Author's Note
Greetings. Finally got this down. I struggle with fight scenes, but I love dialogue, so here ya go ;)
- Adelle
Editor's note
She had a lot of fun planning this chapter. You'll see what I mean.
~ Valery
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You awoke peacefully, then smiled. You turned and whispered into Nightmare's ear, "Second to last day."
Nightmare stretched and groaned, then rolled over, mumbling, "Let me sleep..."
You giggled and pecked his head. "Well, you can stay sleeping for a bit longer. I'm going to help make breakfast and get the kiddos ready for the day."
Nightmare hummed his tired response, and you took a moment longer to gaze lovingly upon your husband's resting form.
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Shattered awoke reluctantly. He groaned, rolled out of bed, then stretched. He glanced over at his bed, deep in thought. "Soon. I just need to be patient."
But patience was the one thing he lacked at the moment. Shattered quickly checked on Dream. Dream still lay chained to the ground, old tear streaks stained his cheeks. "What a mess." Shattered then teleported to the now destroyed ballroom. Horror was startled by his sudden appearance, and he let out a small shout.
Shattered smirked tiredly at this reaction. Blue glared spitefully at the sickening sight of Shattered. Dust looked disturbingly curious, while Cross stared right through Shattered. "Good morning." Shattered greeted smoothly.
Blue let out a cold laugh. "IT'S MORNING, IS IT? SORRY FOR NOT KNOWING THE TIME."
Shattered's tired smile vanished, being replaced with a glare and slight frown. "Think you're funny, do you?"
Blue's hateful glare faltered, but he refused to break eye contact. Shattered stepped towards Blue, who flinched at the movement. Shattered's smirk returned, and he allowed Cross to be freed.
Cross landed casually, then he summoned his iconic knife. "Shall we?" Cross asked, benumbed.
Shattered's grin widened slightly and the world began to melt around the two. "Not yet, my friend."
As the world dissipated, Cross tensed, but was caught off guard at what he saw next. A gorgeous night sky was painted above him and a well used dirt path lay before him. A thick forest surrounded either side of the path and the moon light shone gently through the trees.
"Walk with me." Shattered commanded as he began his way down the seemly endless road.
Cross, however, didn't move.
Shattered looked over his shoulder, then asked casually, "Well?"
Still standing quite still, Cross asked suspiciously, "Why are you letting me live?"
Shattered sighed and stopped. As he turned to face Cross, he answered, "I'm tired."
Cross raised a brow bone questioningly. "From?" Shattered shrugged, and Cross snorted. "Forgive me, for not being more empathetic to the monster who killed and is killing everyone I ever knew how to love."
"Don't say such things! I might begin to think you don't like me." Cross shot Shattered an unimpressed look. Shattered shook his head, then turned once more, motioning for Cross to follow.
Cross heaved a heavy sigh, then teleported to Shattered's side. He allowed his knife to disappear and they walked in silence for a time. "So... you're going to let me live?"
Shattered scoffed, then answered, "Please. Of course I'm going to kill you. Just not yet."
Cross was silent for a few seconds, before speaking again. "You can't just be killing us for the heck of it, right? Something tells me you're more than just a mindless villain."
Shattered nodded, then answered, "Heroes, villains, we're all somewhere in the middle."
"That... doesn't answer my question."
Shattered smiled, not looking at Cross but instead the worn road. "Yes, I have a reason for killing you."
"And the reason is...?"
Shattered's tired smile disappeared, and he answered in a solemn tone, "I lost everything. So I'm building a new everything." Cross faltered, before smiling and chuckling softly. Shattered gave him a questioning look.
"Sounds like a perfect recipe for disaster."
"How would you know?" Shattered asked darkly.
"Because I tried to do the exact same thing." Shattered glanced at Cross, before returning his gaze to the road. They continued in thoughtful silence, when Cross chuckled, then thought aloud, "We're both more similar then I thought, I suppose. The only difference is you're stronger."
Shattered snorted, then said, "We're all so weak. We simply consider others stronger than us because they possess the strengths we happen to lack. I just happen to be really good at doing bad things."
Cross was silent for a minute before saying slowly, "Monsters... monsters do bad things when trying to survive."
"... You don't know me." Cross nodded respectfully and they continued to walk in peaceful silence.
"This is nice. I wish times could be more like this. Peaceful, calm. Not filled with monsters and hard times."
Shattered snorted, then asked, "You mean me?"
"In this case, yes."
Shattered nodded, then replied after a moment, "After being treating like a monster for long enough, you become one."
"... What are you? How did you become like this? Are you really Dream?"
Shattered laughed, then said, "Slow down! Let's just say... I'm a demon. The worst kind possible."
"Ok... Are you Dream?"
"No. Absolutely not. The only thing that links us is this body."
Cross paused at this remark. "How did you become like this?"
Shattered was silent for long while. When he responded, Cross had begun to think he wouldn't answer. "I existed before Dream even came into being. I wasn't part of him to begin with."
"Then, who were you part of?"
"For your sake, let's say Nightmare."
Cross physically stopped on the path. "You're the piece of Nightmare, aren't you? That's why you look like him when we were all locked up in the castle!"
Shattered nodded. "I was with him since the day he first ate the apples. I was part of him. A big part. Then, Y/n came. I was in control until she came. Not only did Nightmare fall in love with her, but I did too."
If Cross had blood, it would have run cold at that very moment.
"It was bliss. But I was no longer in control. Soon, Nightmare took over. After all, hungry dogs are never loyal. He was in control and, when I was at my weakest, the curse was broken and I was returned to whence I had came. But I still shared Nightmare's feelings. To this very day I do. It's absolute torture."
"How so?" Cross asked hesitantly.
"When you are in love with someone, and they love you back, you are satisfied. You grow together. You learn to love each other in the most beautiful ways. You are complete. As he grew with her, I also grew, but without her. That void. That never ending V O I D. I couldn't bear it any longer. I tried to fight it. But how can you fight a monster without becoming one? I made a deal with Dream, and now, with his body, I will fill this void that has been plaguing me for years."
"It won't work." Cross said bluntly.
Shattered was quiet for good while, before whispering, "I know."
"Then, why do you try so hard? Why do you kill for this?"
Shattered turned to face Cross, his face was filled with despair and clear madness. "Wouldn't it be better to risk eternal madness for the chance of freedom than forever be plagued?"
Cross sorrowfully gazed back at Shattered, then he sighed, and shook his head. "It's time."
Shattered nodded solemnly and, within an instant, they were back in the ballroom. The skeletons looked surprised to see them returned, then their faces fell.
Shattered summoned a bow and arrow, aimed, and shot.
Dust's eyes widened, as he looked downwards to see his spilled blood. Cross stood still, dumbfounded.
This wasn't what was supposed to happen.
Dust's face contorted in pain, then he began to chuckle, then cackle. Shaking, Dust ripped the arrow from his own body, causing Blue to cringe in horror. Dust closed his eyes once more, before extending his arm with a smile attempting to mask his agony. "You... you dropped this..."
As soon as the words had left his mouth, he turned to stone. Blue let out a choked sob and Cross realized a single tear had traveled down his cheek.
When Cross looked to Shattered, a long sharp sword was now in his hands. Shattered looked to Cross, almost as if asking for permission to kill him.
Cross nodded slowly, then a splitting pain, followed by numbness shot through his body. His head began to spin and lights danced across his vision as he heard Shattered's voice. Cross fought to stay alive just long enough to hear what Shattered had said.
"Remember, old friend, the victors are the ones who write history."
'What an odd thing to say...'
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Author's Note
Huzzah! Thanks for reading! Some good foreshadowing for the upcoming plot twists...
- Adelle
Editor's note
Not me forgetting that Shattered is a Yandere for a reason- It's been too long-
This chapter almost made me feel a little bad for Shattered and then hE KILLED MY BABY DUST- UNFORGIVEABLE-
~ Valery