Dysfunction to Refunction

Chapter 5

While Cross was distracted, waiting for Nightmare, the skeleton in question had materialized from Cross's shadow. His skeletal hand, half dripping with negativity, patted the monochrome skeleton's shoulder, earning a startled yelp. Cross turned around to come face-to-face with Nightmare.

"O-Oh, hello, sir…"

Nightmare raised his brow bone.

'Sir? Eh, I'm sure he'll grow out of it.'

"So, you've cleaned the place up?"

"Yeah!"

Nightmare looked around, satisfied.

"Very well. You've exceeded my expectations."

The dark guardian gave a dark grin. He felt a slight weight being lifted off his shoulders. There hadn't been any destroyers besides him and Error. Although, now that he thought about it… The Fresh Virus was a very present existence. Eating up AUs from the inside out until dissolving into itself. With Cross bh his side, he can balance the multiverse much easier. Not to mention keep an eye on him… Purely for security purposes! Obviously.

Nightmare opens a portal to CandyTale and motions for Cross to go through. After he is assured that the black and white skeleton is out of the AU, he corrupts the place entirely with negativity, making it crumble into nothing. He goes through the portal to be greeted with… Cross in chocolate haven. The dark guardian sighed painfully.

'It's like taking care of a 5 year old…'

After Cross got a hold of himself, Nightmare realizes that there isn't anywhere to keep Cross to keep him out of trouble and not attract Ink or Dream's attention. They'd need a place to stay. He says as much to Cross as they rest up a bit in a sour rope cavern.

"Any ideas?"

"No. I've never left the antivoid, remember?"

".... right. Ughhh… So much work. We already have to start destroying a few more AUs but now-"

"GASP! You said 'we-!"

"So?"

"We're a team now!"

Nightmare smacked Cross in the back of the head.

"You idiot. Focus. Stop blabbering about irrelevant topics. I don't care if you think we are a team, the point is that we do our job. Fail, and you're 'fired'. And by that, I mean thrown into Underhell."

Cross gulps, rubbing his skull. NM sure is grumpy all the time…

"Hmm…"

Nightmare went on to think of various AUs that he and Cross could potentially stay in. Any positive AUs would make him weak but violent ones were a nuisance to get rid of. The hassle wasn't worth it.

'Ughhhh! This is useless! Whatever. I guess some kind of older AU. Maybe a kingdom or cabin AU.'

He quickly opened a portal and grabbed Cross's wrist, the other's other hand too busy shoving chocolate in his face. They go through the portal and arrive in a kind of camping ground.

"Cross. Clear the area."

"Got it, sir."

The monochrome skeleton dashed off, wiping the extra smudges of chocolate off his face and hands, gripping his large blade. He began to eradicate the people in the AU. Soon, the place was clear and the human's soul was jarred away.

"May I ask why we're here?"

"To do your JOB, idiot. But also to use this place as a base. We need a place to stay and keep you from complaining to me every two seconds."

"Hey! I don't complain!"

Nightmare scoffs," Right. Of course. How could I forget."

Cross whimpered.

"I don't…"

"Yes you do."

"Shut up."

"Excuse me?"

"O-Oh, no, not you. I was telling Chara…"

'Should I tell him? What if he doesn't believe me?'

'Should have thought of that before you said my name IDIOT!!!'

'Ugh! Stop screaming.'

"Chara? What about him?"

"Uhhhhh….!"