From Murder to Dust

ATE - 1 - Sticks

I tripped.

I fell as silently as I could, hoping to not alert Error's heightened sense of hearing, but it didn't work out as I'd hoped. He heard me, and he quickly turned to help me up; I could barely find the strength to move, let alone run more. Even the kid looked distraughtly at my condition. Unfortunately, the guards quickly caught up with us, and we were surrounded. 

We had failed.

"Good job!" Ink smirked. "You practically locked your own cage again, Error; compassion is a weakness."

Error sighed; he wasn't escaping today.

"Take the prisoner back to his cell, lock the child with the others, and bring the skeleton to the interrogation room; I'd like to have a little chat with him." Ink ordered.

"Yes, Sir." The guards did as they were told, and our group was separated; that wasn't good.

The kid was teleported away from us quickly, and rather forcefully; they were a pretty tough kid, but the guards were stronger. Error and I didn't receive the luxury of teleportation, instead being walked back through the hallway. Since I had used virtually all of my energy, I didn't have to walk; I was instead dragged across the sharp rock floor, and it didn't exactly feel great. Error's sadness was evident: he had been locked away all this time, just to see another failed escape attempt. I felt so sorry that I had ruined the escape; if I had fallen softer, or even just kept running, maybe things would have been different..our situation was my fault, and nobody else's. I should have done something! I eventually went unconscious as we continued our trek through the hallway, but I refused to enjoy my dusty nightmare; I messed up what could have been our only chance, and I did it in the worst way possible. Now we were all captured. If it was only me, maybe the others would have been able to do something, but all I'd done was make a mess of it. Ink would probably kill me, and I wouldn't come back again. I worried about Papyrus; what would he have thought? I didn't know. When I finally awoke, I found myself in a room similar to the interrogation room I was familiar with, but there were a few differences: there were weapons lining the walls, and my feet and hands weren't restrained. Ink sat across from me.

"So." Ink began. "Sans, is it?"

"Once.." I hadn't looked up; I couldn't bring myself to look anyone in the eyes after my failure.

"You made it pretty far; I'm impressed. For a moment, I almost thought you would make it. Fortunately for me, you didn't. Are you part of the resistance?" 

"Perhaps.."

"Partially?"

"That term would fit it better.."

"I see. Your plan was to send a Sans and a child to rescue the prisoner, correct?"

"That's obvious.."

"You must be strong for them to select you; perhaps you volunteered for a sacrificial mission, willing to rescue him at all costs?"

"If it came to that.."

"Indeed. I bet you would make a great addition to my army."

"I'm not joining any army. I came to do one thing, and I failed; that doesn't mean I'm switching sides."

"Interesting. I've heard that from so many of my loyal soldiers. Tell me: are you aware of how I run my empire?"

"Not particularly.."