~𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬~

~𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐩𝐭. 𝟐~

"Here we go!"

~

"Dust- uh..."

A set of two-toned eyes shot up at the source of the voice, glaring at him through swollen eye sockets.

Cross held in a snort as he continued to analyze the bruises and scratches inflicted on his colleague.

"Did you fall into a woodchipper or something?"

"Can it," threatened Dust, shooting him a look of warning.

"Or fight a grizzly bear?" Cross teased. "No, wait, wait, let me guess. 'I should've seen the bear', right?"

A smile slid onto Killer's face, a few light chuckles erupting from him.

"Come on! It's not funny!" Dust shouted, clenching his fists on the tabletop. He looked towards the remaining of the four skeletons, begging them for help with puppy dog eyes (the best he could, that is, given the condition of one of his eyes, which was growing purple and shiny).

Nightmare held his head in hands with a look of contentment, grinning at his freshly beat-up henchman with pride.

"Hm? What's wrong, Dust? You look...embarrassed."

The cackling between the two henchmen grew with this remark, Killer's laughter reaching an audible level. Cross threw his head down on the table into his folded arms, body shaking with fits of giggles.

Dust growled. "Shut up..."

"I'm just saying, Dust. It's an eye for an eye; You humiliate me, I humiliate you."

"You're a sadistic freak, you know that?"

"Golly, you flatter me."

Dust crossed his arms and fell back into his chair, shooting his boss one last dirty look. A grim, white smile stretched across Nightmare's face in return, poking fun at him with knitted brows.

As if on cue, Error made his way into the boardroom, sauntering over to his seat at the front of the table. To his left was the shadowed skeleton himself, looking to him with a grin less menacing than the one he had been giving to his insolent associate just seconds previous to his arrival.

"Your highness," He said, nodding to him in respect. Error glanced around the table, amusement written on his face.

"WhAT wAs AlL THe LAughinG ABOUt In HeRe?"

Horror followed shortly behind, giving questioning looks to the recruits. His pupils landed on a less-than-pleased looking Dust, who was pouting like a toddler. Horror flinched, throwing his hands up in front of his face.

"Gee, what happened to you, Dustpan?! Didja get run over with a lawnmower or somethin'?"

Dust's eye lights flared with anger, his fists slamming down onto the table. Coffee-filled mugs trembled with the shaking table. Enraged, negative vibes cut through the jovial air of the conference room.

"It's funking nothing, okay?!"

Nightmare, Killer, and Cross looked at him with varying levels of shock and confusion, knowing their colleague was not well known for censoring his language. A tall shadow stretched across the table.

Six heads looked in the direction of the doorway, Fresh standing there dressed in lilac, silk pajamas. A red toothbrush stuck out of his mouth, his arms crossed in front of him in disgruntlement.