Eclipse learns more about himself but the latest multiverse affects him hard

—-

?? Multiverse

Nightmare felt like he was finally getting the hang of things.

Sure it might have taken a few years but the important thing was that he had managed to succeed in the end, critically eyeing his destroyed surroundings, feeling very pleased at the control he gained.

He had also settled on a new name, finally realising what that odd Errors cryptic words had meant. He had now observed many Guardian pairs, his disgust and displeasure growing as he witnessed the same thing be repeated like clockwork.

Were all Guardians doomed to repeat the cycle..?

To never find true happiness..?

He met so many Dreams as well, it bittersweet to see how his twin were they ever twins to begin with? could have turned out but even then he was uneasy to see these variants. None looked particularly happy in their lives, always seeming to have a drive to 'save' their counterparts or eradicate them from the world.

The less said about his variants the better, having witnessed far too many insane types, even having to deal with a few when they mistook him as weak, due to shielding his magic most of the time.

He was actually losing hope of ever finding any happy Guardians, feeling slight resentment growing for Creators types for even making these types of AU.

He was growing so mentally exhausted by this, aimlessly wandering multiverses with no true destination in mind and unsure what to expect in the future.

WingVerse

Nightmare or rather Eclipse as he was starting to prefer the name a constant reminder of his past and penance of what he did by blocking out the 'sun' , made a face when he felt the multiverse trying to alter him.

He had only stepped in a few places like this still shivering in fear at that Temmie Multiverse where everyone was a Temmie , but he usually avoided them like the plague.

He batted away the changes that were trying to occur, realising it would have simply added wings to him but the thought of having any features like his past twin was very disquieting. He was still struggling with some of his new features, the sun shape in his left socket a cruel reminder for what he went through.

It was something he still couldn't hide, hating and loving it in equal measure.

Sighing and shaking those dark thoughts away, he began the process of exploring this new place and in the end deciding to stay a bit longer, despite his initial trepidation. It also felt like a strange feeling was encouraging him to stay, which he had no urge to examine closer, having grown rather apathetic over the past few years.

He lazily made his way through the core AU's in order to analyse what kind of place he ended up in, relieved at what he found. He was pleased that it wasn't a 'Forced God' multiverse, those places always creeping him out and causing him to leave as soon as possible.

He had no wish to meet a Deity, the end results of their 'personal attention' not something he desired at all. Even the so-called 'nice' ones sounded terrifying to him.

He spent a few days just watching the residents of this new place, doing his best to hide his presence as he had no desire to interact with them. It might sound callous but after meeting one Sans, he felt like he had met them all, coldly observing a whole RESET before leaving for his final destination.

He always visited the DreamTales, no matter the multiverse, unable to help his curiosity but at the same time fearing what he would witness.

As soon as he took a step in the AU he knew something was different, unable to sense any of the Guardians nearby but did feel the tree.

What a weird place..

He took his time to get to where the high source of magic was coming from, easily spotting the tree in question but still no Guardians or villagers. This AU felt rather empty though, a tad puzzled about what was going on.

"Hello there! Who might you be? You definitely aren't one of mine. Bit close to the Tree of Feelings as well... Are you perhaps interested in the apples?"

Eclipse stiffened and whipped around, taking an instinctive step back at finding a face so close to his. Creators really could have issues with personal space and he usually did his best to avoid them for many reasons.

Their 'friendly' tone did not stop him from spotting the dark glint in their eyes, the Creators rainbow wings flaring in subtle warning as if daring him to run.

"..my name is Eclipse and I'm just a visitor. I'm not here to interfere with your work, Creator"

He said politely and took another step away from the tree, knowing better than to lie right now. He grimaced when he suddenly felt a deep CHECK performed on him, hating how it felt but was still much better than having his Code rummaged through directly. He swore he still felt an ache from what that Error had done to him, as they had not been gentle in the slightest.

"Oh! You are an odd Guardian. How funny. Never seen your type before"

He held off a frown at being called a Guardian, still sore at his title which only caused him so much pain but wasn't idiotic enough to say that out loud. He stayed silent as they circled him, examining him from all angles. Their eye shapes flickered at a steady pace and he was unable to sense exactly what they were thinking right now, which only made his anxiety grow.

"..you don't talk much, huh? Kind of boring. Reminds me of Errpr in a way but at least they have fun expressions. So what brought you here? How come you don't have wings? Do you dislike my creation that much, GuArDiaN? "

..he really had terrible luck, stiffening at the black ink leaking out the Creators sockets, a wide soulless smile coming over their features as they eerily looked at him.

-

The good news was that Eclipse managed to appease the Creator, no longer at risk of having to fight them due to some weird slight. The less enjoyable news was that he was stuck here for even longer than he expected, Ink having strongly insisted he stay, knowing they just wanted to pick his mind.

Apparently his multiverse was rare , especially with the end outcome of him not going insane or some other nonsense. He was getting sick of hearing that and put his foot down when they tried to examine his sockets as close as possible.

That they repeatedly congratulated him and looked at him like a rare specimen in the zoo, made him bristle but reluctantly let them be. He might be stronger than before the incident but he knew he wasn't invincible and did have common sense, unlike what he saw from many of his variant types.

How 'Nightmares' still existed in the omniverse was a mystery, still feeling on edge when he couldn't see any Guardians here.

"What's that look for?..Oh! I know. You are lonely! Did you miss me, Eclipse?! How sweet! Want to-"

"Where are the twins, Ink?"

He interrupted, not in the mood to deal with their act right now.

"That's what had been making you so broody the past few weeks? Well that's easy to solve. There aren't any!"

"..What do you mean there aren't any?"

He said with slight trepidation, not having ever been in a place without them before.

"Exactly as i said. Thought they were too much work in the end and Error agreed, so I just didnt create any. Even had a friend check over Code, to make sure none are spawned without my approval. Very nifty bit of magic that"

Eclipse felt a chill run through him with the way Ink described his role, as if they were nuisances mere insects to ward against. He paled at their following words, shuddering at the deceptively innocent grin he was given in return.

"I'm sort of shocked the barriers didn't dust you when you arrived here to be honest, as my friend was very thorough. You truly are a mystery, Eclipse!"

-

Eclipse did his best to avoid Ink after that enlightening conversation, far too unsettled to want to be near them anytime soon. Thankfully there seemed to be something new that caught their attention, overhearing them mumble about 'unexpected guests' and 'making sure everything was perfect'.

He refused to touch that subject with a ten foot pole, enjoying his brief moment of freedom, as he had been blocked from leaving the multiverse. He hadn't met a Creator with that much power before and he hoped he never would again. Being around soulless beings was bad enough but this felt like a new level, unsure what to expect next with them.

He was currently walking through DreamTale, having started a routine now that he was stuck here so he didn't go completely insane, faltering when he sensed something different.

There were two beings here, the emotions rather potent from one of them and oddly familiar. He stilled as he realised it reminded him of a Guardian but not quite, unsure if he wanted to go near it or move far away. This could be another one of Inks 'jokes'..or it could be something completely different.

He rocked on his feet as he considered what to do, making his decision when a spike of fear came from one of the beings.

He might not be as caring as when he was younger but he wasn't a complete monster, cautiously making his way over but still on high alert, just in case.

It didnt take him long to pinpoint the source, speeding up when he realised how close to the tree they were, ready to save the port sap who would have to face the Creators rage.

Ink was very protective of every part of their Creation, having witnessed many incidents of them 'talking' to anyone who went against their simple rule. So many memories he wished to wipe from his memory but his mind abruptly stalled when he found the source, choking as he saw what it was.

..that was a child. A child that felt like a Guardian but at the same time not . He took an instinctive step closer to the sleeping child, in awe at the clear aura they had, not sensing any signs of insanity or them having eaten the apples but faltered at the warning growl.

Looking down he was faced with a pure white fluffy call, the ghostly pale eyes and tufts of blue at their pointed ears and tail, showing they weren't an average animal.

"I mean no harm no harm. Im just-"

"Meow!"

His eyes widened and he swiftly jumped back, where he had been standing now a dead patch of grass and a very smug cat looking at him. He flinched as a hand landed on his shoulder, having not heard Ink arrive at all.

"What did you do now , Eclipse? I left you alone for a few hours. You sure are troublesome"

He did not appreciate the exasperation in their tone, as if he was a misbehaving child that Ink was forced to deal with. He wasn't even given a chance to defend himself as they rudely ignored him, instead crouching by the 'cat' and having a hushed conversation with them. He would have called them insane if not for the scarily intelligent eyes that glared at him, feeling like his SOUL was being judged and found very wanting.

He jumped as Ink clapped his shoulder again, receiving a scarily bright smile, knowing it was fake as they leaned even closer to him.

"Tread carefully, Eclipse. I've grown to like you but not enough to intervene"

With that ominous statement they vanished, leaving him alone with the 'cat' and the child, which he could see was waking up.

..They were absolutely adorable , hearing them let out quiet chirps as they looked at him with an innocent gaze.

Would his brother have been like this without the apples, his eyelights unconsciously softening as he saw their soft looking wings flutter behind them. For some strange reason he didn't feel the usual aching sadness at spotting wings, perhaps due to the fact that they looked nothing like his twin or the way their magic was so different.

Of course he still remembered the cat, who was still glaring at him in warning, grooming their paw as the familiar black magic from earlier leaked from it.

Since when did animals become so scary?!

His focus zeroed back in on the babybones, hiding a frown at the slightly dazed look in their eyes and trying to find the source. He instinctively cut the feeble bond the tree was trying to form with the child, feeling he made a massive mistake when the babybones eyelight nearly spluttered out.

Rushing over he picked them up, carefully letting them feed off his magic as he noticed how low theirs had gotten. He slowly began to rock them, feeling eyes watching his every move and looked down as the animal rubbed against his leg in a deceptively cute way, shivering at the dark promise in their pale eyes.

He really wanted Ink here right now as support, shushing the child as they slowly came back to awareness.

"It's ok. Just go back to sleep. You must be tired, little sun"

He jaw clenched straight after the endearment came out, not meaning to say it but something about this tiny Guardian almost resonated with him, never having seen one that looked like this before but knowing that is what they were. They felt like what he imagined a Guardian should feel like, not the crazed thing his own twin became in the end.

He had observed monsters called 'Palette' that he felt were similar to what he sensed now , still sad at what his twin could have become and the family they could have had...but still never seen one like this before.

"Dad will be back soon. I should stay here"

The child sleepily mumbled, cooing as he rocked them, knowing the perfect place to take them to recover.

" Just rest, little sun "

-

Eclipse had never been so happy with Inks insistence they create a house for him, despite his many insistence that he didn't need one. Placing the child on his bed he quickly stepped back as the cat jumped on the bed, blatantly placing themselves between him and them.

He easily got the massage and stayed back, the next few hours silent as he made sure the kid got enough magic.

His head titled as he saw slight moment, pushing back from the wall as he studied them intently, his voice quiet as he spoke so as not to alarm them.

"How are you feeling, little sun?"

He stayed calm when they bolted up, not changing his stance or getting any closer to them while they examined the room, sensing the slight alarm coming from the child.

He flinched when he felt a small wave of Judgement magic came over him, it feeling slightly different to what he had experienced in the past but thankfully no negative effects occurred, guessing he must have passed some unknown test.

That it made the 'cat' relax further, now no longer looking a second from trying to dust him, was a wonderful bonus.

"Im going by that little display that you are feeling much better then..? That's good. My name is Eclipse, may I have your name, little sun?"

He would usually have used a CHECK but with the animals intense gaze and Inks warning repeating in his mind, he thought it best not to risk it.

"Karma...."

"Are you hungry, Karma? Your magic does feel very low"

"I'm fine"

He sighed but knew he couldn't just force them to admit the truth, amused when they tried to discreetly examine him.

Was he really that odd looking? He didn't even have his corruption out, just his odd sun shaped eyelight, the main difference from most monsters.

There were surprisingly quite a few skeleton monsters out there but he had early on stopped exploring this multiverse, especially after hearing Inks excited babble. He was already wary of them, he didn't need to see first hand what else their devious mind could create as well.

"Karma. Do you wish to go somewhere? I can show you quite a few places"

He was unsure what made him not want to take them back to their 'dad', just having an uneasy feeling whenever he thought about it.

His eyelights flashed as he noticed their fuzzy gaze, growing worried at their continued silence and tried to snap them out of it.

"Are you ok, Karma?...Karma? Are you listening to me?"

"W-What is it?"

"I was just asking if you feel well enough to go outside? You have been asleep for..a while"

Eclipse wasn't even sure what Karma had been doing would be considered sleep, as it looked nowhere near as restful as he would have preferred. Time was also wonky in the AU Ink had made 'just for him', having a sneaking suspicion that the Creator was trying to keep him here permanently.

He was glad that at least the 'cat' was on his side for once, the child clearly needing some fresh air after spending who knows how long here. As if the fluffy creature heard him, he soon received a searing glare, the pupil less gaze still creepy no matter how many times he was under it.

He smiled softly as the babybones got off the bed, opening the bedroom door for them.

"Let me show you where you are staying, little sun"

He patiently pointed out all the rooms, internally cringing at how excessive Ink could be why did he need 5 living rooms?! , just wanting to calm the clearly stressed kid.

He offered food and snacks every so often, knowing they needed help to gather their strength and to build up their magic, as it was far too low for his liking. He grew confused when they blurted out they had eaten enough, as it had been hours already and they barely ate one sandwich.

...did he accidently hurt them, when he disconnected them from the tree?

He carefully picked them up, ignoring the low growl from what he had learned was called Nix far too cute a name for the animal and used his magic to discreetly check them over.

"You know. There are many AU's in this multiverse that are great for practising magic in"

Perhaps it was truly a simple issue, with them just needing to control the aspect which marked them as a Guardian. They seemed rather oblivious to it or they could be just every young, still unsure where they came from and unwilling to ask Ink.

He could sense their wariness and scepticism, holding his hand out and forming distinct shapes with his magic as a distraction. It was a useful control exercise, knowing many multiverses used it and none seeming to have the same method.

In his old multiverse, you knew you had sufficient control when you could recreate a story with your magic alone. It was much harder than it looked, having seen some multiverses where you had to make shapes out of pure magic as far away from your body as possible.

It was fascinating and it was an excellent way to make sure he had control over his enlarged magic supply, smiling when the child placed their hand on his and started trying to copy him.

His own mix of gold and purple magic shapes it having taken him years to separate the mix of magic types , was soon joined by pure black ball of the child's magic. He could see them struggle, their shapes fuzzy at the edges but he was very impressed they even had that much control.

"Can you show me more?"

He smiled at their words and created a purple wolf and a golden rabbit, having them bounce around each other on his palm. He could sense the babybones frustration at not quite managing it, deciding a change in scenery may help.

"Of course I can, little sun. I have plenty more I can show you, which I know you will enjoy"

He felt an odd determination rise up inside him to keep the child alive, to make sure they never had to go through what he did.

He had never felt this before with other Guardians he had met in the past but he felt drawn to this one, willing to teach them all he knew so they stayed alive.

~~~~

*In WingeVerse*

Eclipse: *Oblivious to the chaos about to befall him* Seems like an ok place

Ink: *Choas gremlin energy ready to be unleashed at spotting them* A new toy-i mean guest!

Eclipse: *Deeply regretting his decision to visit* Im not going to be able to leave easily, am i?
-
*Eclipse cooing over Karma, getting way too attached*

Ink: *Knowing this wont end well but still happy to watch the future train wreck* Huh, your self preservation is non existence, isn't it?