Day by Day • Undertale Au Oneshots

Repeat of the Past - angst

Request for our newest co-author VermilionGust! I hope you like it!

Multiverse: Fanon
TW: Self-blame

There had been a truce.

Everyone was sick of fighting constantly. Injuries that weren't necessary and close calls to death were pointless, especially since no one wanted to fight anymore.

Everyone knew of the balance, so now, everything was as peaceful as it could get.

Positive relationships began to form. Cross and Ink repaired their friendship, while Error apologized to Blue. Killer and Dust had way too much fun terrorizing whoever they classified as a target, and the best part of it all?

Dream and Nightmare were getting along.

They talked to each other, gave a few laughs, and Nightmare finally allowed for his past self to take some control of their body.

All was going absolutely amazing.

But as time passed by, everyone began to address Nightmare's situation behind his back. They bought Sci into it, and he was also on board. Their plan would be safe as long as the past and current Nightmare were separate beings.

The result of this plan?

Well, they'd learn the hard way.

- -

"It'll be fine boss! It's only testing if this machine actually turns on."

Nightmare gave a suspicious glare; why did they need him to be in the machine? Better yet, why did someone need to be inside for it to work?

And why the hell was everyone here?

The odd about of positivity in the room was confusing; he sunk into himself as if doing so would help the tingles that consumed his fingertips.

Hopeful positivity. Nightmare guessed it was because everyone was wanting this machine to work. But something felt off. . .

The tingles reached his skull, as if warning him.

. . . stupidly, he ignored it.

"Okay then, Killer. If this affects me at all, I will be giving out punishments."

Ink smirked jokingly, "is that a threat?"

"You can damn well bet it's a promise."

Ink pouted, but didn't respond. The Negative Guardian was dragged off to change into a medical robe, before being guided into the device.

The glass doors closed themselves shut into a watertight seal, and Sci gave a smile from the outside,

"You should hear a whirl from the machine, and feel a small about of tugging on your Soul. Nothing to worry about."

Warning bells went off in his brain.

He looked at the others who stood outside, either having their own conversations or waiting patiently. There was no stress on anyone's face, and so he looked to Dream.

Hands clasped to his chest, he stared with so much hope in his eyelights that they changed from solid ovals to rings. His face was something that he couldn't describe- it looked like his Soul was being tugged on with so much hope and promise that he was almost in tears.

Then he felt the longing. The deep, underlying emotion that had now been let to the surface. Nightmare's host body flashed before his eyes.

No.

. . no.

. . . no, no nononono-

The whirl of the machine began, and as everyone went into silence and looked at him, he cried out and slammed himself as hard as he could into the glass doors.

They didn't budge.

Nightmare understood now. Why they were all watching. Why he was the one being the 'test' subject. This was no test.

He slammed himself into the doors again, nothing happened. He tried to summon his tentacles, but there was too much positivity from the others.

He was helpless.

The one time he couldn't escape a situation, this just had to be it.

'I can't- I don't want to-!'

"Let me OUT!"

Tears came from his sockets as he choked over his words, slamming his hand onto the glass. He knew it was too late, so he stopped putting so much effort.

For the first time in centuries, he apologized.

"I'm so sorry, Dream."

Sci finally realized the reality. Everyone else noticed that something was very, very wrong.

He saw them panic. He saw them do everything they could to stop the machine, to break it, anything. Of course, nothing worked. It was made to withstand Nightmare's wrath after all.

His hearing disappeared as soon as his panic set in. Sinking to his knees, he freely cried and apologized.

The machine took hold of his Soul.

Nightmare stood with the tree, the once golden apple now dark. Villagers raced to him angrily, while Dream could do nothing but stare in horror.

He could hear a voice talking to him, but he couldn't decipher what it was saying. He knew there was no going back now. He and the parasite would become a single being, no matter what magic or technology was invented. Their Souls would no longer be separate.

At the time, that was Nightmares' only option.

So he accepted the pain with open arms, knowing that it was no ones fault but his own.

"It's my fault. Don't blame yourselves"

He then hid his pain, just like the day his life change forever, and dusted.

~ Written by Xena