Usually, when someone felt pain, it'd be quite a negative experience. But when the physical manifestaion of negativity sensed someone else in pain, he couldn't help but enjoy himself a bit (unless it was one of his gang - but shhhh no one needed to know that).
But guilt. Now there was a feeling that really gave Nightmare power. Guilt could be used to turn someone against anyone - especially themselves. Guilt could be used to create a false sense of companionship. Guilt made people weak.
As Nightmare thought all this sitting at the kitchen table, his tentacles were probably flitting back and fourth in excited anticipation. It wasn't very subtle, yet Nightmare was still surprised to hear:
"Something up, boss?"
Rive, the newest member of the Bad Sanses, had an uncanny sense of empathy; probably from playing host to a couple extra souls.
"Hm... I think I'm going to pay someone a visit."
Now Killer, ever the curious one, piped up and asked, "Ooh are you going to tell us who?"
"No."
Axe and Dust snickered as Killer pouted like a small child. Nightmare was never very good at being polite.
Reaching out with his magic, Nightmare let himself be dragged towards this heartbroken soul. He expected to see an AU in ruins - but it couldn't have been Error. For some reason, he and Ink were on a shaky sort-of truce.
Tsk. That wouldn't last long.
Nightmare blinked his singular eyelight as he adjusted to the blinding white of an empty AU... Definitely not what he was expecting then. But in an empty universe, who could be left to feel such sorrow?
For a minute Nightmare thought he must've got the wrong place, as there didn't seem to be anyone about, but then he heard a sound like water splashing on the floor. Not trusting his eyelight as much as he used to, Nightmare decided it would be worth it to follow the sound.
_______________________________________
It's been eight weeks, Cross. He's not coming back.
He might.
You're so pathetic! You're even crying... Ugh, why'd I get stuck with the wimpiest monster in the entire AU?
Chara's ghostly form crossed his arms and turned away impatiently.
Cross was pathetic, he knew it really, but sometimes it felt nice to pretend he could be something better. Purple tears slowly rained onto the pure white 'floor', completely eradicating any sense of pride the skeleton had left. Cross hadn't cried like this in a long time. Not since he had stated visiting.
Wait. There's someone here...
Could it be him? No, it wasn't - He always arrived with a dramatic entrance of some kind. Cross spun around, and came face to face with some kind of goopy-tar-skeleton.
"Who are you?"
"Dear Cross, I am your saviour."
This guy sounds like a basta-
"What do you mean by that? How do you know me? Why are you here?"
The skeleton laughed. "So many questions! Did no one ever tell you not to look a gift horse in the mouth?"
Cross peered at the other skeleton(?) suspiciously until they sighed.
The goopy monster frowned, and looked as though he'd done this many times before, "I'll put this simply. My name is Nightmare, and I can help you get out of here, I can give you a home again."
If Nightmare we're able to see Chara, he would have been amused by his and Cross' matching puzzled expressions.
"What's the catch?"
"I need your help with a certain... job. Well it's more of a lifestyle really. Here's what you need to know-"
_______________________________________
That was half an hour ago, since then this 'Cross' had come back to join what Dust liked to dub the merry band of wayward skeletons.
It was Dust's job to show the guy around, and introduce him to everyone. As far as first impressions go, Dust wasn't sure why Nightmare had chose Cross. He seemed jumpy and preoccupied. But maybe he shouldn't treat Cross too harshly, after all it was the guy's first time outside his AU, and two ghostly children like the ones blocking the stairway right now would freak out any Sans.
"RIIIIVE?" Dust called.
There was a faint "YEEAAH?" in response.
"COME DOWNSTAIRS AND BANISH THESE GHOST CHILDREN. THEY'RE FREAKING OUT THE NEW GUY"
"SORRY! ONE SECOND"
If Dust had been able to see or hear Chara, he would have noticed the child poke Cross on the shoulder and say 'baby'.
"'Am not." Cross defied.
Dust turned around, "Hm? Did you say something?"
Cross stiffened. "No."
"Oh."
Luckily Rive and Axe saved them from awkward silence by bumbling downstairs. Rive immediately went over to the manifested orange and blue souls, and crushed them in his hand. The ghostly children pouted and disappeared from view. Cross was taken aback, but everyone else seemed fine so he didn't question it.
"You forget to feed them or something?" Teased Dust.
"Yeah yeah. I'll go tomorrow"
"Can I come?"
"Dust, you know what the boss says about you and extra XP."
'XP'? Are they going to kill monsters?
"So anyway, who's this?"
Cross realised they were talking about him, and decided it would be a good idea to pay more attention. "O- oh I'm Cross."
And then the Sans Dust had referred to as 'Rive' looked directly at Chara. "And how about you?"
"Uh, Rive?" Dust questioned as the other skeleton snickered, "You're talking to thin air."
"Oh! Can you not see the human?"
Chara growled in frustration.
Keep your mouth shut bonehe-
"M- maybe it's better if we save this for later!" Cross interrupted, "I wouldn't want to explain it to everyone individually... But how can you see Chara? I thought no one else could."
Rive shrugged. "Could be my soul? It's a bit scuffed. 'S not good for much besides housing Xp-hungry humans." The skeleton held their soul in their hand, and Cross saw six different shards of human soul where monster soul should have been.
Cross guessed half the work in this place was getting to know the company: he'd already seen a Sans covered in liquid negativity, a Sans with DETERMINATION, and now one with a crazy soul, and- he looked at the Sans that had accompanied Rive- a Sans with a freaking hole in his skull.
It's a mad house of skeletons. I'mfreaking hole in his skull. practically in hell.
Careful not to draw any attention to himself this time, Cross whispered back, "Hey, just give this place a chance okay?"
Fine.
It was a small victory, but a victory none the less.
The one with the broken skull spoke, "So who else do we need to introduce this guy to?" Addressing Cross he said, "I'm Axe, by the way."
"Just Killer." Dust replied to Axe's first question.
"Well," Axe smiled a crooked grin, "Let's go get him then."
_______________________________________
1214 words
Welcome new party members: Cross and Chara!
Just need a bit of setup before we get to the juicy stuff.
Sorry if you found Rive annoying since he's just an OC, but i swear he doesn't get much more attention in the rest of the book. And he's not OP or anything - his soul just tethers the others but he can't use their power.
Sincerely, A little bumble bee