A Hidden Heart

22 - Purpose

Question: In which state will 404 be ? How much of the drug had been out of his system ? And now that he doesn't have an infinite source, how will he keep his army docile ?

Answer: 404 might be a little bit out of it, but he's unfortunately better at brushing off magically-based drugs, for some reason? It wears off moderately-quickly. And the fact that he no longer has an infinite source is exactly why he's acting now; he's only got until he runs out of Dream's magic to take over the multiverse, after all!

Question: It's been month that Blue wasn't supported by Dream with his magic to play decoy, has someone noticed anything ? Or was he able to brush it off as 'we're not fighting Nightmare so I don't need positive magic' or something along those lines ?

Answer: No, that's not really going to be a big plot point. He's got a book full of excuses for why his magic isn't glowing gold anymore - he's fine, don't worry!

Comments are welcome and appreciated!

Please enjoy!

~~~~~

Nightmare was going to hurt him. He didn't care that 404 could beat him in a fight; all he cared about was bringing the glitch as much pain as he had brought Nightmare. 404 had been one of the first outcodes Nightmare had come across, and the first he had fought, in his time in the multiverse, and the glitch had laughed at him, wondering how a "Guardian" could be so weak. He had been left alive, though; 404 hadn't deemed him worthy to be killed. That was just one of hundreds of encounters Nightmare had had in his first years in the multiverse..something he had tried to spare Dream from. Life as an outcode was hard and unforgiving; as a child in the vast world, he had been forced to learn how to survive on his own with no help. He had rarely had a warm place to sleep at night, and no one would take him in with his appearance..he had been in so many fights with both incodes and outcodes that he wasn't even sure he had gotten his extra titles intentionally; people had just begun to recognize him one day. They had called him the "King of Negativity" and the "Lord of Darkness," and he had just..accepted that. He had thought that it would make people stay away from him, but he had been mistaken; it had only given him more enemies and headaches to deal with. He hadn't been more than ten when people had started to seek him out to "vanquish his evil"! 

He hadn't wanted that for Dream. His brother had deserved better. Dream had deserved a warm bed, good food, and people to support him through the tough trials of childhood in the multiverse! He hadn't deserved what Nightmare had gone through. Nightmare didn't think anyone deserved that. So he had given him a home. He had given him a family and friends. He had kept his role as a Guardian secret to avoid the attention that came with the title. But..

He had failed.

His positive, fun-loving, joyful little brother..was gone. Nightmare hadn't been able to protect him from the world. Nightmare had been in charge of keeping Dream safe..but Dream was gone now. Nightmare's life..suddenly didn't mean anything anymore. What was the point in a Guardian of Negativity when his counterpart was dead?

So..he would fight 404. He would do everything in his power to make 404 hurt..because Nightmare was a vengeful soul. He couldn't stand his failure, and because of that, he had to right his wrong in any way he could. His life didn't have anything better to be dedicated to. 

So day after day, he fought 404 and his brainwashed lackeys. He made 404 hurt. He might have been beaten every time he went out, but he made sure 404 didn't come out unscathed, either.

He brushed off the worries of others.

He wasn't important anymore.

This was the only purpose he had left.