Correction of the future

A show of choice

"You've got some nerve to even suggest that." Error tugged at a fraying seam. "I hate most of you."

"So, you're willing to let original AUs get destroyed?" Core focused on Error, understanding he'd be one of the more difficult ones to convince. "The Original world, Underfell, Underswap, Outertale."

Error shot Core a glare at the mention of Outertale as Outer flinched beside him.

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean." Core's tears had stopped, leaving no traces on their face.

"I'm getting involved and beating that selfish squid straight into the void." Error announced, straightening his back. "I don't care what you do, just don't get in my way."

"You..." Stretch cleared his throat as it rasped, attempting to focus on the present reality. "Don't you think there's a reason we were all brought here."

"For you anomalies to stay out of my way." Error immediately responded, ignoring the looks he received for that. Maybe, just maybe, Error had already figured that out. But he hated it, so he was going to complain.

"You're a loose cannon, Error." Stretch scoffed, resting his skull on his hands. "I'm not trusting you with this. Not when my worlds at risk, and even if it wasn't, I still wouldn't trust you."

"Then how can you expect to work with him in an alliance."

The two turned to the new interloper, Dream, who took a deep breath before continuing.

"I want to help, and I... I can understand what you both mean." Dream lowered his skull, shame burning its way through his positivity. "When it comes to personal things, I understand not wanting to let a stranger or enemy handle it without having some control of your own. It eats up at you. And... I get not wanting to work with anyone else either. But, doing that, we're all going to clash, and we'll make things worse."

"If everyone went their own way." Outer continued for Dream as the others voice wavered and faded, understanding what he tried to convey. "We'd all come up with different plans. We could cause people to act differently. This would all be a waste."

"Right..." Dream hugged his cape loosely. "If... If left alone, I might slip up. And what I do will agitate Nightmare, and that'd change everything for Chara and Cross."

"I'd probably get tempted to drag everyone from back home into the Omega Timeline." Stretch acknowledged, closing his sockets. "I'd definitely do that. I can't last the whole month alone."

"All of us would act differently, and..." Dream glanced at Chara, who was quietly listening while tracing patterns into the carpet, before continuing. "An alliance is our best option."

"Error." Core turned to him as they came to a conclusion. "When we leave, you'll break your truce in some way. But as things are, you won't be able to stop Ink alone. What you care about, what I care about, it's all endangered... Please... Consider this alliance."

Error groaned, pushing aside his utter disgust for a moment. "I'll think about it. No guarantees."

"I wasn't expecting much more than that." Core gave him a small, reluctant smile before turning away. "I can accept it's hard. Most of us here have hardly had an impact on the future. It's hard to know if it's best to help or avoid everything altogether." Core paused, taking a moment to pick their words. "I'd like it if for now, we all keep the idea of an alliance in mind. That's all I'd like for now."

"I'm willing to do that." Chara spoke up, dropping his chin to rest against his arms. "But if I do join in, I want something out of it."

"What would that be?"