Anti's new room was done thanks to all the Septics for helping. Thankfully it only took most of the new day as Anti wouldn't stop arguing with Marvin on his 'fashion senses'. Needless to say, the job was done now and Anti was happy with most everything plain and dark much to Marvin's disappointment.

But Anti was good at faking his emotions when necessary.

In truth, he was still scared. Still worried about what would come next.

He wasn't a fool. He knew why Dark was after him. It wasn't as if Anti didn't deserve his wrath but as a child, he was even more frightened of the Iplier ego.

And since Anti was a child now, Dark would have no problems killing him if he wanted now that Anti's glitching abilities were gone.

'Should I tell them?'

What would he tell them? Dark was after him because of his abilities, right? Did Anti promise him something when he was drunk or something?

Hard to know.

'At least I know the owner of the voice that's been in my nightmares lately.'

That is, before that gang nearly had him.

'Things were just starting to look up, too, until Dark came along'

He had a family. A better home. Good food. No need to worry about rent. Didn't have the need to steal anything.

And then Dark comes along and reminds him of the wretched urchin he really is.

'Marvin's wards should be enough to keep him out, though. As long as the wards are up, Dark can't get to me'

Meanwhile, Marvin wasn't pouting in his room after decorating the most goth and plain room ever.

No, he was on his bed reading a book.

What kind of book?

The very book the others had told him not to. Where the curse he had accidentally placed on Anti came from.

'There has to be something in here. Something to speed things up. The spell took a turn, that's for sure but it can't just be like this. The spell was supposed to regress the victim into his true state of mind. Anti's a child which means of course he was a brat. This curse is so confusing. Of course it just means to have regressed Anti to his mental age, right? Usually my spells last only a few days. It's been a couple weeks already'

Not to say he was completely opposed to it. Small Anti was a lot better than grown up Anti in his opinion.

But who's to say he'd change again mentally when the curse wore off?

Who was he kidding. . . he knew the truth already.

Now he just had to hide it from the others and hope for the best.

'Just a few more days. . . . . maybe a couple more weeks. . . . . then I can try and use this other spell. No to say it'll work . . . but it's worth a shot'

Truth be told, Marvin didn't know WHAT would work anymore.

Anymore, everything he did and agreed to was a shot in the dark.

'And I can't believe that Anti really didn't know why Dark was after him. Dark always has a purpose with his actions. . . . so what was it?'

Who's to say they'd ever find out?

'Here's a peculiar spell . . . . . or curse . . . .'

Marvin never really did learn from his mistakes. . . . .

"I'm just saying, you guys seem to be getting really cozy!" Chase teased him.

Jackie shoved him, "Fuck off. He's not so bad as a kid"

'And to think you said he was even worse a few days ago' Jameson signed, 'How things change. .'

Jackie snarled at his brothers, "What changed was that I witnessed a gang beat and molest him. AND almost succeed in raping him"

Chase looked stricken, "Jackie, we didn't mean-"

"Sure you didn't" Jackie couldn't explain it but he had the most overwhelming urge to defend Anti lately. Perhaps he'd taken more of a liking to him than he thought. He felt . . parental. Even if he didn't fully realize what that meant.

"Jackie" Chase huffed, "If I had witnessed something like that, I would have killed the bastards without a second thought. But you're the hero so of course you didn't"

"Excuse you! I beat them within a inch of their lives! I-"

"What I'm saying is I understand. We all hated Anti . . well . . . maybe a little less than you" he chuckled, "None of us ever thought we'd be welcoming him in our home willingly like a brother. It's not too bad of a thought now, though"

Jackie sighed, "No . . .. it's not."

Henrik watched Chase go back to cooking some lunch for everyone, "Soon he'll be back to normal. Or so Marvin says. . . . . You think ve'll be able to trust him the-"

"Yes" Jackie stopped him, " . . . . we will"

Chase put down his spatula, " . . . .. Just be prepared for the worst, Jackie. None of us wish it but . . . ."

"Hmph" Jackie picked himself up, ready to leave the room, "And here for the ones who had been on his side ever since he had turned INTO a kid . . .. I'd think you all would be the ones to not think so ill of him. Especially with all he's been through. All the time he's been forced to spend with us"

"Exactly" Henrik swirled around his drink, "Forced"

Jackie snorted, "I think you guys are just jealous he likes me more than you all now"

Before anyone could retort, there was a knock at the front door.

Marvin froze on his bed.

He felt a strange and powerful aura nearby.

'Something's wrong'

There was a knock on the front door.

Anti stretched, ready to just call it a night on his new bed. It was so comfy and soft. He wasn't even hungry for lunch. He curled into the mattress and pillows, cuddling himself into the blankets. He only had the faint wish that he was still in Jackie's room. He felt safe there.

Jackie could take on or kill anyone that came to hurt Anti.

Now.

Before, Anti nearly feared Jackie himself. He was so scary before while Anti had been a kid. Yelling and screaming at him. Berating and threatening.

Now he couldn't see Jackie to ever be that mean.

Perhaps they all really had changed.

Maybe Anti could be a part of the family after a-

There was a sudden knocking on the front door downstairs.

'I thought Chase was cooking lunch. Didn't think they ordered out'

But then he felt it, the same thing Marvin did in his room.

'Oh fuck'

Chase went to go answer the door, Jackie right behind him. They didn't order anything and Stacey wouldn't come unannounced unless it was an emergency.

But as soon as the door was opened. .. .

It was too late.

The wards were broken.

The man gave a snide smile and a chuckle, "Did you really think you could get away from me so easily?"

He tapped his cane on the ground in front of him, making his way inside without a care or worry, "Had you all forgotten I know where you live?"

They were dumbstruck. They honestly didn't think he DID know where they lived.

"H-how-"

Marvin teleported downstairs suddenly, "DON'T OPEN THE DOOR! HE'S HE-"

He stopped, seeing he was too late.

Jackie swallowed, taking a step back. He wasn't stupid. He knew Dark was strong. But he also knew who he was after. He glanced to the others in silent agreement but before Jackie could run to Anti, Dark grunted.

"Oh by all means, go fetch him. He has a lot of explaining to do anyway as do all of you" Dark's eyes were like obsidian, staring at them all with deadly intentions.

"I wish to know what became of my . . . 'little friend'. . . AH! No need" he looked up at the stairs and Jackie's heart dropped, "Seems you won't have to fetch him after all"

Anti was pissed he was caught peeking but it wasn't like he could escape the man anyway.

Whatever Dark wanted, he always got.

And that very thought frightened Anti to the core.