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abhainnwhump · 11 months ago

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IMYM Chapter 26: Backstabbing Crash: Nightmare

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Nightmare read over a set of plans while Ribbon napped on his lap, curled up into a ball. The sun began to set over the horizon, though it was nothing more than a meek light. His throne wasn’t the most comfortable place in the castle, but it gave him a sense of power. His tendril ran down Ribbon’s skull. He never made him his throne since if he was just going to kill him, what was the point? But despite the plan changing, Nightmare preferred him on his lap. Ribbon was so soft to cuddle with. He looked down at him. This must be what it will be like when he’s his wife.

He was halfway through a rescue scene before the doors to the throne room crashed open. Error stormed inside. Killer and Dust used their telekinesis to hold him back, but he threw the two aside. They slammed against the wall and it knocked them out. It wasn’t until then that Nightmare looked up. His eye narrowed at the violence toward his team.

Error turned his attention back to the dark king and growled. “WE HAD A DEAL, NIGHTMARE! YOU-”

“Shh,” Nightmare pointed down at Ribbon, holding him closer to protect him, “he’s sleeping.”

Error must not have noticed him until now because his face scrunched. He didn’t expect the adorable little doll to be asleep on his lap, lightly clinging to him. Hearing the commotion, Ribbon scrunched his eye sockets and stretched like a cat.

“Nighty? What’s going on?” Ribbon yawned and started to sit up, but Nightmare’s tendril pushed him back down. He covered Ribbon’s eyes with his hands to keep him from worrying about Error.

“Nothing of importance. Continue your nap, my angel. You’ve earned it.” Nightmare kissed his head, using a mix of calming and sleeping magic. Ribbon curled back up and slept. Nightmare snapped his fingers and teleported Ribbon to his bedroom. Nightmare slid off his throne and walked down the steps, heels clacking against the stone.

Error cringed until Nightmare finished descending. The dark king held Killer and Dust in his tendrils, checking up on their injuries. Dust was half-conscious. Killer’s skull cracked and had blood dripping down. Both were direct hits on the head. They’d have concussions most likely.

Nightmare snapped his fingers and teleported the two into the infirmary. Either Horror or Ribbon will heal them, most likely the latter when he wakes up. He glared at Error and the cast on his arm. His tendrils whipped around as he talked. “Whatever you came for, we’ll discuss it outside the throne room. You have injured not one, but twoof my subordinates. That is unacceptable, and don’t you dare involve Ribbon and put him in danger.”

Error scoffed, but he complied. The two guardians stepped into the hallway. Error’s hands clenched as Nightmare shut the door. “Now, what is it you wanted to discu-”

Error wrapped his strings around Nightmare’s neck and strangled him. Nightmare’s eye light widened as he gasped for breath. He narrowed his eye and a tendril lashed out, wrapping around Error’s torso and throwing him aside. He got to his feet.

“Real mature.” Nightmare brushed off his neck and crossed his arms. His body began to distort. “You’re either going to talk to me like the adult you claim you are, or you will leave. Make your choice.”

The destroyer huffed and brushed himself off. He gritted his teeth. “We’re going to talk.”

“Very well.” Nightmare waved his fingers and created a portal. He wrapped Error in his tendril and threw him in. Nightmare walked in more gracefully. He stared down at the destroyer as if he was less than and gestured for him to stand. “Walk with me.”

Nightmare started strolling down the path with Error next to him. The two said nothing else for an extended time, only exchanging glares. Nightmare kept his arms crossed, fingers tapping his left arm. The sky was dark with only a hint of sunlight left. Gray stone ruins and fresh grass surrounded the place. Nightmare opened a portal to the closest AU he could think of, so he didn't know where they were. It didn't matter.

Nightmare sighed after the silence stayed and his tendrils straightened behind him. “So, I’m assuming you’re here about the events in Mafiatale. If you’re still angry about your arm, you’re a little late to complain. It’s been a month. But if you're here about Ribbon . . . that depends on what you want. Which would it be?”

Error slipped one hand into his pocket while the other hung free. “No, that’s not what this is about. When you told me about your ‘Use Ink to Kill Dream’ plan, I thought we had a deal to not hurt Blue. You turned him halfway to stone!”

Nightmare had to think about it. Nothing came to mind “I can't recall any deal, maybe the void is screwing up your memory. But I could reverse the spell if you’d like.”

“Too late for that. He’s in a coma, falling down, and I don’t know if he’s going to survive.” Error scowled at him. Nightmare rolled his eye light.

“Well, if he didn’t want to be turned to stone, then he shouldn’t have tried to take my lamb. And if you didn’t want him to get hurt, you should have made a real deal with me. I’m not the one to blame.”

Error narrowed his gaze. His aura grew disturbed. “Ink's your lamb? Don’t ever use pet names again. It sounds weird coming from you."

“You have no power to tell me what to do, especially in my love life. I will call Ribbon whatever I want."

“Oh yeah, speaking of that. What did you do to him? He was sleeping on a dog bed and you dressed him like a little girl!” Error took several deep breaths to recover, still fuming.

Nightmare rolled his eye light. “First of all, it’s a pillow, not a dog bed. I am not looking for a pet.” He eyed Error’s frame, a faint smirk and a thought forming. “Unless you want to take that role.”

Error’s left eye socket glitched over. “What the- ew! Why would I?”

“Oh calm down, It was just a joke. Your attitude would make you a terrible pet. You wouldn’t be as fun to break.” Nightmare chuckled. The idea of Error kneeling at his feet beaten with a collar was amusing to him. “And second of all, his name isn’t Ink. It’s Ribbon.”

Error stepped away from him and turned his head. He walked straight ahead. He waved his strings in his hands and ripped the top stone off one of the ruins. He smashed another in a violent swoop. “Sweet? Cuddly? Are we talking about the same skeleton? Please. With Ink’s annoying attitude, I doubt anyone can make him that soft. Even with him being that skittish at the party, that had to be some kind of act."

Nightmare shook his head. "It's no act, Error. His attitude problem is gone now. He hasn’t used sarcasm in over five months now, nor has he tried to defy me in any way. We never argue because he only worries about making me happy.” Nightmare paused and grinned. “Those films make mind control look so complicated. In reality, it’s not that different from training a dog. You punish the behavior you don’t want to see and reward the ones you do. Eventually, you overwrite their entire personality until they are perfect. Ribbon's only flaws are his separation anxiety and sensitivity. But those are minor, and I will admit they are both my causing. He’s made somuch progress the last year and I'm sure he will keep getting better.”

Error stared at him the same way the villagers did when he first became a monster. He fed from the destroyer’s uncomfortable aura. Nightmare flexed his fingers so he could clearly see his engagement ring. It succeeded in getting his attention and Error froze. “Wait, what’s that?”

Nightmare feigned ignorance. “Oh, this little thing? It’s my ring. After I proposed to Ribbon-”

“You WHAT?”

“-I started wearing it. I bought a custom ring for him. Blue diamond is harder to find than white diamond, but it looks beautiful on him.” Nightmare adjusted his ring. He sensed the shock and confusion in Error’s aura. “I can’t wait until I slide the ring onto his finger at our wedding. I still need to choose a location. I want it to be a grand event. I want Ribbon covered in flowers and I want it at night so we can dance under the stars and the moon. Then when he's too tired to keep awake, I'll carry him back to our hotel room and cuddle him." Nightmare smiled at his fantasies. He's been thinking about them for a while, making sure every detail was right.

Error's eye sockets were still wide. ERROR signs danced around his vision and threatened to blind him. Nightmare chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, I'll invite you to the wedding. You can even be in the front row if you desire."

"That's what you think I care about? Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?" Error inhaled. "You said you were going to kill him! You . . . you . . ."

Nightmare tilted his head. He assumed Error would be happier about this. He never had to deal with his sworn enemy ever again. “You don’t miss Ink, do you?”

The question caught Error off guard. “What? Why would I? I couldn’t care less what happens to him! I want him dead, but I don't want to give him a slow agonizing one because I'm not a sadist. I don’t get your weird kick out of torturing people."

"Mm-hm, now we're both in denial." Nightmare laughed at his comment. “You don’t need to worry for him. This role suits him better than a guardian ever did. He’s much happier as a cute doll. I couldn’t ask for a better future queen to rule beside me.”

"Sure he will. You can't keep Ink on a leash forever, he likes to do his own thing and he's going to get tired of being arm candy. I can't even keep him still to watch an hour of Undernovela and he threw a fit when I tied him to the ceiling. An eternity as your queen sounds like torture." Error pulled more strings out of his eye sockets. They vibrated with static.

“He killed his best friend in cold blood to please me. I think I have plenty of control over him," Nightmare said with nonchalance.

Error paused and his arm lowered. "Wait, Dr- no, that doesn't make sense. . . . you killed Fresh. Oh thank the Creators. You did one thing right." Error cackled. Nightmare's mouth curved up. Perhaps there still was a chance he could keep Error on his side and wouldn't need to turn him into an enemy.

But Error noticed his smile and went back to scowling. "I said you did one thing right. I don't get everything else and I'm still ticked you lied. Wait, you haven't . . . you know, been intimate with him, right?" Error looked like he was going to be sick.

Nightmare raised a browbone and shrugged. “I don’t believe in sex before marriage, so no. I'm not Killer or even Dust. Why is that what you're concerned about?"

“It's not that itself, it's that you're going that far. It’s one thing to break someone into being an emotionless robot. It’s another to brainwash said person into a smiley giggly puppet you dress in pink skirts! You fucked over the entire multiverse so you could play house with Ink!”

Error's body glitched more. The static and vibrations on the strings became visible. But then he smiled with mischief. "But, you know what? It's not all bad. He's my enemy in the first place! I should get to decide what happens, you get Dream! I could grab him from you whenever I want. I can keep you on your toes so you know how the rest of us feel and that includes Ink-"

Nightmare grabbed Error by the collar and pinned him against a stone wall. He snarled. “If you get in the way of my plan, if you try and take my Ribbon from me, I will make it your deepest regret. I am more than willing to duel you, but the second you touch him, it's over. Is that understood?"

Error shoved Nightmare off, scratching his lower chin. Nightmare touched the wound and watched it bleed. He didn't understand how Error's phalanges were so sharp. The destroyer flipped him off and glitched into nothing.

Nightmare wiped the blood off his neck. He wanted to chase after Error, but he remembered his boys. They were still injured and they needed him, unless Ribbon or Horror got there first. He needed Ribbon right now, he couldn't imagine Error breaking in in the middle of the night to snatch him away. Nightmare teleported to his castle.

Nightmare sensed a set of auras from the medical room, so that’s where he headed. It was one of the most frequently used rooms as the Murder Time Trio always injured themselves. The back wall had a shelf filled with pills, liquid medicines, and bandages. Surgical equipment had it’s own shelf. Some were for decoration purposes only as they were two centuries outdated.

Ribbon wrapped bandages around Dust’s skull. Killer was nowhere to be seen. Dust was now awake, staying still as Ribbon did his work. The doll finished tying up the bandages and snipped them off. His sewing and crafting abilities must have helped. Dream was the healer of the Star Sanses, he couldn’t see Ink doing it. Nightmare adjusted his collar so Ribbon wouldn't see the blood and panic.

He turned around and spotted Nightmare. Ribbon wrapped the roll of bandages up and skipped up to Nightmare. “Hi! I found Killer and Dust and helped them! Are you okay? Where were you? I thought something happened to you and I got scared!"

Dust rubbed his head and looked up. “What happened with Error, Boss? What made him so pissy?"

“Error?” Ribbon looked between Nightmare and Dust. “Error was here? What did he . . .”

Nightmare raised his right hand. He looked at Dust. “It’s fine, he won’t be causing any more problems. I'll make sure of it. But Ribbon, I want you to sleep in my room for the next few days. But that should be simple for you." He pressed his nonexistent lips into a hard line. He didn't need Error in the long run. It was his choice to betray him. He planned to spare the destroyer from the corruption taking over the multiverse. But now he had no reason to. If Error became a monster under his control, more than he was now, it was his fault.

Ribbon must have noticed the tension for it was as thick as poison gas. He fiddled with the charm on his neck until he gave one of his shy smiles. "Um, I have something that can help you feel better! I'll be right back!"

The doll dashed off and Nightmare knew what he meant in a second. He glanced at Dust, who shrugged in response. Nightmare leaned against the wall and waited, holding back a smile. His precious nature almost made him ignore Error.

Ribbon came back a moment later with something behind his back. He walked up to Nightmare and waited, then he revealed a fancy black suit from behind his back. "Ta-da! I made it for you! I worked really hard . . . do you like it?"

Nightmare pretended to look surprised and unaware. The suit looked almost the same, only now Ribbon sewed on a train that went down to his ankles. Embroidery lined the sides and the same galaxy pattern covered the back. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the suit. Nightmare kissed his forehead and held his cheek, playing up a sappy voice that made Dust wince. “Aw, you made this for me? How sweet of you. Good doll, Ribbon, very good doll.”

Ribbon beamed and made a happy squeal. Nightmare looked back down at his suit and held Ribbon close with his tendrils. “Hm, you know what? I’ll wear it for our wedding. It's beautiful enough. Imagine how much people will admire you once they see your sewing skills. Everyone will see just how special you are."

==============================================================================

Minutes or hours after the guardians spoke, Error watched Blue as he slept. The void’s curse began to affect him. His shadow faded and his breathing became more audible. His stone gloves started turning black. Error couldn’t remember how he got into the void, only that he woke up as a glitch. Sometimes he had a faint memory or heard a voice, but he didn’t know anything about his past. Would Blue be the same? Ugh, he could have sworn he made a deal about Blue. Or was that a nightmare he had? Ever since Nightmare started this, he had more nightmares than usual. Some felt real, like the one where he chopped the body parts off Sans anomalies and sewed them to himself. The screw-up made him feel like a moron. Error tilted his head.

It would be so easy to take him under your wing.

He could be a destroyer like you!

You won’t be lonely anymore!

“SHUT UP!” Error shouted at the voices in the void, which had only gotten worse since Nightmare’s master plan. No, that would make him no better than Nightmare. And he made that stupid promise to Dream and the other Smiling Stars . . .

His fingers twitched as they got bored of stalling his plan. He looked down at his arm, now free of the cast. Error waved his hand and opened up a portal. But instead of an AU like usual, it was a dark blue space with white sparks. Looking closer, the sparks were teeny bits of the binary code that made up Nightmare’s AU.

Error grinned at it. Zeros and ones glitched around him, but Error could read them as easily as words. He reached out with his strings in hand and gripped the code. He’s done this a thousand times with destroying other AUs. Error yanked down his arm and ripped the code out of place.

But then an electric shock made him scream. He ripped his hand away from the code and watched steam fizzle from it. His yellow fingertips darkened from the burn.

“He cursed it, of course he did. Damn it.” Error shut the portal and stared at his fingers. He shook them to reduce the pain. It only made him angrier. There had to be something he could do to get back at him . . . oh wait.

Remembering the other part of the plan, Error opened a portal to the Doodlesphere. He had been lax about destroying corrupted AUs, Code Purples as the Star Sanses called them. But even he felt the misery of these parasites.

Something stood out to Error that he never noticed before. The corrupted AUs always stayed isolated from the other AUs. Corrupted Lustswap moved closer to Deltaswap and the malice spread. It wasn’t as dark and stormy as Lustswap, but it rotted the land. Error took a double take and lowered himself down.

Error followed along the path. What the hell was this? It looked like Nightmare’s sludge, acted like acid, and smelt like an apple orchard on a hot day, with a hit of carcasses. He didn’t know if the dead body smell came from the liquid itself, or actual body parts it carried. He didn’t want to know the answer.

He opened a portal and flipped through it like channels on a TV. Whatever that negative sludge was, it spread throughout the AU. Most of the monsters stayed away, but a few ignorant ones touched it. Error narrowed his gaze and his mind started guessing.

The destroyer opened a second portal and scanned it for a half-corrupted AU. Something had to be different, and it was. The monsters broke their code and went off script. Nightmare’s sludge leaked out of their mouths and eyes. Error found a Chara variant lying in bed, getting cared for by Toriel. Their hair darkened from brown to black and they coughed up malice. Toriel reached out to pet their head, but Chara lashed out and scratched her.

“Anomaly four hundred forty-four. . . what have you done?” Error muttered. He shut the two portals and focused back on the Doodlesphere. If they weren’t already anomalies, this parasite turned them into them. Error had the balance to keep in mind while destroying AUs, but that didn’t stop him from destroying them for fun.

He wrapped his strings around the infected parts of the islands and ripped them off. The rocks and dirt fell through the yellow void, disappearing into glitches.

Once he started, a shiver ran through his body. Nightmare would have his head once he found out about this, but he didn’t care what he thought. Error floated through the Anti-Void until he spotted more corrupted AUs. He fired his strings at them, shattering the portals on the islands. The AUs collapsed into masses of sludge and rock. Error slaughtered a dozen before he landed on a safe island, one without any of Nightmare’s magic. Even if he had to side with Dream, he was done dealing with Nightmare.

Error sighed. “Hang in there, you stupid lovesick squid. I’m getting you out of there.”

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