks of wariness from those in the house who knew what happens when he gets nervous. Lumen's expression darkened as his brother continued to walk back and forth, the growing negativity hanging like a shadow over the house.

"We should check on them," Umbra finally said, halting his restless march across the room. "Error might have had another breakdown, or Death could've killed them-"

"Don't say that!" Lumen snapped, making Umbra flinch. "Death is careful around everyone. He's very aware that he can kill any of us with a single touch, and he's never clumsy. Have more faith in him, Umbra."

Sighing, Umbra motioned to Omission. "Even so, I know you're no fool, Lumen. You can sense the negativity as well as I can, and if it's enough to make me uneasy, then surely you can agree someone should check on them."

Unable to object, Lumen reluctantly nodded to Sumi. "Very well. Sumi will accompany Omission, but if anything happens, you two will report back to us immediately. Understand?" They nodded, and Lumen sighed in relief. "Honey and I will discuss how we can convince Error to visit Life in the meantime. The least we can do for him is ensure he can fend for himself and his kids if he doesn't want to stick around."

Sumi and Omission nodded, then headed out the door. Sumi painted a pair of binoculars and began scanning the horizon. He stopped as he spied a few figures near a pond, then turned to Omission.

"I see 'em, Omi. Let's go!" Together, the inseparable duo headed off in direction of the pond. Sumi bounced from tree to tree when they were more closely bunched together, laughing at Omission's disapproving look. Despite his outer veneer of calm, Omission felt a little more than uneasy. If King Umbra was nervous, that meant he could sense something wrong. Since Error was the topic on everyone's minds, it had to pertain to him or else Umbra would know how to handle it. It made him wonder what could possibly have happened to his lookalike to cause so much distress for the kings to sense.

They were nearing the pond, and Omission suddenly stopped. He summoned his magical strings and caught Sumi in midair, pulling him toward a tree. Sumi gasped in surprise, then looked to Omission.

"Omi! What the hell is- mph-!"

"Shush!" Omission held a hand to Sumi's mouth, preventing him from speaking. "Keep your voice down. We can get a better grasp on the situation if we stay quiet and watch."

Sumi huffed as Omission let him go, settling behind a tree. "You and your spying. If you hadn't spied on us so much, you wouldn't have seen half our assaults coming in the war!"

"Shh!" Omission ducked low in the bush he'd chosen for his hiding spot, observing Error and Death. They were sitting a little ways from the pond, and too close to each other for Omission's liking. His eyelights snapped to Nula as she came running up to them with a pink monkey in her hands. She seemed quite proud of herself, and he figured it had something to do with the toy.

Omission nodded to Sumi, and they stalked closer to their targets. The two eavesdroppers couldn't see Vacía, and they assumed the worst, frantically searching for the young skeleton. They both sighed out in relief when they spotted her, but then she did something unexpected.

"Dada!"

I looked over to Vacía and gasped. She had stood up on shaky legs, and was reaching out to me with a smile. I crawled over to her and held my hands out, watching with a smile as she took a step forward, then another. She giggled in delight and continued to walk towards me, and I felt my soul leap in joy. She was walking! All by herself! Pride made me soul beat faster as she got within a few feet of me. Suddenly, she lost her balance, and my eyesockets widened. I dove to catch her, sweeping her up in my arms as she squealed in laughter. I let out a breath of relief, then lifted her high above my head and set her in my lap.

"That was great, Vacía! You did such a good job!" I gave her a proud smile, and she clapped her hands in triumph. She wiggled out of my lap and stood up, beginning to waddle her way to Death. I sat back and watched, ready to spring into action in case she fell. Death smiled as she held her hands out, and he held his arms out to meet her as she fell into his lap.

"No!"

I snapped my head to Sumi, who had run out of his hiding spot in an attempt to stop Vacía. Omission followed him, eyeing me warily and keeping his distance from us. I stood up and put myself between Sumi and Omission, and the girls and Death, preparing to defend them if I needed to. Nula ran up and hugged my leg, hiding underneath my coat. Her presence calmed me a bit, and I put a hand on her head to reassure her and steady myself.

"What do you want?" I demanded, glaring at them.

"Uh, well y'see, um, the thing is- ah, I-I- er...." Sumi stuttered, looking to Omission for help. The glitching skeleton sighed and stepped forward, stumbling back a step when I took an aggressive stance. Unfortunately, that quick movement was the straw that broke the camel's back.

In this case, rib.

I gasped in pain as a scarred, cracked rib tumbled out of my jacket, and I fell to my knees, holding the side from which the rib fell. I felt blood seep into my jacket, and looked at my hand. It was soaked with blood, and I tried to hold myself together to prevent anything else from falling off. Those damn bindings must've come loose! I guess I didn't tie them tightly enough last time I had the chance.

Death rushed over, a cooing Vacía in his arms trying to grab onto his wings. He set her down and put a hand on my shoulder and the other on my cheek. "Error! Oh my gosh, are you ok?!"

I gulped dryly, then picked up the broken rib. "I-I'm fine. I-it happens sometimes."

"Only sometimes?" Omission scoffed sarcastically. "You must be the luckiest monster in the multiverse for your ribs to be falling off only 'sometimes'."

Sumi snapped out of his shock to give his friend a glare. "That's not funny, Omi. We shouldn't make fun of something that serious."

"Right, right, I get your point. I suppose it's probably a good idea to head back, then? We can get you to a healer who will treat your injuries, and-"

"I-I told you," I groaned, standing up with an effort and shoving the rib in my pocket. "I'm fine. I'll tie it back on later, and it'll heal eventually."

Death stood up with me, then gently placed his hands on my shoulders. "Error, you're in pain, I can see that. If you go to a healer, they can take that pain away. If not for yourself, do it for the girls. They are worried about you, and so am I. Please."

I looked down at Nula, who clung to my leg desperately. I knelt down to her level, pulling her and Vacía into a hug. She pulled away, eyelights flickering with concern.

"I-is Daddy gonna be ok?" she asked, her wide eyelights looking into mine imploringly.

"Of course I am. Now listen," I brought out the broken rib, holding it front of them. "See this? If something like this happens to either of you, tell me right away. Got it?" They nodded, and an idea popped into my head. I summoned a few strings and tied them to their wrists to make little bracelets. Not too tight, not too loose. Just right for them. "There. Now if you ever need me, just tug on that little string. No matter where I am, I will come to you and that little string, and beat the shit out of whoever or whatever dares to hurt you. Ok?"

"Ok, Daddy!" Nula smiled and threw her arms around my neck, and I hugged her back. Vacía lifted her hands begging me to add her to the hug, and I gladly did so. I stood up and winced as the now open wound was brushed by my shirt, but kept a hold on my girls. I looked over at Death, and he nodded to me, starting for the house. I began following him, ignoring the other two skeletons following behind me.

"Hey, Glitchy!" Sumi whispered to his companion.

"What?" Omission answered, tempering his voice to match Sumi's.

"How long do Soul Bonds usually take to develop?"

Omission stopped for a second, then fell back into step with Sumi. "It depends on the type and people involved. Kids develop strong bonds with parents on day one. Siblings may take longer, if they develop at all, and lovers may take years."

"So in theory, could Error Soul Bond with Death instantly?"

Omission choked on air and gave Sumi a look of complete shock. "The hell?! I thought you meant the kids!"

"Well, of course they're bound to Error and each other by now. I meant-"

"I know what you meant! Why would you assume they've bonded instantly?!"

"I mean, Death can touch his brother Grim without killing him, so-"

"So, you think they bonded immediately, which would transfer the traits of one soul to the other, in the span of like, hours?! Sumi, use your nonexistent brain for once!"

"Hey, that's why I asked you. We both know I'm not the smart one between us!"

Omission couldn't decide if he wanted to strangle Sumi or just faceplant on the ground for listening to the artist's unhinged theories. On the bright side, it was often those crazy theories that ended up being the inspiration of many of Omission's schemes. They entertained him as well, and he didn't think he'd be the same if he had to live a day without Sumi spouting the most deranged nonsense he could think of.

Soon, they arrived at the mansion. Umbra and Slash were waiting outside for them, and while Error, Death, and the girls headed inside, Omission walked up to his king and bowed. 

"What took you guys so long?" Umbra demanded.

"My apologies, sire. We hit a slight snag-"

"Error can touch Death without dying!" Sumi suddenly burst out, throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. They all stared at him, and he lowered his arms. "What?"

"That's not possible," Slash stated bluntly. Omission shook his head and interjected.

"We saw a demonstration of it. Death quite literally took Error by the shoulders and pleaded with him to see a healer. The kids also seem to be immune to Death's touch, though we aren't sure why."

"I still think it's because Error and Death are Soul Bound to each other," Sumi stated loftily, snickering at the glare he got from Omission. Umbra's eyesockets narrowed from this information, and he headed inside with a sweep of his cape. Slash followed on his heels, and Omission exchanged nervous glances with Sumi.

Inside the house, I was met with a lot of worried faces. Lumen came up to us with Honey, smiling kindly.

"Error," he greeted me softly. "It is good to see you back. Now, Honey and I have been discussing some things, and we have arrived at what we deem the best course of action."

I looked to Honey expectantly, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, uh, I know we haven't really known each other long, but um, as a friend, I'm asking ya to come and see a healer. I know I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes if I had all those scars, heh!"

I looked away, suddenly feeling self conscious. Did they really stick out so much that everyone can see them? I never really gave much thought to how I look, but with everyone suddenly so concerned over what state my body was in or looked to be in, I couldn't help but feel very uncomfortable with the fact I didn't look up to their standards. I glanced around at the others in the room, noticing that very few of them had visible scars. The ones that did seemed to be from Fell universes exclusively, except for Tiberius. She had an eyepatch, and I didn't know if she had a scar under it or not. Best not to ask, though; I had no business prying into her life. I finally looked back at Honey, swallowing the nervousness I felt.

"W-will it help?"

Honey smiled and nodded. "Yeah, pretty sure, anyway. I've never been to a healer who couldn't heal me, and that's saying a lot, considering what happened in the war."

I breathed out, then smiled. "O-ok, I'll do it."

"Great! What are we waiting for?"

"Hold it right there!"

I jumped and backed away quickly as Umbra stormed in. His tendrils were raised in what looked like an offensive position, and I held the girls closer as he stormed up to me.

"You! Just what kind of monster are you?! How the hell can you touch Death and not die?!"

'I know that look,' I thought, the pain in my side growing worse as I started to tremble in fear. Glitches obstructed my vision as I recalled the last time I had seen that look on his face. It was right after I had... I had killed Inky. Tentacles had been enraged with me. He vowed to kill me for what I did! I never meant to hurt Inky! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!

Before anyone could react, Error teleported away. Lumen groaned under his breath, then turned his gaze on his brother. "Well done, brother. Now he's probably halfway across the multiverse because you so recklessly provoked him."

Umbra scoffed, his mind turning to strategy. "We should be monitoring him. Making sure he doesn't start causing trouble. If he can't be killed, how would we stop him if he goes on a rampage?"

"You just don't know when to stop being suspicious, do you?"

"I don't understand why you want to help him!"

"Look," Lumen turned to his brother, his eyelights soft with concern. "I understand that you have misgivings, but Error was brought here for a reason. If my theory is correct, he's here because something or someone, perhaps this Fate person, has determined that being here is the best thing for him, right now. Maybe they seek to help him heal before bringing him back to his multiverse. Since it was our multiverse he was brought to, I feel we have an obligation to assist Fate in healing Error. If we go against Fate, there's no telling what they will do to him."

"Oh, I see," Umbra smirked. "You think this 'Fate' has Error's best interests at heart, eh? Judging by that last part, perhaps you think it's more of a question of what if they just want to watch him suffer for the crime of existing?"

"Now you're just being unreasonable! And I am only speculating what they could want with Error! Why must you twist my words?!"

"I'm stating the obvious, which is what I thought you were doing."

"How is thinking that Fate wants to see Error suffer stating the obvious?"

"Simple," Umbra sent a tendril to retrieve Ash, who just barely flinched from being picked up. Lumen twitched, focusing his magic to be able to pull Ash out of this demonstration if the situation called for it. He didn't like when Umbra got so argumentative. "Pretend I'm Fate. See, Ash here used to have no choice but to kill everyone he cared about thanks to circumstances he simply couldn't stop, no matter what he tried."

"Wow," Ash muttered as he rolled his eyelights. "Go ahead and tell my life story, why don'tcha?"

"Let's say I made those circumstances happen, thus trapping Ash in this cycle of killing. And now," Umbra lifted him up and placed him on the table in the middle of the room. "The entire multiverse hates him for what he is and what he's done."

Ash sat like a deer in headlights as the rest of those present stared at him. He didn't like all the eyes on him, it was as if they were staring into his very soul. He curled into his hoodie to hide, feeling the tendril around his ribcage let him go. He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder, and he snapped his head up. Lumen held out his hand, and Ash gladly took it and stepped down from the table. Lumen turned back to Umbra and glared at him.

"Was putting Ash through that really necessary?" he asked, his words laced with barely contained anger.

"No, but do you see what I was trying to do?"

"Apologize to him, and maybe I'll listen."

Umbra suppressed the growl of frustration in his throat, and looked to Ash. "I apologize for putting you in an uncomfortable position, Ash. I am sorry for doing that without asking your consent." He flicked a glance to his brother, but Lumen hadn't moved or even eased the hard glare in his eyelights. He was treading on shaky ground, he realized, and he had to be more careful if he wished to voice his fears soundly. "Alright, I admit, the analogy I was going for wasn't clear enough. I'm saying this Fate may be responsible for Error existing, but that doesn't mean they like or even care for him. They could easily be as cruel and evil as, well... I suppose as much as our multiverse thinks I am. Now if that's true, healing Error won't even matter if they take him back to his multiverse, and our efforts will be for nothing."

Lumen dipped his gaze down from glaring at Umbra to consider this. "Then why bring him here? Why go through the trouble of dropping him in an entirely different multiverse if they were just going to take him back and torture him?"

"Oh! Oh!" Snips suddenly jumped up with his hand in the air. "I've got it! The other person, Destiny, took Error away! Destiny went behind Fate's back and brought Error to our multiverse so he could escape Fate!"

"Or maybe," Echo chimed in. "Error defied Fate himself, and this Fate character is hunting for him. And if our multiverse has him...."

"It doesn't matter," Umbra waved him off. "If we try and heal him and this Fate comes looking for him, it's not going to do him much good. Fate will take him back to his multiverse and force him to continue destroying universes, and what we did to try and help Error will be for nothing. Now, this is all speculation on my part as well, but if Fate takes Error back, there is nothing we can do. I don't want to start a war against a being who can create multiverses, and I certainly don't want to risk my life and the lives of my subjects in an attempt to take back something that wasn't ours to begin with. I've been suspicious of Error since he's arrived, I know, but I have good reason to consider him a threat. I just can't believe you would still try to help him if your efforts may turn out to be fruitless."

Lumen stayed silent for a moment longer, then smiled. "And I can't believe you of all people would refuse to help someone who's being so grossly misunderstood."

Umbra opened his mouth to argue, but then his eyelight fell on Ash. The hooded skeleton was sitting between Slash and Teddy, who were talking to him and helping him through what looked like a panic attack. He could sense Ash's fear, as irrational as it was, being directed at everything and everyone, and he couldn't help the pity stirring in his soul. He had been one of the few people to see that Ash wasn't all bad, and that he could be saved from a horrible existence in his AU. Had it not been for Umbra, Ash would've been stuck in an endless spiral of killing the same monsters, over and over, in an attempt to change something, anything, or end the resetting of his universe. For once, Umbra tried to consider how Error felt. He tried to see things from the glitchy skeleton's point of view, tried to see where he was coming from. The picture his mind came up with made it difficult not to feel sorry for him, and Umbra felt ashamed of himself. He'd been misjudging Error after finding out he destroys AUs, and now, the glitch was hiding from him, instead of confronting him like a villain would do.

Like Umbra expected him to.... 

At length, he sighed and straightened his cape. "Perhaps... you're right, Lumen. I have been unfair to Error. He doesn't deserve my hostility, not anymore." He looked up at Lumen, his eyelight glowing fiercely. "However, if your theory turns out to be correct, and Fate takes Error back, I'm not helping you fight his rightful multiverse to return him. It's his home, and we can't be the ones deciding whether it's best if he stays here or not. That is ultimately his decision, and I won't go to war over something that is not my right to decide."

Lumen shook his head in helpless amusement. "Now it is you who sounds like he wants to help Error."

"Don't misunderstand me, Lumen. If Error stays here, I don't give a shit. If he goes back, I also don't give a shit. I do give a shit if my subjects get roped into fighting for someone whose native multiverse wants him back. It's not our fight, so don't get us involved."

"How do you know I would do that?"

"Because," Umbra growled. "You went to war to try and bring me back from what you thought was the brink of insanity. I tried to tell you I was perfectly sane with my decision to leave Dreamtale, and you decided I had taken leave of my senses, even after you found out the truth of what happened to me."

Lumen winced. "I am sorry for not listening to you back then, but this isn't about us anymore. I still want to help Error, even if I can't count on your help with it."

Umbra rolled his eyelight. "I never said I wouldn't help Error. I simply don't want another war. Very big difference."

Lumen huffed. "Alright, fine. If you're serious about helping Error, then I expect you to apologize for your loss of temper. He won't accept our help if he doesn't feel safe around us."

"I can't apologize to someone who's missing," Umbra mumbled, pouting with his arms crossed. Lumen shook his head and began searching with his senses for any sign of Error. He hoped the glitchy skeleton hadn't gone far, but he was willing to search as far as he had to in order to help him. He didn't like seeing people in pain when he could do something about it. He had seen clearly that Error was in pain, and he hated to feel the emotions that came with it: fear, anger, hatred, sorrow. The negativity was often unbearable.

Meanwhile, Death had slipped away from the group, having sensed the fascinating soul he was quickly growing obsessed with. He headed up the stairs to the bedrooms, to the guest bedroom that Error had been occupying. He hesitated at the door, straining to hear anything beyond it, then knocked softly.

I jumped at the sound of tapping at the door, then turned away. I had been sitting in the dark with the curtains drawn over the windows, trying to hide away from everyone. I was stuck reliving the memories of before, the fight that killed Inky, and when I should've killed myself. The girls sat quietly in my arms, clinging to me as I sat on the bed. Tentacles was probably ordering my execution as I sat there. I needed to leave, I needed to get out of this wretched AU! They only want to see me dead!

"Error?"

I flinched, and looked at the door.

"Error, are you in there? It's me, Death. Can I come in?"

I looked down at Nula, who left my arms and went over to the door. I didn't try to stop her, since I knew the person on the other side wouldn't harm her. She opened the door and led Death inside, and I looked away from him as he sat on the edge of the bed. Nula returned to my lap, curling into my arms with a sad look.

"Error?" Death scooted closer to us, and I flinched as his wing draped over us carefully. "W-would you... like a hug?"

I looked back at him to find he was smiling sadly. He hesitantly held out his arms, inviting me in for a hug. Before I could decide what I wanted to do, Vacía wiggled out of my grip and crawled to Death, thinking the hug was for her. Death happily scooped her up and hugged her, and I gave him a faint smile. Soon, Nula joined her sister, and hugged him as well. I felt lonely and cold without them, and took a deep breath. I scooted over to them and wrapped my arms around them, smiling wider when I felt Death's wings fully envelope me. With a much calmer mind, I relaxed into his embrace.

"Th-thank you, Death."

He laughed softly. "No problem. I was happy to help." A few minutes passed, and Death spoke again. "Are you ready to go downstairs now? It's ok to say no if you don't want to."

I thought a moment, then nodded. We pulled away, and I picked up the girls. Death draped a wing around me and led me forward, and I felt a bit safer with him walking beside me. I looked between Death and Umbra when the reaper stopped and his expression seemed to darken to a scowl of displeasure. Fearing I'd done something wrong, I tried to back away, but Death's wing kept me from going far. Lumen approached us, his grin faltering for a second when Death trained his look of ice at him. 

"Error! Thank goodness, Death found you! I was beginning to think we'd have to go searching all over the multiverse for you again." He grabbed Umbra by the arm and pulled him in front of him, his smile getting strained and his eyelights shining with what I guessed was anger at Umbra. "Now, my brother is much calmer, and he's ready to apologize for his inexcusable behavior!"

Umbra grunted as Lumen pushed him forward, and he took a deep breath. "I am very sorry for the distress I caused you. I let my temper get ahead of my rational thinking, and I snapped at you. I beg your forgiveness, though I am sure I do not deserve it."

He smiled nervously, and I stared at him in shock. Never have I ever seen Tentacles look so... afraid. Why was he afraid? I shook my head slightly. This isn't Tentacles, I reminded myself. This was Umbra. He's not like the other him. They looked alike, but Tentacles would never have apologized, much less ask for my forgiveness. Something about that bothered me, and I scoffed.

"O-of course I forgive you," I muttered. "I have no right not to show you mercy."

He looked confused, then shrugged. "Very well. I hope we can forget any hostility then, and continue with the plan to heal you. Sumi and Omission told us what happened. It must've been quite the fight you endured for a rib to just- fall off."

I slowly nodded, inching closer to Death. "Y-yeah. The whole multiverse wanted me dead."

Umbra stopped, then looked up at me. "Does that include another version of me?"

I gulped. "U-um, y-yeah...."

Umbra looked down, deep in thought. The other him also didn't like Error? Maybe they weren't so different. But then, why wouldn't this other 'Umbra' not check Error's soul? It would've given him answers for Error's divine-ordained job, if anything. Perhaps there was something he's missing, some piece of the enigmatic puzzle that is Error has evaded him. He really wished he could meet this other him, at least so he can figure out why an entire multiverse that depended on him hated him so much.

Lumen sighed. "Right, well, let's get a move on, hm? Life must be wondering where we are by now."

Death nodded and opened a portal, drawing me lightly with his wing into it. I took a glance back at the rest of those in the mansion, noticing concerned but hopeful looks on their faces. Hearts, Geno, Outer, and Maple waved to me, as did all the kids. The girls and I waved back, and I felt more at ease. Maybe this will be good for me. The twinge of pain in my side made my smile strained, but I tried to remain hopeful. I focused on the hopeful smiles I had seen in the mansion, and took that feeling with me as I entered the portal. If there's anyone who can heal me, Death had said, it was this person named Life.

_______________________________________

mWEH-

I am upsetti spaghetti

This chapter feels... kinda all over the place. Probably due in at least some part to me getting distracted from writing every like, two minutes. But anyway, it might suck, it might not, depends how people perceive it. I've had a few comments now that said they enjoyed chapters I had deemed failures or not as well written as some of my better ones. In any case, thanks for reading, and I'll see in the next chapter!

... ... ...

I'm tired-