Tw: (relatively vague) Description of intense agony, Blood (pretty minimal), Implied/Referenced Violence. 

—Nightmare's POV—

He crashed onto the floor, soul pounding as slime melted off him in waves. Had Dream seen him like that? He didn't... he didn't take him down when he had the chance. Dammit. 

Rage filled his bones just as much as agony as he writhed on the ground, convulsing and growling with vicious pain. How he loathed his brother. They just couldn't destroy each other. Why did Nightmare have to rely on some third wheel to take his kill? 

After all the pain and suffering he's caused... THIS is how the world gets back at him. He was just so... so furious. He flopped onto his back, bones burning as the torment of transforming threatened to tear him to shreds. He kept his jaw clicked shut though, teeth grinding against one another as the acidic slime melted off his bones. Just... just go faster!

The pain helped to take him mind off his fury, and he continued to squirm around on the floor, barely hissing through his gritted teeth. Not a word. He wasn't going to let this mess with him again. 

After a few minutes of relentless pain, he settled again on his back, breathing heavily as his weak form stopped feeling such worthless pain. Such a useless form! He could barely stand. Let alone make it to his couch to properly relax.

Tch... Killer would probably call him princess again and mock him... his brows knit in fury as he thought about it. He didn't even want to open his eyes. Killer would tota—

Killer! 

With a burst of energy, powered by a sudden wave of concern, Nightmare shot up. However, he was quick to let himself fall back down, pain shooting through his spine as he curled into himself, hissing. Damn body!!

But... but Killer. And Cross... and Horror and Dust and Error and... and Reaper. He was disgusted with that crafty god. Always looking to stir mischief. Whatever happened to reaping souls and monitoring the living souls in the world?! Now he seemed to only cause trouble on purpose. 

Nightmare would never forget that stunt he pulled all those years ago. 

But enough of that! He shuddered. Where the hell were they anyways? He hung onto whatever bit of consciousness he had, letting his wrath keep energy pulsing through him. No way he was passing out! Dream didn't get him that bad... plus, he was holding back... tch... stupid brother. Always getting jealous. 

He smiled. Well, keep dreaming! 

But really... a sigh left him as his bones relaxed. Wow... he was... not very alert. But... where was the gang? They're late. Really late. Maybe Killer swayed them into getting drinks or something. Maybe Error had to stop and strangle someone and they got held up... possible. 

He hummed thinking about it, curling further as the dull ache across his whole body began to fade... along with his awareness. He... he really didn't want to open his eye sockets anymore. Just... rest them. 

And so... that's what he did. 

—Meanwhile—

Horror knelt, coughing as he clutched his chest. What the hell! What the actual hell! Those Star Shits appeared out of nowhere and... and totally ambushed them! 

"They're gone!" Killer shouted, livid. He'd had only the closest encounter with a not-so-happy 90's nightmare. Must've been some kind of elite force... some of those guys from the prison facility.

"Cowards..." Dust murmured, offering to help Horror up to his feet. Even the quiet, seemingly disinterested skeleton was considerably damaged, bones scuffed and bloodied, hoodie ripped and wrinkled. In fact... the only untouched person of them all had to be...

Reaper. 

The grinning bastard dipped! Probably shaking in his nonexistent boots somewhere. He said something stupid... 'Gonna go reap, I think.' And then he totally ghosted them right before those nuisances showed their ugly faces...

He huffed just thinking about it... something about all this rattled him a bit too much. Nightmare was not going to be happy... not at all. 

"L-Let's go h-h-home." Error said, still settling from the practical blue screen he had earlier. The way Ink went about sparring him was... interesting, to say the least. Horror thanked Dust for the help as the glitchy skeleton tore open a portal. Soon enough they were all on the porch of Nightmare's mansion, battered and tired. 

"Knock knock!" Killer shouted as he knocked on the door. "I've got a pizza here! Octopus legs on it!" Horror wrinkled his nonexistent nose at the thought... octopus legs?

When not even a grunt answered them, Cross was the first to move, producing a pair of house keys and sliding the door open. 

They all went rigid at the sight in the living room. 

"NIGHTMARE!" Killer and Cross were the first in as the rest followed wearily. Error inspecting the walls, Dust glancing about for signs of people, Lust simply staring, jaw dropped, and Reaper—

Wait what!?

Horror whipped around, looking up at the floating entity that had followed him inside. Reaper silently looking around, eyes wide, grin downturned slightly. When did he even get there?!

"Guys! Something clearly happened here... does anyone remember that note?" Horror started, deciding to ignore Reaper as he paced further into the room. "What if... what if Dream..." 

"That would explain... a lot..." For the first time in a bit, Cross actually spoke, carefully caressing the limp, passive Nightmare in his arms. Horror cringed... he wasn't going to be happy when he woke. 

"Wait, Horror." Killer spoke up, his wide, empty sockets gazing into Horror's. "I uh... you... you don't think Dream he... he couldn't have." Killer brought a hand to his socket, fingers hooking into it as he hung his head, sighing. 

"Wh-What?" Horror felt giddy. Pain was overridden by concern as he dropped to his knees beside his friend. "What? What did Dream do?" 

"Remember why he sent that note in the fist place?" Reaper suddenly asked, interjecting. Horror went to glare at him, but the rage was sucked from him when he saw Reaper's empty gaze staring straight ahead. "The subject? His purpose?" 

It took maybe two seconds of processing before realization dawned. Horror's sockets widened to the size of entire dinner plates. Everything drained from him. He felt his soul stop. 

No. No no no NO. 

He-  he couldn't! You wouldn't... 

"C-Cupcake!?" He was on his feet in an instant, frantically looking around, trying to find any sign of you. "Cupcake!" His shouts were desperate as he searched for you. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" 

No! He didn't want to believe it! Pure terror sunk in. You weren't in your room, or in any room. You weren't outside, or on the roof, or in the bathroom, or locked in a closet... you were gone. You weren't here. You... you really weren't. 

Horror dropped to his knees as he made his way down the stairs, landing on the floor with a thud. He wanted to do so many things. But at the moment, all he could do was yell. 

"Oh lord..." Lust murmured... he really should have fought harder to stay here, it seemed. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Well... shits bout to go down... also... everyone got some dialogue in! 

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

- De Moogus