DystopianTale (Undertale AU)

~Chapter 18~

Hiding emotions was as easy as putting on a mask; keep a calm attitude and no one will know how you're really feeling. It gets easier and easier to put up the more you do it - practice makes perfect, they always say - and when you're literally trained to hide emotions and have a neutral expression at all times, you get really good at it. To the point it becomes basically second nature.

Needless to say, Cross was usually good at keeping that mask up.

Keyword there being "usually".

He sucked in a breath, glancing over his shoulder at the crowd of monsters behind him, each of them looking somewhere between slightly nervous and ready to shit their pants - Cross personally felt like he was going to throw up, so he couldn't say he was doing much better. He couldn't make out Killer in the crowd, the smaller man was probably at the back with Nightmare or blocked by taller monsters - that was probably for the best, considering Cross wouldn't be able to hold his tongue around him right now. Error was on his right side, seeming more calm than Cross would have expected - he guessed Ink staying back really took a weight off of the black skeleton's shoulders - and Sans was on his left with the new recruit, Red. Cross didn't really know the guy that well yet, but from what he's gathered Red and Sans had gotten very close - he was positive he heard Sans call him his "boyfriend" earlier - and Cross had to admit he was happy for them. Sans in particular, since he seemed to be in a much better condition, mentally, with more genuine smiles and laughs.  Cross just hoped today's plan wouldn't hurt Sans too much.

As much as Cross knows about the guard, he's been gone almost a year now, and had no way of knowing what they're really doing and planning in the castle - sure, he could make educated guesses on what they might try, but things can change. Especially if a war was on the horizon. They needed a way to get into the Royal Guard's head, and what better way to do that than to literally kidnap someone-

Ok, maybe Cross didn't fully agree with the method, but Sans was adamant that the guard they took - er, "convince to switch sides" - needed to be his brother.

It was a last minute, two birds with one stone situation - they get intel on the guard (if Papyrus actually talks) and Sans gets his brother back.

All that being said, that wasn't what Cross's role in today's plan was.

He was here for Dream.

He just prayed his Prince would actually be on the field today. If not, well, there's a high chance Cross will just say fuck it and storm into the castle himself.

A shiver coursed through his spine as their group stepped up to their destination, the magic from the rows of guards standing at the ready in front of the castle walls was suffocating, the air so thick with energy it felt tangible. It seemed to buzz in the air, only becoming louder when Cross felt the monster's around him tense, drawing on their own magic, readying their attacks. Readying themselves.

Sans must have spotted his brother already, Cross noticing him slip away from Red and weave through the crowd of their allies. He needed to get Papyrus away from everyone else, so they could have a one on one - Sans wouldn't be able to "convince" the other skeleton if his fellow guards are fighting with him. Cross was somewhat relieved he didn't need to do that with Dream - he wanted to get his partner to come with him willing, and certainly didn't have any intention of physically fighting him, Cross was sure his soul would snap if he did. Killer had promised (more like begrudgingly agreed to) put up a shield around Cross and Dream for about 15 minutes so they could talk - really talk - without Cross having to worry about, you know, dying while trying to get Dream to remember him.

Pulling his head back into the present, Cross shifted on the balls of his feet, antsy and ready to just get this over with. The air was heavy with hostility and magic between the two groups, unbearably so, to the point where Cross felt like gagging every time he breathed in, his magic racing along his phalanges like electricity in wires. This standoff couldn't go on forever, someone needed to break the tension, preferably a guard, since then the rebels could always claim self-defence and keep up the image of being as peaceful as possible.