~ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ~ {𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓}

Chapter 18: Misunderstandings

Unfortunately, you never got your chance to Chat with your favorite king.

A mission had appeared abruptly and rudely, and everyone seemed uptight. Horror was sharpening his hatchet, Error was twisting up his strings, Raspberry was chatting with Dust about battle strategies. Cross looked like he was sleeping, eyes half-lidded, although you were sure he was silently talking/arguing with Chara. And you? You were preparing spell after spell after spell. One could never be too prepared.

"Ey, (N/N)," Dust called as you quietly whispered a fire enhancement. You simply glanced up at the hooded skeleton, watching his eyes dart to your knives. "...Do you even know who were fighting?"

Shrugging, you smirked, "Nope. But I'm sure as hell gonna be ready." Going back to your spells, you thought Dust would go away. But he didn't. He simply stood there, as if finding the best way to break news to you.

It was like a mother about to tell her kid that the tooth fairy wasn't real. You hated it.

Clicking his tongue (somehow), the skeleton coughed, "Star Sanses—"

Frowning, you turned your knife over. The light glinted off of the surface in a comforting matter, and you slid it back into your leg holder. "I'm guessing that (Y/N)'s going to be there," you spat.

You despised other You from the very beginning, from the moment you had laid eyes on them. They were too bright. Too insecure. Too good at not hiding what they felt. Too bad at defending. Too cowardly. Too... everything you weren't. And to think you were a copy, a flip side... it disgusted you.

Dust laughed a little, then sat beside you. "Hey, at least (Y/N)'s easy to take down. I mean really," he drawled, "Who's defense is 3? What the hell?"

That made you feel better. At least you could beat the shit out of them next time. And that time would be soon.

Sliding across the floor (because it's boring to walk), you opened the door to the Bridge. The Castle was always shifting, always moving, always changing its rooms and corridors. It may have been confusing, but it was fun. You liked fun.

The Bridge already knew where everyone needed to be. It had warped into a sort of blue-black pillar of dark water. It looked familiar, yet so foreign.

"S-So-ooo," Error sputtered, suddenly appearing behind you. "I'm gu-guess-guess-s-sing yo-you-ou-u're ex-EXCI-exciiiiiii-excited-ed?" Playfully punching you in the shoulder, he laughed and didn't wait for you to respond as he pulled himself into the Bridge.

Rolling your eyes, you almost missed Horror smiling crazily at you. "Good luck, (N/N)," he chortled, "Not that you'll need it against other you!" And with a mad laugh he was gone.

Cross merely glanced at you, red eye shining as he passed by. You waved anyways. Suddenly, right before he leapt in, he waved back with a small smile. So he doesn't hate me after all.

Raspberry sent you his signature cocky smirk, red eye glimmering in the dim light. "See you there, sweetheart," he joked, making you giggle a little. He always pretend-flirted with you, much to Nightmare's apathy. Yet every time the red-scarved skeleton winked at you, you could have sworn Nightmare flinched or glared.

The hooded skeleton smiled in a friendly fashion at you, his eye already flaming with violet. "Don't stress it, (N/N)." He put an arm around your shoulder. "It won't be that hard." Snickering, he pulled away and into the Bridge.

"(N/N)," came a distorted voice from beside you. Turning, you lifted an eyebrow in surprise. Somehow, Nightmare had gotten there in less than two seconds. His deadly tone of voice seemed to reverberate around the now empty room, making you shiver. "Listen. This next mission may be... complicated. There are multiple stages to make sure the universe goes into hiding correctly. Especially since this particular universe is valued by one of them..." He spat the pronoun as if it tasted bad.