on temporizing || Dream SMP Timeloop Fic

Chapter 15

71. (credit to Smallest, tigergrace and insomniouscat)

"I'll give you independence on one condition."

"Name it."

Dream bared his teeth in a smile. "Get every question correct in my Trivia game."

There was a moment of confused silence. Wilbur blinked, clearly at a loss for words. "And. . . and if I say no?"

"Then we go to war." Dream spread his hands. "Your choice."

"We'll play the trivia game," Wilbur decided. Dream grinned.

"Excellent choice. Follow me."

~~~

"The fuck is this?"

"Good question!" Dream swept his arm out towards the five buttons, aligned in a row on two-block pillars in front of them. "Press the button if you think you have the answer. First person who presses the button answers for the whole group. Does that make sense?"

The L'Manbergians exchanged uneasy glances. "You had this set up," Eret said.

"Yeah, because I assumed you'd rather do a trivia game than go to war." Dream tilted his head. "Unless. . .?"

"No, no, we're doing the trivia game," Wilbur broke in.

"Excellent. Choose your buttons, then we'll get started."

Tommy moved forward, only to be stopped by Wilbur. "Wait," he ordered, picking up a rock. He tossed it, watching as it landed on the button. When nothing happened, he picked up another rock and made as if to throw it at another button.

"It's not a trap," Dream called.

"Why should we believe you?" Wilbur demanded. Dream let out a put-upon sigh, strolled over to the buttons, and proceeded to press every single one.

"Happy?" he demanded.

Tommy snorted and marched over to the buttons, ignoring the noise of protest Wilbur made. "C'mon," he called to the other revolutionaries. "Let's just get this shit over with. The sooner we finish, the sooner we get independence."

The other four exchanged glances before reluctantly moving to join him. Dream grinned under his mask, producing a book from his inventory.

"Ready?" A round of nods. "First question. What block is unbreakable?"

Fundy quickly slapped his button. "Bedrock."

"Correct." Dream shifted. "Who is the current unofficial ruler of the Dream SMP?"

Current? Tubbo mouthed. Tommy shrugged. Wilbur pressed his button. "You."

"Correct. What is the ground of the Nether made up of?"

"Netherrack," Eret answered.

"Correct. Name one hostile mob."

"Skeleton!"

"Correct."

"This feels too easy," Wilbur muttered.

"Don't jinx it," Fundy hissed.

Dream cleared his throat. "Who was the first person to say the quote, 'It was never meant to be'?"

The revolutionaries paused, exchanging glances. "Uh," Tubbo said. "I don't know this one."

"You jinxed it," Fundy informed Wilbur. Wilbur opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted when Tommy slammed his hand down on the button.

"Eret," he declared.