#dreamtale_not_found fic

[anfie-in-the-box]

Dreamtale_Not_Found Teaser

Notes

Nobody asked for this, including me. I never intended to participate in Aftermare Week (and I'm a bit late as it is). Furthermore, I never could figure this ship out at all; for me, it just didn't work. Until suddenly, it did. All thanks to this event. Not sure if I'd expand this idea, but have this teaser nonetheless.

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Do you?..

"Well, that's new," Nightmare says out loud, unsure how to react.

To be fair, it's always something new unless he concentrates on a certain AU. There are too many of them, so it's only natural they come and go.

He's been through this so many times, yet it's as awe-inspiring and breathtaking as ever. He still remembers the first time. He couldn't put up with his life anymore, and he tried to change it. Only... He hesitated a mere second before making contact with the closest golden apple. After all, he never touched it.

There's no proof, but it felt like the whole world shifted, settling in a state completely different from before.

That night, for the first time in his life, Nightmare had a dream. It wasn't a good dream; quite the opposite actually. He remembered walking in a cold, empty world filled with what he thought was snow. Of course, it was monster dust. He learned that shortly after, right as he stumbled into a human murdering an armless lizard-like monster. The air was thick not only with dust but also with grief, horror, and pain. Nightmare's never felt so much negativity in one place.

As time passed, his lucid dreams have become more and more frequent. He explored a world he was dreaming about, invisible, untouchable. The worlds were different every time, each of them unique in its own way, and he craved to learn and see as much as possible in what little time he had. Need to hurry made him upset at first, but then excitement came, the thrill of a race against time, a gamble of what he discovers and what misses, what chooses and what discards.

He was so vulnerable back then, no wonder he'd fallen into a trap of escapism, sleeping more and more every day. Dream was so worried, and Nightmare... Nightmare couldn't care less. He just wanted to get out of the world where everybody neither loved nor accepted him. Or, well, he believed so. What a fatal fallacy that was.

Now, his life is balanced and bearable, yet, the dreams stay a welcome distraction and adventure that Nightmare awaits with eager anticipation. They never cease to surprise.

Like this time. He got thrown into so many different places, but this one is something else. There doesn't seem to be anything but a tiny lawn with two words above, and then, there's only endless darkness. "Continue" and "Reset", the words say. Nightmare is vaguely aware of the concept after visiting so many universes, but... Is this really what it looks like? Even if so, what is he doing here? His dreams always led him to monsters or humans, but this place is utterly empty.

Did something break? Was he abusing his power to travel between the worlds? Is this his punishment? Will he stay here forever? What about Dream? He's strong, he'd live on even if Nightmare never woke up or disappeared for good, but Nightmare doesn't want to bring that on his brother!

"Anybody here?" Nightmare tries, despite the anxiety building in his whole being, verging on panic. It's all for nothing, of course, he's invisible, untouchable, and inaudible during his dreams, he's never present enough in another world to interact with it. But doing something — anything at all — is better than giving in to panic.

Then, suddenly, a voice comes from the darkness, astounded yet wary, "the heck?!"

Nightmare shrieks, taking a step back and instantly going on the defensive. Ready to cover himself or dodge.

"who's there?"

Now that all Nightmare's senses are heightened by fear, he can actually see where the voice comes from. A distant figure coming his way in fast, big steps, running almost.

Wait...

"Do you... hear me?" he asks, not quite sure if he expects an answer or a lack of it.

"duh. see ya, too."

Okay. Alright. They're not attacking, only coming closer. No reason to relax yet, but perhaps he should show them he's not a threat. Ever so slowly, Nightmare raises both hands. For some reason, that earns him a... chuckle?

He doesn't even see there are two of them at first. The only thing he can focus on is those weird white things covering their heads. He's never seen anything like this before. What is this? Are they okay?

Then, he remembers what types of worlds he has access to.

Then, he sees a huge bloody slash across the creature's chest.

Everything falls into place.

They're really, really not okay.

Only then, he finally realises there isn't only one creature before him. A monster wearing his face — or, well, about a half of it, the other being covered by this strange white thing, — a Sans of this universe, if it even is a universe, it seems; and a kid sitting on his shoulders, covered by the whiteness as well.

"did we startle you?" Uncertain, Nightmare nods, his gaze glued to the blood dripping from the slash. It's rude to stare, he might make this Sans mad, but just can't get himself to look anywhere else. It doesn't help that there's nothing to look at. Definitely nothing as vibrant, not even the grass behind their back. No, Nightmare can't look away even if it'd be the death of him.

"so? mind telling me who you are? or how you entered this place, maybe? dunno, don't care, you choose what comes first."

The stranger's tone is nonchalant, but Nightmare can sense other's emotions, so there's no way that's fooling him. They're confused and distressed. And in so much pain that never ends.

"I'm dreaming," Nightmare falters. It suddenly hits him that he's actually talking to somebody from another world. One of those he's never present enough in. What changed? Could it be this place that affects him? If so, wouldn't that be a trap, a prison with no way out?..

Stars, please, anything but that. He doesn't want to leave his brother.

The stranger's only socket widens in surprise. He looks as taken aback as Nightmare feels, truly.

"but you're not..." he mutters, clearly talking to himself. Shakes his head abruptly, earning a huff from the child on his shoulders. "sorry, kiddo, didn't think that through. you good?" They nod. "then, do me a favour and go play with the blasters, 'kay?" He lifts them with magic Nightmare is all too familiar with and summons the blasters, although smaller than Nightmare's accustomed to. The child pouts but goes away without a word, settling on a lawn.

"okay, let's start over. first, put your hands down, that looks uncomfortable." Says someone with a seemingly eternally bleeding wound, Nightmare thinks but does as asked. It's not like he's in any position to choose. "seems you're more afraid of me than i'm of you if your shaking's anything to go by. relax, kid, i'm not gonna hurt ya if you're not gonna hurt me."

He's not a kid. Not anymore. He really is shaking, though. Haven't even noticed. But that's not surprising at all, he still doesn't know what to expect.

"I'm not a kid," Nightmare says before he can stop himself. The stranger just shrugs, "then give me something to call you, why don't ya?"

That's... actually reasonable. His name never came up.

"Nightmare," the stranger gives him a quizzical look, so he clarifies. "That's my name. Nightmare."

"wow. somebody has a dark sense of humour or something?" Nightmare's not sure how to respond, but he doesn't get the chance anyway. "no, sorry, that's kinda hypocritical of me. name's geno."

As in genocide?

Nightmare doesn't ask that. Maybe he just heard that word too much during his travels.

"so, nightmare. how did you get here?"

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Credits:

Undertale © Toby Fox

Dreamtale © jokublog

Aftertale © loverofpiggies

Aftermare Week © @bluepalleteuniverse

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Notes

I tried to explain as much as possible in this little teaser, but if you have any questions, ask away. Although some things might be spoilers, and I'm planning to do something with this idea. If not a full story, perhaps a collection of shorter ones would suffice. It's not set in stone yet.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and take care 🌻