Fool's Paradise

Effort Made

Clad in a fur lined jacket, caked in blood and running through the long winding halls of a forgotten castle came a small skeleton. Even for someone made entirely of bones he was thin, sickly, but the air around him was held like a deadly weapon. One much like the blunt axe resting rather precariously on his back by a whaler's monkey belt.

Carve was his name, a starved, homicidal Sans from Horror!Tale. Strange, odd and all the others but it is true that Carve is not his name nor is he the only one in such a situation. But the multiverse is too far beyond what he cares so he doesn't dare to even try to question it.

He rounded the corner and skidded to a halt once finding who he was looking for. Someone who towered over most if not all and made this skeleton feel especially meek.

"Nigh-Sir, you uh, ya got the, fuckin' uh." When one looses the ability to speak they sound stupid, but when this is a normal occurrence people tend to over look it. Nightmare was aware of this fact and never pressured his worker to change. Though he did give him speech therapy if there was a day off.

So he waited for Carve to stop biting his tongue, literally and get on with it. After wiping his mouth, Carve groaned out a mostly comprehensible sentence.

"You ah, got me, something? I uh, the others said you came ho-back. I'm hungry, do you? Can ya, please?" Nightmare had patience and lots of it, only certain things rattled his bones. This kind of conversation used to be one, there were times where he would scream at others for being indesicive cowards and shying away from what they want. A few conversation ending in him washing the heavy dust from each crevice of his clothes.

He was calmer now and somewhat respected Carve. So he never hurt him, badly.

"Yes Carve, I have your food," Carve perked up at this. He saw Nightmare as an older brother, maybe even father, the bigger skeleton just gave of an air of 'kind-hearted enforcement'. Even though Carve doesn't have an older brother and his father tried to eat him, he knows what an elder sibling should smell like. He's eaten enough to know the scent.

And for some reason, Nightmare is covered in it. Carve never voices his queries though, or much of anything for that matter as he seems to only talk when hungry or when Nightmare was present. He hasn't seen nor heard of a younger sibling or family member and Carve knew from experience not to pry.

He skinned the ones that asked of his brother.

"Good." Carve fiddled with the rope that crossed his front, picking at the fraying ends as he trotted along after his 'leader'. Every now and then Nightmare would slow or come to a complete halt when Carve lagged too far behind. Another thing that used to irritate Nightmare to no end, but this time it was not his workers who repetitively crushed it out of him but his-

Well, someone quite important to himself.

《《♧》》

Nightmare effortlessly glided into the kitchen based area, though he was a large, impending force, his steps were quiet and his presence usually went unnoticed. But not by this 'bunch of terrors' as Nightmare would say.

"EY NIGHTY-NIGHT! What's crackin' lip smackin'?"

Groans of faux pain called from Nightmare while reaching into a dark grey and positively outlandish fridge, in both accessories and size. The others sitting at the counter huffed in amusement, a normal happening in this house they all experienced it but it was still funny. Dumb, friendly flirty by dumb, chaotic people.

"It is pleasant to see you as well Killer. But please do refrain from calling for me in such grotesque manners. It does poorly for your future health."

The flirty sans, Killer, grinned. Through the insults and well mannered clap-backs, Killer knew Nightmare enjoyed the attention. Everyone did.

They all lacked attention at some point, good healthy attention. Killer included.

He was just doing his part.

"Boss, Error called before. 10 whole universes gone." Dust, a broader and more steadily built Sans from what they now call Dust'sTale, called from his place at the counter. Nightmare has collected what was needed from the fridge and was now preparing a slightly complicated meal for them all. Making sure to keep Carve's meat choice apart from the others.

He liked it raw.

Nightmare coughed awkwardly at this thought, he wasn't going to dwell on that thought. For long.

"Even extra Alters and shit?" Killer pondered aloud to which Dust replied with a single, slow nod.

Small hums came from the kitchen floor near the oven. Sugar, an oddly curved and pink Sans from UnderLust, rolled over to face the others. Though he was from UnderLust he couldn't call himself a slave to the pleasure of touch, but he could have one hell of a craving. It wasn't exactly healthy but in his mind he was a magical skeleton living his best life, so why not?

"Huh, hadn't really strung him for a hard worker."

Different cackles sounded around the room, some more refined than others. Carve had smacked his face onto the table in pure, joyous shock, he wasn't expecting a pun. Sugar cleared his throat.

"No but seriously, we need to kidnap his ass and bring him over. We all need a break and now big daddy leader is back so we can all chillax." Nightmare was not going to lie, being called 'daddy' gave him mixed emotions, and he didnt know how to feel about it. More small chortles of laughter, these ones being poorly hidden but there was still an effort made.

《《♡》》

Not what you were expecting for this chapter but I'm keeping it mellow whilst introducing the characters.

I'll usually keep with a group for two or three chapter unless there isn't a need. Dream or Nightly will mostly be the main focus but it will swap do thicken the plot.

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