From Murder to Dust

39 - Execute

We were sitting in the cell, awaiting the inevitable. Papyrus and I confirmed his and Chara's job when we were gone, which would be taking care of Horrortale and keeping an eye on the multiverse; somebody had to do those things after we were out of the picture, and they volunteered for it without haste. They would miss us, but they would get over it; I hoped. Papyrus and I had been through this before; we were seasoned, if that even made sense - I was insane, meaning that it didn't really matter. Paps is the best. I blamed this mess on myself, and I could see that the others were silently blaming themselves as well. I wasn't scared of death, but I could see that the others were, at the very least, discomforted by it; I felt bad for Error the most, since he couldn't die, rather being locked away for the rest of eternity. Nobody deserved that - not even Ink. Paps and Chara would also try to spread negativity when they noticed everybody suddenly getting happy, which meant everything, for the most part, was taken care of; I wasn't scared of my own death, but I was frightened of the others dying. I would accept my fate.

"I'm scared." Killer was crying.

"I know, Killer." Nightmare wrapped his arms around the scared skeleton. "I know.."

"Can I..call you..please?"

"I guess it doesn't matter at this point."

"I love you, Dad.."

"I love you too."

"So when's i' gonna happen?" Horror sighed.

"L-let's not th-think about that.." Cross was lying on the floor. "The t-time we have left i-is what's imp-important."

"They're going to make me watch.." Error was silently weeping.

"Dad?" Killer asked.

"Yes, Killer?" 

"What about Dusty?" 

"Dust? What- oh. Oh my."

"Somethin' wron' with 'im?" Horror was confused.

"I-is Dust okay?" Cross worried.

"I don't think magic deficiencies affect death." Error looked up from his crying. "Do they?"

"Not all of them..." Nightmare looked to me, receiving a small nod; it was as good a time as any to reveal a long kept secret. 

"What do you mean?"

"I can't dust." I sighed.

"Um?" Horror was unsure. "Ain't that impos'ble?"

"It would take too long to explain everything I know about it, but it's true."

"B-but how?" Cross questioned. 

"There's a certain type of magic that produces dust. I lost it. End of story."

"How do you lose that?" Error was curious.

"A severe magic deficiency."

"How exactly did you get that condition, anyway?"

"Can we maybe not talk about that?"

"Sorry."

"Dad?" Killer seemed to be losing control of his emotions again, and they had taken our communicators.

"Yes?" Nightmare noticed.

"Is it gonna hurt?"

"I don't know."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"If..if we're going to...c-can we say things we've never said..before?"