Anti sat on the couch in the living room, hunched forward looking at the small marble in his hand. It glowed green just like his other eye used to.

'I don't understand what kind of power this little thing could possibly hold. How could it keep as much power in it as I used to have?  . . . . even half of it? It's absurd'

But what interested him the most were Marvin's earlier words.

'Their spirits . . . are still here?' he snorted to himself, 'How fucked is that? For them to see me moping around all the time for so long. Like a coward. Jackie's wrong. This one, anyway. MY Jackie probably hates me even more now.'

With resentment building, Anti let the marble fall out of his hand and onto the floor, 'I don't need you. . . . I don't want you'

He kicked it softly across the other side of the room, watching mindlessly as it rolled under a chair.

If he left it there forever, would it collect dust?

Would it wither away like he was ready to?

Anti sighed heavily, hanging his head in his hands. If they were really watching him, he didn't want them to see him cry any more than he already has.

He remembered how things used to be. It felt like so long ago now.

Of course, the bad times when they ignored or outwardly expressed their distaste for him were there.

But the good times were practically stitched in his mind. He chose to remember those moments instead.

After he cut his throat for Jackie and the hero actually looked concerned. It was the first form of acceptance he ever got from them all. Henrik had swat him over the head while he fixed him up and Chase had scolded him, telling him to never do that again.

Jameson was the worried the most for him and held his hand even though he was completely fine. Marvin just watched but Anti could tell he was worried about the lengths he went to, to prove his loyalty to them.

Then there was that time during Christmas they let him spend the day with them willingly. It was the best day of Anti's life. They all smiled and laughed together and Chase even let him play games with the kids. Stacey, Eva and Sammie even had him decorating cookies with them like one of the kids.

Anti had always worked hard for their affections, though. Trying to get on Marvin's good side, he had helped with his and Evan's shop before the plant incident. He had accidentally bumped into a potion that broke over a venus flytrap, causing it to grow  . . . exponentially. Marvin and Evan had come back from lunch seeing the plant nearly have ANTI for lunch.

He tried to help Chase with the videos he like to make for his YouTube channel but every time Anti touched the camera, the video would get corrupted or the photos would come out distorted.

Then there was the time he helped Henrik with the Pheno Reactor. That turned out alright and they got along but he was never allowed near the computers or controls . .. of which there were a lot of. He had to stay still in a chair and not move. One time, he had accidentally gotten too nervous and glitched, making his computer restart making him lose some very important files. Good thing the good doctor always kept backups.

Anti had always loved Jameson and they'd bake together but once again . . . Anti was not allowed anything electronic so he was only on cutting or stirring duties. One time he had accidentally caught the microwave on fire.

Then he remembered how he had tried desperately to get on Jackie's good side.

Anti smiled at the memory.

He tried every day to help spot Jackie when he'd come to work out in Henrik's garage aka Jackie's makeshift gym.

But of course, Jackie still never trusted him so he had Anti be his little errand boy instead, telling him to get him little things here and there so he'd run off and leave him alone.

Anti knew he was starting to get to Jackie, though. Jackie had asked Anti one day to get a few of the 200 kg weights so he could do some lifting. Anti wasn't that strong, though, anymore so he had a very hard time of it. Jackie watched in amusement as he struggled trying to bring ONE to him. Before the weight could fall on his foot and hurt him, Jackie had intervened, taking it from him with a small, amused smile.

"You really have gotten softer, huh? Like a little marshmallow"

Anti wasn't angry at all at the insult, though and had laughed it off.

He'd never forget Jackie's first and only genuine smile he gave him that day.

Tears streamed down Anti's face. He couldn't help it. He couldn't control it.

As fast as he could, he bolted up and ran for the other side of the room, shoving the chair out of his way.

He grabbed the marble carefully in his hands, holding it close.

"I'm sorry . . . . I'm so fucking sorry. . . I failed you. . . I failed all of you. It's all my fault . . . . All my fault"

He curled up in a ball, bowing his head against the floorboards, sobbing his heart out.

"I'm  . . so . . .. sorry"

"You don't have a damn thing to be sorry for, Anti"

All the air in Anti's lungs left his body. He gaped, staring at the floor, his mind whirling.

Was he finally going crazy?

His heart racing, he started to look up, seeing feet all around him.

Not even bothering wiping away his tears, he shuddered, looking around at them all.

There was no question.

He saw their faces.

'No way. . . . . no'

But it was them, alright.

These were HIS septics.

Rising on his knees a little, Anti just stared back at them all, still shivering out of his control.

But they weren't glaring at him.

They were . . ..  smiling?

Anti swallowed hard and realized what was happening.

He opened his hands. The green marble was glowing even brighter.

Somehow without even thinking about it, he had unconsciously called for them . .. . just like Marvin said would happen if he willed it.

Did he will it, though, really?

He wanted nothing more than to see them again . . .and here they were. . .. standing right in front of him.

His Chase laughed lightly, "Well? Are you gonna just gawk at us all day or are ya gonna stand up and say something?"

Anti didn't move but his lip trembled, " . . . . It's really you . . . . It's really. . . . ." he wiped away more of the tears that threatened to take his vision away. With his one good eye, he didn't want to miss a second of this.

"I see the other Marvin really worked some magic here, huh?" his Marvin had his hands on his hips with that wiry grin, "Why aren't you with them, Anti?"

"How . . .how COULD I?!" Anti finally spoke more readily, "I . . I'll just fail  . .. again. . . I can't fight him. I'm useless" he glanced at Jackie but couldn't look him in the eyes.

He just couldn't do it. He could tell his Jackie had his arms crossed, though, as if he were upset with him.

'I knew he'd be disappointed in me'

"Zhe last time Antisepticeye was fought, we didn't have the Pheno energy" Henrik brought up, "Perhaps if we had used it, ve would have stood a chance. But you did really well in destroying it at zhe time when I told you to, Anti. Very well done"

Anti ducked his head at the praise. He wasn't used to this from them at all.

Where was their usual malice? Their distrust?

Jameson smiled wide, 'We're not angry with you, Anti! You protected us against him. You could have joined him but you didn't. You chose to fight . . . you would have died for us'

Anti whimpered, "But I wish I WAS dead-OW!"

Chase had whopped him over the head with his signature cap. How could Anti have felt it?! Was this energy that brought them back here really so powerful that they were even corporeal for this sort while?

"Don't you EVER say anything like that again, Anti!" Chase reprimanded him, "If it wasn't for you, the other versions of us wouldn't have made it so far. But right now they NEED you, Anti! You have to finish what you started! You can't give up, dude!"

"But I . . . . I can't . . . .I don't wanna . . ." he finally stood up on his feet, albeit shakily, "I can't  . . LOSE you all again . . . I can't watch it happen. . . not again. . . please just. . . Why can't I come with YOU guys?"

The hurt in their eyes. Seeing him so broken . . . .

"Anti" Jackie finally spoke but he the glitch still couldn't look back at him.

Jackie growled and took a step forward, "Anti, LOOK at me" he snapped forcibly.

Anti finally glanced up into his eyes. He was expecting anger or even disappointment like he had predicted.

But he was wrong.

There was pride.

"Anti . . . . I . . . am so PROUD of you . . . and of how far you've come"

He started to break down again, a small sob escaping him. He had always wished for Jackie's praise. . . but not like this.

Jackie smiled at him, "The other version of me said I'd be proud. And he was right. That day, after you destroyed the Reactor and I told you to run . . . . I fully expected you to. But you wouldn't. I could see it in your eyes. You stood your ground. . . For us"

Anti hugged himself, unable to look at him again but Jackie continued.

"Anti, I didn't give my life for you for nothing. I KNEW the moment I stepped in front of you taking that knife, that you'd live. And at first, that was good enough for me.  . . . . but then our counterparts showed up here and I knew . . .they'd NEED you. And I KNEW. . . with the right direction . . . . you'd save them"

"BUT WHAT WAS THE POINT IN SAVING ME IF I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOU!?" Anti shouted, "IT'S ALL MEANINGLESS, THEN! I FAILED ONCE BEFORE HE HAD MY EYE AND NOW HE HAS THAT AND THE PHENO ENERGY! I'M FUCKING NOTHING COMPARED TO HIM NOW! HE'S JUST GONNA KILL THEM JUST LIKE HE DID ALL OF YOU! HE'S ALREADY WON!"

"No, he hasn't" Chase shut him up.

Anti shook his head, "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!?"

Jackie put his hand on Anti's shoulder, "Because last time, we weren't all fighting TOGETHER." He smiled at him, squeezing Anti's shoulder as he just stared up at him completely taken caught off guard.

He blinked, processing what he just said, "B-but . . . . what if that's not enough?"

"Only once vay to find out, yeah?" Henrik chuckled, "You know vhat you need to do"

"Anti" Marvin got his attention to him, "We won't remain corporeal for much longer. But I want you to know . . . we've never left your side. Not once."

'And we never will' Jameson added.

Jackie still had his hand on Anti's shoulder, "And you put that new eye in your head, you'll have us with you in the fight, too. We'll all fight together. For the first . . .and the last time. And should we all fail . . . well, we'll do that together, too, won't we?"

Anti's breathing still felt shaky. He felt like he'd cry all over again but he just nodded vigorously.

"Okay . . . . okay"

Jackie then did something Anti never thought would happen, even on the day he died. It startled him and he didn't know what to do at first.

He brought him close and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Anti" Jackie spoke in his ear, "I'm so sorry for how I treated you when I was alive. We're all sorry. Seeing you try and protect us like you did. . . seeing you in our deaths cry for us for so long. . . . . I wish things had been different."

There he went again. Anti was crying again.

Jackie held him tighter and the others joined in, too, wrapping their arms  around each other in a big group hug.

"But" Jackie spoke again, "These other Septics care about you more than we ever could have when we were alive. They gave you the chances we should have. Now you have to protect THEM . . .. protect them at all costs. Whatever it takes. . . . and take that son of a bitch DOWN"

"I WILL" Anti hugged him back just as forcefully, "I WILL! I SWEAR IT! . . . ." He sobbed in his shoulder, "I fucking swear it. . . . ."

Their voices surrounded him like a blanket, wrapping around him, giving him security.

"We love you . . . . Little brother"

A few nice moments passed by until that hug felt like it faded away.

When he opened his teary eye again, rubbing the wet away, his brothers were all gone, their energy having returned into the marble.

He stared down at it in the palm of his hand.

Flashes of their deaths rewound in his head.

But this time, he didn't cry.

He wouldn't cry any more.

Not this time.

Anger rose in his chest.

He could feel that familiar crackle in his body, his power simmering.

"Not this time" he closed his eyes and when he reopened them, he was in the other dimension.

He was a ways away from them all but he could clearly see their battlefield that was the crumpled rubble of Henrik's old home.

Anti's breathing quickened.

He saw Chase knocked out. Marvin was severely injured and Jackie was on the ground beaten to hell. The only ones standing were Jameson and Henrik and it didn't look to be for long unless Anti intervened.

"Not this time" he repeated to himself, "You son of a bitch . . . .you won't . . .."

His rage was now boiling. He hadn't felt this way in so long, he had forgotten what it felt like to have his power rise up like this.

Quickly, he ripped off his eye patch, throwing it aside and put the marble into his empty socket, letting Marvin's magic do it's work.

He could feel it now like massive waves washing over him. Like an out of control fire blazing through a dry forest.

Lightening cracked out of his body and he screamed as this new power and his own melded together. He could feel his family with him. They would finally fight together.

"̵̢͈͈͕̤͍͍̦̣͕̐Ỳ̸̡̤͔̮͚̝̰̖̘̾̈́͒͋̓͠͝Ȏ̶̬̖̰͎̭̤͓̖̒̉̓̈̌̇̍͠U̸̠͔̰͆͛̾̉̐̑̄̚͝ ̶̨̟̩͓͐̀̾̾̂̆͋̚͝ͅ.̸̛̣͕̓̆̋̉ ̶͖͉̗̭́̔͛͑̈͘͠.̶̢̙̤̻͒̓̃̀̍̂͠ͅ ̵̱̹̈́̇̌̏̀̊͋̈́̈́͘.̵̥̬̜̘̰̠̟̺́̓͂̄́̒́̂̀́ ̵̼͍͙̺̺̞̜̥̝̎͆̉̉̄̿̀̔̽W̶̛̬̏̏̆̅̊̏͌͂̚O̵̤͔̅N̸̡͈̹̺̳͚̲͉̿͌̈́̐͜͠'̷̻̮̈́̔̈̃͊̽͝T̷̜͖͉͖̞͊͂̎͊̂̈́̃̆̕ͅ ̷̰̼̣̗͚͠ ̶̯̲͎̲̰̹̍̓̓̈́̔̎͛̈̚͝ͅ.̸̳̄̐̊͘͘͠ ̷̬̞̘͖̰͇͒̽̒̃̈́̚͝.̷̨̘̲̠͓͍̱̥̐̓ ̷̢͍͍͇̮͗̕͝.̴̣̫̼͖̓̈́̊̇̆͜.̷̧̫̦̭͎̖̈́̽͗͝ ̶̗͈̪̭̐̅͒̄̾́̈́̂ ̸̧̧̜͕̣̓Ẁ̴̡̤̣̮̟̬̱̰̬͉I̵͉̘͆̀̇̓̀̅N̸̮͖͔̈̀̀̀̑͋͋̀̚͝!̸̠͌̀͋̇͌̄͆͠!̷̺̌̒̍͜!̷̡̞̍!̵̩̲̹̣̦͉̭̾͠!̸̧̦̥̺̦̈́̆̀̎̉́̓͘͠"̷̶̸̠͍̪̖̰̟̝̪̥̋̈̓̄̈́̐̀͋̀̔͆͛͒̈́̒̽͗͌̕̕͠ͅͅ

Antisepticeye was about to lunge after Jameson when he felt something . . . off.

He turned around.

The others, as weak as they now were, stared off into the same direction.

Chase woke up to see the lightning show and signed in relief.

Marvin grinned, "It's about . . . time. . . .. Anti"

Antisepticye whirled around on Marvin, "What did you just say?! That can't be him! He's a weak little bitch crybaby! He'd never DARE to face me again!"

Jackie smirked as Jameson helped him on his feet, "I knew it . . . . I knew he couldn't stay away for too long heheh" he coughed but Marvin's potion was working, doing its job.

Henrik was the most excited, "YES!! FINALLY!! KICK HIS FUCKING ARSE!!"

Antisepticeye scoffed it off and turned to face Anti from in the distance, "Whatever. This will be qui-"

He didn't expect Anti to appear inches from his face, slamming his fist into his stomach.

Antisepticeye, having taken the brunt of the brutal attack, was launched several yards away, rolling in the dirt. He was on his feet fast, though, wiping away blood that he coughed up on his chin. All he saw was red and not just blood. He was PISSED.

Anti, now with a new purpose and rage, his new eye giving him all the confidence he needed, stepped forward.

Honestly, he looked threatening just as he had before he changed. Before he was good.

He pointed at Antisepticeye, static and lightning still crackling from his skin.

"This time . . . . this time I'LL kill YOU . . . And then . . . . A̷n̵d̷ ̴t̶h̵e̷n̸ ̸I̵'̸l̷l̵ ̷t̸a̴k̵e̴ ̷m̶y̴ ̸f̷u̸c̶k̷i̸n̸g̴ ̴e̶y̷e̶ ̷b̴a̶c̸k̷"̵ 

Now the real fight had begun.