Author's note: I know I've talked about possible other fics but, bleh. I have one I want to do that has a similar reason to this where I'm like 'you know what, I'll just do it myself.' But the difference is there's only the one story that hasn't updated in years and I feel like I'd be stealing. Bleh, my mind. Anyways, on with the story.

So besides it being hot, dusty, and the occasional crime or shoot out there was nothing really wrong that the two could tell us about.

Disappointing but honestly expected.

"So, a dead end. Great," I said with a huff.

"Hey come on. It's not a dead end, it just means we need to look somewhere else," Ink tried to reassure me but I wasn't having it.

"Ink, honestly, I'm not staying here for some multi day adventure."

"Who says it would take multiple days?" He asked defensively, probably assuming I was accusing him of something.

"You don't watch or read western types do you?" I asked with a raised brow. There was a moment of silence as he processed what I said.

"No. Why?" He asked with an owl like blink paired with a head tilt. I rolled my eye lights not bothering to answer.

"Um, so where are your version of Error and Ink then?" I heard Gradient ask and saw Swap rub his neck.

"Uh, good question. Well last I saw Error he was talking about some... thing he wanted to look into. Honestly I wasn't paying attention since everyone was in a rush. When I mentioned Error going somewhere Ink also went off probably to go after him. Usually those two don't get along but recently they've been locking horns more often than not."

"Locking... what?" Gradient asked and Ink chuckled.

"Butting heads, arguing." He said to explain and Gradient made an 'oh' face for a moment.

"Hmm, is it normal? Like, I figure them arguing might be normal but to such a degree?" I asked. Swap looked unsure and shrugged.

"Sorry pal, I don't know. It's been busy."

I sighed. It was something at least. This version of Error and Ink probably headed off somewhere. Not together since Error went off and Ink followed once he figured it out. Now, whether what they're doing and what we need to find is connected is unknown. But, it's something.

"Any idea where they could've gone?" I asked and saw Ink's look in the corner of my vision. Probably silently questioning why I was even asking when I didn't seem interesting at first.

"Nah, but I'm sure you lot can figure it out. I'll admit I haven't been entirely honest." Alphys said which I raised a bone brow to.

"Explain, please."

"Well, I've noticed the land in the horizon would shift. It looked odd and I thought it was a dust devil in the distance. When the water suddenly cut off or sputtered out in town I realized something else had to be going on."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me?" Swap asked shocked and Alphys huffed.

"Please, you're still getting hang of the ropes. If I told you, ye would have headed off on your own to snoop around when we needed ya' in the town. Anyways, I don't know if that's where Error and Ink- er I mean our Error and Ink, went to... but maybe they went there."

"It's definitely a start." Ink said with a nod.

We headed off, as a group, back to their town. It wasn't too far to annoy me which I was thankful for. To avoid prying eyes we hurried into the main building once we arrived. I assume it was a town hall of some kind.

Upstairs and into a room we went. It was like an office, books and papers scattered, a few lanterns, and other miscellaneous stuff. There were a set of double doors that lead to a balcony. Alphys wandered to said balcony and pointed in a specific direction.

"Over there, you see those two rock formations? That's where I noticed the weird happenings." As she was explaining to me and Ink, Swap and Gradient were being a little nosey inside looking at the different scattered papers around the office.

"How long will it take to get there?" Ink asked and Alphys huffed.

"On foot, all day. Horseback, maybe an hour. Less if you run nonstop."

"Ugh, what a-" My complaint was cut off as we heard a thud and some papers fluttered to us. I looked over seeing Swap with his hands up and Gradient holding onto a pile of paper that were going to fall.

"Kid, I want to trust you. You know that right?" I asked while a slight hint of amusement as I walked inside to him to help with the pile he was trying to save.

"I know. I know. It just started tipping over." He said and I hid a laugh that tried to bubble up.

"Uh huh, sure it did."

"It did!" Gradient argued back and I snickered before letting out an audible sigh.

"I need to teach you how to lie better."

"Hey, don't teach him that." I heard from Ink and I looked over at him.

"Why not? It's an important life skill." I said with a straight tone not making it clear if I was kidding or not.

"He's going to start lying to us then."

"Then learn how to read lies better and don't give him a reason to want to lie to you. Duh." I finished making sure the papers wouldn't fall and started picking up ones that fell. Ink huffed and I heard him muttering but he also helped pick up papers before look at them.

"Hmm, a lot of maps. Oh wait..." One seemed to gain his interest and he put it on the table. It was a terrian map with several points marked or scribbled before one area was circled. It looked rushed.

"Someone was looking for something?" Swap asked and Alphys tilted the map a bit.

"Hey, it's where those formations are at."

"Well, we know our next destination." I said. That was enough for me to continue on. After confirming a few things, and getting some water pouches we headed off. Swap came along mainly because Alphys was convinced that we'd somehow endanger ourselves.

I knew that Alphys just didn't fully trust us and needed a way to keep an eye on us without it being obvious. I'm not blaming her behavior.

Off to hopefully solve another issue.

......

.....

....

...

..

.

There was definitely something wrong.

Upon arrival there was just a wall of dust, super unnatural. It was like a wall but it seemed more like it was stuck since we were able to push through quite easily. The area in general looked like a dig site but the tools had weathered so it hadn't be a dig site in awhile.

We wandered around a bit, keeping an eye out for anything odd since we remembered the map we saw.

I felt weird, a familiar weird. The same weird feeling I had during the Underswap incident. However it's wasn't as intense.

"Hey! I found them!" I heard from Gradient and we wandered over seeing him leaning over a hole. It looked like it mightve collapsed recently. The three of us looked down and saw a roughed up Error and an out cold Ink.

"Hey! Ya'll ok?!" Swap asked. I don't think that Error could see us well with the sun shining above but he, or they, recognized Swap's voice.

"Yeah, ugh yeah. We're still breathin' if that answers ya question. We're banged up though." Hearing other me, definitely a he.

"Hold on, I'll get rope!" Swap left in a hurry. I could've probably used my strings but something in my gut told me not too. I let my gaze scan the area.

Some parts of the rocky wall seemed scuffed a bit. Maybe a fight? The ground broke recently but based on how thick the ground looked I don't believe the weight of two sentient skeletons were enough to break it. Maybe they were attacked? Maybe a tnt incident since I could see a crate of the explosive tucked over by some rocks? Maybe something else?

Either way something wasn't right and we were going to find out real soon.