Of Soulmates and Bonds - Errorink

24. Balance

What's happening?

I don't know

Are you alright?

Yes. Are you?

Yes.

Good.
...I know things I didn't before.

Me too. Do you think this means...

Probably. I don't think it could be anything else.

Well, I'm glad it's you.

Me too. I wouldn't want anyone else.

I promise, soulmate, I'll cherish you forever.
I love you.

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Sans brought a hand to his skull and rubbed it, hearing a ringing sound all around. The battle hadn't stopped, no one had noticed anything. The shockwave had been small, only spreading for about ten feet, but it had been potent enough to send Sans flying; he had been standing really near the center of it.

He then realized he didn't have Ink in his arms anymore and opened his eyes to find him; both him and Error were laying down a few feet away. Sans shakily got to his feet and went toward them: they needed him!

When he was near enough, he started calling them: "Error! Ink! Please tell me you're okay!"

Error opened his eyes, and Sans startled: his eyes were completely white.
The Destroyer got up without difficulties, glitches gone and face blank, and then took Ink's hand in his, making the Creator wake up as well: his eyes were black, and his face was also expressionless, but Sans could tell it was different from before, though he couldn't explain why.
Error gently pulled him up, and Ink got to his feet gracefully, putting the doll he was still holding (somehow) in his pocket.
They faced each other in silence for a few moments, then both turned to Sans and said in unison: "You should sit down. You seem tired."

"Uh, sure." Sans replied, stunned, and carefully lowered himself on the ground. He didn't know exactly what was happening, but it felt like, whatever this was, was a long time coming.

The duo gave him a satisfied nod, then started looking for something. After finding it, they put their hands forward and created two portals in midair, one made of ink, the other made of glitches, and the Guardian twins fell out of them.

"Children of Nim" they told the confused brothers "You have to stop fighting."

Hearing that, Dream looked so flabbergasted that he let go of his staff, making it fall to the ground. Nightmare thought it was a perfect opportunity to stab him in the back, but thick blue ropes stopped him from moving. This time he couldn't even wriggle a bit.

"What did we just say?" They sounded annoyed. They glanced at Dream, as if to check he wasn't doing anything, but the positive Guardian was still frozen in shock, murmuring something about "bonds".

"Good. This has to stop. For too long, the Balance has been ignored. Life and Death know and embrace their roles, and Chaos and Order have tried their best, but us four have all been guilty of upsetting the scales. Positivity," they turned to Dream, and he jerked "with your ignorance and carelessness, you allowed your brother to be disparaged and isolated when you were both young, causing his corruption."
Dream did what? There was no way! And yet, the other looked down ashamed, blinking back tears.

"But," Dream looked back up. "you were still a child, and didn't know any better. You were both left on your own, and didn't have anyone to guide you. Even still, the time you spent encased in stone is more than enough atonement. Negativity" Now they were looking at Nightmare "your duty isn't to send the Multiverse into despair, it's to balance and complement your brother, just like he has to balance and complement you. Your corruption was a traumatizing event, and it's understandable you'd get overwhelmed and create Imbalance in the aftermath." They narrowed their eyes. "At first. Enough time has passed, and you're now in complete control of yourself" Dream gasped loudly at that. "You have been for a long time. You have no excuse. You know your role, and you should stop antagonizing your soulmate like this." Did they mean Dream?

"What you did now, with the Omega Timeline, is unacceptable. You've gone too far. Rest assured, we will not allow you to disrupt the Balance any further. THIS IS YOUR ONE AND ONLY WARNING." For a moment, their voices made Sans' whole body tremble, but it stopped as soon as it began.

"We also were ignorant of our role. We also made mistakes. Creation and Destruction should be the last bastions of the Multiverse, the ultimate judges and executioners, the keepers of the Balance, and yet we were lax. No more. We will right our wrongs, starting with this."

Ink let go of Error's hand, and grabbed Broomie from his back. Sans felt afraid, remembering what happened in Hotland, but the Creator just started twirling and spinning his brush, moving it in a hypnotic way. Black inky portals appeared all around, taking away all of Nightmare's soldier and leaving anyone else alone. It was over in less than a minute. People around started cheering, but no one seemed to realize that Ink was the one responsible, as no one turned to look their way.

Ink sheathed Broomie, and took Error's hand back. They then looked back at Nightmare.
"Go back to the AU you claimed as your own, and don't you dare try to do anything like this ever again. We'll be watching."

Error freed him from his strings; Nightmare looked enraged, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He realized he was outnumbered, so he created his own portal and, with one last glare at Dream, disappeared.

Dream looked at Blue: was it really over? Everyone was celebrating. All the joy and hope around him made him smile wide, giving him back his strength, and his friend smiled back. A grunt and a spike of desperation made him come back to reality.
The Creator and the Destroyer had finalized their bond (they were soulmates! It actually made a lot of sense in hindsight) and were back to normal, but that meant that Ink couldn't keep himself upright anymore, and had become catatonic again. Error had managed to catch him, and was holding him in his arms, but it was making his haphephobia act up a lot, causing him immense amounts of pain.

Dream and Blue quickly went to help them, but when Error saw them come near he just glared and hugged Ink tighter, making himself glitch even more. Dream took a step forward and Error actually growled at him.

"Error" Blue started speaking and Dream let him, as the Destroyer trusted him more. "It's just me, Blue. I want to help you. If you just let me hold Ink I'll-"
"ภᗝ!(NO!)" Error's protectiveness increased.

Dream was grateful the other was so exhausted, otherwise he would have probably tried to fight them.
The thought made him feel a little guilty.

"Don't worry, Error." Frisk had appeared beside Blue, making the latter jump a little, holding Ink's book in their hand. Error felt a twinge of antipathy. "You can keep holding Ink, you just need to follow me. I know how to cure him."
Error's hold relaxed a fraction.
"tＥ𝔩𝔩 爪Ｅ!(Tell me!)"

The child opened the book and took out the first page, a light yellow one; Dream felt Blue experience a realization. Frisk held the page up.

"This page is a portal to the Doodlesphere. Its ambient magic will help Ink."