Chapter 15: What Does Freedom Mean?

Breakfast ended quietly, no one really knowing what to say and Error just wanted to process just is his life right now, how he is going to deal with it all, and what is he going to do with himself now.

Orbit was quick to heard the Time kids somewhere else in the mansion, he knew they would have to have a long talk about what just happened and just what Error is. After that display, Orbit knew he was going to have to tell them something, and it might as well be the truth.

Meanwhile, Error was quick to leave the kitchen and out the backdoor, going beyond the backyard into the woods. He needed to think, to just sit and lay his head in his hands and try to make sense of all this crap that has happened to him.

He barely even noticed that Null, who was carrying Void, was following close behind. He didn't even care that one of the other Multiverse skeletons was following him, just as long as he could think.

-With Orbit and The Time Kids-

"Now kids...You have to understand that some people have been hurt very badly." Orbit told them. "And sometimes because of this, it makes them lash out when they hear news or facts they don't like."

Orbit had moved them all to the living room, all of them sitting around the coffee table. Sitting on one side, the kids on the other, Orbit began to explain more in-depth.

Tilting his head, Peace couldn't help but ask. "But how hurt is Error?"

"And why would anyone hurt him?" Cloud couldn't help but chime in.

'So many hard questions, so little time.' Orbit cleared his throat, hoping to everything that he did not screw this up. "Well, Monsters and humans alike fear power, and fear those that have it." Orbit paused, then decided to go in a different route. "You know that Error is from a different Multiverse right?"

"Yeah." Gaz nodded with the others with a frown. "But what does that have anything to do with this? Wouldn't it be the same as here?"

Obit shook his head. "Different AU's have different codes and rules, different cultures. It is the same with Multiverses, a different set of balances, and checks." Orbit blinked, trying to think of a way to explain Error's job, before shrugging and deciding to wing it. "Our AU's are stable without any help needed, they fix and work themselves. This is not the same for Error's." Orbit's face and voice turned grim. "From what he gathered from his SOUL, and how he out it and acts, he was forced into being apart of the balance. Meaning he had no choice in the matter. Error was picked and formed into being the destruction, making sure that his Multiverse is not too full. Our AU's and Multiverse know when an AU has to stop growing, how many there can be. Error's does not, so he must...Take care of it himself." Orbit's frown grew tighter just thinking about it.

"...But don't you always have a choice?" TK quietly asked, face worried and scared. He was smart enough to read in between the lines, he knows what death and killing are. He couldn't imagine beginning forced to do that, he would have said 'No.'. "Couldn't he had said no?"

"That's the thing kiddo, he had no choice. Or, well he did but not really." Orbit gave a sad smile. "Fate is a powerful entity, one that is hard to change. Also take into account that there is another half to the balance, creation." Orbit never thought he would ever be disgusted by that world so much until now. "It seems that Ink's counterpart, one that Error calls Inky, is the other half of the balance, one created by Fate to make AU's." Seeing the wide-eyed looks he got, he went on to answer TK's question. "If one side keeps creating without care, the balance can be tipped too much. We never see it because our Multiverse is stable, but Error's is not. He would be forced to destroy or else his Multiverse would be destroyed in some fashion. There are many theories on what can happen to an unbalanced Multiverse, or when AU's touch, but no one is for sure. All we know for sure is that death will happen - massive deaths. So you see TK, he had a choice yet didn't. Destroy AU's, or let the Multiverse go to hell."

That's not mentioning Orbit's suspicion that Fate did something more to make Error do his job. Error feared Fate, it wasn't too hard to see. That screamed the Fate did more than just form him and tell him his job. One did not have such a look on there face, talking about and asking themselves how long it will be until they are dragged back, about someone they like, or even are indifferent to.

"He's powerful." Tick nodded, chain rattling as he scratched his head in confusion. "So why is he so hurt? Why hurt something, someone, so important?" Tick could not understand that logic. In his AU, power meant eating and surviving. You did not mess with someone that is stronger then you unless you had to, like if they were going to eat you or take your food.

Cherry immediately nodded in agreement with Tick. "Yeah! I don't understand why that is." Cherry tugged at his hood in frustration. "If he's apart of the balance, then why are they messing with it? Why is Error even here if he is needed?"

"It's like I said boys, we fear what we do not understand." Orbit sighed. "Error is strong and is able to kill of AU's. Monster would fear that and lash out, no one wants to die after all. Inky creates, it wouldn't be a stretch that he is well-liked compared to Error." From the way Error looks at Ink sometimes, Orbit could tell there is some history - bloody history with him and this Inky. "They may think they are above the balance, or maybe Inky lied to them. We do not know for sure, and maybe Error doesn't know. Kiddos, some people just don't have logic or don't use it. Some just need a scapegoat. As for Error getting here and why? Everyone has a breaking point, and Error has most likely hit him a long time ago. From what I can see, Error eventually could not take their abuse anymore, and simply tried to...give up, but landed here via Destiny instead."

"Then what is going to happen to his Multiverse?" Cloud wondered aloud in horror. Not that Error is here, but for the fact that all this could happen to another. All he could think about was that could have been him, he could have been forced to do all that and more.

The rest of the kids thought that and knew that there was a lot left unanswered and unsaid. Things only this Inky knew and only Error knew, and everyone knew they wouldn't be talking for a while.

"If the creation half will stop creating, then it will be unbalanced but stay alive." Orbit told them grimly. "But eventually they will grow, and Error has mentioned there are trillions the last time he counted and that was years ago. The AU's will touch, and that will cause chaos and destruction. A domino effect if you will, this is the theory in place that this Multiverse believes in. To be certain we would have to ask Error, only he could give us the details needed to be sure about what all would happen. And I don't plan on asking him anytime soon."

It was quiet for a few moments until Orange spoke up for the first time.

"How broken is he?"

Orbit flinched, before looking at the little Papyrus with a sadden and pain-filled face. Orbit was not going to lie, it led to nothing but pain in the end. But the truth can always hurt more in the end as well.

"He's beyond broken."

-With Error-

Error sat in a clearing, filled with wild grass, wildflowers, a few stumps, and surrounded by trees. Error sat on the grass, bag right beside him, leaning on a stump while Null was a few feet away gathering wildflowers, and Void was crawling around not too far away in front of Error, pulling up the grass with a giggle.

He hardly paid any attention to Blue, who was standing just out of arms reach and watching him with a worried look on his face. Error had too much to think about then to complicate that Classic-No, Blue, Classic's counterpart, was worried about him for whatever reason. It's hard to think them separate at times, as they share the same face with only a few differences.

'What am I going to do now?' Error sighed, looking up at the blue sky, clouds rolling by lazily. 'After death, I wouldn't have to do anything anymore right? That's why they all wanted me dead so that I can do nothing.' Error could feel a headache coming up, just trying to make sense of everything. 'So why did Destiny interfere with that? Why get involved now?' Error shook his head, he can think about Destiny later. For now, he had to figure out what was he going to do now. 'Fate will see me missing eventually, they will hunt me down no matter the Multiverse even if they don't have much power here. But...What if they don't?'

'With dying, I would have been free, why can't Destiny see that! No more fuss and everything would have been more simple!' Error mentally scoffed, only to stop short. His mind whirled when he realized something. 'What is freedom? What is being free really?'

Error could not remember a time where he was truly free, and he had no idea what being free really meant in the long run. He had thought to die was being free, but is it really? Questions swam in his skull, no answer coming forth. So he turned to Blue, who looked shocked that Error was even paying him any mind, and decided to see if he had any answers. 'What the hell, I have nothing to lose.'

"WHaT doES fREEdOM MEAn?"

Blue had followed Error when everyone else was too shocked/horrified too, to make sure that Error didn't do anything stupid in his fragile state. Finding out you are in a different Multiverse after trying to die can mess with a person, heck trying to kill yourself period messes with your mind! And this Monster did all that and more, so Blue though better safe than sorry.

Watching the taller skeleton sit criss-cross applesauce, leaning his back on a stump and just watching the sky did not trick Blue. He can feel the confliction inside the other, the way his eyes flickered in thought, and the frown growing on his scar ridden face told Blue that Error was far from okay.

But when Error turned to him and actually asked him a question, he was shocked. Blue thought that Error wouldn't even pay him any mind, being too far inside his head or because he looked like one of his abusers. Blue shivered in disgust just thinking of sharing a face with another that broke someone else. He believed in putting the blame where it is needed, and Error wasn't the half of the Balance uncontrolled it seemed.

"Freedom, huh?" Blue gave a small smile, trying to show the other he meant no harm. It took a moment before it hit Blue on why Error was even asking him. 'He has never been free before. Free to do anything.' Blue really wanted to strangle someone right about now, instead, he rubbed his head with a sigh. 'He has no idea what it means to be free and what that means for him.'

"It means you can choose what you want to do, where you live, what happens to you, and who you are," Blue told him, smiling bitterly. "Being free means you have choices, and no one else can force you to make one."

"ChOICeS...? WhO i Am?" Error brows frowned as his face twisted into confusion. "i AM eRRoR. WhO elSE cAN i BE?"

"Your name is Error, yes." Blue nodded, eyes half-lidded to hide his sadness. "But what I meant, is that you can pick on who Error is." Seeing Error's massive confusion, Blue started to clarify. "You can be Error; Destroyer of Worlds. Or you can be Error; just a normal Monster. Hell, you could be Error the flower collector for all we care. Who you are is not just a name, it is what you do and what you identify yourself with. Freedom means you get to choose that."

"....I dON't KnoW whO I aM AnYmoRE thEN." Error muttered to himself. "NevER gOt tO piCK THAT...I dON't KnoW...."

"You have all the time in the world to choose that." Blue was quick to reassure him. "You can even be more then one if you want. You can be whoever you want whenever you want."

'Whoever I want to be?' Error frowned harder, not understanding but yet wanting it. 'I'm Error, Destroyer of Worlds and formed another half of the balance to creation, I am destruction...But do I want to be that? Can I really let go of that title? Can I hold a different name?' It was just so confusing to Error, what did it matter who he was in the end? But he also wanted to be more than just the other half, to be more than a killer. To call himself something different in his head...But then what could that be? Who is he in the end?

Seeing that Error was thinking about it seriously, Blue decided to leave him to it. Walking out of the clearing, he took a sharp turn into the trees. In the shadows in the trees where you could see Error and the kids clearly stood Maple, Honey, and Daze. Apparently they had the same idea as him when it came to Error.

"You do know you could have come into the clearing too right? Bunch of stalkers." Blue couldn't help but smirk at Daze's guilty face. Maple and Honey just shrugged together.

"We just wanted to make sure everything was okay!" Daze flushed bright yellow, trying to defend himself and the other two. "I was worried, Error's emotions were all over the place and I-" He stopped when Honey patted him on the head. "He gets it." Honey leaned over with a smirk. "Besides, he had the same idea too. Ain't I right?"

Blue snorted while Daze calmed down. "Yeah, yeah."

"Oh!" All of them blinked, turning to look at Maple. They saw Maple pointing into the clearing and taking out his cell phone with his other hand. Following to where he was pointing, they all froze. Honey was quick to bring out of his cell as well. Maple and Honey nodded to each other, One started filming and the other snapping pictures like no tomorrow.

-A Few Minutes Earlier With Error-

"...WhO aM i?...DO i-" Error stopped his muttering when a call sounded out.

"Da!"

Looking up with a sigh, Error found Void sitting down about three feet away. When Void saw Error paying attention to him, he gave a bright smile and started wiggling.

"WhAT dO YOu wAnT liTTlE tErRoR?" Error asked tiredly, leaning forward not expecting an answer of any kind.

Suddenly Void got a determined gleam in his sockets, making Error freeze when he saw it. Then Void did something that made Error forget to breathe.

Void slowly stood up on shaking and unsteady legs.

Error felt numb as he watched Void slowly start to toddle his way to him, arms outstretched and a determined look on his face. Void's grin grew the closer he got, and all Error could do was watch him in shock.

"Ah!" Void gasped, tripping on his feet just when he was a foot away. Closing his eyes, little Void waited for the pain. But then large hands quickly grabbed a hold of him, stopping him from hitting the ground. Void opened his sockets to see Error's hands lifting him up. Void wiggled out of Error's hold before he could pick him up, getting back on his feet.

Error slowly flexed his hands, not even understanding why he did that. But then Void let out a triumphant yell, little hands gripped Error's knee. Void had made it to him all on his own.

"Da! Da!" Error sighed, a smile working it's way onto his face as Void started bouncing on his feet and slapping his knee. Picking up the orange-clad babybones, Error lifted him up so that they were face to face. "gOOd JoB."

"Da! Dada!" Little hands gently slapped his tear marks, before Void suddenly lit up. "Da...Da...Dadada...Daddy!"

Error's eyes shot open, his marrow running cold. "WhAT diD yOU JusT saY?"

"Daddy~" Void cheered, giggling and laughing aloud. "Daddy! Daddy!"

'But I'm...' Suddenly a blue blur slammed into Error, making him lose his breath. Looking down, Error was greeted by Null's excited face, dirt smeared on his cheeks and flowers now all over them as Null dropped the ones he collected into Error's lap when he let them go to grip onto Error's coat.

"Daddy! Void walked and said his first words!" Null couldn't contain his excitement. "He talked!"

"NuLl." Null stopped his cheering to look up at his Daddy in confusion. "WhO aM I?"

'That's a silly question.' Null couldn't help but giggle. 'Daddy's being silly!' "Daddy is Daddy!"

"Daddy!" Void voiced his agreement, hands patting the tear marks softly. "Daddy, Daddy!"

"i"m...DaDdY?" Error softly questioned, eyes flickering with so many different emotions.

Null gave a cheerful nod. "Yep! But Daddy's our Daddy!" Null pouted up at him. "Don't forget that okay!"

Hands gripped both and pulled them close, making both kids giggled as Error nuzzled them.

'Daddy, huh?' A bittersweet smile grew on the dark face. 'I like that better then destroyer. Null's and Void's Daddy, Father sounds way better than that.' Emotions and thoughts, doubts fought in his head. 'I have a choice in who and what I am, that is freedom. I chose to take my life, I did not choose to land here. But I don't want to go back, so... can I chose to stay like this? To be a Father?'

'I want to be this Daddy they look up to, but what happens when everything fails like it always does?!' Tears fell from his sockets, making Null and Void gasp. And Unknown to Error, he started to glow green, only for it to flicker. 'What will I do when this is taken from me?! I never get to keep anything good! Fate and Inky made sure of that.'

"Daddy?" Error's eyes blinked open, the green glow still flickering and fading. Void tried to wipe the tears away while Null nuzzled into Error. "Daddy are you okay?"

"...I'M yoU dAdDY..." More tears fell. "i'M sO haPpY....BuT i-!" Error choked on his tears, cuddling both close. So many different emotions fought inside him that he didn't know what he was feeling anymore. "JuSt stAY likE thIS...PleaSE?"

"Okay." Null gave a little kiss on one cheek, Void on the other. "Daddy needs more kisses!"

"Daddy~" Void agreed, planting more kisses on his tear marks. "Daddy!"

More tears fell harder and harder the more kisses that were given to him.

-With Blue, Daze, Maple, and Honey-

"He's....glowing." Maple breathed out, numbly keeps his cell out.

"But it's flickering and faint." Blue pointed out in shock. "I didn't know it could do that. I thought you only glowed green in the sockets when you are truly happy."

"It's because he is truly happy," Daze told them all quietly, smile bittersweet. "He's happy, but I can feel his emotions. They are conflicted. He's happy, but sad and so many other feelings at the same time. That's why it is flickering and not as bright."

Daze could feel the Error's happiness, but it was like a thick blanket was over the top of it. It was fighting to get out and shine, but too much was over the top of it. It was all it could do but glow out a little for a short time. It was heartbreaking to feel it and see it happen.

"He's probably drowning in doubt," Honey muttered as he put his cell away. "It's eating away at his happiness."

After a few moments of silence, Blue nudged Maple. "Come on, let's give them some time alone. If trouble happens, we'll just teleport back."

With one more look, all four were about to walk away, when a sound caught their attention and made them still in horror.

-With The Others-

"I think it would be best if we took him to Life." Death told the others. "He's been touched and cut by the blade of a reaper, Life would be the best out of all the Toriel's for this. She is the best healer out of them all."

"Yeah, okay." Red shrugged, then leaned forward with a sarcastic look on his face. "But how are we going to get him to agree to go there?"

"With him knowing this isn't his Multiverse, will it really be that hard?" Hearts questioned, leaning back on his chair as he thought aloud. "I mean, it's not like he expects us to do the same..." Hearts then gulped, glancing around at the others. "Right?"

"He does." Echo rubbed his eyes, remembering the look he got when he pulled out a chair for the darker one, then pushed him in. It was like Error was expecting him to beat him with the chair instead of just letting him sit. "Did you see the way he looks at us? There is no way he doesn't think we are going to hurt him in some way eventually."

"Then how do we prove to him we mean no harm?" Misery asked them all, raising a brow in question. "You can't just take a victim without their consent to a different place, take away their choices, or force them into something they don't want. That will just make things worse in the long run."

"Then what do we do?!" Ink finally had enough, he just wanted Error to feel better and get better. "We have to-!"

-BANG!-

Jerking, everyone turned to see a sweating Maple. Maple shot up, face painted in horror. "Error's hurt! He's in the clearing not too far from here! Dust and blood-!" Maple was able to force out, panic written all over his body.

Hop choked, nearly falling off his chair. Murder and Killer were already to their feet, Echo was out the door already, Ink not too far behind Echo. Red was sweating up a storm, running into the living room to tell Orbit. Misery harshly sighed, trying to think of a plan of action. Hearts was blankly staring at Maple like he couldn't believe what he just said. Death was shooting off to follow Ink and Echo. And Fresh jumped up and grabbed Maple, demanding answers.

"What. H a p p e n e d."

-With Error-

"iT's FiNE." Error growled out from where he was forced into laying down. "It haPPEns, IT wIlL GO baCK evEnTuaLLy-"

"It's not fine!" Blue growled back. Daze was kneeling beside Error in front of Blue. Honey was hovering on the other side while the babybones were beside Error's head. Null and Void had little tears in their eyes, worry all over their faces.

Error just thought this was drama over nothing.

"LoOk, IT hApPENs." Error would have shrugged if he was sure he wouldn't get yelled at for doing it. "YeS It HURtS, BuT i'm alwaYS IN pAIn. IT wIll ReAttaCH iTsELf soOneR oR laTTER!"

"YOUR RIB FELL OFF!" Blue exploded, pointing to the dusty and bloodied rib not too far away. Error's just looked at him unimpressed. "aND?"

"What do you mean 'and'?!" Blue hands went up as if to shake Error into sense, but Honey held him back. Daze just started to let his magic roam, to feel how much damage Error has that needs to be healed. "Your. Rib. Fell. Off."

"NoT thE fIRsT tIME." Error sighed, deciding to just let them freak out if they wanted to. He just didn't see the big deal. "OnE tImE aLL mY bONEs wERe RiPPeD oFF, I waS lEfT iN piecES. My bOdY pUT itSElF bAcK ToGETheR." Error tried to explain, only to get horrified looks back. He glanced around not understanding what was wrong with what he said. "whAT?"

It didn't help that was when Echo, Ink, and Death came into the clearing. Ink's scream being able to hear from miles away.

"WHAT!?"

Error blankly looked to the sky. 'Today is going to be a long day.'

Notes From Author - Harrish6

Error is finally accepting his role as Father to the babybones! But doubt is a hard thing to get rid of, and Error still doesn't know what is going to happen to him. For all, he knows Fate is right around the corner ready to drag him back. He is feeling conflicted, all his emotions jumbled. He has no idea what to do with himself and doesn't understand what is going on with himself.

Also, one of his ribs finally broke off! Making everyone but him panic. Error doesn't see the problem, worse things have broken off and came back together. His magic will eventually reattach the rib. Sure it will still look cracked, broken, and mangled, but it will stay on. The others know - as a skeleton Monster - that bones breaking off is not a good thing. So they are freaking out extra hard, not understanding why Error isn't as well.

We also got Void's first steps and words! Don't worry, more fluffy time with the kids will happen in the next chapter.