How to Establish Your Gang and Take Care of the Children in It

Rule 31: Your Glitch Will be Curious and Want to Stay. Give it Time

"This is something he needs to do himself," Mare said as Cross disappeared. (Going off to confront Error in an unknown AU who knew what could happen-) "He'll be fine. Probably."

"Probably?" Killer echoed, startled. "You're betting Cross' life on a probably?"

"You're betting everyone's lives on a promise from Chara? Seriously?"

"It's all I have anymore."

He blinked, trying to shake away the memory. Things weren't like that anymore. He didn't have to hate himself for what he'd done.

"Did I say probably? I think most likely he'll come back alive," Mare amended. "Like... 85% sure." He hesitated, then added softly, "Maybe I shouldn't have... but I should be right..."

"Right? About what?" Killer found himself snapping. He stood up, somewhat angrily. "About Cross not coming back in one piece? Because from what I can tell, Error isn't just going to be open to a polite argument."

"I-" Mare hesitated, thinking. His bone brow furrowed as it always did when the goopy skeleton was lost in thought.

"It's not my place to tell you," Nightmare said finally. "What happened between him and Error is for Cross to say. But about Error, it- I don't think he'd hurt Cross. Not unless something drastic were to happen."

"How can you say that?" Killer asked, frustrated. "He destroys AU's, so why wouldn't he hurt someone from an AU?"

"He didn't hurt me," Mare replied quietly. "And if I trusted someone based solely on their actions, I don't think any of you would be here either."

Killer balked at the words, startled- and ashamed. The goopy skeleton was right. Error killed on a large scale, but it wasn't any better or worse than what he or Horror or Dust had done. Holding the destroyer in contempt for such a thing meant either hating the others for the same reason, or selectively choosing whose crimes to focus on and whose to overlook.

Nightmare exhaled softly, starting to pace back and forth in front of the dark-eyed skeleton. "That was a low blow. I'm sorry for that. But I've talked to Error. I don't think he's a bad person, and I don't think he's deliberately destructive or malicious by nature. I think he's just confused. Having a lot of power can always be difficult, but having to figure it out alone, especially when people are convinced it's evil? With such a combination, it's surprising he's as sane as he is." He paused, looking out the window with a small frown.

"So..." Killer started, then hesitated.

"So I don't think he'd kill or even hurt Cross," Mare concluded, looking back at the black-eyed skeleton. "Not with his current mindset. I think he gets easily irritated, but doesn't turn to destruction or murder as a first choice. I think to him it's just a job, not a tool of chaos or persuasion."

"Oh, I get it. A job's a job, huh, even if it means dusting everyone around you. What did the kid promise you? Power? Riches?"

"Well, for starters, they promised I could get rid of you personally, ya damn weed."

"I... see," Killer said slowly, trying to dismiss his memories. He didn't actually really get it, but he tried to seem like he did.

"Mmm... all the same, I think it might be a good idea if you were to go after them," Mare added. "As a... backup, of sorts. Just in case anything does happen."

Killer thought for a moment, then grinned. "So I'll follow Cross, and if anything goes wrong I get to be the one to say fuck it, time to murder, yeah?"