Loyal Servant (Crossmare) (Rewrite)

Between-Arc Oneshot: The Unhinged Stranger

"I think you'd look regal with a crown," Nightmare told Cross as they were having a pleasant conversation on their way to the throne room.

"Maybe I would, but the last thing I need is people expecting me to give out orders again," Cross replied, recalling the guards who had bowed at his feet no less than a week ago. "I can't believe you assigned me to be the king whenever you're missing," He said with a small shake of his head.

Nightmare gave an amused laugh. His good mood reflected onto Cross, who couldn't help but smile as well. "Really? Who else would I trust to run this place in my absence? Surely not..." Nightmare trailed off as a strange noise sounded from somewhere down the hall. Nightmare narrowed his eye, tendril tips twitching with irritation. "What am I hearing right now?" Nightmare asked.

Cross tilted his head. "It sounds like... rolling?" He answered. He listened a moment longer then added: "More specifically it sounds like the wheels of a-"

"Skateboard," Nightmare finished for him, amplifying his voice. Nightmare seemed to freeze up, staring at Cross with growing terror as the sound drew near. Nightmare's startled? He drew his blade on sheer instinct. What the hell startles Nightmare other than his sister's arrows?

Suddenly a blur of the most out of place colors burst right by him and Nightmare, forcing them both to recoil. Cross stared dumbfounded at the sight of a way too colorful skeleton skating on by. The stranger smiled cheerfully, holding a peace sign up towards both him and Nightmare as he hurried off down the hall. Cross couldn't meet his gaze as his eyes were currently obscured by a pair of bright glasses with the word 'WH-AT' spelled out upon their surface. That word was quite literally all Cross could think at the moment. What? WHAT?

Cross slowly looked back to the now fuming god at his side. "My lord... What was that?"

Nightmare answered slowly, rage causing his needle sharp fangs to bare. "Fresh."

...

"Alright, now that we are all present..." Nightmare began, pacing upon the platform his throne rested atop of. He flickered his gaze across the watching skeletons which included both Cross and the trio. "I have one question for you all..."

Nightmare lifted a hand, pointing a single finger down towards a tall wheeled cage that some lesser servants had rolled in a moment prior. Within the cage stood that odd ridiculously colored monster who Nightmare had called Fresh. He currently just stood there, wrists clasped with magic restraints while his glasses read out 'RU-DE'.

"Which of you insolent fools had the arrogance to let this barbarous creature into my home?" He asked, looking upon them with pure rage. Cross wasn't afraid, seeing as he hadn't let Fresh discover the portal route to the castle, but Nightmare's clear display of agitation still unsettled him.

Killer lifted his hand like he was a student in class. "Hey, so, Question... Are you positive that this thing is really all that barbarous?" He asked, head tilting to judgmentally stare at the playful skeleton who shot him a pair of finger guns. Cross couldn't help but question that himself. Sure, he had been a hassle to catch, probably looping the castle a solid two times before being tackled, but he hadn't been the least bit hostile.

"Oh, don't let his hip and fun demeanor fool you," Nightmare warned, stepping down the platform's stairs to reach the four. He whacked Killer with a tentacle as he passed by, though that same tendril skillfully steered clear of Cross's way. "This horrific parasite is the most dangerous funking thing in-" Nightmare paused and everyone else lifted an invisible brow. Nightmare let out a heavy sigh at the obvious change of dialog. Can he not swear in Fresh's presence? "-the most dangerous thing in the entire multiverse," He bitterly continued on. "So which one of you messed up and let him inside?"