Book 2: The First Fallen Human

Bad Apple

Nightmare was frozen, Killer by his side. They were in what had been Judgement Hall in Killertale. At the other end, Shattered Dream's tentacles waved. "Brother..." He sang out gleefully. Killer blinked and turned to look at Nightmare.

Waves of regret, guilt and horror swept off his boss. Killer turned to look down the hall. That was Nightmare's goody-goody brother, right? Why did he look like that? Why did he look like Nightmare?? Killer growled and glowing knives materialized around him.

"What's your trouble with my boss?" He asked coldly. Shattered Dream seemed surprised and twitched a golden smile.

"Can't two brothers catch up together??" He giggled out. "Oh, I have SO MUCH to tell you! It's been fun, trapped in that little room for so long, Brother!" Killer was unnerved. He knew this couldn't be Dream. He quickly turned to Nightmare.

To his shock, Nightmare almost seemed to be melting. Killer could see him. The real him. He could see white bone and horrified purple eyes underneath the black tar. He stopped. Was Nightmare that scared of this guy?? He shook him quickly. "Boss! Boss! What's going on??" He asked, his eyes wide. Nightmare could only let out a shaky mumble.

Shattered Dream squealed. "He's so happy to see me that he's SPEECHLESS!!" He giggled. A shiver went down Nightmare's body. For a moment, Shattered Dream's grin faded. "Why do you always look at me like that? Isn't this what you wanted??" He held his arms out, showing off himself. "Is this not what you wanted me to become??" Killer gulped and moved back.

He grabbed Nightmare's arm and they both teleported away to the only other place Killer could think off.

Cross shrieked as they materialized inside the white void that had been X-Tale. "Killer?! Nightmare?!" He stopped as he saw Nightmare. Nightmare was on his hands and knees, staring at the ground. Half of his skull protruded from the black tar to show him, as he was before. He looked haunted. Cross immediately was at his side.

"There's something back in Killertale! I don't know what the hell it is. It's like Dream... but..." He tried to think of a good explanation. "It's like, Dream, but if Dream looked like this." He held up one of Nightmare's tentacles. Cross seemed shocked. Killer nodded. "It's as if, Dream had been corrupted instead of Nightmare."

At the thought, Cross seemed to shiver. He quickly knelt down. "Nightmare?? Nightmare!!" He shook the other. Nightmare was in shock. Killer wrung his skeletal hands together, bone scraping bone. He jumped as Cross turned to snap at something angrily. "SHUT UP, CHARA!!" He snarled. Killer didn't doubt that Chara was actually there, unlike Dust with his ghostly brother.

Killer had seen Cross' SOUL, he knew there was two of them. Cross seemed to notice Killer. "What's going on out there?!" Killer blinked and tipped his head.

"I'm not sure either. But something is definitely happening and Nightmare knows about it. He won't tell me, and I feel like that Shattered Dream character is a part of it." He said, his brow furrowed in thought. He blinked as Cross glanced to the side, seeming to be listening to something. He seemed uncertain.

"I feel like we shouldn't call him. These guys don't get along too well with him." Cross said. Killer raised an eyebrow before blinking. Oh. Yeah. He scowled and turned away. Ink. They both blinked as Nightmare curled up into a black ball. Both of them were dismayed. Killer jumped as Cross turned and barked at nothing, his eyes lit with fury. "IT ISN'T FUNNY!!"

Cross turned back, clearly upset. "You know what? I don't care if you guys don't get along with him. If anyone knows what the hell is going on, it's Ink." He stated, glaring at Killer. Killer gave a growl before nodding.

"Fine, call the rainbow bastard." He hissed. Cross nodded. He pulled out a button and pressed the side that was neon yellow. He tucked it back into his pocket. After a few moments, a portal opened up.

Ink dropped down and immediately stumbled back upon seeing Killer. "Oh! Shit, I-"

"I'm not here to attack you. I want some goddamn answers!" He hissed. Ink stared at him in shock before his eyes moved past the other and he stopped. Cross moved past Killer.

"What's going on, Ink?! What the hell is happening out there?!" He stopped for a moment and Ink stopped too. Killer had forgot that Ink could actually see Chara. Ink gulped.

"He saw him??" He whispered in shock. Cross seemed baffled, but nodded. Quickly, Ink beckoned both of them to him and explained what was so bad about Shattered Dream. Once he'd finished, Cross was in shock.

"It really is as if Dream had been corrupted instead." He said, glancing at Killer. Killer nodded. Ink groaned in frustration.

"I have to intercept them before they meet up again. He's in Killertale?" Ink pulled out his brush, but yelped as knives appeared in front of him, inches away.

"Who is 'them'? Ink, what the HELL is going on?!" Killer snarled, just wanting some answers. Ink growled. He slashed the knives aside and turned to face them, his eyes bright red.

"I don't have time for this!! The Multiverse is in danger!! I'm sorry about Nightmare, but if this isn't stopped, we will have seven thousand BIGGER problems!!" Ink snarled. His eyesockets went black as his mouth stretched into that hideous face they hadn't seen in a while. "GET OUT OF MY WAY."

Both Cross and Killer jerked back in shock and Ink took the opportunity to disappear into another portal. Killer was confused. "Is it that bad? Cross?" The other didn't seem to be listening. Cross had his brow furrowed.

"But she's dead." He said, revealing himself to have been listening to Chara. He fell silent again. "What do you mean you have a feeling?? It can't possibly have anything to do with her. Chara, Scooter's dead." At her name, Killer's spine visibly locked up and he shook violently. Cross glanced at him in shock.

Killer shook his head. "We gotta figure out what's going on."