"You two can't come with us," Killer says immediately after. "Just the bitty."
     "What? Why not?" Blue asks. He immediately dislikes the idea of Pinto heading off on his own with these three.
"No matter what kind of truce we have, there is no way we're leading you directly to our hidden AU. I don't want Pinto there, either, but it will be the easiest to approach Nightmare on his own turf," Cross insists.
     "If Nightmare is made to think that you three are betraying him, he will attack you. My brother is powerful. You'll need help to disable him long enough for Pinto to break Fate's threads," Dream argues.
     "We'll get close to Dust first. We can get him before Nightmare knows what's up. The four of us will be plenty," Killer pushes.
"What about injuries? I can be useful as a healer," Dream offers.
"We have gotten through injures before without your help. If it makes you feel better, you can take a look when we bring Pinto back," Cross says. He doesn't actually plan to follow through with that sentiment. Nightmare can take care of them all just fine.The three Bad Sanses are not going to budge. This is their family to save.
"It's okay," Pinto chirps, interrupting the glares of the larger monster. The bitty pats Blue's fingers reassuringly. "I trust Horror. It will be okay. I want to save Dust and Nightmare!"
     "Are you sure?...." Dream trails off skeptically. He doesn't trust the Bad Sanses, but Pinto is the God of Creation now. Dream should have some faith in him.
     Blue reluctantly comes to the same the conclusion. He holds out his hands for Horror to take Pinto. The beast-like monster is always surprisingly gently with the bitty. Wether it's Pinto's small size or cheery personality that is reminiscent of his late bother, Horror feels a need to protect the new God of Creation. He takes Pinto but soon lets the bitty settle onto his shoulder. Pinto is more than happy to settle into the fluff of Horror's collar. Cross opens up a portal for them. Three Bad Sanses pass though without a single glance back. Pinto looks back just in time to watch Blue and Dream disappear.
     The AU that Nightmare set up their base in was abandoned long ago. Coming home should be comforting, but the atmosphere around the manner is darker than usual. Cross can't believe that he has been willfully ignoring all the warnings signs. He chalked up everyone's tense moods to the upcoming treaty meeting, but when they all exploded and turned and Ink, Cross went along with it. How could he not support his makeshift family? Cross feels stupid now for not figuring out that something is wrong.
     "We should try to get Dust alone. Quietly. Nightmare will notice our emotions if a fight breaks out even if he can't see us," Killer says.
     Horror turns his head to the bitty on his shoulder. "Hide," Horror prompts. Pinto nods in understanding and lets himself slide down the back of Horror's shoulder. Pinto can nestle down in the fluffy hood. Nightmare was never able to sense Ink's artificial emotions, and Pinto is easy to conceal with his small size.
     Cross takes the lead as the three approach the front door. Walking into the manor has never felt so intimidating before. The entryway is empty. Killer almost expected Nightmare to be waiting for them. Killer does his best to shove down his nervousness, and he is sure that the others are doing the same. Killer has no idea of how well of a job he's doing.
     A faint voice draw them deeper into the house. It quickly becomes clear that the noise is coming from the throne room. Nightmare used this room when he first recruited the others, but he rarely bothers anymore. Cross can identify Dust's voice when the group walks closer to the partially open doors. Dust says something before pausing. No second voice answers him, but Dust replies as if someone did. Dust's hallucinations haven't been this bad in a long time. Dust seems to be alone. This is just what the three were hoping for. Eager to get it over with, Killer shoves the door open.
    Dust is, in fact, not alone. The person that the group wanted to avoid most is lounging on the other side of the room. Dust is standing near the door and cuts off his own one-sided hysterics when the three enter. Nightmare is perch atop his throne. He was watching and doing nothing as Dust fell into a fit of insanity. That is not the Nightmare that Cross knows. The Guardian of Negativity is a collector and protector of those whose stories soured just as his did. Nightmare's attention sharpens as the rest of his subordinates walk in.
"And just where have you three been?" Nightmare asks with some bite. "Dust said Horror was captured by Blue and Dream."
     "Horror was able to meet back up with us in Underfell," Cross offers. He doesn't know why Nightmare sent them out, and the Guardian himself likely does not know either. Fate did not expect Ink to make such a self-sacrifice decision. She was only trying to keep a truce from being made. There is no way of understanding Fate's motivations now. Nightmare abandons his throne and stands up to approach the group. He wears a suspicious expression, likely trying to figure out why the three radiate nervousness. Horror, Killer, and Cross are fools to think that they could hide it.
     "If you don't need anything from us, then we just go-" Killer mutters, sidling closer to Dust.
"You aren't going anywhere," Nightmare hisses. His tendrils twitch in aggravation. Nightmare's emotions are unusually easy to read on his face. He isn't usually like this. Fate is pushing the Guardian's mind to act irrationally to the slightest offense. Cross can see it when Nightmare questions his own aggression for a moment. Just as quickly, the Guardian falls back under the haze of control.
Horror can't stop himself from flinching when he feels a shift in his hood. Pinto is moving. Nightmare's attention snaps to Horror when the large monster's anxiety sharply increases. The bitty means well by trying to get a peak at Dust, but Pinto has no idea the danger that he is drawing to himself.
"What do you have?" Nightmare demands. He tries to grab Horror, but the cannibal shies away.
     "Boss! It's all fine. We're fine," Killer says quickly. He is panicking at the thought of losing their only way to break Fate's control. "We just need to chat with Dust for a few minutes. Dream said-" Killer knows instantly that he has made a mistake the second the words escaped. He slaps a hand over his mouth, but it is far too late.
"You've been talking with Dream!?" Nightmare practically shrieks. His tendrils lash and rise up into an offensive position. Nightmare's worst insecurity is to be betrayed. Fate has been feeling into that deeply rooted fear. Nightmare doesn't see the faces of his boys anymore. He sees threats that have come to finish him off. Horror has to throw himself backwards to dodge a savage blow from one of the Guardian's tendrils.
"Horror! Get Dust. Killer with me!" Cross calls out. He rushes to flank Nightmare and hopefully distract him long enough to give Pinto a chance to free Dust. Killer swings up on Nightmare's other side to do the same.
Horror hates leaving his two brothers to face Nightmare, but they don't stand a chance if Dust joins the fight against them. Dust does not yet know who to fight. Before he gets the chance, Horror full-body tackles the smaller monster to the floor. Pinto yelps as the violent action flips Horror's hood. Pinto falls and lands on Dust's chest. The struggling monster hardly notices. Dust has snapped from the sudden attack. He flails and manages to pull up his knife. Horror bites back a cry of pain as the blade is buried into the back of his shoulder. Horror can't bring himself to blame Dust. Pinto makes his way to the top of Dust's shirt and ducks underneath. Fate's strings are always easy to find. Dust immediately falls limp.
"Throw me!" Pinto demands as he reappears. "Like last time. Throw me!" He points to where Killer and Cross still fight against Nightmare. Horror does not hesitate to scoop up the bitty and launch Pinto like a baseball.
Cross and Killer are not faring very well. Nightmare far outclasses them in all regards. Not a single hit has landed on the Guardian. Cross and Killer are only trying to inflict light wounds, but Nightmare shows no such restraint. He is enraged and out for blood. Killer makes a mistake and stumbles. Nightmare takes the chance to use a tendril to snatch the other up before hurling him at a wall hard enough to fracture several of Killer's ribs. The murderer drops to the floor with a gaps of pain and does not get back up. Battered from a previous blow, Cross glances anxiously from his fallen teammate to Nightmare. Cross stands absolutely no chance on his own.
Nightmare's attention snaps upwards. A large net made of black paint is careening towards him. Flying after the net, Pinto is sure that he will have the Guardian trapped. He is wrong. Nightmare teleports before the magic-restricting net can touch him. He reappears close enough to snatch the small bitty out of the air. Nightmare examines the struggling creature for just a moment. His tendril tightens.
Pinto's fragile bones snap like toothpicks.