Unconsciousness drags at his senses. Nightmare can't allow himself to fall asleep. He teleported to a random AU, and since Lady Luck hates him, it happens to be a positive one. Nightmare finds himself to be somewhere in Snowdin's forest. The cold snow acts as an icy balm on the wounds that are near to opening up. Nightmare's wrist is burning and still useless. His strained soul is working in overdrive to keep him together. Teleporting was not a very good idea.
     The Guardian's visions is blurry no matter how many time he blinks. The light here is much too bright. Too exhausted to move, Nightmare lays on his back in the snow for a long while. His head still hurts. He's never been this tired before. It's not safe to fall asleep here. Nightmare hates himself for getting into this position. He's practically helpless. Nightmare doesn't think he can teleport again or even summon a simple bone attack.
    As if things couldn't get worse, Nightmare's recovering senses detect a presence coming his way. Nightmare's soul pulses with panic. His body screams in protest when he sits up. The snow he was laying in is stained black. Nightmare braces his shaky left hand against the ground. He has to force himself up to his feet all at once because his strength won't last to go slowly. The Guardian's legs buckle. He only stays standing because he grasps desperately at the trunk of a nearby tree. Nightmare can hear his soul pounding in his chest. He's pushing his body far beyond its limits. He can't even manage a step away from the tree. It's too late. Nightmare looks up with whatever dignity he has less to face whoever has come for him.
     Blue looks almost as shocked to see Nightmare as the Guardian is to see him. Of all the hundreds of AUs the in the Multiverse, why did it have to be this one?
     "Fantastic," Nightmare spits, "It just has to be Underswap." The Guardian is too exhausted and pained to stay standing despite the threat. He slides back down the tree and hangs his head. "Go ahead and call Dream. Or better yet, just kill me now," Nightmare chuckles darkly. His head is killing him. Nightmare's actions and thoughts don't seem to be completely rational at the moment.
     ".............. You're hurt," Blue says slowly. He expected Nightmare to attack him or instantly teleport away, but he's still here. Nightmare can't fight Blue at the moment.
"Oh wow, what gave it away?" Nightmare asks sarcastically. He can't keep his mask up in this condition. Blue hesitates, but slowly moves to sit in the snow across from the other. Nightmare manages a weak glare. He honestly shouldn't be complaining since Blue hasn't called Dream yet.
"Something very weird happened in my AU today," Blue starts, "It only stopped a little while ago. I'm guessing is stopped when you escaped to my AU." The small monster is doubting his own conclusions, but he has to know the truth. "A genocide route was taking place, and everyone was laughing. I was laughing, and I couldn't stop. Dream had no idea what was happening when I asked him."
"Oh," Nightmare sighs tiredly, "So it's started." It makes sense now why he ended up in Underswap. The Guardian has always been drawn to where he's needed. The scales are too far gone. Nightmare has no idea if he can bring it back into balance now.
"What's started?" Blue asks, desperate for answers.
"I failed," Nightmare mutters hollowly. He's looking in Blue's direction, but his single eye is unfocused and far away. His next words are so quiet that Blue only barely hears them. "I'm sorry, mother. I've never been strong enough."
"Nightmare?" Blue pushes. The Guardian doesn't respond to him. He's lost in his own clouded mind.
"I want to go home," Nightmare mutters, squeezing his eyes shut. The Guardian doesn't know which home he's even referring to. Is home that place behind stone walls that hold the lost and abounded he's collected? Or is home a nest of leaves cradled in the loving arms of a great tree. "Dream.......," Nightmare moans. How could his brother hate him so?
"I..... What do I do?" Blue says to himself. One of the biggest villains in the Multiverse is laying half dead at his feet. Blue doesn't know if he should call for Dream or just simply leave Nightmare where he is. Something is not adding up, and Blue has a feeling that there is a lot he's missing from the picture.
"Where...... Where are my boys?" Nightmare pants. It's the first time he's ever said anything like that out loud. The Guardian has always been in constant denial about he truly feels towards the four of them. Distance will keep him safe from every facing betrayal again. Nightmare is too tired to remember to be careful. Almost going unnoticed, his broken soul bond seems pause with its constant throb of loss.
"Boys?" Blue asks in confusion, "Do you mean Dust, Horror, Killer and Cross?"
When he says their names, Nightmare focuses on Blue for the first time in over ten minutes. The Guardian doesn't speak, realizing he may have said too much. Nightmare feels dizzy and out of it. Every bone in his body begs for sleep, but he remains tense and on guard. Nightmare isn't sure what he can even do if Blue suddenly gets bored of the conversation and calls Dream.
Blue is thoughtful for a moment. He's decided that he won't be calling Dream or Ink. Nightmare will be out of commission for a while, so he won't be hurting innocents in the immediate future. It is okay to let him go. Nightmare can't stay in Underswap, though. If Papyrus stumbles across him, Dream and Ink will be told for sure. Blue doesn't have many options. He doesn't exactly want to invite a group of murderers into his AU, but the rest of the gang really need to retrieve Nightmare.
     Blue has no way to contact them directly. He pulls out his phone and opens up an old contact. Blue pauses for a moment to gaze sadly all of his unread messages. He doesn't even know if the recipient even reads the messages since he hasn't responded in a few years. No one knows that Blue has the phone number of the Destroyer of Worlds. It's been so long since Error responded that it's possible he doesn't even use a phone anymore. Still, it's the only option Blue has. He types and sends a simple message: Nightmare is in my AU. Error might not even care. It's only recently that he's appeared in battle with Nightmare. Blue doesn't even know of they're friends.
     Nightmare is only half aware, watching Blue with a bleary gaze. It's getting harder and harder to think. He has to remind himself not to talk anymore. It's already bad enough to be seen in this state by an enemy. Time is fuzzy and goes by strangely.
Blue hears the crunching snow first. The footsteps are light, but suddenly alarmingly close. Blue throws himself out of the way just in time to avoid a massive knife.
"Get away," Cross growls lowly. His eyes are intense and focused. He stands between Nightmare and Blue with his knife still raised for the next strike.
"I'm not looking for a fight," Blue throws his arms up. "Take Nightmare and go. He's hurt." Blue backs up from the pair to give them space. The small monster freezes when a snarl comes from behind him. Horror is standing down on all fours and eyeing up Blue.
Cross's share of the souls bond immediately altered the others when he found Nightmare. Before Blue can react, he's surrounded on all sides.