Dustcember 2025: Something New/Stars
This is it. He’s ready to begin now.
Dust has created multiple notes, all consisting of a variation of the following: “I have a plan to get rid of Nightmare. I need your help. Meet me after battle to discuss.”
He left these notes in places where they could be easily found by the Stars. The more AUs they went through, the more suspicious looks he got from the do-gooders during fights.
On one of his solo missions, he stopped and waited for the Star Sanses to show up. Sure enough, a couple minutes later, they hopped out of a portal right in front of him.
Dream looked him up and down, and must have realized he was not prepared for battle, considering he lowered his guard and approached. Swap and Ink trailed behind him, clearly still tense.
“We have received your various notes. What do you mean ‘get rid of Nightmare?’” Dream looked nervous, and for good reason.
“Exactly as I said. I have a plan to end his rein of terror, but I’m going to need your help.”
Dream seemed pensive, but something occurred to him and he gave a resolute look to Dust. “What’s the plan? What do you need us to do?”
Dust smirked and pulled out a notebook from his inventory. “Nightmare is planning a big heist in Mafiatale copy 416 in a week. I need you all to show up and start the fight, and I’ll help you drag him to Fluffytale, where we can finish him.”
“How are you so sure this will work? And why are you trying it in the first place?” It seems Swap has more of a brain on his shoulders than he thought.
Dust glowered back in return. “Because despite popular belief, I HATE Nightmare, and I’d love nothing more than to see him FALL.”
The Stars flinched at this, but Dream quickly recovered to make peace. “It’s not a bad plan in theory, but what will you do if it doesn’t work out?”
“Then I’ll finally get the ending I deserve. It’s high time I pay for my actions, and if this plan doesn’t work, Nightmare will SURELY be rid of me. I’ve already pushed his buttons far enough.”
None of the Stars looked particularly happy about that thought, but Ink was far more on board than the others. Dust forgets that he doesn’t technically have a soul either.
“Well there’s no way to know except to try! We’ll be there!”
“Good.” Dust stepped back from their group and began to meld into the shadows of their surroundings. “I’ll do my part, and you do yours.”
He quickly teleported from the location to a spot across the Underground from them. He can’t be seen near them if he wants to have any chance at making this work.
Now, all he has to do is wait.
The day is here. Nightmare has the Trio lined up in front of them once more, and was debriefing them for the mission.
Dust wasn’t paying attention. It won’t matter what Nightmare says anyway. All he does pick up on is that Nightmare will be accompanying them for once.
This works very well for Dust. All according to plan.
They arrive in Mafiatale, and are present for what could only be a couple minutes before the Stars show up. The ensuing battle is one of the worst they’ve ever faced.
Dust immediately puts himself on the defensive, dodging and deflecting all the attacks coming for him. He notices the Stars looking at him throughout the battle, and gives a subtle ‘not yet’ shake of his head.
It’s not very much longer before it seems like Nightmare might call a retreat. Now Dust strikes.
He goes full offensive against Nightmare, and his sudden vigor startles the Stars into action. They quickly bare down on Nightmare, knocking him closer and closer to an open area that was created during the battle.
Killer and Horror were both shocked, having not expected any of this. Horror takes this as his chance and joins the fray, but Killer jumps to Nightmare’s defense.
Dust had been waiting for that, and quickly casted a Karma attack at Killer, striking his throwing arm and giving the weakness needed to keep him out of the fight. He also vaults him out of danger with his Blue magic before turning back to the real mess.
Dream has already opened a portal to Fluffytale, and Nightmare seems to be figuring out what’s happening. He tries to use his tendrils to make a portal out, but Horror slips up behind him and severs them off with his axe.
All of the Trio know that it takes a while for the appendages to fully reform, less time in a negative area. Knowing this, Dust charges the strongest Gaster Blaster he can and blasts Nightmare back through the portal.
He grabs Killer with his Blue magic and tosses him through, before following all of the Stars through. With this movement, he ceases the Karma, preventing Killer from dying. He sees Dream already baring down on a visibly weak Nightmare.
The positive feelings in the air must be making Dream stronger, his aura becoming a gold ring around him. The oozing mess that usually covers Nightmare is melting off of him in gross blobs.
Dust and the others step back to give Dream more space as he pins the negative being to the ground with glowing arrows. His expression is not one of victory, but of mourning and resolution.
“Brother, it’s time we end this century-long charade.”
Nightmare scoffed and glared back at Dream with a menacing gleam in his eyelight. “You’re no brother of mine. And I will not let this defeat me. This is NOT OVER!”
Dream stepped forward and, in a swift movement, seized Nightmare’s soul from his chest. “I’m afraid that it is. I will end this.”
Everyone watched with bated breath as Dream then summoned his own soul. He turned back to the group behind them and gave them a mournful smile.
“I’m afraid this is goodbye. I will recreate the Tree of Feelings and restore the balance in the Multiverse. I will miss you, my friends, and I wish you well, those whom my brother has tormented. Farewell.”
Nightmare began to truly struggle on the ground, but even He seemed to know it was over. Dream looked him in the ‘eye’, and merged their souls together.
A blinding white light began to emit from the connection, before exploding outward and knocking everyone away in different directions.
Dust went flying backwards and a loud ringing began to drown everything else out. The world seemed to blend together around him, which was something new to see.
He hit the ground hard, and everything went dark.
