It was a process.

A terrifying process.

One half of the manor was for the Ipliers and the other half was for the Septic families.

Of course there were going to be some arguments and issues at the start.

Mark having his powers back and keeping them for one.

Regardless of him helping them all when they needed it, some of the Iplier egos and Septics still agreed that he should have his powers taken away from him again.

But Dark vouched for him and it was his decision in the end.

"But what if he goes all psycho again?" Yandere had asked.

Mark rolled his eyes but Dark answered seriously.

"Then I'll kick his ass and take them away again."

Mark was mocking him from behind him.

Dark whipped around to catch him, glaring at him, "And stay away from Host else he has full permission to suck you into one of his books."

Mark rolled his eyes again, "Whatever. . . . I don't need to control anyone anymore. I have better methods of getting what I want"

"Like annoying me?" Dark sighed.

"Exactly"

Anthony raised his hand, "Can I still kick his ass?"

"Why?" Dark asked him.

Anthony just shrugged.

Dark thought on it for a moment, "Only if he annoys you"

Mark snorted, "Well that doesn't seem fair"

Anthony grinned, "Life's not fair . . . . . Markimoo"

 Mark made a mental note to stay away from him for a while.

All the kids were excited about this new living situation. They didn't even care that they'd have to move schools. They'd be living together with all their aunts and uncles and go to the same school TOGETHER!

Gab finally told the rest of the girls that she was pregnant but of course they already knew.

Stacey clapped her hands, "Are you excited?! I know Anthony is just gonna LOVE being a father! He already has some practice loving on Bella all the time!"

Gab smiled, "Yeah, I think he'll do alright. He's great with the kids"

Emily sensed her mood, "What about YOU? I thought you said you wanted children, too?"

"I DO!" Gab nodded, "It's just . . .. I don't know. Do I really deserve it? I've killed so many people-"

"So has Anthony" Eva provided, "And Anti . . .. pretty sure Henrik's killed someone. . . . . Sammie's shot a lot of people"

"It's true"

"Chase was in the military" Stacey reminded them, "I mean he was honorably discharged but. . . . point is there's a lot of people in this family that have done things we're not proud of. Doesn't mean we wouldn't make good parents. YOU will make a wonderful mother, Gabriella. The past is behind you"

"Just as the demon's power was a part of Anti, Anthony, Dark, Wilford and Mark . . . it's a part of me, too." Gab told them. It was obvious to her now, "Just as when the original Sean met the original Mark and the power brushed along him, it brushed along the Original Evelien. The past will always be a part of me"

"Doesn't mean you have to let it rule you" Sammie stopped her, "Look at the others. All of them touched by that malicious demon . . . they are good. . . for the most part. And so are you."

Gab wanted to smile and thank them but the very next second, she needed to run to the bathroom to throw up.

"Good thing she didn't have to throw up during the fight" Sammie commented, "She could have just thrown up on Anti."

It was almost time for Marvin and Evan's trial. Marvin knew Evan was hiding something from him and the day after they were all settled in, he attacked him with his upset stare down.

Evan always thought it was cute but in this scenario, he couldn't keep it contained.

"I made a deal with the magic council to get their help against the demon."

"You mean the LITTLE help they provided?" Marvin snorted, "What deal, Evan?" he sighed, "Please don't say you offered your LIFE or some bullshit? I'll get Anthony right now and we'll storm the fucking place"

"No" Evan hushed him, "No, no, it's nothing like that, hon. . . .it's just"

"Just?" Marvin was getting worried now.

Evan sighed, knowing Marvin was going to get upset.

"They'll waive the charges against us. They won't sentence us to death or attack us or our family. . . . .. as long as we give up our magic"

Marvin stiffened and his heart race, "Wh . . .. what?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, "E-evan . . .. how could you just make a decision like that? We have other options!"

"At the time, I didn't!" Evan argued back, "Look . . . I know you're upset and you have every right to be. At the time, though, it was just going to be MY magic stripped away since you were already dead. Things have changed, though"

Marvin swallowed, thinking it over, "Maybe we can talk to them and come to a different agreement?"

"Marvin" Evan scolded him, "I know you love your magic. . . . but this is bigger than that. . . .If we don't give up our magic. . . . . they'll attack us. I know Anthony and all the others would fight but is it really worth it?"

"But Sean could bring us back again and-"

"And what?" Evan shot back, "It'll be an endless loop of killing and fighting, Marv"

". . . . I don't want to live without my magic, Evan . . . . . it's who I am"

Evan shook his head, holding Marvin's cheeks in his hands, "You are a strong, sassy and charming and beautiful human being, Marvin. It's why I love you . . . . and none of that has anything to do with your magic."

Marvin teared up, feeling his heart swell, "I . . . . . I love you, Evan"

"I love you, too" he kissed him.

One way or another. . . they'd figure this all out together.

The day before the trial, Marvin and Evan decided to tell everyone what was going to happen.

"What's going on?" Anti asked, "Did I do something again?"

Marvin shook his head, "No, it's okay, Anti. It doesn't have anything to do with you. It's about the trial"

"Oh yeah" Illinois hummed, "That's tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Are you needing someone else to go with you guys?" Dark asked.

Anthony grinned dangerously, "I volunteer"

"I'll keep that in mind, Anthony" Marvin smirked, "But uh . . . . Evan told me the other day what's going to happen. He struck this deal with them to help in the fight against the demon"

"Wait, what?" Anti stiffened, "What deal?"

Marvin sighed.

Evan took over, "We have to give up our magic. If we don't, they'll send their best assassins and we don't want anyone to get hurt over something like this"

Anti finally realized what his first Marvin meant when he was dead.

'Tell my other self that he needs to take a step back for a while . . . remember what life is like WITHOUT magic. And the beauty in what's in front of him again'

He understood what that meant now. His first Marvin knew what was going to happen all along.

"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Yandere yelled, "They can't fucking do that!"

"Yeah!" Jackie agreed, "Without your magic, we all would have been dead a long time ago!"

"Yeah well. . ." Marvin sighed, "Apparently this is the consequence of my actions. . I knew dark magic was forbidden and yet I still followed it"

"That's so dumb" Stacey huffed, "But it's a trial, right? Don't you have a right to argue against the charges?"

Everyone looked to Sammie, the resident lawyer of the group.

Sammie heaved a big breath of air, "Oh boy . . . .  well uh-"

"No" Evan spoke for her, "The Magic Council is not like your regular court system. There ARE no lawyers. The Head Council will pass judgement and that's it"

"Zhat seems like an idiocracy."

"What's an idiocracy?" Anti asked.

Bim answered, "A system of idiots"

Wilford squinted, "Isn't that what WE are?"

Dark rolled his eyes, "You listen to Mark too much"

"Anyway" Marvin went on, "There's nothing to do about it. They'll run over my 'crimes'" he air quoted with his fingers, "Take away my magic and send me off like a regular-ass human being"

"Well that's not so bad, is it?" Eva asked him.

"Easy for you guys to say" Marvin huffed, "None of you were ever exactly normal human beings"

Henrik snorted but thought about it, "I've always been quite exceptional, I suppose"

Jackie crossed his arms, "Marv, you were the one that GAVE me my power, remember? Before that, I was just a vigilante having to constantly get bailed out of jail by my sister"

"It was very annoying" she offered.

"And before meeting all of you" Jameson added to the conversation, "I was just a normal person as well. Still am, really. It's not so bad, Marvin"

The magician sighed heavily, "Yeah well . . . when I was growing up, I don't remember normal life being as much fun before magic. . . . before the other Evan introduced me to it  . . . . in that stupid little bookshop"

"I thought it was a cute bookshop" Evan chuckled, "The other Marvin and I met the same way. I know you'll have trouble at first adjusting but don't worry. We're all here for you"

Everyone stood supportive of him.

Marvin rolled his eyes, "I guess. . . . Not like I have a choice, though, right?"

The next day was the day of the trial.

Marvin was very nervous. Him and Evan chose to come alone. They didn't want to get the others involved, especially Anti or Anthony. There was no telling what would happen if they brought the two of them with them. It certainly wouldn't help with the High Council's verdict.

They chose to walk the rest of the way to the building they needed to go to. They were early anyway.

"Nervous?" Evan asked him.

"Aren't you?" Marvin muttered, "You've had your magic longer than me"

"Eh" he shrugged, "Things might be better without it"

"What if there's another threat?"

Evan bit his lip, "Then . .. the others will have to carry the mantle, won't they? They did just fine without you against the demon"

"They had YOU" Marvin reminded him, "Without you using dark magic to make a time bubble and find the answer, none of us would have come back or survived."

"Everything's gonna be fine, Marv. And then when this is all over, we can just focus on the wedding"

"I guess  . . . . . hmph" he grunted.

"What is it?"

"Remember when I first came to your apartment? Was it the same for you? You tested to see if I had magic by putting me in that elevator? Only people with magic could get to the seventh floor in a building with three floors. . . . . . had me join your little cult of four. . . . we never DID become the Seven of Diamonds, did we?"

"Nah" Evan chuckled, "But it doesn't matter. Bee and Sampson are happy now. They made the right choice in keeping to themselves. They didn't need mixed up in our messes. Besides, we have a lot more than seven in our family now"

"Yeah, there's no card suit for that" Marvin chuckled, "I always liked thought of the Purple Diamonds. . . . . sounds classy and eccentric"

"Like you?"

"Of course"

"Is that our couple name now?"

Marvin shrugged, "I mean, I DO wear a lot of purple"

"And you DO love diamonds"

"It's perfect"

"It's a little disappointing we no longer have our masks" Evan tsked, "Mine got destroyed fighting Anthony so long ago"

"Mine too . . . I just never saw the need to make another one. You keep reserve power in it. . . . it helped me communicate with Henrik way back in the day but it just seemed so useless after that."

"Well and you're not allowed to create another one anyway"

"Right. . .. but since when have I ever listened to the rules? I make my own decisions"

"Until today"

". . . . ." Marvin sighed, "Until today"

Finally, Marvin and Evan reached the building where they were supposed to be. Immediately, they were detained and escorted through the halls to the High Court.

It was a large room and on the other end were the five magicians of the High Council. The leader wore a golden lion mask and next to him on either side, the magicians wore a wolf, bear, gorilla and hippo mask.

Marvin mumbled to Evan, "The hippo seems a little out of place. .."

"SILENCE!" 

Marvin flinched but he refused to be frightened by their display of intimidation.

They had him handcuffed and spellbound but he didn't have to let them know yet that something so simple wouldn't hold him.

The Lion huffed under his mask, "Marvin . . . . . Atticus. . . . . . . Magnus"

Evan slowly glanced at Marvin, "That's your full name? Why am I just learning this now? Your initials are MAM!?"

"Shut up!"

The Lion growled, obviously not taking kindly to being interrupted, "Do we need to silence you by forcible means as well?!"

Marvin shook his head lightly. He just wanted to get this over with and go back to his family and prepare for his wedding.

"Evan Edward Peterson"

Marvin glanced at Evan, "Eep?"

The High Judge just carried on, "You are both here before the High Council for crimes committed over long periods of time with no regard for safety, respect or the law! You have both dwelled in dark magic on MULTIPLE occasions and have now finally come before us to accept the consequences of your actions!"

Marvin rolled his eyes, "Can we please hurry this along?"

"Eager to get to your punishment are we?"

"Just eager to get back home, sir. I've accepted my punishment already and would just like to rip off the band-aide"

"Interesting" The Lion chuckled, "Just as flippant and delusional as always. You will NOT get your way here, criminal"

"Criminal seems a little dramatic"

"You have broken our laws and used dark magic in the following ways: Spied on other dimensions without permission. Crossed over to other dimensions without permission on MANY occasions. Fraternized with non-magic beings, exposing them to our ways daily. You brought together alters that should have remained in their own universes. You GAVE your power willingly to a non-magic being that was supposed to live without his previous alter's capabilities. You allowed your magic to be corrupted by that 'doctor' and you grew human body parts as you saw fit that being an eye and a hand. Thus with the eye came your own downfall summoning that blasted demon."

"Which we ended up taking care of. You're welcome"

"And then Evan . . . your crimes are smaller but just as unlawful. You introduced Marvin to the dark arts thus giving him everything he needed to disobey our ways. You created a pocket dimension without clearance, created a time bubble and assisted in bringing many people back to life in mass necromancy."

"And we did all of this over the span of what? Three. . . four years?" Marvin snickered, "And you're JUST NOW holding is accountable? A little odd, really"

"We've allowed such spells in the past as acts of defense. However, upon further reconsideration, we cannot tolerate any more defiance. If you hadn't created that eye . . .  then neither you nor any of your family would have died in the first place. We now view your dark magic abilities as dangerous and unnecessary. Your punishment shall commence"

'Finally' Marvin rolled his eyes, 'Just get it over with'

"Your first punishment shall be for you to revoke your magic. You were born with it but you have proven over and over again that you cannot be trusted. You will both allow the punishment to commence, giving up your magic"

Marvin didn't want to do it. He hated this. 

Something caught his ears, though.

Evan was reaching out his arms to fully give himself up but Marvin couldn't.

"Hold on a second" he stopped, "What do you mean by. . .  FIRST punishment? I want to know the rest first"

"You don't have any choice in this matter"

"I came here willingly. I didn't have to! I COULD have allowed Anthony to wreak havoc and kill you all like he wanted but I told him not to! You should be fucking THANKING me for that at least! Now . . . . explain yourself . . .. sir"

Everyone was still and quiet. Evan pulled his arms back, sensing Marvin was on to something.

Something wasn't right here.

There had been no talk in their agreement about any other punishment.

"Very well" The man in the lion mask smirked and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly both Anthony and Anti were in front of Marvin and Evan before the High Council. They both had spellbound cuffs and restraints on them and looked just as confused as Marvin and Evan.

"What the FUCK!?" Anthony shouted, "The hell is going on here!?" he turned and saw Marvin, "Oh . . .OH. . . we're at the . . . trial"

"But why are WE here!?" Anti tried to snap out of the restraints, "We didn't do anything!"

"On the contrary" the High Judge argued, "Your two's presence in this universe goes against everything of the natural realm and disrupts the balance of all dimensions."

Marvin was afraid now.

The High Judge smirked, "The full punishment of these two magicians is to be stripped of their magic, watch as the two glitches of the multiverse are eradicated and THEN . . you two will be imprisoned for the rest of your lives for your constant treason."

"NO!" Evan screamed, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! THAT WASN'T A PART OF THE DEAL!"

The High Judge took his mask and lifted it from his face, revealing something horrifying, "What made you think we were ever really going to negotiate with traitors?"

Marvin wasn't sure what to think. 

This man. . . .

The High Judge. . . .

Looked just like HIM.