I had stayed with Ink for a day under sixty-five years now. For the past ten years or so, candidates for the right hand position had all failed; Ink was still alone. Actually, he wasn't completely alone: I was there, I guess. Tomorrow was another choosing, and it was appropriate to say that nobody had tried this year; the past candidates couldn't find a way to capture my brother, and nobody else had any ideas on how to do it either, meaning that it was essentially pointless to try until a different task was chosen. Of course, in order for a different task to be brought forth and posed to the candidates, somebody would have had to capture my brother first; nobody could. It was currently night time, and Ink still had no idea who to pick; I had just returned from my visit with Error, and it was exciting! He had so much to talk about, and I loved to talk with him every year about just about everything! I was currently sitting on the floor in Ink's room, and he had just sat down to talk to me; he was the best. I held my Hope close. 

"How did your visit go, Dusty?" Ink asked. 

"It was great!" I replied. "He's so lonely, though.."

"Oh, he's lonely? That's such a shame.."

"Yeah.."

"Well, we can't fix that.."

"..."

"Hey, Dusty?"

"Yes?"

"You used to have determination, didn't you?" 

"Um..actually, I still do, it's just not..noticeable anymore.."

"I wonder if we could change that.."

"What do you mean?"

"Bring the determination back out, but for different reasons. In the past, what did you use it for? Be honest, nobody's judging."

"Resisting..mostly you.."

"I see. If we were to bring it back, how would you use it?"

"Any way you wanted me to."

"Hmm..I've never had determination before. What's it like when it works?"

"Well, first, the user picks a path; it doesn't matter what it is as long as determination is able to be used. Um..what should the path be?"

"Try painting pictures."

"Okay. The user decides to paint pictures for the rest of their life. Even if it's only a joke, and they didn't mean it, determination will start working. It's really hard to stop once you've started..almost like a drug. If the user tries to stop painting pictures and the determination doesn't give up, they'll be stuck doing it..for as long as it takes."

"How did yours stop?" Ink was taking notes.

"It was...opposed too much. If it's put under too much stress and can't hold on, it will give in..eventually."

"What's the best way to stop it that you know of?"

"I haven't done that much research, but in my experience, the best way to stop is to replace the determination with an intense emotion. In order to stop killing, I replaced my determination with love. If I love the people that I coexist with, why would I kill them?"

"That's interesting. Very interesting. What if you were to try to kill again?"

"I'd just have to say the word..it's too easy to start, and it's too hard to stop."

"What if I were to tell you to use your determination for something?"

"I'd do it. I'd do anything for you!"

"You're just the sweetest thing, aren't you?" Ink patted my skull; I loved that! "Well, it's time to get some rest. Good night, Dusty!"

"Good night!" Something popped into my mind. "Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Who are you going to pick tomorrow?"

"I'll decide. Don't worry, Dusty!"

"Okay." 

I lay on the floor after that and fell asleep; a dusty nightmare met me, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I wondered who Ink would pick tomorrow; surely, it would be someone who could complete the mission! I supposed that I would just have to wait and see. Morning arrived rather quickly, and before I knew it, Ink was in the process of waking me up; I met him with a smile.

"Good morning, Dusty!" Ink greeted.

"Good morning!" I returned.

"Are you ready for today?"

"Yep!"

"We've got to get an early start today, Dusty! I'm sorry I can't clean you up, but it's very important!"

"I don't mind! If it's important, let's get to it!"

"That's what I like to hear! Come, Dusty!"

Ink hurried to the door, and I followed him without hesitation; this was obviously important to him, and I wasn't one to hold back a great skeleton like him! The crowd was only half there when we arrived, but they were arriving quickly, and within ten minutes, everybody was there; that was actually impressive. As soon as the last guard arrived, the crowd was filled, and Ink took the stage, followed by me, who sat on the floor. He cleared his voice for a moment before speaking; I wondered who he would pick. 

"Good morning, guards!" Ink began. "As you know, today is the day when we pick the candidate for the right hand position; however, it seems that none of you have even tried this year. I know why. You're scared. You're scared of him. Well, I can't blame you. Leader or the resistance, impossible to capture; I wouldn't take him on myself. However, we need a candidate. If anyone stands up right now, they'll get the chance. If not, I'll pick someone myself. What will it be?"

Nobody stood. Nobody moved. There wasn't even a cough; were they really afraid of my brother?

"Right." Ink chuckled. "Right, right, right. Okay. That's fine. That's fine..I guess I'll just pick someone completely random, eh? Right. Most qualified for this year is.." Ink looked down at me. "Dusty."

"Wh-what?!" I was a bit unsettled; I couldn't do that! The crowd seemed to feel the same way about it.

"Come now, Dusty. Obviously, you know how to do the job; you've listened to every word I've said about it for the past few decades. You're even trustworthy. Take the chance, won't you?"

"B-but I.."

"Use that determination we talked about. You want to make me happy, don't you?"

"I-I.."

"Determination."

"D-determination?"

"Use it. I want to see it. It won't hurt. Just let it out. Use your determination for me. You won't have to worry about anything...I'll do that for you."

"You.." That didn't sound so bad..

"I will. You have my word."

"You will?" Ink wouldn't misuse it..

"I will."

"Okay." 

I felt my determination working. It felt good.

"Then you'll do it?" Ink questioned. 

"I'd do..anything..for you." I felt determined.

"Then do one simple thing."

"It will be done if it's the last thing I do."

"Bring me your brother..alive."

"Of course, Ink. I can do that." I already knew how.

"Right." Ink turned to the audience and gestured to me. "Your candidate for this year."

The crowd was silent; this wasn't expected by anyone. After a couple seconds, one of the past candidates spoke up.

"How's he supposed to do what none of us could?!" The guard yelled. "He's a weakling!"

"At the moment, he's got a better chance of doing it than you do!" Ink giggled and turned back to me. "Are you ready, Dusty-"

Ink was a bit unsettled when he looked at me. I didn't understand it; I had only broken a few of my limbs and started bleeding.

"Um..wh-what are you doing?" Ink was very confused.

"You'll see." I gave a simple answer to a simple question. "I'm ready."

"Okay...go ahead." Ink was silent for a minute as I did nothing. "What are you waiting for?"

"I don't have magic." I couldn't make a portal.

"Right." Ink chuckled. "Where to?"

"Dreamtale."

"All right." Ink opened a portal for me. "Give a signal when you want to come back."

"Of course."

I entered the portal without hesitation. I had no weapons, magic, or protection; I had only a few broken bones and some blood-stained clothing - that was all that I needed. When I arrived in Dreamtale, I found the entrance to the base that my brother had shown me so long ago; I remembered it like it was yesterday. Instead of knocking, I used gravity to my advantage and fell to the ground; when that was done, a few tears were in order - I had experience making those with the high ranks who liked my crying. After that, all I had to do was wait. It took no time at all, as the ones who were guarding the door from the inside had heard my fall. They no doubt had a way to see me, and the door was opened with no wait; it was the brother of their leader. One of them went running for my brother as the other transported me inside. As I was being moved, I plotted my next course of action; it would be relatively simple: capturing my brother. As I had planned it, my brother came running the moment he heard the news, and he wrapped his arms around me; in the past, I would have taken that as a sign that he missed me - not anymore. The ones around me started speaking as I continued to fake unconsciousness.

"He doesn't look so good.." Someone said.

"I wonder how he got here.." Another hummed.

"Maybe he escaped.."Yet another hoped. "But how?" 

"We can ask him when he is better." My brother stated. "For now, we can simply accept that he is here."

"I think he's starting to come to!" Someone seemed excited.

"Brother?"

I opened my eyesockets to see him and gave a halfhearted smile; he passed it off as weakness. 

"Hey.." I acted like I was in pain; I wasn't, of course. "T-took you..l-long enough.."

"I missed you.." My brother acted so genuine. "Would it..be all right..if we had some time?"

"Sure, Spec." The Outertale Sans started to walk away. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you."

"See you in a bit." Classic Sans took his leave; this was working better than I could have ever hoped.

When it was just my brother and me in the room, he gave me a warm hug; I almost hated to take my course of action, but there was nothing opposing my determination. Even if there was, I wouldn't stop; I didn't want to be near him any longer than I had to be.

"It has been so long.." My brother was weeping; I didn't believe those tears, just as he shouldn't have believed mine.

"That it has." I snapped my phalanges. My brother noticed the lack of strain in my voice, but it made no difference. Before he could react, we were on the stage; Ink had created the portal back, and my brother was instantly restrained.

"Wh-what?!" He didn't understand. "B-brother?" 

"Good job, Dusty." Ink smirked as he patted my skull; I was immediately by his side.

"What did you do to my brother?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I turned him against you, and nothing can stop me now!"

"You..you used his determination!"

"That's an amazing guess, and it's completely correct." Ink giggled."Guards, take him to a holding cell; I'll be by later, and I'll even bring Dusty along!"

My brother's expression as he was taken away was one of sorrow; it almost made me believe that he cared, but I knew that he didn't. Ink, on the other hand, looked proud of me; that assured me that what I had done was right. The audience looked quite distraught; I didn't understand. Ink stepped up to the front of the stage once more, pulling me along.

"Well, I think that speaks for itself." Ink chuckled. "It looks like I have a right hand. You're all dismissed; go back to work."

The crowd began to disperse after that. Ink turned to me with a malicious grin; I assumed that he was just happy. 

"Dusty." Ink addressed. 

"Yes?" I wondered if he needed something; I would have been glad to get it for him.

"I think I'm going to like the future."

"That's great! Could I do something for you?"

"Let's get those fractures fixed up and your clothes cleaned."

"All right." I held out my arms and allowed Ink to heal me; he was great at that.

"There we go."

"What now?"

"Say something - anything."

"You're the best, Ink." 

"Dusty, you never fail to impress. Come: we've much to do and not enough time to do it."

"Okay!"

Ink led me through the hallways of the compound once more, and we stopped at the entrance to the prison cells; my brother was in there. After a brief chat with the guards that were watching the entrance, Ink entered the cell block, and I followed without hesitation; why would I hesitate? It didn't take long to find my brother, since the guards had told Ink where he was; Ink had actually created a cell just for him in anticipation for his capture. My brother was solemn when he saw us.

"Why?" My brother had been crying.

"Why what?" Ink grinned.

"Why would you hurt him like this? Why would you use his determination to make a path of no return? Why would you take the one being that I loved away?"

"Papyrus, talk plainly: Dusty doesn't like rambling."

"I don't?" I didn't know that.

"You don't." Ink confirmed; that was good enough for me.

"What did you do to him?!" My brother was crying.

"Because I'm nice, I'll give you a detailed explanation. First, I captured him. Second, I decided to torture him. Third, I silenced his determination. Fourth, I made him lose all hope. Fifth, I started to force him to like me. Sixth, I accidentally tortured him too much and he ceased to feel pain - that was unexpected, to be honest. Seventh, I started to force him to hate you. Eighth, I started to take your old place in his mind. Ninth, I took it. Tenth, he now hates you. Eleventh, I used his determination to get him to do anything for me. Twelfth, I made him my right hand after he captured you. Is that good enough?"

"B-but..brother, please!"

"He won't respond, Papyrus. He's mine now. Besides, he hates you. Why would he want anything to do with you?"

"That cannot be true! Brother, tell me it is not true.."

"Go ahead, Dusty. Tell him the truth."

"The truth?" I didn't know which truth to tell him.

"Tell him how you truly feel about him."

"Okay." I looked at my brother. "I hate you. Is that good enough?"

"Expound."

"All right. Papyrus, I hate you with every ounce of my being; I now realize that you never cared about me, but you were simply using me for your own benefit. I thought that my brother would have given a little care when I was being tortured, but I was wrong to think that; at least Ink wouldn't use me. I was naive to think that you would care; I'm not anymore, and I can now say without a doubt that you are the worst brother ever. You were never the best; you deserve everything that happens to you here, and I will give you the same treatment you gave me: nothing. You're nothing, Papyrus. You mean nothing to me. I'm sorry I even know you."

"Then why.." My brother was sobbing. "Then why are you crying?"

"..." I felt my skull. I was crying; I didn't know why.

"Ink.." 

"What is it, Papyrus?" Ink questioned. 

"Ink, if you let my brother free from your control, I will do anything you ask. Just please, stop torturing him.."

"Oh, that's tempting, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass up that offer. Instead, I'll just make you do anything I ask by threatening your brother."

"What do you mean?" 

"Don't be so naive. I've spent decades perfecting Dusty to make him exactly how I want him; did you really think that I wouldn't plan ahead? Your love for your brother creates one of the strongest bonds I've ever seen. I figured early on that if I were to make one of you despise the other, I could then force the other to do what I ask willingly. You don't want your brother to kill innocents, do you?"

"N-no.."

"Then my plan is simple: you'll do it in his place."

"That is-" My brother was cut off.

"That's exactly right: it's diabolical. At the moment, your brother would kill if I asked him to; if you ever want to take his place, feel free - he's going to have his hands full with his position."

"You have planned this from the start.."

"That's quite right! I knew from the beginning that the only one that would be capable of capturing you would be your own brother, and I know that you'll do anything to keep him safe, including wiping out your resistance."

"You are a manipulator, Ink!"

"Dusty's called me that so many times! He used to act just like you! Of course, after I shattered his last bits of free will and became able to mold him how I wished, he became much more likable. Would you like to see what I've done with him? I think you'll find it quite interesting."

"..." 

"I'll show you." Ink turned to me. "Dusty?"

"Yes?" I wondered how I could help.

"Say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"You're the best, Ink!"

My brother fainted.

"Huh.." Ink didn't expect that. "Well, we'll talk to him later. Would you like to help me with a few boring work-related things?"

"Of course!" I loved helping Ink.

Ink was the best.

~~~chapter end woot~~~

Dust bean capture Paps bean..

Thanks for reading my loyal writing!

Bye!