Squid's Scribbles

Cross was leaning against the back of the couch, watching as Dust watched some random video on his phone. It was a rather calm day, with Dream and Blue hanging out with the gang. Dream was chatting with Killer about something, Horror was listening as Blue intently explained the deep lore behind Fluffy Bunny, and Nightmare was sitting on the couch, reading a book. Even Chara was being relatively quiet.

It had been a few years since the Truce had been established. Since then, the two twins had made up, which eventually led to everyone else becoming closer. It was… nice, to Cross. Not having to fight all the time, not having to worry about too many injuries. Sure, there was the occasional outcode that decided that causing the destruction of the Multiverse was their job, but they were few and hardly ever caused any real damage. Other than that, though, things were relatively calm.

...Which is why it was weird when Ink ran into the living room from a portal, a panicked look on his face.

"Ink?" Dream began, cutting off his conversation. "What-"

"No time to explain, I need all of you in the Doodlesphere NOW! One of the creators, they're- they're destroying EVERYTHING!"

He didn't wait for an answer before jumping through another inky portal, leaving a very confused set of skeletons. A silence hung around the room as everyone processed what had just happened.

"Well…" Nightmare finally spoke up. "You heard the man. Weapons!"

Cross was the last to enter the portal to the artist's domain. He froze at the sight before him.

The Doodlesphere was composed of many, many islands, each containing it's own AU. Usually, they all floated peacefully, creating a uniquely breathtaking view. Not today, though.

In the midst of the floating islands stood a creator, their status made clear by their gray skin and lack of facial features, other than a mouth. They wore a red cape that faded to black wrapped around their shoulder, pinned on the opposite side. It bellowed around them as they destroyed another AU with their black-colored magic. Their faded blue sweater was stained with dirt from the destroyed islands, their mismatched shoes colored gray with ash.

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of them, however, was their half melted face, the edges turning to an inky substance that dripped down their face and onto the ground, burning the ground as it touched.

"Glad I'm not the one fighting that thing," Chara said, causing Cross to glare over in annoyance. He quickly went back to the Creator, though, as another island was destroyed.

Ink rushed up to the group as Cross continued to stare. He panted, using Broomie to hold him up as he quickly dished out orders.

"Gang, distract them. Stars, we gotta protect the AUs!"

With those incredibly vague instructions in mind, the two groups split up. Cross rushed forward, waiting until he was about 50 feet away to fire a blaster at the Creator.

Their head flashed towards him, and immediately they lunged. Cross jumped to the side, only just managing to avoid being knocked down. They were about to leap at him again, until they were impaled by a set of white and purple bones. A knife flew towards them next, followed by a tentacle.

As each attack hit, the Creator hissed, their inky face seeming to bleed out faster.

"ABOMINATIONS!" They screeched, sounding like a broken tape player. Their voice bugged and glitched, similar to Error's.

"None of you should be here! NONE OF YOU!" They summoned an ebony colored hammer, it's end dripping in a similar fashion to the face. It reminded Cross of the way Killer's face dripped with liquid determination.

"I DESERVED to be on top! My creation was the best! And yet it was buried and forgotten, because of glitches like YOU!"

They swung the hammer at Dust, who only just managed to teleport out of the way. He summoned a flurry of bones, allowing them to fly at his attacker.

"Stop standing around, Cross! Go do something!" Chara complained.

"Says you," the skeleton muttered. "All you do is float around." He didn't give the child a chance to respond before rushing forward to help Horror. He had managed to get close enough to take a swing at the Creator with his axe, but had just taken a hit as the hilt of the hammer was jammed into his side.

"You okay big guy?" Cross asked, helping him to his feet.

"'M fine," he replied gruffly, stumbling for a moment as he regained his footing. "Chest… hurts." Cross took a glance at it.

"Shoot, dude, you're bleeding." Horror glanced at his now soaked shirt. He lifted a corner, revealing a rib coated in a series of cracks similar in shape to a spider's web.

"...Fine for now… Won't dust." Cross frowned, but nodded.

"Okay just- leave if you need to, okay? I'd hate to see a friend die." The last part was muttered, though it seemed Horror heard him anyway.

"Don't worry… I won't."

Cross gave the big guy a pat on the back before rushing back into the fray. He dodged a swing of a hammer, quickly sending forth blaster before ducking back down.

He risked a glance at the Stars. They had a few of the AUs with less destruction repaired. It seemed they were making alright progress.

Unfortunately, the Creator saw Cross's split second glance, and followed his gaze. They bellowed in anger at the sight of their destruction being reversed.

The Creator began to bring their hammer up, moving closer to the AU as they did so. Cross quickly teleported onto the island, summoning a wall of bones to protect it.

To his horror, though, the hammer smashed right through the bones, slamming him to the ground and breaking apart the island.

"NO!" Someone screeched, though Cross couldn't tell who it was. His vision went blurry, but he could hear shouts as Nightmare pulled the Creator's attention away from Cross with a few magical attacks.

Chara floated in front of the skeleton, eyes wide.

"Cross? You dying?" They paused as Cross weakly coughed, shoving himself upwards. He shook his head.

"Good," Chara responded. "I'd hate it if you died. I need your soul to live."

"Screw you too," Cross said, wiping the sweat off his face. He made it to a kneeling position.

He looked back to the fight. The others were taking turns trying to distract the Creator, this time with the Stars helping. Cross shakily stood, summoning a knife, when-

There.

The Creator's back was turned away from him, leaving them extremely vulnerable. Cross teleported halfway there, not trusting his damaged magic to take him the rest of the way. He began stumbling towards them.

He was almost there, he could see the exact point he was going to hit. He raised his knife, preparing to strike, body coursing with adrenalin.

And then they turned.

Before he could even react, the Creator had summoned a glowing red knife and stabbed it through his eye socket. It burned, searing hot pain surging through him and making him let out a scream before he was sent flying backwards by their hammer slamming into him.

His vision blurred as he attempted to look up at the figure approaching him. He could've sworn he saw something flying towards the back of the Creator, but the being didn't even flinch. They raised a hand, and a beam of red appeared above them, bearing resemblance to a charging Gaster Blaster.

Cross tried to stand, to get out of the way, but his entire body screamed out in protest. He was going to die, he realized. He couldn't escape. He was trapped.

"Well," Chara muttered, being very helpful as they sat to watch Cross get dusted. "Nice knowing ya, bud."

Cross attempted to swear at the child, but all that came out was a broken cough.

The beam of magic was sent flying towards him, and he closed his eyes, waiting for death to take him.

Except, instead of Reaper appearing, Nightmare did. He teleported in front of the guard, his body shielding him from the blast.

Nightmare screamed in pain. Cross could only watch in horror as his boss began to fall to the ground, body starting to dust before he even hit.

Everything else seemed to dim as Cross jumped forward, the sharp pains coming from his body ignored as he tried to catch Nightmare.

All he caught, however, was Nightmare's dust.

And in the middle of the pile was his soul, the black apple he had eaten all those years ago.

Cross felt a burst of magic pulse through him as the apple disappeared. He suddenly felt dizzy, unable to so much as turn his head without the entire world spinning.

"NO!" Chara screeched from beside him, but he couldn't look. He felt much too ill, almost as if-