2017

"I. . . . cannot . . . believe you" Dark glared at Mira.

They were in the hotel room that Mark got for them while they stayed at the convention. Like hell Dark was going to let her stay in a room by herself. Not with Anti around. He had to have his own room, though, the prick.

"What?" Mira stared at her brother so innocently.

Dark squinted at her, "You know what you did. You manipulated me into bringing you with me"

Mira just shrugged, "Eh, I don't know what you're talking about. I merely brought up the fact that the other Ipliers don't like me and that I'd be SO lonely without my favorite brother to protect me"

Dark scoffed, unpacking his suits, "You and I both know you can handle your own. And you love it when I give you your space!"

Mira ignored him and sat on her bed, " . . . . So why ARE you here?"

Dark glared, "Seriously?"

"I wasn't paying attention"

Dark rolled his eyes, "I'm here to do a stupid video for Mark with his YouTube peers while he's at the convention. He was too busy himself and so thus . . . I am here"

"And why's Anti here? I thought he hated Sean and his video stuff"

"He does. I honestly don't know how Sean got him to agree to it. By the way, stay the fuck away from him"

"Why? He doesn't seem so bad"

"NOT SO BAD!?" Dark rushed over to her and gripped her by the shoulders, "Are you going insane or something!? Antisepticeye's a fucking maniac that thrives off of the pain of others! He'd kill you for the fun of it. DO NOT TALK TO HIM"

She blinked, sort of wide-eyed and surprised at the certainty in Dark's voice but gave in, "Oh fine . . . I guess I'll just die of boredom here, then"

Dark let her go but rolled his eyes again, continuing to unpack, "Don't be so dramatic. With any luck, we'll be back home before you know it"

Mira sat in the corner watching them all go forth with footage for the video. Tyler, Ethan, Amy and Kathryn graciously agreed to help Dark and Anti with the video but it wasn't going all according to plan. 

Anti had some  . . . . interruptions. 

Things like making fun of everything Dark said, glitching off screen when he wasn't supposed to(when Dark was in a serious monologue), random outbursts yelling at people off set. It was a long process just to get him back on task.

"Alright that's it! Let's just take a break already!" Dark called for lunch and Anti grinned like a devil.

"About fooking time! I'm starving, asshole!" he glitched to the food table that was delivered to them and started shoveling desserts in his mouth.

Nobody else really wanted to go near him in case he bit their fingers off so most of them decided to leave to go out somewhere else.

Mira stared at Anti, though. For some reason, she found him fascinating. He didn't care about anyone else's opinions but his own but it wasn't just because he was mostly a jerk . . . he was defensive and had a shield up.

'It must be exhausting' 

She pitied him.

And then when Dark wasn't looking, she took her steps up to him until she was right in front of him.

Anti swallowed what he had in his mouth and found himself staring back at her perhaps as equally as curious. But then again maybe not.

"The fook do YOU want? A damn picture? Lasts longer"

Mira snorted at his jab but found herself smiling which made Anti . . . unsure. Or at least he looked a little weirded out.

"What? Look, if you wanted this fooking cream puff, you're gonna have ta pry it out of my cold dead hands, bitch, cause I ain't sharing! Fuck off!"

She just tilted her head at him, "Hm . . . . I don't WANT anything from you"

Anti raised a brow at her and glanced over to where Dark was talking to Tyler about something.

"Then why the fook are ya bothering me? I'm sure daddy dearest over there's told ya not to talk to me"

Mira laughed, "He's not my dad! He's my my brother! And he's just protective . ..  to a fault. I CAN take care of myself"

"Oh really?" Anti smirked. He set the cream puff down and looked her up and down, "Cause I'll be honest, you don't look like you can handle much of anything, sweetheart. Look like a little cream puff yourself"

"Well aren't you charming?" she teased back at him, "But you can trust that I can most definitely handle you if it came to that. But I was wondering something"

Anti was losing interest and rolled his eyes, "Oh really? The fook you wondering? How to get my number?"

"Why do you have this shield over you all the time? What are you afraid of?"

His eyes and head snapped back to look at her again, "The fook did you just say to me?"

Mira wasn't afraid, though. Anti didn't like the look in her eyes.

Pity.

He hated that look.

But then she smiled oddly, "I noticed it back at the mansion, too, when you arrived. You were so guarded when talking to Dark. When coming inside the house. So anxious and worried. I was curious why but I think I know now. You're WORRIED that if you open yourself up to others, you'll just disappoint them and they'll hurt you"

Anti dropped the cream puff on the floor. He could NOT believe what this short, innocent looking little brave woman was saying to him. It was completely outrageous! So ridiculous!

So hilarious that he suddenly belted out a loud laugh, alerting everyone in the studio.

Which in turn, alerted Dark so that he rushed over and forcibly pulled her away from Anti.

Anti was quick to notice how rough Dark was being, though and for a moment, it was like he saw a mirrored reflection of himself in her eyes.

Just for a moment . . . . . .

He shook his head and continued to eat.

2022

Anti shook, thinking back. All these memories rushing back into his head.

'Damn her . . . if she had just minded her own business back then, none of this would have happened'

He still couldn't admit to himself that all this time, she was right, though.

She was always right.

He shook off the thoughts and returned his search. There had to be another clue somewhere.

There just had to be.

Actor didn't realize how close he was to death in mentioning Celine. Dark seemed ready to strangle him if it weren't for Mark holding him back.

Actor rolled his eyes, "Geez, just by MENTIONING her, you're gonna flip out? So ridiculous. I'm over it. Do you wanna hear me out or NOT!?"

"Why should we believe a word you say?!" Dark seethed, "All you do is manipulate and lie, dragging innocent people into your stupid fucking games!"

Actor just rolled his eyes again, "So I get bored! Is that really a crime!?"

"You've hurt so many people! So YES!"

"Easy there, Dark" Mark eased him, "I think you should hear him out"

"Why?"

Mark nudged his head in the direction of the other Ipliers. They all seemed . . .complacent? Willing to hear? Or were they just curious?

"Because you're not the only one that gets a say" Mark continued, "Actor . . .go on. What happened?"

Actor adjusted his collar to prepare himself, "So there I was! Minding my own business!"

Dark scoffed.

"When SUDDENLY!" Actor ignored Dark effectively, "It HAPPENED!"

Wilford was already engrossed, "What?! Wha happened!?"

Actor knew he had the other Ipliers already hooked to his story and it boosted his ego, "I was just messing around with some of Celine's old Seer items. I honestly didn't think any of them worked, you see. I was bored so the items I had . . . collected . . . . amused me at the time. Then I saw this GORGEOUS blue crystal! Smooth and glittering! About the size of a large fist, though, so not easy to carry around. I was tempted on having it cut to make jewelry out of it. WHEN SUDDENLY!"

Actor paused for effect.

Some Ipliers gasped and Dark wanted to run his hand over his face with exasperation.

He went on, "It uh . ..  fell out of it's box" he pulled out a flask out of his sleeve and  took a swig. 

The Ipliers waited for more but Actor quickly put his flask away then realizing this, "Oh, yeah. The fucking thing broke and then a demon  . . thing came out of it, copied my ability to look like other people when 'Acting' and then he ran off for 'power' as he said it so eloquently.  . . . he was quite rude"

The Jims whispered amongst themselves, " . . .demon. . . it's demons"

Dark looked like he'd have an aneurism.

Mark just looked stunned, "Wait . .  so you're telling me . . . that you set a demon loose that may or may not have kidnapped Mira!?"

Camera Jim looked terrified, "Demons . . ."

Actor drank a swig again, " . . . maybe"

Dark finally took a breathe, "I'm gonna kill him"

"No you're not!" Mark stopped him from lunging, "Actor, what did the crystal look like? Do you have it still?"

"Oh no, the demon took it and left. He wouldn't even stay for brunch, the asshole"

Microphone Jim grabbed his counterpart fiercely, "IT'S DEMONS, JIM! DEMONS!"

"I KNOW!" the weatherman Jim screeched, "I KNEW IT!"

Camera Jim started to cry, "DEMONS!"

Mark sighed, "Guys . . . please? Can we talk?"

"DEMONS!"

"Okay" Mark led Actor and Dark a little ways away from the others, "So then Actor's right. Anti didn't do anything to her"

"Not necessarily true" Dark grumbled.

"Dark, stop being a sassy sally" Mark reprimanded, "Actor, does this seem plausible?"

"Eh" Actor shrugged, "Maybe. I didn't know either of them, really"

"OH I HAVE AN IDEA!" Wilford hopped up on the table, "Now why don' we just uh . . . travel back in time, swat Actor on da bum bum and put 'im in time out . . . stop 'im from messing 'round with the stuff and the things?! HUH!? EH?! YEAH!?"

Yandere rolled their eyes, "Sit the fuck down, Warfstache. Why don't we just find Anti and torture him until he confesses? Or Actor, better yet"

"Wait, what?" Actor just heard that last part.

"OR THROW DA LAD OVERBOARD!" Magnum kindly suggested.

"The Host knew HIS opinion wouldn't matter and just kept quiet, listening to all of the ignorant ideas filling space in the air"

"Since we're all throwing out ideas, how's about we shivs Mark" Yancy muttered lowly and Illinois nudged him to shut up.

"Or . . . or uh" Eric stuttered, "We COULD maybe ask Anti nicely what h-happened? G-go from there?"

"NAH!" They all yelled at Eric, shutting him up.

Mark shrugged, "Anyone else got any bright ideas?"

Dr. Iplier raised his hand politely, "How about we just . .. . ask Anti?"

Eric looked upset but didn't say anything.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

Mark looked to Dark to approval, "See? Everyone can come to an agreement sometimes. Just give it a chance"

Dark rolled his eyes, "Yes, except there's one problem. We don't know where the hell Antisepticeye is. Bastard could be anywhere laughing at us"

Actor glared at him, "He didn't hurt her"

"You don't know Anti! OR Mira! Neither of them! You said that yourself" Dark shot back at him.

"Yes but I also said a fucking demon-"

"DEMONS!"

". . .A demon came out of Celine's magic ball, took it, said he was looking for power and left.. . . oh and he took the form of me, too, while he was at it. Anyway we both know HE'S after Mira! You can hate me all you want but you know I'm right"

Mark groaned, "Ah for fuck ducking's sake, Actor! You could have mentioned earlier that he looks like you now!"

"Did it matter? No. Let's move on"

"This is why I didn't want him to come here" Dark crossed his arms and faced away in a sort of pout, leaving Mark to wonder why he created any of them to begin with.

The night bore down cold and brisk. Demeaning shadows creeped through every crevice.

If you have the feeling you're being watched . . . .  you're probably right.

Mark now knew why he had that feeling before.

This demon was searching for power . . . . he knew where to come.

Who exactly to go after.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Mark stared between them all, "We didn't forget anyone, did we? Aren't we all here?"

Dark felt something was off, "Don't open that door."

"Why not?" 

"Open it" Actor challenged Dark, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Something's wrong." Dark continued, "I can feel it. The aura is . . . strange. I've never felt it before"

"Can't be BAD, though, right?!" Actor shoed Mark to the door, "Open it, already! We don't have all day!"

Mark went to reach for the door handle when Dark shoved him away and stood in front of him. Mark thought he was just going  to leave it but surprised him by reaching for the door himself, whipping it open.

Everyone was shocked seeing who was on the other side of the door.

This couldn't be right. . .  could it?

Dark shuddered and his blood ran cold, fear overtaking him.