The next day, Nightmare is still fuming, though that pesky worry is also starting to come back. "Be back soon". How soon is soon? It's infuriating. Then again, this is exactly the kind of behavior that Nightmare would expect from Error. The Destroyer would randomly pop into the mansion whenever he felt like it, and leave without a word when he has to work.

     Currently, the King of Negativity is sitting in his room and playing with the music box that Alloy had given him, out of sight from the rest of the gang. He's seated at a desk and carefully dismantling pieces of the delicate contraption. No one would guess at how nimbly his fingers maneuver the intricate pieces. He's trying to see what size of cylinder and comb it has. Nightmare likes to keep extra parts for his music boxes, including the ones hidden underneath his bed.

     When the door to his room crashes against the wall, Nightmare's various limbs freak out on instinct. One tentacle launches a screwdriver at the door, missing the intruder by an inch, and burying itself into the wall. Another lashes out and knocks over a shelf. Nightmare himself accidentally squeezes and cracks the comb for his new music box in between his fingers.

       "God fucking damnit! Someone is going to DIE!" Nightmare screams out in a rage. He drops the music box and slams one fists against the desk before standing up. He glares down threateningly at the other Skeleton, tentacles twitching to grab something. Dust yelps and stumbles back before falling on his butt in the hallway. He forgot to knock. Nightmare storms towards him with very ill intentions.

     "W-Wait! Alloy came back! He just teleported into the living room, I swear! Pl-please don't.....," Dust tries to defend himself, but trails off when boss marches past him. Dust sighs in relief. He thinks he's off the hook.

     Then, a tentacle reaches down and latches onto Dust's hood. Nightmare proceeds to drag him down the hall. He only raises his tentacle a little bit when they go down the stairs. Dust is whining and protesting with every lurch down the steps. When they get to the living room, the others are all gathered around one of the smaller couches. Killer and Horror immediately scoot away from the back of the couch after they see their boss coming, Dust dragging behind on the floor.

     Nightmare doesn't say anything at first when he looks over the cough. Sure enough, Alloy is back. He's flung himself down on the cushions, brush discarded on the floor, and one arm thrown over his eyes. Alloy only looks over when the conversion around him suddenly stops.

      "Oh, hey, NiGhtmare," Alloy hums tiredly. He then replaces his arm and attempts to nap again. Said tar Monster hisses like a whole pit of snake at the dismissal. He grabs onto Alloy's hood this time and dangles him up in the air. Alloy perks up and giggles, hanging limpy.

     "And just what do you think is so funny!? Where the hell did you go?" Nightmare demands.

     "AwwW! You werE worried abOut me," Alloy laughs again. Nightmare instantly drops him back onto the couch in utter disgust. "I juSt had a feW errandS to run, gaVe Blue hiS gift........ anD I got attacked agAin," Alloy says casually.

     Nightmare looks Alloy over for injuries before answering. "And what do you want from me? Pity? Should'a thought of that before pulling a disappearing act." The words are meant to hurt, fitting Nightmare's nature. Despite the rot surrounding his soul, he feels suddenly bad when Alloy winces at the harsh words. Why does this dimwitted creature have such an effect? "Dream said he knows where we can find more information about your stalker," Nightmare sighs, "We're supposed to meet with him in DreamTale."

     "ReAlly? When caN we Go?" Alloy practically falls off the couch in his haste to get up, avoiding knocking into Cross at the last moment. He, Killer, Horror, and Dust have been quiet, letting boss vent. Nightmare had never actually seriously hurt any of them, but he's done plenty of horrid things to other Monsters who annoyed him.

"We're going now, before I loose track of you again," Nightmare says.

"CaN wE go pick uP Blue first? I told hIm I would!" Alloy asks like an over excited kid looking up to their parent.

"Blue? A Blueberry Swap Sans? You must mean the one that Ink favored. Gross. You'll be the one responsible for it........." Nightmare isn't entirely thrilled. He's only seen Blue a few times in person.

     "YoU'll love hiM! Destruction oNce kidnapPed him, so they're frienDs, too," Alloy says absentmindedly as he opens up a portal. Nightmare blinks, not quite sure if he heard Alloy right.

They walk through the portal and end up back in Snowdin. Alloy giggles as he kicks up some snow into the air. It reminds him of the first time he was here. Nightmare's mood is still soured. He follows behind the god, not impressed. He doesn't particularly care for walking through snow, and for some reason, it seems to take extra effort. A few inhabitants of the AU give the strangers many startled looks. Alloy doesn't mind, walking right up to the skeleton bros' house and knocking loudly. There's a loud crash from inside before someone comes thundering towards the door.

"Alloy! You're okay! I was so worried about you," Blue yells as he rips the door open. He makes a move to hug Alloy, but then jerks back. Blue has always been a very affectionate Monster. It's hard for him not to show it, but Error taught him a lot about respecting personal space.

"ThEre was nO neeD to worry! I left right after yOu," Alloy tries to be reassuring, "AnD Blue, this is NightmAre, a good frIend of tHe DestroYer's."

"It's nice to meet you officially, Nightmare! Any friend of Alloy's is a friend of mine," Blue happily holds his hand out. After all, there are no more sides. There's no reason they can't all be friends, and the bad guys are most likely just as misunderstood as Error was.

"Yeah, sure," Nightmare says. Instead of directly shaking Blue's hand, he flicks a tentacle forward and takes Blue's wrist in that. Nightmare was hoping to either disgust or scare the small Monster. Instead, Blue's eyes widen in curiosity. His eyes trail over to the other three protruding from Nightmare's back, and then down to the ground.

"Oh! Hello, other new friend. I did not see you on the ground, please accept the Magnificent Blue's most sincere apology." Blue feels bad for his poor observational skills. Nightmare and Alloy both look down in surprise. One of the King's tentacles are still latched on to something. Dust looks up meekly from his hood, hands in his pocket. There's a rut in the snow from where he's been dragged from where Alloy opened the portal.

       "Did-...... Did you let me drag you here!?" Nightmare gawks. He pulls Dust up and sets him on his feet.

     "You forgot to let go. I figured I'd just stay quiet since you seemed so busy," Dust shrugs, "And hello. Blue, was it? Call me Dust". He takes Blue's hand that had still been hanging in the air. The swap smiles happily.

"Well, there's no point in sending you home now. You'll just come help us ransack Ink's old office. I assume Blue is coming as well?" Nightmare looks to Alloy for an answer.

"Can I!?" Blue's eyes shift to stars. It makes Dust look twice.

"OnLy if yOu want to!" Ally laughs.

     Blue opens the door back up and shouts inside, "Pappy! Alloy and I are going to see Dream! I'll be back in a bit!"

     "Alright Bro, just be caref- Wait! Is that Nightma-" Blue slams the door before his brother finishes talking.

     "Open the portal. Now".

     Alloy is still smirking when they arrive in DreamTale.