"S-sean!?"

At the door was their very own creator. He looked a lot like them of course but more . . . mature? Sad? He looked fairly nervous as well.

"Uh" the YouTuber scratched the back of his head nervously, "Hey guys. It's uh . . . it's been a while"

Snapping out of the shock first was Anti, "Well what are you just standing there for!? Get in here before he comes back or something!"

Jameson ushered Sean in and locked the door behind him.

Chase, Jackie and Henrik weren't looking too thrilled at seeing him but agreed with Anti. They didn't know what the puppeteer could be planning now. He's already sneaked up on them twice!

"Wait, what?" Sean didn't understand what they were talking about, "Before who comes back? What's going on?"

Chase snarled at him, "Not that you care but we're kind of in the middle of something. Something big"

"Not that I? What?" Sean looked hurt but the others didn't really buy it. Marvin, Jameson, Anti and Dark seemed to be the only neutrals in the situation.

Sean shook it off and took a breathe, "Look, I found you guys and came here to see what the situation was. After Anti glitched into my house, something just didn't sit right and I had to find you guys. I was hoping Anti wasn't lying. . . it looks like-"

"It looks like you were wrong." Jackie interrupted him, "And now that we've got that cleared up, you can leave."

Sean stared them all down, his face turning stern, "You guys don't get to do that. After all this time! After all this time, I've been worried sick about all of you! Why did you guys just leave me!?"

"Why did WE leave YOU!?" Henrik yelled at him, "You are kidding, right?! You are the one who left US!"

"That's not true! I-"

"Guys, knock it off!" Anti shouted above them, making them all shut up, "This isn't the time to turn on each other. Whatever happened, happened. It's in the past. Puppeteer WANTS us against each other. He's probably watching it laughing. Let's not give him the satisfaction"

"Puppeteer?"

But everyone sighed and silently groaned, knowing Anti was right.

Marvin was the only Septic, however, that didn't seem to have an opinion on the matter. It was like he knew something and Jackie was the one who saw it in his eyes.

"Marvin" Jackie hissed at him, "Puppeteer said you would know things. Something about wiped memories and us all having missing pieces. Have any idea what he meant by that? And pray tell. . . . WHY did you risk your life running off to Anti's apartment for that fucking TV? This is the only time I'll ask nicely, Marvin"

Marvin had every intention of lying again. He didn't want to tell them anything just yet. He had to fix HIS mind first to truly know the full story He wasn't ready!

"Marv" Anti's voice stopped his thoughts and he looked over at him still being semi-held by Chase. He looked so fucking tired, "You have to tell them. You can't keep doing this on your own and you know it. Please"

Marvin still felt conflicted but Sean's confusion filled the room, "Will someone PLEASE tell me what the FUCK is going on!?"

 Dark sighed heavily and broke out of Henrik's grasp to flop on the couch in defeat, "For fucks sake. . . . I'll condense it for you! Anti lost his memory in a fire that this mystery guy puppeteer started to try and kill him for some reason. Puppeteer is a Septic ego we don't know and has controlling Anti for years now like a slave. Apparently, puppeteer uses some sort of magic that he keeps inside of Anti. He kidnapped him the same day Anti appeared in your house to take him back but he escaped. Then he appeared here tonight to siphon Anti again. He wants to kill all the Septic egos"

" . . . . . . . . what?"

Everyone groaned and sat down on a chair or on the couch, too tired to explain any more.

Marvin swallowed and stared at the TV in front of him but no one forgot about that, "Well, Marvin? Got something to say?"

The magician clenched his eyes tight along with his fists, "Look, I-! I want to tell you! I really do!"

Anti sat next to him and leaned his head back on the couch on the other side of Dark, "I got yer back, kitty, just tell 'em"

Marvin shoved him with a light smile but looked up at the others who were all watching them both expectantly.

"A long time ago . . . . .  something happened. I wiped everyone's memories of it. But I don't remember what it was because . . . . I wiped MY memory, too"

"Wait . . .  you  . . ..  you have MAGIC!?" Jackie's eyes widened in realization.

Sean stared at him in disbelief, "Well of course he does! He's Marvin the Magnificent! A magician! That's how I created him"

"But" Chase seemed equally as troubled, "But  . . .  you can't do magic NOW and . . .  and how do YOU know, dude!?" he pointed at Sean accusingly.

Sean raised his hands in defense but Marvin interceded, "Because I could never use magic on our creator. But evidently, I did something of equal measure and made everyone think he . . . . hated us. I hid us from him, I guess"

"YOU GUESS!?" Henrik shouted, "Marvin, vhat did you do!?"

"I don't know! That's why I have to remember! That's why I got this TV! I could channel it with my mind to see my memories clearer!"

"Oh~" Anti tried to sound fascinated but was too tired to actually care anymore.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep, Anti?" Dark suggested, "Puppeteer really did a number on you. On both of us, really"

"You're not sharing a bed with him, creep" Chase growled at him.

"I wasn't planning on it!" his aura pulsed angrily. 

Sean snorted but was more curious on the situation at hand, "So. . . . . This puppeteer guy. . .  what do you know about him? You said he's a Septic?"

"That's right" Jackie provided but was still on edge telling him anything. He only trusted what he remembered, magic mind wipe be damned.

"But you guys are the only egos I've ever created. Are you sure it's a Septic?"

'But you created Anti without knowing, correct?' Jameson signed, "Could be a similar thing to that'

"I guess you're right" Sean sighed, "Well whatever you guys need, I'm here for you. You may think I left you but you're wrong. Marvin's confessed to that. Now let's work together and-"

"We don't need your help, Sean" Jackie snapped.

Chase seemed less inclined now to agree, "But Jackie. . . . maybe he could help? If he really didn't leave us then-"

"I don't care. He found us today, didn't he? Why couldn't he have sooner?"

'Perhaps because you all kept blocking and ignoring him?' Jameson signed with a deadpanned expression, 'Just let him help. We need all the help we can get.'

Henrik sighed, "Jameson is right." he walked over to Anti behind the couch and felt his forehead for a temperature, "Who knows what puppeteer will do next when he catches us off-guard? He'll be sure to take what he wants, that's for sure and we can't afford for that to happen again. Anti can't handle that again."

"'M fine, doc." Anti smiled lightly, "Everything will work out."

"I admire your optimism" Henrik ruffled his hair lightly, "Now sleep. Doctor's orders"

Anti snuffed, "Not tired now. He might come in a dream. No thanks. Now play the memories, Marv"

Sean snickered at the dynamic they all had with Anti. Really, he couldn't be happier. It was under poor circumstances but still. 

"It doesn't work like that, Anti. I'm going to need some magic, either way and I'm not taking any from you now. You're too wea-"

Anti growled and shoved his hand on Marvin, giving him some of his magic back, "Just fooking use it"

Marvin gently removed his hand from him and sighed, "Fine. Fine. You win, glitch. I've already looked up the spell."

Anti leaned on Dark's shoulder to see the TV at a better angle. The Iplier ego nearly huffed but didn't shove him off.

Marvin gulped and raised his hands ready to touch the television. Everyone jumped to get a good view. 

The magician's heart raced. He was terrified of what they'd all see but he was ready. It was now or never.

Marvin touched the TV on either side and it suddenly turned on, the screen lighting up to white noise and static. Marvin mumbled a small chanting spell and slowly, an image started to appear on the screen along with a soft noise.

Chase leaned in to turn the volume up and everyone stared at him.

"What? I can't hear anything"

They looked back at the TV and Marvin concentrated hard. He had to remember. This was important now more than ever.

Marvin appeared on the screen.

The magician was covering a wound. Something awful had just happened. Regret was seeping through him but there was nothing he could do to fix it. 

"No one can know" he mumbled to himself, "It's fine now, it's fine. It won't . . . . return. It went off on its own. But no one can know. No one can-Oh what have a done!?" he landed on the ground on his knees. He covered his face with his arms and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, guys, I'm sorry"

Anti had appeared. He had risen and made himself known to all of them.

He held a knife in his hand, glitched furiously and had a wide smile on his face.

But Marvin saw something else in his eyes. Along with rage and turmoil . . ..  was something familiar. Something he wished he never saw.

That green glint in his eyes. Filled with sadism and murderous intent. His eyes gleamed familiarly and he knew then.

"Please Anti, stop! I can help you!" Marvin cried out to the glitch as he stood over him.

Anti grinned down at him mercilessly, "And how will you do that? You're useless now! Master has all the power and you are nothing! Nothing!"

"Anti, please!"

Anti swiped his hand out and scratched him across the face, "You should be thanking me. I could kill you right here and now. But I won't"

Marvin held a hand over his face as it bled. He whimpered and knew the reason why but Anti spelled it out for him anyways.

"You can live with your mistake. This is all your fault" Anti was turning to leave when Marvin rebuttled, saying something he knew he'd regret.

"No, this is YOUR fault. If you never existed, none of this would have happened."

There was a small look of sorrow in his eyes but Marvin chose to see past it. He got up but before he could do anything, Anti was gone. He had ran off.

"I have just enough power left. . ..  I can . . . . maybe I shouldn't. But it'll be better, won't it?" Marvin held a book in his hand that held the spell to remove and manipulate memories. He was conflicted on what to do but he knew that if they knew it was all his fault, they could . . . . Sean just might erase him for what he's done and he couldn't have that.

So he performed the spell so all the Septics in the house including himself were affected. They'd never know he use to have magic. They could never tie him to anything that happened.

The TV turned off and Marvin snapped back, appalled by what he just saw but he remembered it.

And everyone just saw it.

Whatever happened, it was Marvin's doing and only Anti and puppeteer actually knew about it.

"Marvin . . . ." Sean broke through the silence, "What did you do?"

"I. . . ." he couldn't think, though, with everyone staring at him. Even Anti seemed surprised. Sad, even, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. . . I  . . . I still don't  . . . ." tears started falling down his cheeks. He was so terrified. 

They'd surely throw him away now, his memory only confirmed that they could and should, "I'm so sorry. Whatever I did. . . . Fuck. I'm so sorry" he held himself, crying, "This is all my fault, isn't it?"

No one said anything at first. Of course it seemed like it was all his fault. No one even moved. 

Except for Sean. He pushed his way over onto the couch and hugged him tight. Marvin squeaked at the sudden affection. He was scared, at first, that Sean might strangle him instead. But he just hugged him.

Marvin broke down and sobbed in his creator's arms, "I'm s-sorry Sean! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Sean merely hushed him, trying to calm him down but kept hugging him, "It's alright, Marv. You didn't know. And even if you did remember . . . .  I wouldn't just toss you away like trash. I'm sure you had your reasons"

A hand rested on Marvin's shoulder and he looked over to see Anti. He didn't smile but he didn't look angry, either, "It's okay, Marv. I forgive you."

The magician only cried more and slowly, the others except for Dark, gave in to hug him as well.

He may have started this.

But they would end it all together.

Puppeteer watched through Henrik's eyes. They probably knew he was watching and didn't care. That pissed him off but what made him even angrier was the fact that they were so comfortable around each other now!

He was hoping they'd all turn against one another, especially with Sean being there.

"Looks like that won't happen" He sighed to himself, "Oh well. I don't need them to hate each other for my plan to work. I NEED Anti to remember. Just that one thing. That tiny little memory that'll send him crawling back to me."

The plan was for everyone to turn on Sean. Puppeteer wanted his creator to feel that stab of abandonment and betrayal just as he had. But it didn't matter now. He'd get his revenge either way.

He huffed and blinked his eyes, looking down at a few shattered pieces of his black mask in his hands in distaste, "Little insect should have already when he had the chance. I won't play nice this time. Next time I see him, I won't just take a little of that power. . . . . I'll take it all. . . . . and then their deaths will be mine to savor."