Dream took a step toward Nightmare, hand outreached. "Brother-"
"DON'T." Nightmare warned harshly, taking a matching step back to maintain the distance and ease the strain of his weakened Fate. If he got too much closer, he may not be handling it as well as he was. It was an old and familiar struggle.
When Nightmare had left the portal, he had been surprised that they weren't fighting, as that had been what he had prepared for. It was good, but having shown up he could tell that tensions were rising again - which was not his intention.
After a brief chat in their castle, he and his followers decided that they wanted to provide Fresh backup in interrupting Destiny's plan ... and in the process fight their Fates. Though, they may not have gone through with it, if Nightmare hadn't felt Fate's influence slacken enough to make it seem possible.
Though it was still screaming at him to attack, he could grit his teeth and bear it. He just needed to keep his direct focus off of his brother.
As such, he couldn't have Dream approach him either.
"Don't get any closer." His expression was stuck in one of fury, but for the briefest moment something genuine showed through. Worry.
And even as a few of the Sans's started wondering if this was all one big trick, Dream knew it was no lie. He was filled with hope as he did as his brother bid. Even going so far as to step back with a nod.
"Report." Nightmare instructed Error, and did his best to avoid looking at Dream.
He was going to ask Fresh, but with all these eye sockets on them, he decided it prudent to not act familiar with the 90's skeleton.
Error shrugged and off handedly spoke a quick summary. "Ambush happened and got sent to the Void as p-p-p-planned. Fresh b-b-b-brought me back before Mo- Destany sent me off. We were in the middle of e-e-e-explaining Fate."
Nightmare's tentacles twitched at the hated deities' name. The fact that it had been spoken with such ease and in such presence, Nightmare could only assume it was the Admin's doing, which bode well for the future. Anyone else in charge could only be an improvement over Fate - even this child.
Fresh, meanwhile, had givin finger guns at his part in the story. He shouldn't be surprised that Fresh could enter and exit the True Void at will; Fresh being the Void deities Child and all.
Nightmare merely nodded at the information with a sigh, maneuvering his tendrils into a shape that allowed him to lounge on them like a throne. "Proceed then." His skull propped up on a hand as he settled to watch the proceedings while ignoring the incessant whining of Fates string.
Ink seeing an opening decided to ask his next question to Error. "So how did you stop Fates control?"
"Introducing the s-s-s-strongest being in the Multiverse or whatever." Error said, giving sarcastic jazz hands at Fresh's direction. "Admin Fresh."
Fresh gave a two finger salute. "Yo."
Ink looked at his scarf and saw his note about Fresh being his brother, though there was no other info on him, and it didn't include the word Admin.
Deciding to trust that Fresh had things under control regarding this manipulative deity, he started taking his paints. He was fairly satisfied he could get his answers without suddenly going all murderous again.
While Ink was doing that, a Fellswap Sans decided to speak up from the crowed that was keeping a respectful/fearful distance with a scowl. He did pretty well not showing how scared he was with getting the attention of the group and in turn the Destroyer of Worlds and King of Nightmare's.
"IF HE IS SO STRONG THEN WHY WAIT TILL NOW TO DO ANYTHING?"
The crowd began muttering and in it you could tell the majority was agreeing with the statement, though Classic remained silent.
"About dat, dawg-" Fresh started nervously.
"He was literally c-c-c-created, like, a day or two ago." Error said, with little regard to what story Fresh was going to try and make up as an excuse.
Fresh gaped. "You dare tattle on your totes radical superior broski!?"
"Yes."
"Betrayal of the highest order." Fresh dramatized, pouting.
Error gave him the finger only for it to be covered by a black censorship box. "Funk you and your incoded child lock."
Fresh covered his teeth in mock shock. "I up an' never been more unradically offended in my life, yo."
They were interrupted by laughter. Inks laughter. "Aw man, you guys are hilarious!" His eye lights were back to being colorful.
"No I'm n-n-n-not." Error dead panned as Fresh simultaneously exclaimed, "Why, thanks, bro-dude!"
"Wait - what do you mean he's two days old!?" Dream ask, dumbfounded.
Nightmare tightened a fist at his brother speaking.
"Well, broski, that ain't countin' Void time." Fresh said. Even with it, it would only up to about a week. "Any way, back tuh unrad Fate." Fresh changed the topic, noting the strain Nightmare was putting up with. "Would you skele-dudes object tah me ridding a bit of her waked out control?"
The Bad Sans said nothing in objection. Though Ink spoke up.
"Just a bit?" He asked, eye lights question marks. "Why not remove it all?"
Error was the one to answer. "Because it would c-c-c-cause to much strain on the SOUL. You could die."
"Right-o!" Fresh agreed. "But even still, yo ... this'll hurt." He warned.
Nightmare stood and took a step forward to non verbally show that he would do what it takes.
Fresh nodded his understanding and raised his hand to summon Nightmares SOUL, as was required when editing living code.
Error made to clear his voice and Fresh paused.
"Oh- right!" Fresh said. "Forgot y'all get bashful over bearing ya SOULs, lol. Privacy coming up!"
Fresh made a little hut out of bone attacks, hiding him and Nightmare from view.
"You ready?" Fresh asked.
With a final nod from Nightmare, Fresh called forth the culmination of Negativity - the goopmans SOUL itself.
***
With everything said and done, none of the Bad Sans were able to prevent at least a small yelp or shout when Fresh finalized the changes. Not even Nightmare - though he had done his best to stiffle it.
They were no longer bound to fight the Star Sans's and no longer needed to act menacing in front of other Sans's. They could share about Fate. And Nightmare no longer had to pretend he hated his brother.
While going through the line of Bad Sans's, he could overhear Nightmare and Dream.
"Broth- Nightmare ... are you ...?" Dream trailed off, wanting to approach but not sure if he should.
Nightmare glanced away, nervous. A look many did not ever think to see on the King of Nightmares.
"I ..." Even without Fate Nightmare couldn't help but doubt. Did he deserve to be called brother after all the things he's done ...? "Dream I-"
He was interrupted as Killer - who had just had his own strings snipped - casually swang an arm over Nightmare and amusedly said in a sing song tone. "Are you going to tell him how much you missed him~?"
"Killer-" Nightmare warned.
"How much you still want to be brothers~"
"Killer-" Some of the Sans's visibly flinched at the tone, baffled about the seemingly full turn in personality they were showing.
Killer wasn't even worried. He knew Nightmare would never hurt them. Put them in time out? Definitely.
"I even have videos from karaoke where he's bawling about-" Killer was going to retreive his phone, dancing away with laughter as Nightmare tried to snatch it, a light blush creeping in at the embarrassment.
Cross exited the bones structure, trying not to laugh at the two.
"What are you laughing at?" Nightmare asked. "He still has that cow video too!"
Cross abruptly stopped laughing and panickedly joined in the chase.
"Is this really how they act without Fate?" Ink asked Error, Dream stuck smiling at the scene and full of joy knowing his brother still loved him.
Error nodded. "This is fairly t-t-t-tame for them."
Horror came out next and nodded along, his smile no longer too wide and lopsided, but soft and genuine. "we should bake something ... to celebrate."
"You bake?" Dream asked, eye lights brightening. Dream loved baking!
Horror nodded.
Dust and Fresh came out just as Killer was trying to tap out of Cross's arm lock, Nightmare safely confiscating the phone. Without Fate stopping them, Killer may just upload all their embarrassing videos to the Multinet. Nightmare shuddered. He was glad he got the phone before that could happen.
Little did he know that was Killer's spare.
"what about them?" Dust asked, pointing at the Stars. "they probably were tampered with by fate too."
Fresh nodded, to their shock.
"Ink got some unrad memory erasure but that be lookin' tricky to fix and it be better ta just let it wear off on it's own. Not to mention Inky bro may be a little harder to influence. Dream's be something he'd want ta do anyway and Blue ..."
The Stars looked a little nervous at Fresh trailing off.
"... c'mon." Fresh waved Blue back to the bone structure. He followed quickly.
"... sooo." Ink spoke into the awkward silence. "Does this mean you guys aren't going to wreck havoc on the Multiverse anymore?"
Error winced. "Depends."
Ink narrowed his sockets. "Why can't you just say 'no'?"
"Well ... even if Fate f-f-f-forced us, there was a reason for it."
"What reason could there possibly be for you destroying AU's?" Ink asked, baffled.
To many's surprise, it was Blue who answered.
"THE MULTIVERSE IS FINITE AND TO MANY AU'S COULD DESTROY EVERYTHING." Blue said firmly. "IT'S BEEN LITERAL TORTCHER KNOWING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE OF FATE! YEARS!" Blue sighed. "STARS THAT'S GOOD TO FINALLY SAY."
Error nodded. "Plus if an AU corrupts, it may spread and d-d-d-delete others unchecked."
Ink was aghast with horror. "How come I never knew that stuff!? I've only been making all these copies because I thought you were trying to destroy it all!"
"You ... used t-t-t-to know." Error said quietly.
Ink realized. "Fate tampered with my memories ... was that it? Why would she do that?"
"That's ..." Error glanced at the crowded area that clearly also wanted to know. "Probably something w-w-w-we should talk about in private. It's a family matter."
"How is that a-"
"We're cousins, I-I-I-Ink." Error admitted bluntly.