The Glitch Phenomenon

Chapter 6-Who Are You..?

"Vendetta Hazard Fate-bound!"

A loud exclamation burst out and echoed in the Void. Error recoiled in alarm. What the hell was that?!

But... That voice... It was Fate. His abuser, his tormentor. She had come to snatch him from the jaws of death he so badly craved to fall into.

Force him back into the role of Destroyer. The one he'd just escaped from.

Hang on. This felt... Wrong somehow. This aura didn't feel like Fate's malice.

Fate..?–no, this was Moira! Error let out an unintentional sigh of relief. This was not his tormentor.

"I swear to Irene I'm going to murder you if you threaten your brother again." Vendetta rolled her eyes in mock agony, then threw a flimsy apology at Error.

"Sorrrrrryyyy..." Error nodded uncertainly. Then he processed what Moira had just said.

"8R07H3R?!" Error echoed. "Well, yes. Adoptive brother. She's your adopted sister, don't you know? And Equinox too! I... Really like kids."

Trying to wrap his head around the bombshell that Moira had just dropped onto him, Error stumbled backwards, literally buckling under the weight of the news.

As he righted himself, he paced fervently. Back and forth, back and forth. Rethinking all of his life choices.

Like some of the readers just do on occasion. Right? The author isn't alone here, is she? Take a moment to understand that the writer just broke the 4th wall, so give it some Band-Aids.

A distinctively feminine voice rang out from the dark. "Mistress." Moira, seeing his visible confusion, supplied. "Your other sister." She sounded almost guarded.

The ex destroyer looked up to see a girl that he vaguely remembered.

Wait, how did he remember her if he just now met her? The Void made no sense at all.

He took a closer look, and tried to note what made her so deeply implanted in his mind.

Her eyes? No. Hair? No. Aura? Not a chance. Then his vision zeroed in on what lay around her throat.

There, right on her jugular, was a woven necklace adorned with a golden soul-shaped locket, much like UT!Chara's. This necklace though, was striped red and blue, the colours a striking resemblance to Error.

The locket was engraved with the same words, “Best Friend”, and there was no other visible difference between her locket and UT!Chara's. How did this girl get into his head?

"Sev, I told you to call me Mom. There's no harm in calling me by my proper name either." Moira sounded mildly annoyed, and maybe a little hurt..?

"Sorry... Mom..." Sev muttered, embarrassed. She flushed a deep red once the words had left her mouth.

She moved stiffly towards Error and stuck out her hand in greeting. "Severance." Her speech had abruptly changed to one of clipped tones and stand-offish behaviour.

Everything about her told him “Hate me; it's not going to be the first time. I don't want connections. Emotions weigh me down. Get lost.”

...Wait. He wasn't reading her like he could do usually to a normal person. A Check box had appeared that, as it seemed, only he could see.

Why was that what was in her Check box?

What had happened to this poor kid that she had this as her first information? As a summary of her life?

"53v3r4nc3. 4r3 y0u... Y0u'r3 fr0m my p457?" Error tried for the only thing that could make sense.

A flickering of surprise, then the mask of austerity went back on. "I've never seen you in my life."

The Sans–he still retained the aura-detection of a normal Sans even though he did not look like one–could tell she was lying, but chose not to pry. "Right. So, um, well..." Error facepalmed. Such a futile conversation starter. "Uh, what do you do on a daily basis?"

Severance retreated–slightly irking Error–back into the shadows, but Vendetta slung her arm around Error's neck and held him in a chokehold. "C'mon. Let's go have fun!" She let him go and sped off. Equinox took off after her and Error followed.

"Forgive my sister. She's bipolar and slightly unstable up there. But I swear, she's great. Once you get to know her I mean." It chuckled carefully then drew one of the spirits from around its neck away.

The wisp was a clear, crystal cerulean. Equinox introduced them as Clarity, and they were Severance's favourite out of the three. Apparently, these spirits were kind of adopted/fostered kids in their family, kind of not really.

Equinox called out cheerily, "Hi there, Claire! This is Error." She cast him a sheepish look. "Your... Uhm... Uncle..?"

Why was he even surprised anymore?

A brief session of bonding later, Error went off in search of Vendetta. She, coincidentally, was with the other person whom Error wished to speak with.

Severance looked to be on the verge of punching Vendetta, who, to be honest, probably deserved it. She kept on trying to steal the bone-steel dagger that Severance was spinning skilfully.

"V3nd3774, c0u1dj4, uh..." Error was at a loss for words, but Vendetta understood and left the duo alone to talk it out. Equinox, Moira and she clearly knew something that Error did not.

Severance gave a curt nod in thanks, but spoke naught. "P13453. 1 w4n7 70 kn0w. 7311 m3." Error pleaded.

Her expression softened, and when she spoke, her tone had done so too. "Error, you don't want to know everything. Really." He moved fluidly towards her, the first threatening move he had made from the moment he had set foot in the Void.

"8u7 1 d0. C105ur3, 47 7h3 13457. 1 kn0w y0u, 8u7 1 d0n'7 r3m3m83r h0w 1 kn0w y0u." Severance, held by Error, startled by his reaction but at the same time weakened by it, relented.

So she told him.

About how he was her best friend since they were soullings. About her real sibling, Ink, and how she hated him. About why she had left him.

By the time she had finished, Error, who had been soundless the whole time, finally uttered a muted sob.

"1-1 c4-c4n'7...-Y0u c4n'7 p-p055181y..." He cried tears that glazed over his tear tracks. Severance patted his shoulder awkwardly, then, letting her emotions take the wheel, pulled him into an embrace.

She shuddered at how surreal this was. Her supposedly dead brother tormenting her childhood best friend to the point of suicide. She had mourned Ink. Grieved for his dusting.

But Error was here now and that was all that mattered.

And she would protect him. Unlike the last time, in their home. Unlike the other times, in his Multiverse. This time, she would be here for him.