-Council Meeting Room-

Fresh 404 ignored the council as they trickled in, kicked back in a chair feet up on the edge of the table reading a book Life loaned him about fruit trees.

Nervous glances were cast his way. Carefully planted rumors had spread that he was hostile towards the council for hurting his family. Fanning the embers of guilt never quite letting it die down or them get comfortable.

Of course it was Inky who opened his big mouth and started something. "You're grounded!"

"Fuck off your not my parents you just helped kill them." They turned a page not even looking up from the book. While a soft rumble shakes the room.

"I don't have enough coffee to put up with this crap Inky set down and shut up. We are here to make contracts with them not watch you display your failures as a person. At least the rest of us can admit we funked up." Reaper glared at his empty coffee cup.

Classic cleared his throat, "Did you bring a list of what you want in the contract?"

They threw a paper plane at his head. "I believe these terms are reasonable for the contract with the council."

"Bru not the reasonable one you said we could be unreasonable?!" Fresh, tried to snatched at the paper airplane and froze.

"Settle down Fresh the unreasonable one is for Inky." 404 settled calmly back and pulled a Rubik's Cube out of his pocket Fresh pouted but settled down.

Catching the paper airplane, Classic watches. "I see you two are still learning to work together."

"It is rather like having a sibling who hasn't been brainwashed to kill me. I am enjoying the company." They turned their attention to the retro toy leaving Classic to read the list.

Glancing over the list Classic choked on air, coughed then started to read their demands out loud. "No work on school days, no hours longer than nine to five, no council member is allowed to attack Fresh 404 for Destroying or any member of any family he chooses to build. No council member is allowed to encourage others to attack Fresh 404 for Destroying or any member of their family. Once balance is restored his contract with Inky will become primary for work hours. The council will provide healthy non greasy snacks at meetings? There will be no drugs or alcohol at Council Holiday parties until after all children leave. Dream will take over Nightmare's jobs outside the balance until replacements can be found. The council is required to provide a companion to keep Inky out of trouble. There is also a list of Council members who have to work as their teachers. Fresh 404 will be joining the council along with all the original AU's we left out like BittyTale, LittleTale, and the mini-verses. And we have to throw birthday parties for everyone on the council?"

There was a stunned silence Fresh 404 was young enough that God of Destruction was going to be a weekend job? Nightmare, had jobs outside the balance? They were required to socialize? They were stuck babysitting Inky forever?

Surprisingly it was Razz that broke the silence this time. "Where are you staying, who is looking after you, when was the last time you ate?" His questions might not have lined up with what everyone was thinking but close enough.

"We have taken over dad's castle. Lady Life has agreed to move her garden there tell I am an adult, as has Golden from FlowerFell # 0, Fresh insisted on disgustingly sugary cereal this morning. Any questions that actually have anything to do with the council? Or mom's job that you tried to sacrifice me to get a replacement for?" They glanced up to watch the more sensitive members of the council flinching back when he called Error mom, and reminded them they had fed a kid to a SOUL parasite.

"If we agree to your terms you have to agree to ours." Mob leans forward watching Fresh 404.

"Bru isn't that why we are here you hear our terms, we hear yours, we negotiate for a contract with some of both?" They pocketed the Rubik's Cube.

Alter was sitting next to Mob looking sick leaned forward. "We funked up with Error and Nightmare let us try to do better this time. I suggest we provide a companion to Fresh 404 that changes regularly so that we know him and can mediate disputes fairly."

Edge bangs the table not willing to ignore it any more. "What the funk do you mean it is like having a sibling who hasn't been brainwashed to kill you?"

"There are reasons I call them mom and dad beyond the care, therapy, and affection they have given me while my body lay sleeping. I am made in mom's image with some of dad's copied codes. I even have a younger sister who came crying to me the first time Inky tried to get her to kill me." 404 frowns at Inky, "she was eight."

Fresh jerked the Rubik's Cube out of their pocket and threw it at Inky's head. "Damn you Inky, even I leave kiddos alone."

"Wait, I have a nephew and a niece? And Inky tried to hurt them?" Dream blinked, dazed a frown slowly growing. "Inky?! You have a two minute head start. I clearly need target practice." Cold menace seeped from his aura as Dream stood turning to look at Inky who grabbed Razz and bolted.

They watched as Dream took off after them only for all three to be hauled back with rainbow strings. "Save it for after the meeting."

Everyone froze; he hadn't even moved and he had caught Inky, Dream, and Razz. Classic chuckled, "I vote them moderator."

"I vote you not shove your job off on him and expect children to be more grown up than we are." Sci frowned at Classic then looked around. "Even if he is doing a good job of it."

Rubbing his sockets ChessTale!Sans, Chess sighs. "Let's start with a list of the jobs that you want Dream to take on and then we can go over any problems with your list and we will go over what the council needs in return."

"Therapy for those resting in The Garden of Slumber." They swept the room with a challenging look. Before going on.  "That one is none negotiable."

"Taking care of the HorrorTales # 0 - 3, running the book club, his venture capital empire that helps monsters getting to the surface in AU with long rests to start business that will actually employ monsters. Dad was also on the borders of five different orphanages in different AU and thirteen bitty shelters." Stunned silence was getting all to familiar to the council.

Alter sighed and put his head down on the table. "Am I ever going to get through a meeting without feeling like puking again?"

Fresh 404 looked at him and tilted his head as if listening. "Maybe after you have your baby. If you have it and don't get reset."

Several cast a blushing Alter startled looks only to look at Inky when he dropped his brush. "Damn brat I thought I told you never to look at the codes!"

"Fuck off Inky you designed me to hear the codes so stop bitching about it." Fresh 404 gave Inky a nasty look, opened the codes and turned the room and everything in it except the council and their clothes a stark white.

Inky actually stomped and cursed. "Stop it, stop it, stop it, you don't have permission to edit. Put it back!"

They actually laughed at his tantrum. "Calm down brat it is only temporary. Consider it your timeout for trying to boss us around."

Geno watched the whole thing then just shaking his head. "Why do I get the feeling Inky is not the adult in that conversation?"

404 laughs at that. "Uncle Geno, want to know a secret mom told me?"

Inky freezes sockets widening. "Glitchy had secrets?"

"Don't call him that you have no right ever! He spent millenia saving you and this Multiverse from you. And got nothing but abuse for it." They slammed their feet to the floor and stood leaning forward glaring at Inky.

"That secret Uncle Geno is that mom became a god as an adult but Inky here was created after Classic by Fate because she didn't want to bother making AU's herself. He is still just a babybones of a god. That is why mom never really tried to stop him because he is just a toddler left to fend for himself. One of the restrictions placed on mom's magic, he couldn't do real harm to Inky here or anything to limit his growth. Mom could of course have defied Fate and stopped him, but he was never into hurting others as he had been hurt. Personally I think we all would have been better off if someone had taken Inky in hand and given him a good smack a long, long time ago." They smirked at Inky as he backed away. "Even after all you put mom and dad through they pitied you Inky."

Inky just glared up at him, hands on hips. While the council watched the contest of wills until Inky finally gave a huff and looked away. "I am older than you."

"Doesn't change the facts. Inky you need someone more mature to give you perspective. And help you with impulse control bru." They set back down watching as Inky just looked away and folded his arms.

Geno sighs laying his head down on the table. "This just keeps getting worse doesn't it?"

Mob grinned at everyone putting an arm around Alter. "So kid, we need to stabilize things before worrying about school so would you get things under control enough to stop the quakes, while the teachers you asked for, get things organized?"

"That is not unreasonable." They watched Mob as he seemed to be the most comfortable with contract killing.

"We would prefer to build a team like dad had so our LV doesn't go up so fast that we go crazy." They swept the room with a look.

That kicked a hornets nest of conflict into the council. Sure on some level they had all realized he would have to dust the monsters but that was when they thought he was a crazy adult. Sending a sane kid out to kill even if it was to save the Multiverse it was different somehow and they knew it in their bones, if they did this knowingly and willingly they would never be the same.

It was Edge that had an answer of sorts. "Kid Dust once told me that the Sans in DustTale #3 was the most sane, just needed some company, therapy, and someone to stab now and then. He called him Powder and took him on raids sometimes."

War glanced around. "No just no I want no part of this." Standing he tried to walk out only to find the door blocked by a rainbow web. Turning he met an intense neon blue eyelight and a yellow, purple, and green SOUL.

"Sorry bru can't let you just walk out. We are talking contract magic. You don't agree, then vote against it." Fresh 404 dropped the fake smile.

The council shifted restlessly; they didn't know what to do about the situation. "What if he has this Powder with him and they waited for a genocide run..." Razz refused to meet anyone's eyelights.

"No. We will not subject any DustTale Sans to more genocide runs just to make life easier. That would be needlessly cruel.  Powder bru don't deserve that." They frowned at Razz.

Clearing his throat Classic watches Fresh 404. "Look kiddo we get it we funked up. You have every right to hate us. We pretty much tortured and killed you folks. Then fed you to a SOUL parasite. To try and save a Multiversal that is going to hate what we are asking you to do. You don't even have your dad's gang as a makeshift family. So yes you have every right to hate and resent us. But buddy there are a lot of monsters and humans out there that really need us to work this out so tell us what we can do. We are really trying to not make the same mistakes."

404 leaned forward with a cold look. "We are glad you are clear on where the council stands with us. We will agree to start before school to get the worst of it under control but we will do so in our way. We will build our own team who answer to us, not the council. We will tolerate, work with, and even socialize with the council, because we will never let you do to us what you did to our family." He turned his skull meeting eyelights to make them all acknowledge him. "And if any of you ever try you will be right back here again because you can't make, us destroy against our will if you try to use those we care about against us. We will kill them or place them out of your reach. Are we clear on this."

Most flinched back looking wide socketed, a few just nodded. "Cool it kid we get it you don't trust us at all that is why we are planning contract magic to protect you and us." Mob frowned at him while rubbing Alter's back.

"Yes well we hope someone can do that is a hurry bru because an AU just edged into the buffer zone around UnderTale #0." They took Fresh's glasses out and put them on.

War watched them then sighed. "I have no problems with the terms he has laid out, for the council's side so far all I have heard is provided him with company like we do Inky, and he gets us out of the red zone while we set up classes for him? Is there anything else the council wants to add?"

"I hate to say it but AU's that have submitted requests should be destroyed first when possible. I know it is messed up, but if it means the ones that want to live have a little bit longer..." Edge glares around the council room.

"I happen to agree with Edge on that. I know the ones that thanked him upset mom. The only time he would take down a whole AU chain including the original was when it was so bad that they all thanked him." 404 drummed his fingers on the table as the colors started to fade back into the room.

"Wait, are you telling us there are AU that bad?" Don G leaned forward frowning. "How messed up does an AU have to be for that to happen. I mean even HorrorTale monsters still fight to live."

"Ever heard of PossessionTale?" 404 glanced at Altar then shakes his head. "No better not to talk about that around those in a delicate condition. I may hate you but that doesn't extend to those who had nothing to do with it."

"Bru, are we done yet? That AU in the buffer zone is making me feel unrad." Fresh squirms a neon yellow tentacle briefly slipping out of their left socket.

Several Senses gage and dive for the bucket kept under the tables after Cobalt's last emotional curb stomping.

"Settle down Fresh we still have time." He watched the Council. "The way they react to even a glimpse of you is so strange like they are not okay with seeing what they voted to try and feed me to?"

Geno stood up and walked to the central table setting down next to him with his arms crossed and glared at the rest of the council. "Does the council have anything else to add? Or are we going to do this?"

There was a long silence then Edge raised his hand. "I accept the terms of the contract as stated." The rest of the council raised their hands one here and two there until only Inky remained with his arms crossed.

Sighing, Fresh 404 stood and walked to Inky dodging as Inky took a swipe at him with his brush and yanked it out of his hands tossing the brush to Razz. "Come here brat time to talk."

Geno almost protested until he saw the way they were handling Inky like a toddler throwing a tantrum. He set back to watch. Did the kiddos really hate them? He was being remarkably gentle with all of them. Sure he was probably not going to let them forget what they had done any time soon but they deserved that.

They set down not letting Inky escape, "Listen to us Inky. We know what this is about, your simi-immortal like dad and uncle Dream but instead of a sibling you rise and fall with the Multiverse. Your strength comes from the AU's." Inky flinched freezing in Fresh 404's grasp.

"It is after all your fate to create and protect AU. That is why my contract with you has to be separate from the council's contract with me. You physically can't agree to it, can you." They patted Inky on the back not exactly surprised when Inky just collapsed into tears and hugged him.

"That said broseph if you use that knife we will take your brush away for a year." They easily held Inky as he tried to get away.

Geno just shook his head. "Let's just get this done Reaper, do you have the prepared contract scroll?"

Reaper held up two scrolls. "I got two because Cobalt said something about separate contracts."

"I don't know much about contract magic, how does this work?" Edge looks at the scrolls.

Sci shrugs, "they are true magic science has no answers on how they work but the making of one is simply and complicated, you need a scroll blessed by three or more gods, both parties or in the council's case, a chosen representative of the group hold the scroll and state their terms then everyone signs it. And the magic activates marking everyone involved in some way. Break the contract and there are consequences, how severe they are depends on which Gods blessed it."

"In this case Me, Lady Life, and the goddess of War and Peace that would be the Undyne from ReaperTale." Reaper sets the scrolls down. "So who is our representative."

"Geno is already at the central table." Shifting in his chair Classic glances around. "We don't exactly have a leader any more and I don't think any of us is comfortable handing that much power to anyone at the moment, maybe when we figure out how to balance the council."

This got nods and uncomfortable looks from around the room while Reaper carried the scrolls to the central table. What followed was rather anticlimactic the terms were simple and straightforward the only twist was when Geno agreed that the council present and future wouldn't attack or persecute Fresh 404 for the job of Destroyer closing a loophole most hadn't even noticed.

Fresh 404 signed off on it and watched as the members of the council did the same. When the magic was sealed and activated some of them flinched as the mark of the contract bloomed a single neon teardrop at the corner of one socket.

"That leaves the contract between us and Inky." Fresh 404 turns Inky to face away from them disarming him and hugging him with his arms pinned letting him curse and struggle.

"No you can't make me." Inky kicked and squirmed.

"Chill bru you should hear the terms before your tantrum." Geno looked pained watching Fresh 404 hold Inky preventing his escape.

"Inky stop it the sooner we work this out the sooner you will feel better." With a huff Inky was cocooned in rainbow strings. "I wonder if you are even stable enough to sign a contract right now with so many AU falling and you not being allowed to create?"

Groaning Geno braced his elbows on the table and held his skull. "Not another problem please, Fox."

"No uncle Geno, a solution Inky here has to use some magic. And he needs to learn to work with us so we are going to repair UnderSwap. Then make the contract once he is calmer." Standing they tucked Inky's cocoon under one arm and looked over the council. "Razz, Inky grabbed you earlier. Are you his company today?"

Standing Razz nodded looking up at them. "Did Fresh make you tall or did Inky make you that way."

"It is in my codes to be tall like mom." Answering absently he waved Stretch over. "If I have to have a council companion today might as well be Stretch as we will be working on his AU. Uncle Dream too, he needs to pack for the move to the castle where all the paperwork is and the vault full of letters dad never sent him."

Dream jumped up and ran over to try and hug them only to fall on his face when they dodged. "Don't touch me." The phrase and the static rising behind Fresh 404's words. Froze the council for a moment and made several of the more suspicious or perspective queasy.

"No touching unless we start it. Someone thought it would be a good idea to duplicate mom's touch aversion by making it burn unless I start it." Snorting they gave Inky's cocoon a small shake. "Actually one of the more accurate attempts to make me like mom his glitches made his bones ache when someone he didn't trust touched him. Not that it made a difference with how much he always hurt but he wasn't stupid enough to add to it for no reason."

"Wait, did Error trust anyone?" Geno watched as Stretch helped Dream up.

"Oh sure dad, the first fallen, uncle Cobalt, dad's team. Mom had a special fondness for those of us who broke probably the AfterAlterTale coding under all those glitches he was still a good mom with a soft spot for injured kids, and adults younger than him." Absently Fresh 404 opened a swirling rainbow portal completely ignoring the fact that no one was supposed to be able to open a portal directory to or from the council hall. "Let's get this done." They waved the small group through and walked into the portal without any goodbyes.

Classic watched the portal close. "I think it is a good thing he is determined to mostly play nice. The kiddos are way too powerful for us to do much if he wasn't. But that makes me wonder just how much was Error holding back? And was he ever at full power?"

Geno traded a glance with Reaper, "the way he was talking about Fate I get the feeling Error's magic got nerfed anytime Inky was involved. Add to that what he said about constant pain... And what we learned about his injuries from those damn logs and journals of Nightmare's. I highly doubt Error was ever at full power as, Destroyer. The kid may be stronger and with his ability to manipulate code I don't think he can create but I bet he could come damn close if he wanted to. Error probably could to, if it hadn't been beaten into him not to try."

Reaper hugged Geno, "We found the kid wandering around AfterTale and Geno told him it was closed to outsiders to prevent a reset. 404 told him Error had moved the reset from Frisk to Geno. That he couldn't get rid of it without damaging the AU but that Geno had just enough determination to anchor the reset to him. Not enough to use it at will just enough that the AU will only reset if he dies."

"So Error definitely could do at least some editing to AU's if he wanted to." Sci rubbed his sockets, "I guess that goes with him being the Multiverses anti-virus. Every time we find out something about Error, Nightmare or the way the Multiverse works I want to smack Inky and myself. Then that kid up and is kinder to Inky and gentler than I could ever be in his sneakers. And it just makes me ashamed of myself even more. "

That got a round of soft agreements for the most part.

"It worries me what Fate might do when they find out Error is gone and we have been limiting Inky. Someone powerful enough to form and limit Error is dangerous." Chess looks around.