Chapter Text
Outertale has always been a positive-alligned AU. Nightmare knew that. He also knew about this "party" it's residents were hosting. "To boost the multiverse's moral!" They had said.
Nightmare had scoffed when he caught wind of the news. As if the multiverse needed more positivity right now. Dream, as annoying his brother was, was good at his job. Spreading positivity like a disease. Leaving it to fester in neutral AU's, and even leaving imprints on some of Nightmare's negative AU's.
It was... Exhausting. The Guardian of Negativity would never dare to even whisper it out loud, but he was losing. The scales of balance were tipped, and they weren't in his favor. No, they were in his Brother's favor. Everything has always been in Dream's favor, so why change now?
Nightmare chews on the brewing mix of bitter jealously in his chest, before letting out a long breath. Unfortunately, his own negativity was never self-sustaining. The sigh catches his subordinate's attention, however. Killer glances over with the faintest tilt of his head, and Horror reacts similarly. Dust merely twitches, but keeps his focus on the crowded AU that's called Outertale. Cross is the only one who completely hides any outward reaction to his Boss's sigh, thought Nightmare could still feel the mixed confused anticipation that bloomed from him. Not positive enough to draw any discomfort, but not negative enough to feed on either.
"Boss?"
Killer prompts, speaking before the others as always. Though it's most likely due to Killer being by his side the longest, he's grown a bit of a backbone, Nightmare muses. Cross had come afterwards not long after. Then Nightmare plucked Dust out of his barren Underground after such a heavy spike of negativity that it drew his attention. Finally, because it seemed Nightmare had a knack for picking up strays, he coaxed Horror into joining his ragtag of misfits as well, with the promise of providing food to his AU. He's the latest addition, but Nightmare is unsure if he'll be the last.
"Are we just going to stand here and stare all day?"
Killer bemoaned, displaying his boredom rather blatantly. If Killer had pulled this display decades ago, back when it was still just him and Cross, Nightmare would've most definitely done something cruel. However now, Nightmare simply tuts. Only Horror tenses at the noise, but Nightmare gives him grace. He is still new, he will learn. Nightmare no longer punishes his men so needlessly.
"Very well then. If you wish to start now, I will not stop you. I only ask you do your usual duties of spreading negativity, no killing."
Nightmare sighs, voice calm but measured. The usual underlying threat barely perceivable. Thankfully none of them catch the fatigue in their Boss's tone. Instead electing to make themselves known, and follow the orders given to them whilst Nightmare stays behind.
Once he is sure his lackeys have all gone off, and are properly distracted in their tasks, does Nightmare let his tentacles curl in. The positivity in this AU today was noxious. It felt as if it were eroding his very bones, as deeply as they were hidden beneath his corruption.
Nightmare kept the weakness a well kept secret, closer to his chest than his very soul. He's been unbalanced for a while now. When he used to be able to feast off of negativity from AU's multiple portals away, now his reach was next to pitiful.
He's been forced to visit especially negative AU's now as well, just to keep on his feet. That of which he will most definitely need to be doing after this whole mission of "crashing the party", as Killer had deemed it.
Even now, Nightmare can feel the faint quiver in his limbs, forced to strain in order to stay upright underneath the weight of this positivity.
"Sickening."
Nightmare spits underneath his breath, shuffling closer into the shadows of the alleyway he'd taken refuge in. Close enough to monitor his subordinate's negativity for any drastic changes that might clue him in to something going wrong. However, far enough to not get involved.
If his men noticed him suddenly sitting back during missions, they did not comment on it. A wise choice on their part. It means they know better than to attempt to pry into their Boss's motives. While Nightmare wouldn't exactly call it blind trust, he would deem it something similar.
A sudden, delicious spike of panic-anger-fear-annoyance permeates the air. Nightmare feeds on it like a starving wolf being tossed a carcass. The negativity festers, growing like a cancer. None of it is familiar to the taste of his subordinate's negativity, so Nightmare does not bother searching for the cause of it.
Instead he simply feasts. Or at least he does, until that delicious concoction is suddenly soured with relief and hope. Not a second later does the dizzying wave of pure positivity crash over the AU.
Nightmare can't help but stumble as he recoils, hissing audibly from the sudden whiplash of emotions in the AU. It burns. His brother's mere presence did not use to burn, but as the scales have tipped further and further, something once emotional has started to turn physical.
Once Nightmare regains his bearings, he debates. The Star Sanses hadn't taken long at all to arrive, and he wonders if that was purposeful. Perhaps they were guarding Outertale this whole time? Waiting for Nightmare and his gang to attack? The possibility is likely.
Nightmare had barely any time to drink in the negativity his boys had caused before it was washed over with the positivity Dream paraded around. Should Nightmare simply cut his losses and go? Accept defeat and attempt an attack elsewhere?
Ridiculous.
Sure, Nightmare is weakened, but he is not so lowly as to flee at the first sightings of his brother. However he is not stupid, either. He stays hidden, closely monitoring the emotional states of his lackeys for anything concerning. Dust feels apathetic, and perhaps slightly annoyed. With the occasional flicker of annoyance or triumph as he presumably misses or hits one of his attacks.
Cross feels rather agitated, with bouts of anger flaring. Nightmare can only guess this means he is either going up against Ink or Dream. That skeleton always held his grudges.
Killer is more dull, as he always has been. A faint spark of twisted amusement curls within him every now and then however, clueing Nightmare in that he is fine.
Horror, his newest addition, still feels apprehensive, though Nightmare doubts he will stray from his task-
Pain.
Nightmare zero's in on it immediately. Familiar tasting pain. Cross's. It takes not a second for Nightmare to emerge on the battlefield, and perfectly in time too, it seems. An arrow pierces through one of his tentacles, the damned thing made of pure positivity. Nightmare cannot help but recoil with an aggravated pained hiss.
"Nightmare!"
Ironically, both Cross and Dream shout his name at the same time. Though Cross somehow sounds both worried and relieved, whilst Dream is merely angry.
Nightmare takes a moment to examine the scene. Most citizens have evacuated already, further cluing Nightmare in that the Stars had been guarding Outertale and waiting for an attack.
Dust and Killer seem to be in battle with Ink, whilst Horror is wrapped up with Blue. Nightmare feels a curl of annoyance at the sight. His men should know better than to split up, especially when going against the Stars. Their team was made up of two immortals and a persistently positive Swap Sans.
Fools.
Nightmare scarcely has time to sneer before another arrow is flying through the air. This one punches right through his shoulder. He screeches angrily, a loud, grating noise that rattles through the AU.
As he whirls around to face Dream, the movement gives him aid to hide his stumble from the unexpected attack of yet another blow of pure positivity. Even so, Nightmare realizes rather quickly that they will not be able to garner enough negativity from this AU's residents during the battle to make this attack worth it.
As much as Nightmare hates it, he is forced to flee, lest his vulnerability makes a physical, and noticeable appearance to the enemy and his men. A pity, considering the fight has only just begun. He knows Killer will not be thrilled.
"Nightmare! Stop this!"
His brother calls angrily, watching with irritation as Nightmare pulls free the arrow in his tentacle. Unaware of the sizzling hiss that sounds from his hand as it makes contact. Nightmare is only able to hide his grimace from years of schooling his expression from his lackeys.
"How predictable you are. Always coming to the call of those in need. It's sickeningly sweet."
Nightmare sneers, glancing back at Cross who has been standing behind him. The pain Nightmare felt from him has since dulled, but it's still there. Nightmare can't find the wound from a quick look.
In his brief distraction, it seems Dream has already nocked another arrow to his bowstring, pulled taught and ready to fly.
"Why are you even doing this?! Don't you have enough negativity in this multiverse already??!"
No, Nightmare thinks, I don't. Instead he just narrows his eyes, growling underneath his breath. He can feel Horror's fatigue starting to grow, and Killer's amusement beginning to fade, however dull it already was.
Nightmare knew it was time to leave.
"Withdraw."
He calls out the order smoothly, one of his tentacles flicking. A portal opens behind him, perhaps a second slower than usual. Thankfully his men are already pulling away from their respective battles, obediently returning to Nightmare's side one by one.
"Answer me, Nightmare!"
Dream demands, and Nightmare can only level a weary glare with his brother. Pulling free the positivity arrow from his shoulder, and hissing underneath his breath as he drops it to the ground.
Dust is the first through the portal, followed by Cross. Horror steps through after. whilst Killer lingers.
"I have no words to exchange with you, brother."
Nightmare says coolly, fighting the urge to shove Killer through the portal. Instead he just nudges him forward with a hand on his shoulder, turning his back to his opponent.
If Nightmare had been more aware, perhaps he would've realized that move as a mistake. For right as both him and Killer step through the portal, Dream lets his arrow fly free. The beacon of positivity finds home in the general area of where a stomach would be, if Nightmare had one.
The portal snaps shut right as Nightmare stumbles, a horrifyingly weak sound spluttering from his mouth. It is only from the hand on Killer's shoulder does he stay standing. Even then, it is fickle.
"Jesus-! Boss?!"
Cross sounds abnormally worried, which pulls Nightmare's attention away from the positivity burning through his midsection. If only he were completely skeletal, like his subordinates. Then, this attack would've simply gone through his jacket and missed. Alas, Nightmare is made of a mixture of both bone and corruption.
...Said corruption is feeling quite odd right now. Actually, all of Nightmare feels odd right now. Weak, perhaps? Yes, weak. He feels incredibly weak right now.
"Boss!"
Oh. Right. His men were calling his name. What did they need? Perhaps he should ask them to be more specific, rather than call his name whilst dripping with nauseating concern and anxiety.
"Hm."
Well, that wasn't exactly what he meant to say. Something more verbal was his goal, though he supposes the noise gets his point across well enough.
"Is he supposed to be this- leaky???"
Horror sounded unusually anxious, even moreso than when he initially joined, Nightmare notes. Did something happen to him during the battle as well, and Nightmare had been too distracted to notice? Shit- Cross. Cross had been injured as well? Yes, he had. Nightmare needs to make sure he's healed.
He barely makes it a step before he hits the ground. The last thing Nightmare registers is the jolt of burning pain searing through his midsection as the arrow is jostled, shortly followed by clustered shouts of his title.