Cross woke up in the white medical tent. He blinked at few times and looked around, confused. It took him only a few seconds to remember.

"How are you doing?" he heard Geno ask. The nurse was by his bed, frown on his face.

"I feel like shit," Cross groaned, turning his skull to look towards Blue, who was on the bed next to his. "How is he?" he asked, turning back towards Geno.

"He's sleeping now. What happened?" Geno asked, furrowing his browbones.

"We walked in on Nightmare and Ink.." the monochrome skeleton answer quietly. The image was still painted in his head like as parasite.

Geno's eye sockets widened, "Nightmare went for Ink..?" he whispered, shocked. "Why..?" It was a question that could only be answered by the Ringmaster himself.

"You don't have to worry about me. I've seen shit, I've been through shit, so worry about Blue instead," Cross sighed. They both turned their skulls towards the younger.

"You had a pretty bad reaction as well," Geno pointed out, worried.

Cross shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He wasn't about to explain his ability to feel others' emotions. That was something he would rather keep to himself.

There was shuffling by the flap. Lust entered the tent with a worried look on his face. He noticed Cross and tried to smile a bit, but the worry was still really strong.

"You're awake!" Lust sighed in relief. "I'm so glad. Ccino and I were got so worried when we saw you two by the tent like that!" he rambled as he rushed to the bed. Geno moved aside to go check on Blue.

"Can you tell me what happened.?" Lust asked worriedly. "You don't have to," he added quickly, smiling carefully.

"We were looking for you, but you weren't in your tent so Blue decided that we should go wait in the prop tent. We walked in and saw Ink and Nightmare.." Cross explained. Disgust was strong in his voice. Lust paled immediately, raising a hand to cover his teeth.

"He went after Ink..?" Lust whispered, sockets wide in shock. "Why would he do that.? Was I not enough or did Ink do something.?" Cross was immediately hit by his storm of emotions. There was guilt, sadness, disgust and shock.

"Whatever you do, you can't blame yourself," Geno warned the designer immediately. "The Ringmaster toys with everyone and no one can predict what he'll do. He will rape and torture anyone he wants to," he reminded.

Cross shivered. He had come to notice that the Ringmaster was treating him differently. He had been given a choice, the others hadn't. And yet he had actually agreed to fuck him.

"You're disturbing, trying to fuck your–," Chara started but stopped as Cross gave them the coldest look he could.

"Is everything alright?" Lust asked. He followed Cross' gaze, but couldn't see Chara.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Cross answered, turning away from the annoying little creature floating next to him.

Blue whimpered and turned in his bed. Everyone else immediately snapped their skulls towards him. He proceeded to open his eye sockets, confused by the scene around him.

"W-what happened..?" he asked, blinking a few times.

"Nightmare and Ink," Cross answered, voice serious and cold. Blue's eyes widened immediately. His previous feelings were coming back.

"Are you alright?" Lust asked softly.

"Horrible.." Blue whispered. He was still in shock. Cross didn't blame him. He had literally walked in on his close friend getting raped by the Ringmaster.

Cross sat up. He got out of the bed. Geno immediately rushed to him. "You can't leave yet," he said, frowning.

Cross shook his head, "No, I have to go now," he announced. He couldn't take Blue's emotions anymore.

"Cross," Geno spoke up, worry painted on his face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Cross hummed, heading toward the flap. Everyone looked after him. He could feel their worry. He left the tent without any other words.

-----

     Cross decided to go look for Killer. That had been his original plan before he got distracted by Ace and ended up in the medical tent with Blue.

He didn't really know where the younger knife thrower was. He still didn't know where his tent was, but he doubted that Killer would even be there anymore.

"What are you looking for?" a cold, enchanting voice rang out as venomous as ever.

Cross froze immediately. He didn't have to turn around to see who was behind him. He already knew.

A tentacle landed on his shoulder and crept to his cheekbone. It forced Cross to turn his skull towards the Ringmaster who immediately reached his hand under his chin.

"Is there something you want from me, Ringmaster?" Cross asked. His voice was dry and cold. The older chuckled at this.

"Look me in the eyes when you speak, and don't use that kind of tone on me," he warned, pulling Cross closer. The monochrome skeleton immediately looked around. They were standing in the middle of everything.

"My apologies, Ringmaster," Cross immediately answered, trying to keep his voice normal. "Did you need me for something." He looked him right in the eye sockets.

"I noticed something purple outside the prop tent," Nightmare purred. Cross immediately realised that it wasn't going to end well for him. "Was it perhaps cum?~" he asked, tilting his head. "Did you get so exited about seeing Ink on the table like that? Do you want me to do that same for me?"

Cross could feel his cheeks dusting purple immediately. He felt really disturbed, yet he felt disturbed.

"It was vomit.." Cross answered. Nightmare just chuckled, not at all bothered by this.

"Your face is purple. Did you think about what I said?" Nightmare teased, pulling Cross against his body.

But before Cross could react to this new position, he was pushed on the ground. The landing was painful, making him wince. The Ringmaster's face was emotionless and cold.

"Why aren't you doing anything useful?" he asked, voice cold and venomous. Cross was stunned by this sudden change of attitude, but as soon as he saw Killer walk in he understood.

Killer immediately noticed Cross and Nightmare, rushing to come between them. "He was looking for me. I'm going to teach him the show today," he snapped, staring at the Ringmaster.

The whip cracked.

"Killer!" Cross exclaimed as he watched the younger fall on the ground, having been hit on the spine. He scrambled towards him to make sure he was alright.

"You don't speak to me like that, do you understand?" The cold voice cut the air like a knife. Cross was frozen on his tracks, teeth gaped open.

"I understand," Killer gritted his teeth and forced himself up from the ground. Cross rushed to support him as he doubled over in the pain.

"I don't think this was enough of a warning," Nightmare hummed, grin spreading on his teeth. "Cross," he spoke. Both of the knife throwers froze. Killer's face fell pale immediately, Cross had a feeling that he knew what was going on.

Nightmare turned to look at the monochrome skeleton, "Why don't you prove me your worth as a knife thrower?" he taunted. Cross stared at him in horror.

"W-what..?" he stuttered. How was he supposed to do that?

"Take a knife, if you don't have one, borrow one of his, and break his left forearm bone." Cross' teeth gaped open. Killer let swore quietly. Cross looked between him and the Ringmaster in pure horror.

"That was an order," Nightmare warned.

Crack!

Killer cried out in pain as a red knife shattered his bone. For a second Chara could see surprise on the Ringmaster's face.

"That was a smart choice," the Ringmaster chuckled darkly, smirking. "You just saved his life!~"

He turned on his heels and walked away, leaving a pained Killer and shocked Cross behind. He disappeared into the shadows without even looking back once.

"Fuck.." Killer groaned, griping his broken arm.

Cross snapped his eyelights towards Chara, who was the one responsible for this.

"You weren't going to do it, so I did it for you. Be grateful, it saved his life after all," they scoffed.

"I'm so sorry," Cross apologised to Killer.

The younger shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. That happens every now and then."

"I'll take you to the medical tent," the monochrome skeleton decided before helping him up.

-----

     Cross pulled the flap open and helped Killer inside the medical tent, where Blue was still laying on the bed with Lust by his side. Geno was by his own station. They all snapped their skulls towards the flap immediately.

"No, I did not get myself here for the second time," Cross announced before anyone could ask anything.

"Second time?" Killer raised a browbone slightly concerned.

"What happened?" Geno asked, gesturing towards the bed where Cross had been a while ago.

"Nightmare," Cross and Killer answered in sync.

"So he's done with Ink.. Has anyone checked on him?" Lust asked, worried.

"I can go do that," Cross answered as he helped Killer onto the bed.

"Please do," Blue begged. Cross nodded and rushed out of the tent – almost colliding with the metal pole between the two flaps.

-----

     Ink was sitting on the floor, leaning against the table. He looked at Cross, eyelights weak. There was a mess of rainbow and cyan magic leaking from Ink's ecto.

"Hey," the artist greeted quietly. The pink vial had already worn off.

"Do you want me to clean you up before I take you to the medical tent, or do I just take you there?" Cross asked carefully, examining the scene before him.

"Please clean me up... I don't want to look that messy when I get there.." Ink answered. "There's towels somewhere and a sink outside..." he added.

Cross took a quick look around before finding the towels. He quickly washed them and started to clean up the tired artist. He didn't move much as Cross wiped off all the magic.

Once Cross was ready, Ink's ecto vanished. He was very lifeless, just staring at the monochrome skeleton.

Cross reached for his clothes and stared dressing him up. That's when Ink finally spoke up. He said: "Things were better before Nightmare became the only Ringmaster.."

Cross froze. "What do you?" The words fell from his mouth before he could stop himself. His SOUL started to beat faster.

"Forgot I said anything.. I wasn't supposed to do that.." Ink whispered.

"Please, tell me what you meant! Who was the other Ringmaster?" Cross inquired quickly. Even Chara was curious about it.

"Please.." Ink whimpered. He was tired and hadn't meant to say anything.

Cross' face dropped. It wouldn't be fair to question him about this. "I'm sorry," he apologised and continued to put the clothes on Ink.

Once he was finished he picked the artist up and hurried out of the tent, rushing towards the medical tent. Ink was almost lifeless on his arms. It was a depressing sight, but what made it even more disturbing was the fact that his emotions were empty.

From the corner of his eye socket he could see his Chara staring at Ink. Just like Cross they too wanted to know more about Ink's little slip-up. Too bad there wasn't anything they could do now. They just had to wait.

Words: 1902

[24.12.2022]

What is this? Two updates in one day? And on Christmas? Okay, the other one was written earlier this week, but this one was written today–

Anyways, I got a Sans key chains. It was my favourite gift since I wasn't actually expecting anything Undertale related since they don't really sell them here at all.