Thanks go to Zack Frost, Wingah, WhoWritesThisCrap, Xero619, 10burgers, DuckLIT1220000, and I'mANervousWreck.

Whoa hey wow an update on a Monday that's weeeirrrdddd. Sorry about being a day late, ended up being just a little more busy than I anticipated. The next chapter should still go up two weeks from yesterday, so Sunday the 21st. :)

Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.


Hissing, giggling, slithering... What a wretched abyss. It was dark, pitch black. So nightmarish that he felt right at home.

Anthony The Anarchist. Nightmare Sans' favorite character in this twisted up multiverse, and he'd had the audacity to disappear! The dark skeleton was almost furious; if it hadn't been for the chaos his disappearance had caused he didn't know what he would have done.

Anarchy. A man who dominated the multiverse completely for half a year. Who forced every important pair of eyes to watch him proclaim supremacy at his circus, before massacreing half of them with the wretched worms that squirmed at every side of Nightmare now. He'd been there that day, at Jevil's circus. He'd sat at the edge of his seat, eyes as wide as his smile while he watched that animal spread fear and despair with the flick of his wrist.

And then, a week later. When everyone in the multiverse watched Anarchy break their champion with his bare hands. He melted the wax idol of The Angel with the heat of his DETERMINATION, scarred his body and his mind alike. But it wasn't just Cter. In fact, it was almost all the heroes and villains of this multiverse. Or, at least the ones that mattered.

Cter The Angel awakes at night drenched in cold sweat. He dreams of his brother's face, he remembers the feeling of those powerful hands crushing his windpipe. He tastes garbage water on his tongue. Lexi The Predator tosses and turns, she hasn't rested easy since the day she chose vengeance over saving her precious friend. She remembers the soulless stare of those crimson eyes, she hears him scream at Angel that he once gave up his life to save her. Xander The Gatherer stands in the cold of his balcony and smokes to keep the prodding spikes of his anger at bay. His bed is no longer comfortable, because the one who he loved was cut down in his prime. Murdered because he had dared to stand between The Angel and The Anarchist.

Ah, the way the good the bad and the ugly all searched so desperately for Chaos Incarnate. How they squirmed, much like the worms around him, because they had all been irreparably twisted on the inside. The hate, the anger, the indignation, the guilt, the regret! It was all such a lovely show, such fantastically dreadful feelings for Nightmare!Sans to bask in! Nightmare's poor, pathetic brother must be all but powerless these days, with how completely awful the multiverse has become. That was why Dream had no idea where Anarchy was, but Nightmare knew his precise location.

And as much fun as it'd been watching everyone scramble for any ounce of hope they could get, and as patient of a man as Nightmare was, he thought the waiting game had paid off about as much as it could. Now was finally the time for action.

"... You don't have a problem with that, do ya Badster?"

Nightmare shifted his footing, and he turned his slimy grin towards the other end of the deep chasm. His waxy, sludge body bubbled and dripped with glee while his one eye fixed on the tall skeleton wandering through the void. At Badster's sides, hole punched hands glowing with green energy floated. Their KIND light illuminated the void, keeping the wriggling DARK at bay.

Badster squinted his cracked sockets, and his crescent smile tightened in a way that was less than friendly.

Chapter 58: A Very Elusive Goose

Or: Egoosive, If You Will


"I was wondering when you'd show up." Nightmare!Sans confessed, stuffing his dripping hands into the slimy pockets of his hoodie. Or, the hoodie shape that his sludge took. At least that was Badster's hypothesis. Either way, the malevolent goo skeleton smiled quite happily at the sight of him. "It's good to see ya again."

"Apologies, but I don't recall us ever meeting." Badster's voice reached over the distant snickering of his master's darkness, worms slipping over one another on the edge of his green lights.

"A'course we haven't met. You hang out with a guy who could drop me in three seconds flat." Nightmare's slimy grin widened, his single eye darting to the side. It was admittedly hard to keep his eyes off the fascinating worms that wriggled all around them. Life from death, composed entirely of The Dark. Nightmare felt at home here, at one with these beasts. His body had been twisted and broken apart in an age long since forgotten, and now he was composed of a similar Dark. That was why these creatures hardly noticed his presence here, he reckoned.

"So, you've been paying attention then. I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything less." Folding the hands that were attached to his wrists behind his back, Badster never let his smile fade. As per usual, his real feelings were nearly impossible to read. Or, they would have been, for anyone other than Nightmare, who was more than aware of the blackened soul beneath the doctor's friendly smile. "Have you been enjoying the show, Nightmare?"

"Oh I'm a big fan." That beady, evil eye darted from the wriggling mass of bile coated decomposers to the Herald of Chaos. Nightmare's posture was so poor in comparison to that of the looming Badster, his shoulders sunk and his goopy head hanging forward. But, the smiles they both wore were equally fake. "Past few seasons have been on the decline though. You open to constructive criticism?"

"I don't make the decisions, I'm afraid." Badster explained, and Nightmare watched that smile crack just a little deeper into his skull. "Anthony does."

"Oh? Wasn't aware the two'a you were on a first name basis." Nightmare chuckled, the base of his voice meshing well with the dull cackle of the beasts that lurked just beyond Badster's light. He paused after laughing, though, and his single eye squinted suspiciously at the bad doctor. "... What's Anarchy up to these days, anyway?"

"There's no answer I could give that would properly satisfy your curiosity." Badster stated with a certainty that might've made Nightmare frown, if he'd been capable. Regardless of this, Badster's eye sockets suddenly glimmered with something a bit more menacing, and he narrowed them at the fiend before him. "But, you should know, The Anarchist may not wish to be found."

"So?" Nightmare almost laughed, lifting his arms in a casual shrug. He shook his head, malice dripping from his lifted hands in inky sludge. "I'd put that one together, doc. Thing is, I don't care what Anarchy wants."

"What I want is for him to keep killin' people, traumatizing survivors, and turning the gods'a this world into bed wetters." Nightmare lowered his head some, and the dull aquamarine glow of his one good eye disappeared into the void of his darkness. But, even without a pupil, Badster was certain that eye was watching him. "And if he wants me to keep quiet, he's gonna need to send more than just his punkass chauffeur."

Badster definitely got a kick out of that line. He laughed a little louder than he would have liked in all honesty, his sockets widening some at Nightmare's coarse language and bold assumptions. But then, like a switch, he flipped his laughter right off, and his expression returned to its usual eerie calm. "I assure you, The Anarchist did not send me. I came here of my own volition, to warn you in good faith."

"I'm listening." Nightmare's single pupil returned to his eye, and he leaned in like he was excited to hear whatever Badster would say next. He smiled like he knew he was about to hear something good.

"I'm certain that Anthony knows what you're doing. These beasts you've been fraternizing with are chattier than you know." Badster straightened his back, and the glowing green hands that floated around him shifted some, orbiting him and widening the range of their glow. This shed all the more light on the wide smiles of the carnivores watching the two of them. "If you take one misstep, make a single mistake, displease him in any way... If for any reason the mood strikes him, he won't have to lift a finger. Just one command to his monstrosities, and the very darkness that you are composed of will tear you apart."

"..." Silently, Nightmare Sans stood there. He watched Badster for a few seconds longer, his eyes narrowing some while his smile widened. The shadows were cackling now, their noise booming in the void of silence that Badster's words had left. And finally, as the bad doctor began to fade into the multicolored pixels of the code, Nightmare spoke.

"I'll roll those dice."


"You sure you're ready for this?"

"I'm sure."

Horror!Flowey squinted his big ol' eyeball suspiciously at Eden from his place on the table of her room. Eden did not look over to him, too busy gently applying a violet eyeshadow to her left eyelid. It seemed she'd already finished detailing her right. Flowey didn't really care about that though, instead pressing on. "If everything goes right, you're gonna meet Nightmare Sans today. And from there, you might even meet The Anarchist."

"Mhm." Eden's response didn't give Flowey much to work with, and that prompted him to squint his eye more harshly in her direction. He knew she could see him in the reflection of the mirror propped up on her dresser, but she still did not look at him. This lack of attention was more then aggravating, so Flowey leaned back and pondered his next words carefully, trying to devise how he might get a rise out of her.

"... Is that why you're putting on the war paint?" Flowey questioned, and his eyeball nearly split to show his grin when he spotted Eden roll her eyes almost immediately. He leaned forward in his pot, tilting his flower like he was curious. "You're worried you might have to fight some nightmare creature to the death?"

"The makeup is going on because it matches my eyes and makes me feel like a bad bitch." Eden's purple eyes darted to Flowey's reflection in the mirror, her frown sinking deeper into her face. "And I carry a nightmare creature around in my backpack every day. I'm not worried about some sludgeball or albino."

"That so?" Flowey inquired, tilting his head until he'd spun his flower eye upside down. Then, his eyeball split, flashing that disgusting vertical grin. "So you really think we won't die today?"

"No, I don't." Eden's eyes stared down into the open top drawer of her dresser, where she was carefully putting the makeup she'd been using away. Then, she shut the drawer, and finally spun around to see her peculiar house plant. "And I know you don't think that either, you're just trying to get a rise out of me."

"And how'd ya put that together, detective?" Flowey straightened out his flower, but his eyeball remained split in its giddy maw. It looked so unnatural when he actually moved his mouth to speak, most people strongly preferred when he was just a weird eyeball flower. Eden never minded though, she thought he looked quite pretty either way.

"Because you're a coward, Flowey." Eden stated like it was obvious. She crossed her arms over her chest, sitting back on the dresser top behind her. Flowey of course recoiled at her words, before his jaws ground together furiously. This made Eden smile, and she reached up, slipping her glasses back over her eyes. "If you really thought we might die, you would already be hiding underground."

Thump thump thump!

"Hey, Eden, you almost done in there?" Demon's voice rang from the other side of Eden's front door. Eden wasn't particularly eager to be alone with Demon, after all the last time they'd seen her she was a sobbing mess. The embarrassment of her outburst last night still stung when she thought about it, but she forced herself to push it down. There were more important things to attend to. "C'mon, Gatherer's getting impatient."

Eden was a part of the team that Xander was bringing to meet with Nightmare. Her, Flowey, Hacker and Demon would accompany The Gatherer to The Anarchist's original timeline. Due to the nature of Anarchy's beasts - which lurked endlessly in that wretched space - no monsters were allowed onto the mission. The Dark weakened their souls, and the poisonous fangs of the worms meant certain death to even the sturdiest of Monsterkind.

"C'mon, Flowey." Eden hopped off her dresser, leaning down to grab her brown backpack from the chair it rested in. She quickly slung the pack over her shoulders, making her way to the table where one ashamed Flowey grumbled quietly about her remarks about his bravery, or really lack thereof. She scooped his pot up in her hands, "Time to go."

Demon stood leaned against the wall outside of Eden's apartment, arms crossed over their chest. An impatient frown was embedded in their face, and they tapped their shoe against the wall while they waited. They were hardly eager for this mission. Nightmare was a slippery snake of a monster, if he even was a monster anymore. They and Hacker had made it a point to avoid any contact with the blood thirsty, manipulative ooze. Unfortunately, they worked for another snake. One they deemed more dangerous than the first. So, there was no weaseling out of this mission. What Gatherer says goes.

They also weren't particularly jazzed about being asked to retrieve Eden on their own. Demon was already trash at social situations, and the last time they'd seen Eden she was balling her eyes out and fleeing the scene. The only reasonable thing to do in Demon's mind was to just pretend it didn't happen. They were hardly equipped with the words, the empathy, or the skill to help Eden in any way with her personal struggles. The best they could do was be friendly, and even in that department they felt lacking.

Though they were far from interested in being involved in the situation, Demon had asked Hacker why he'd disappeared last night moments after Eden's outburst. He'd been begrudging, but Demon had refused to let the matter go until he spilled something informative. Hacker hadn't said much though, "... I just had something I thought she should hear. Lets leave it at that."

Demon wouldn't have taken that for an answer on a regular day, but... They were sure Hacker was not in the mood to say another word. That worried them; he was usually quite hard to upset. Always cracking jokes, flashing that heartless smile, even if he was being cynical he would find a way to be funny about it. Demon could only guess it had something to do with one of the few things that hurt their boyfriend, then. Perhaps his grandmother, that was always a sensitive topic.

Demon didn't know all the details, but they did know that there was a time when Hacker loved someone other than themself. He'd had a motherly figure, and he'd lost her. They didn't ask too many questions, though, and that was a kindness that Hacker returned to them. The two did not focus on one another's past, they instead pursued a future together.

The lock clicked, the doorknob turned, and Demon turned their head to see Eden exiting her home. The two's gazes connected, and the both of them flashed a semi-awkward smile at one another. Demon was less than excited to see that twisted flower that was once some version of their brother on Eden's back, but after convincing themself he'd at least be a useful meat shield if things went south, they turned on their heel, waving for Eden to follow them. "C'mon, before they leave without us."


In the space behind Gatherer's central compound where he kept his inner circle, hidden away in the barracks, shooting ranges, gyms, cafeterias and whatever other living necessities his army required, was a train station. A smaller one, specifically for the use of Gatherer and his closest allies. A simple, three cart train rested on the tracks. Tracks that only ran about fifty feet, before ending abruptly in wake of an arch of metal beams. Beams that were adorned with strange, multicolored bulbs. A similar bulb rested at the front of the conductor's leading cart, perched on the end of a sturdy antenna.

Originally, Gatherer's three ring society was constructed differently. On the outermost layer was the military sector, then the living district of his citizens, and finally Gatherer's living area at the center. This was to show the people that they were both protected by The Gatherer's forces and trusted to be close to The Gatherer personally. But after the devastation that Predator's invasion caused him a few years ago, Gatherer had rebuilt differently. He could no longer worry about the personal feelings of his people, what mattered was that the ice witch or that winged bastard never got into his front yard without a fight ever again. So, the people rested on the outer ring, with all their shopping malls and restaurants and whatever else made them happy and complacent. Then, Gatherer's army formed a protective ring around the final layer, where Gatherer and his inner circle still remained in the original design. Living tower, science and research center, data and debate hall.

Currently, Xander The Gatherer stood with his hands folded behind his back, staring up at the train that loomed before himself and The Hacker, who sat on the bench beside him. There was a small staircase leading up to the open doors of the furthest back of the three carts, and guarding it were two Knight Knights. They stood at either side of the staircase morningstars crossed in an X over the entrance.

Xander had been standing there, back straight and eyes staring into nothing at all for the entire time the two of them had been down here. Like some kinda statue, or someone with a twenty foot pole lodged up his ass. The latter of which was Hacker's theory. The KIND eyed liar watched his boss curiously from his place slouched on the bench, his arms laying over the back of his seat. He'd presumed Gatherer didn't wanna sit next to him because he didn't want to give Hacker any reason to think the two of them were friends.

Hacker smiled irritably at that thought, staring right into the back of Xander's suit. Pretentious fuck was all dressed up to go negotiate with a terrorist, and him n' Demon had to come along to make sure he didn't get eaten by any'a Anny's beasties. Beasties that Hacker had adamantly hoped he'd never find himself on the bitey end of.

"... You sure I should be along for the ride on this one, G?" Hacker finally spoke up, lifting his head some to cock a brow at the back'a Xander's head. Every hair was pulled back into a neat and tidy bun, trimmed up and gelled into perfect position. "I am an Angel, y'know. There's a chance the bugaliboos see me and instantly go apeshit."

"I have considered this, and I am certain you have nothing to worry about." Xander turned his head some, and one of those powerful purple eyes landed upon The Hacker. Hacker just frowned at the condescending power behind that gaze, and that was enough of a reason for Xander to look forward again. "In all his time in the multiverse, Anarchy and his minions have only been interested in the destruction of one Angel. I'm certain he sees Hackers like you and deems them as nothing more than other meaningless multiverse denizens. I'm sure his worms will see you the same way."

That made Hacker frown a little deeper. So Anarchy supposedly saw him as a cheap knock off, and that was supposed to make him feel better? He wasn't a knock off, him and Demon both. They were the best of their kind. They'd prove that when they got their chance to kill that stupid Ascended Heir. "... And if you're wrong?"

"You're a capable fighter, aren't you?" Gatherer shrugged his shoulders calmly, not bothering to look back at Hacker. "I'm sure you can handle a few bugs."

"So ya don't care..." Hacker muttered, slouching with exasperation. Meanwhile, his eye twitched with some aggravation. "Gotcha."

It was about then that footsteps finally echoed up the concrete path, and Hacker looked over his shoulder eagerly to spot Demon and Eden walking up towards them. A smile shaped his features, and he suddenly flipped up over the back of the bench, landing on his feet behind it and facing the two of them. "About time!"

"Left me here alone with that brick wall." One hand in his pocket, Hacker pointed with his free hand over his shoulder and towards Gatherer. The corner of his mouth curled into his usual scoundrel smirk while he walked forward, closing the distance between himself and the approaching humans and plant. Soon enough he stood right in their path, slouching forward some while he cocked a brow down at Eden. "You sleep in or what, squirt?"

"..." Eden's violet eyes glossed up to Hacker's emerald orbs as he smirked down at her. Her initial thought was to give some snide remark and push past him, he was a heathen after all. Someone who did not believe in Gatherer's cause and only cared about himself.

"... But, I think if Cliff saw you, he'd be proud."

... At least, that's how she would have responded two days ago. But, now she wondered if there was more to the heartless liar before her. Wretched as Hacker was, he was certainly the better of the two Hackers she'd met. At least he was genuine about the kind of person he was, unlike the pretentious Angel and his dumb hero schtick. And though that hardly excused him as a bastard and a blasphemer, it did make his presence... More bearable. So, Eden shaped her lips into a little smirk, and she responded. "Preparation takes time. Today is a very important day."

"And I'm far from a brick wall, Hacker." It was at this point that Gatherer joined in on the conversation, once more glancing over his shoulder and looking towards his team. He too smirked just a little, "I just don't like talking to you."

Hacker frowned back at Gatherer, before reaching up. He pulled down one of his eyelids at Xander while simultaneously sticking his tongue out at him. Behind him, Demon mimicked this face, and Gatherer squinted irritably at their childish actions.

Proving to be more mature than her serial killer coworkers, Eden walked past Hacker and Demon, making her way towards the train. Gatherer smiled with pride at the sight of Eden, the way she stared ahead. He'd taught her that. The constant desire to move forward, DETERMINATION. That was one of the gifts of his mentoring.

"Are we ready to depart, sir?" Eden asked in her monotone voice, those amethyst eyes darting dutifully over to The Gatherer. There was a different edge to her now than there was when she was in a casual setting; even if she was among friends or acquaintances, this was a mission. To her that meant she had to be official, by the book. Serious. That, too, made Gatherer smile.

"... Yes. Yes we are."


"You're aware we could be hoppin' right into our graves on this one, right?" Clover questioned his boss, standing a few feet behind her. Lexi The Predator stood along the metal walkways of The Hollow Spire, staring into the twisting void as the ship blasted through space. Herself and her crewmates were protected by the nearly invisible shield of energy surrounding the spire and its outer rings, safe to stand and watch the void go by.

The Pirates had docked their ship in a docking bay located higher up on the Spire, and that was where most of them resided. It'd quickly been decided that the monsters of her crew would be sidelined for this one, they all knew full well that Anarchy's Darkness meant ruin for their hopeful souls. That meant for this mission, it'd be Predator, Clover, Melanie, Kris, and Ralsei.

"Yeah, but that's like ninety percent of our missions." Lexi looked over her shoulder to her cowboy compadre, shrugging without a care. The two stood at the edge of the highest of the three rings encircling the spire, facing out towards infinity. She looked forward again, "... Or, it used to be."

"Things have gotten a tad more stable 'round here, I reckon." Clover smirked lightly while he took a few more steps forward. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking over at her from the corner of his eye. "Now we got an entire space station and some all seein' eye on our side. I remember when it was jus' you n' me on River Person's boat."

"Pff, I remember when it was just me on River Person's boat!" Lexi laughed, turning her grin over towards Clover while they reminisced. "I can still hardly believe I got you to come along! I didn't even have a ship to be captain of back then!"

"Beat stayin' Underground or goin' home to pa." Smirking lightly, Clover shrugged his shoulders. In the shifting lighting, Predator could see his one gold eye beneath his hat. She'd never asked how he lost his right eye, because she knew he'd talk about it if and when he ever wanted to. Similarly, Clover had never asked the details of Lexi's relationship with The Anarchist, or why exactly she felt so indebted to him. "'Sides, it's been a fun ride."

"Yeah..." Lexi looked forward, and her grin subdued all the way into a smile that Clover thought looked a little sad. Her cyan eyes drifted down to the ledge of the walkway that they stood upon, squinting thoughtfully. "... Seems like things were so much simpler back then, Clover. Just me and you on a wacky adventure to make more pals and take on bigger bounties."

"... Listen, boss." Clover spoke after a long pause, turning his head to look towards The Predator. He reached up, taking the rim of his cowboy hat in hand and carefully pulling it from his head. This made his boss rise her eyebrows some; he hardly ever took that hat off. Honestly, she forgot he had that spikey, dirty brown hair half the time. Looking him in the face, she could see all of his rugged features. That, and the black eyepatch that hide his right eye - or whatever remained of it anyway - and blended in under the shade of his hat. "I'd follow you right down one'a those Wyrm's throats if ya ordered me to. I trust yer judgement one 'undred percent. Wherever you go in this here multiverse, I'm gon' be right beside'ja."

"So this whole Anarchist hunt, I ain't got no complaints." The whole time Clover spoke, his single eye did not leave Lexi's reasonably surprised face. it wasn't like him to talk this much, he wasn't a man of many words. So, this must have been important to him. "If you wanna find Anarchy, I'll go to the ends'a the earth to help ya. But... I think ya should know that ya might not like whatcha find."

Lexi narrowed her eyes painfully at those words, and Clover took a deep breath. His usual frown settled over his features, and there was a hint of worry in his eye as he slowly shook his head. "If you think we can bring Anarchy back ta somethin' at least close ta human, I believe ya. But I need ya ta understand there's a chance he can't be fixed. A big one."

"..." Lexi turned her ice blue orbs forward, and again she stared into the infinite beyond. Around them, all the shifting colors of the multiverse rapidly flying by flashed as they blasted across space time and towards the world's edge. Her hands tightened into fists, and she inhaled deeply... Before she let it go. Exhaling slowly, her fists unclenched, and a chilled fog left her nostrils. "... I know. But I still have to try."

Clover looked forward, too. He lifted his hat, and he placed it back atop his head, sliding his index finger and thumb over its edge to make sure it was on tight. With the upper half of his face once more hidden away, the cowboy lowered his hands, resting them in his pockets. "... Then I'll try with ya."


At the forefront of the train The Gatherer stood, staring out the front window of the train as it blasted through the multiverse. Colors twisted and split apart before their path, reflecting in the window and Fell!Alphys' spiral glasses. She was the conductor, her scientific brain had been among the team that had developed this invention. A train that could traverse time and space, transporting people and supplies multiverse wide. This invention was ground breaking, and a pivotal piece in the early days of The Gatherer's empire. Being a part of its construction is what had earned Alphys her cushy suite in the lower levels of her ruler's tower and her well paying job as one of his lead scientists.

Usually on a mission as dangerous as this, Hacker would be the one to operate the machinery. But Hacker was denied any knowledge about how to operate these trains. Gatherer had made it clear he wanted no chance of the former traitor using one to make a hasty retreat. Alphys was glad, the less status that smart mouth rat had the better in her mind. It was bad enough that she had to work under him in the labs... Here, he wasn't even allowed in the conductor's cart.

But, who was allowed in the cart was Xander The Gatherer, who's strong presence threatened to suffocate the meek scientist. He just loomed there behind her, staring wordlessly ahead as worlds passed by. She'd thought he might want to sit and fraternize with his crew before such a mission, but instead he stood here, waiting silently for their arrival. Alphys made sure they were going at top speed, in case her boss was feeling impatient.

Beep beep beep!

Her swirling glasses darted down to peer at the radar on the center console, and behind them her eyebrows lifted. She was quick to step forward, letting her claws loom over the controls. She stared into the red dot they were slowly approaching on the radar, and she felt whatever hairs her scaled body had stand on end. But, before she could let herself worry about the darkness they were rapidly approaching, she looked over her shoulder and to the reassuring face of her fearless leader. "S-sir, we're approaching our destination. What should I do?"

"Stop three hundred meters before we breach The Dark." Gatherer ordered without hesitation, his hands remaining folded behind his straightened back. His violet eyes did not peer down at Alphys, but she dutifully began pressing buttons the moment he gave the order regardless. "You will remain on the train while the rest of us continue on foot. Keep up the cloaking field and activate all defenses after we exit the train. If any party that is not accompanied by Eden or myself attempts to board the train, stop them at all costs."

"Yes sir..!" Alphys turned her body towards The Gatherer, throwing up one claw in a salute. And he looked to her from his eye's corner, a slight smile curving his lips at the sight of her obedience.


"Soo... We're airdropping into the abomination nest." Ralsei's eyes darted from the entrance of the metal drop pod to his grinning commander, who fearlessly strolled right by him. These metal boxes were often just used to drop a transformed Gaster Blaster!Sans onto some poor unsuspecting enemy, not to drop them in like some soldiers in a video game.

And yet, here Ralsei was, watching Predator and Kris fearlessly strap themselves into the cushioned and padded seats that lined the metal cube's inner walls. Clover walked right past Ralsei, thumping him roughly on the back and chuckling lightly at the way the goat boy jumped. Watching Clover take his own seat, the goat mage gulped and lowered his eyes to the floors below. Just beneath them was the squirming, writhing pit of monstrosities. Gnashing teeth and probing tongues... Eugh.

To soothe his nerves, Melanie placed a gentle hand on the dark prince's back, rubbing it comfortingly. He flashed her an exasperated smile as she walked him to her seat, and she flashed her most reassuring smile back.

As Ralsei strapped himself into his seat and took yet another deep breath to soothe his nerves, his eyes along with everyone else's darted to Susie, who irritably marched her way up to the door to shut it. She was far from happy about being cut out from this mission; not only did she want a chance to hack up some of those dirty grubs with her axe, but she hated that she would not be there to look after two thirds of her trio.

So, while she reached up and grabbed the massive door of the crate, she sneered, barring her mouthful of fangs and letting that animalistic glimmer enter her eyes. "None'a you better get killed out there, got it?"

And then, just the metallic rumble of the door being yanked down.


Gatherer stared straight ahead, his piercing gaze unyielding in the face of twisting darkness. By his side, Eden tried her hardest to mimic his will, staring straight ahead and watching with disgusted eyes at the filth that wriggled over her barrier. In her open right hand she held her book, which glowed with purple energy, much like the soul on her chest. This violet power formed a dome over the five of them, keeping the squirming bugs from getting within ten feet of them while they wandered through their nest

"Angel... An Angel..."

Hacker's jaw tightened, cold sweat forming on his brow while his eyes darted left and right. He tried to find the source of that whispering, but in the twisting mass of Anarchy's darkness it was impossible to be sure. In his hand he held Demon's hand a little tighter, and they glanced with concern over to him.

"No, no... No Angel... No wings..."

The corner of Gatherer's mouth curved upwards just a bit at those whisperings, but at the head of the group, no one saw it. Hacker growled under his breath at these remarks, his nostrils flaring irritably while his free hand tightened into a fist. His ears tried desperately to pinpoint the location of the giggles that followed that last statement, but it was coming from all sides. Echoing off the slimy bodies of the worms and right back into both Hacker's ears.

"Ha... No wings..! No wings! Hahahahahaha!"

"Why don't ya come in here an run your mouth you piece'a-!" This sentence almost completely escaped Hacker's mouth before Demon's hand clamped shut over it. This initially made Hacker look twice as pissed, but when Demon turned his head and forced him to look at them some of the fury began to work its way out of his eyes.

"Relax, Angel." They ordered through clenched teeth, speaking more quietly. It was as though they didn't want the worms to hear. Slowly, they let their hand slip off of Hacker's mouth, their own expression relaxing some while they explained. "These things don't know what they're talking about. They're just trying to piss you off; they want you to do something reckless."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Hacker growled under his breath, once more glancing out into The Dark. But, then he sighed and shut his eyes, leaning his head onto Demon's shoulder. He tried his best to let his anger go, relaxing his fist and just focusing on Demon's comfort. And they smiled lightly at that, wrapping their free arm around him and squeezing his hand in theirs.

"Yes, these creatures haven't become physically aggressive. But that could change with one wrong step." Gatherer informed from the head of the group, all eyes immediately landing on him. He did not turn to look back at his group, never taking his eyes off the splitting mass of dark ahead of them. He looked as prim and proper as usual, even here. "And I theorize that they function as a hive mind. So if we kill one of them, we're going to have to kill all of them."

"Don't tempt me..." Hacker muttered, vicious green eyes sending their glare out into The Dark. The only response he got was distant snickering.


Predator's eyes glossed left and right, curiously examining the beasts that lurked just outside the dome of KINDNESS Melanie had crafted them. She'd seen them before, her and Clover both. They weren't particularly dangerous on their own, it was their never-ending numbers and reckless abandon when attacking that gave the worms their edge.

Melanie preoccupied her thoughts by trying to think of ways to make the massive larvae look cuter. She wondered if a pink bow on the head or googly eyes over that big sharp mouth would lessen their edge. She kept one arm raised in the air, the palm of her hand glowing with emerald energy that matched the barrier over them. On either side of her Kris and Ralsei walked, Kris staring straight ahead with one hand on the handle of their sheathed blade while Ralsei buried his face in his scarf, looking at the ground to keep from seeing the twisting horrors overhead.

Clover was preoccupied trying to pinpoint where exactly the strange sounds were coming from. Yes, there was the typical hissing, slithering and giggling from the worms, but there was something else. Voices, age old words echoing faintly. Some voices he recognized, monsters he'd met in the multiverse or even people he shared a ship with now.

"... Are you immortal..?"

And then, of course...

"Until I drag the Angel from Heaven and into the Hell that he deserves..."

There was Anarchy's voice.

"I cannot die."

"You got any theories on what we're hearin', boss?" Clover tilted his head over towards The Predator, who stood at the front of their group. He rested one hand over his revolver in its holster, accurate eye watching for any unusual motion in the cloud of worms around them.

"... We all did our best, didn't we, Sans..?"

"... Yeah. Yeah, we did."

"... Then why did we lose..?"

"..." Predator's eyes narrowed with some strange emotion. Clover couldn't place it, pity guilt or fear? Her hands clenched into tight fists, and she forced out her answer. "... Nothing but dead men's words now."

That did not bring up the spirits of her crew. Melanie ceased her positive pondering, instead lowering her head and squinting down at her own feet. A graveyard, that's what they were wandering through. Once upon a time, people had lived here. They lived and loved, they laughed and cried. And now... Nothing left. Just wriggling, giggling horrors defiling what was once a safe place.

Predator stared forward, her jaw clenched tight with disdain. This place was a monument to the crimes Anarchy had committed, the depths of his darkness and the devastation he could bring entirely if he felt like it. For someone who wanted to bring the good back out of such a horrible man, it was... A disheartening sight.

"Tell me, how does it feel?"

"It doesn't."


"Hmhm hm hmm..." Nightmare hummed to himself, smug grin pasted across his features. He stood there calmly, as he had been for a few days now, hands folded behind his back while he waited ever so patiently for The Gatherer to arrive. He loomed there, in a singular clearing within the squirming mass of darkness that was The Anarchist's original timeline.

"Nightmare Sans."

Finally! Nightmare's face lit up, and he looked over his shoulder, flashing his wicked smile back towards The Gatherer. His tendrils curled up around him, covering parts of his skull from over his shoulder while his one dimly lit eye laid upon his new guest. While he and his guard breached the wall of monstrosities and stepped into the clearing, his purple witch slowly let her barrier down. And though the five of them watched the twisting walls for any response to this, none came, and they all visibly relaxed.

"Gatherer." Nightmare!Sans turned to face the approaching dictator, his few tentacles slithering and stretching out a few feet around him to emphasis how glad he was to see Xander here. Xander hardly looked so happy. "I'm so glad you've considered my offer."

"What game are you playing?" Xander demanded to know, marching fearlessly towards Nightmare. His guard remained a respectful distance behind him, not close enough to get in his way but not far away enough to be unable to protect him. This formation was practiced, something they must have had to do semi-often. "Why are you offering me this information? You understand how much it's worth, don't you?"

"Aw c'mon Gatherer, you've done your research on me, haven'tcha?" Nightmare arched a brow, tilting his melty head to one side and letting a few droplets slip off his skull. They landed on one of his tendrils, seeping back into his disgusting body. "I like to stir the pot. I like watching the multiverse squirm and despair."

"Then why not just share this information with everyone?" Gatherer questioned, squinting his suspicious eyes at the chaos agent before him. One of the relics of the old multiverse, a formerly feared creature like Error. But unlike Error, Nightmare had been smart enough to avoid rushing into his death against The Angel or The Anarchist or one of the other powerful forces in the multiverse.

"Oho! I considered that, believe me." Nightmare's one eye darted to the side, his grimy grin only growing at Gatherer's suggestion. "But, if I did that, everything would just be really crazy for like a day and then it'd go quiet again."

"See, if everybody gets the information, I know exactly what they're gonna do." That dastardly eye darted right back to Gatherer, who narrowed his own powerful eyes in its wake. Nightmare lowered his head some, and his malevolent smile slid further up the goop of his skull. "But if just you know where Anarchy is, well... You've got something big planned, don'tcha Gatherer?"

"..." This time, Gatherer smiled. His back to his subordinates, none of them saw how easily he was able to grin. Murder gleamed red in his amethyst orbs, and his hands briefly tightened into fists. But then, voice as calm and smooth as ever, he answered. "Yes. Yes I do."

"Well then it's too bad I'm gonna fuck it up!"

That wiped the smile off Gatherer's face, turned it into a hateful frown in a matter of seconds. Eden wore a similarly furious expression behind him, both Hacker and Demon tensing visibly while their suspicious eyes darted to the other edge of this clearing in the darkness. Nightmare didn't looked pissed, however. In fact, his one browbone rose with surprise, and he turned his grin around to face the approaching party of pirates.

Melanie dropping her barrier after they finished wading through the maggot wall, Predator marched forward with her band of misfits trailing close behind her. Their formation was not unlike the one that Gatherer and his gang stood in. And even though Gatherer looked ready to blow them all to ash with a fireball the size of a meteor, Nightmare held his arms out to welcome her. "Lexi The Predator, what a surprise!"

"Nightmare! What is this?!" Gatherer questioned furiously, his teeth grinding together. In an instant, he looked far less composed that usual. It was all he could do to keep steam from rising off his body or fire from the corners of his mouth. He felt his horns beneath his forehead, itching to escape his skull.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Nightmare shrugged, chuckling to himself. Xander looked so much better when he was cracking with rage, the skeleton couldn't help but think. But, he thought it better to keep that to himself for now. "I had no idea she was comin'. Not that you aren't welcome, Predator."

"Then... CORE!Frisk contacted you instead of him?" Gatherer narrowed his eyes, exhaling smoke through his grinding teeth slowly in an attempt to get ahold of his nerves. He couldn't afford an outburst, not now. This didn't make sense; even if CORE's communication with Angel was jammed, they would not have reached out to Predator for help. Those two operated on opposing teams now, his intel for the past two years had made that abundantly clear.

"No, that's not it." Nightmare interjected casually, shaking his skull. He buried his hands in his jacket's - or, bubbling flesh that took the form of a jacket - pockets. "The Dark of this destroyed timeline blinds CORE!Frisk, disconnects them from whatever part'a themself that exists here. That's why I picked this as our meeting place."

"Don't worry about how I got here, Xander." Predator advised The Gatherer, holding her arm out to her side. In her grasp, her scythe appeared from her inventory. Her madwoman grin split her face, fury clear in her eyes while a frosty smoke rose from between her gritting teeth. "Just worry about me kickin' your ass and takin' that information for myself."

"I'm giving you one chance, Lexi." Gatherer opened one palm, pointing it out towards her. Between his tensed fingers a ball of flame manifested, twitching and crackling with all the power that was quickly condensed in it. If Predator were a betting woman, she'd say that thing would fire more like a laser than a flamethrower. "Get out of here, or I'll burn you alive."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Immediately all eyes but Nightmare's turned to the mass of worms slithering around their clearing. Their giggles turned to full blown hysterical laughter, and they wiggled across one another more feverishly, gnashing their teeth with ungodly excitement. This made both pirates and gang members shift uneasily, eyes darting about the uncountable numbers that surrounded them. It was about then that Nightmare chuckled with them, lifting one hand to command all eyes to himself. "Ah ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"These creepy crawlies might'a played nice on your way in, but if anybody gets too bloodthirsty, they're gonna be too excited to stop themselves from jumpin' in." Nightmare's wicked sneer only grew as both Predator and Gatherer turned furious glares his way, but he fearlessly continued to explain. "That's the other reason why I picked this place. None'a you hulked up DETERMINATION freaks can touch me or each other."

They were trapped in a tense silence then. Nobody moved for several long moments, until finally... Predator slowly lowered her scythe, and it disappeared back into her inventory. Clover grumbled a string of cusses to himself while he brought down his hastily drawn revolver, resting it back in its holster on his hip. He did not snap the strap shut overtop of its handle, however. Melanie exhaled slowly, bringing down her frying pan while her shoulders sunk. The pan disappeared back into her inventory. Kris silently sheathed their blade, frown clear on their face and eyes hidden beneath their bangs. Ralsei's forehead dripped cold sweat, but he too lowered his hand, the golden star that glowed within his palm disappearing.

Gatherer hesitated for a moment too, but eventually he let the flames in his hand turn to smoke. He lowered that hand, using the other to fish a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He brought them back to his mouth, and took the cigarette that stuck up more than the others between his teeth, dragging it from the carton. Behind him, Hacker slowly lowered his extended hand, and the Beat Blaster that'd manifested over his shoulder disappeared back into thin air. Demon's eyes darted between the knife in their hand and the maggots crawling in every corner of their vision, before they groaned, and their blade disappeared into their inventory.

Eden slowly lowered her spell book, and on her shoulders Flowey's vines receded back into his pot. But, as she prepared to shut the pages, she looked behind Gatherer's back. While his one hand was busy igniting his cigarette with a flame on the tip of his index finger, his spare hand made a series of signals to her with different gestures that Eden recognized completely.

"Now, since I got both'a ya here and gotcha quiet, I think I'll lay out a new idea I just had." Nightmare spoke shamelessly, smiling at the tense expressions of all those around them. Oh they must've been so pissed off, so frustrated! Hilarious! "I was just gonna tell Gatherer where Anarchy's at and see what maniacal shit he'd do from there, but you being here gives me an idea that's way funnier, Predator."

"This ain't a joke, Nightmare." Clover warned, resting one hand over one of his revolvers in its holster. Under his hat, his left eye glowed with golden precision, and his quick drawing fingers shifted eagerly. He could draw his gun and blow that gooey freak's head off before anybody could stop him, and he wanted everyone in the room to be aware of that. "Don't go try'na yank us 'round."

"Aw c'mon cowpoke, don't be such a killjoy." Nightmare tilted his head to the side, chuckling quietly. His deep, unnatural voice was enough to put anyone on edge, and Clover found himself wishing him and his crew had hunted this punk down years ago. "It's a simple game, really. A collectathon."

"You expect us to participate in some Banjo Kazooie bullshit?" Hacker frowned, leaning his head onto one shoulder to look past Gatherer and to Nightmare. Gatherer of course shot him a glare over his shoulder, silently ordering Hacker to keep his mouth shut and not fuck anything up here. This made Hacker roll his eyes, but he didn't say another word.

"Oh Hacker, you and your video game references." Nightmare spoke like he really thought Hacker's complaint was endearing, waving one goopy hand to dismiss his worries while his eye darted to the side. "No, nothing like that. I just have a few items I think you guys might have fun collecting for me."

"Get to the point, Nightmare." Predator ordered impatiently, her eyes narrowing with a deathly chill. Frost formed on her clenched fists, and there was a definite temperature drop in the clearing. "What do you want?"

"You'll find the first item in DR107489." Nightmare spoke casually, not the slightest bit bothered by the cold in Predator's glare or in the room. His smile never faltered, only ever growing. "The Broken Spear."

"And the others?" Gatherer asked, narrowing his precise eyes suspiciously. He took his cigarette between two fingers, pulling it away from his mouth and releasing a thin stream of grey smog past his lips, his intense stare never leaving Nightmare.

"I'll fill ya both in after one'a you finds the Broken Spear." Nightmare shrugged his shoulders calmly, eye glossing to the side with a level of casualness that pissed Predator off.

"Why don't you just give us the other locations right now?" She demanded to know, barring her fangs in her snarl.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gatherer's condescending tone caught Predator's attention, and her frustrated eyes darted over to him. He frowned, shutting his own eyes while he took another long drag from his cigarette. He parted his lips, and the smoke drifted out of his mouth, washing up and over his face before dissipating in the air above. "If he gives us more than one location, we might each go to separate ones first. And if we do that he won't get to watch us fight over whatever useless objects he just gave importance."

"Bingo." Nightmare snapped his fingers, creating a gross slapping noise with his less than solid hand. He pointed one finger gun Gatherer's way to commend him. But then he lowered his hands, taking a step back away from his place between the two groups. "Now hop to it. I think I've been patient enough."

"..." Predator growled quietly, glare shifting between Nightmare and Gatherer. If she had things her way, she'd be clobbering both of these smarmy fucks with her bare hands. But, alas, she had to play by Nightmare's rules, at least for now. So, she lifted one arm, signaling to her pirates that it was time to roll out. "Fine, Nightmare. I'll play your game, for now."

"You'll play my game for as long as I want if you want that information." Was Nightmare's infuriatingly cocky response. He flashed one last smile, before his body faded quickly into the darkness behind him. In seconds, Nightmare!Sans was gone, leaving all of the pieces in his game to their own devices.

"Well, Lexi, I would say it's been good seeing you again, but..." Gatherer trailed off, rolling what remained of his cigarette between his index finger and thumb while he flashed his winning smirk Predator's way. His free hand was still hidden away behind his back, but most were distracted by the dim light of the cancer stick he was playing with.

"But it's been awful and if we ever get the chance we're gonna kill each other." Predator finished his statement for him, a berserk smile cracking up her features. This just made Gatherer's smirk widen.

"Precisely." He agreed, before suddenly flicking his cigarette straight upwards. On instinct, all the pirates' eyes watched it soar up into the air, its dull orange glow barely visible in the shadows. And then, suddenly...

BOOM!

A blast of heat that blew everyone's heads back and a burst of light that made all eyes clamp shut. The explosive sound was nearly deafening, and it was followed immediately by the hysterical cackling of the millions of worms around them, some of which were now singed and all of which were rapidly descending from all directions.

"Erg-! Fucker..!" Predator snarled, one hand over her face while she attempted to look through her wincing eyes. She opened her eye just in time to see Eden activate a portal spell directly beneath her comrades, and her pupil shrunk with righteous fury while Gatherer gave her a casual wave just before dropping right into the portal and disappearing from the nest of furious carnivores.

The portal closed, and on instinct a blinded Melanie dropped to one knee, planting both hands on the ground. A dome of KIND energy once more appeared around Predator and her pirates, just in time for the worms to bash their giddy jaws into it. But the KINDNESS burned them, made them hiss and recoil, only to senselessly bash their faces against the wall again.

"Everyone! Circle formation!" Predator ordered hastily, and instantly her and her four teammates jumped back into a tight circle, back to back to back to back to back. Everyone blinked and winced, eyes gradually readjusting to the dim green light after Gatherer's flash fire attack. Clover pulled both revolvers from their holsters, eye burning gold. Melanie drew her frying pan, holding it like a baseball bat while her KIND soul glowed brightly on her chest. Kris rose their shield in front of themself, resting their blade over top of it in preparation to stab anything that got in close. Ralsei opened both fluffy palms, golden light burning brightly between his fingers.

"We got bugs to squash!"


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