Just so everyone's aware, Mira is the same age as all of the other Iplier and Septic egos. She is NOT a child. She is a woman in her late twenties (at least in the flashback chaps and then she's older in the present day ones). Just putting this out there so there are no misconceptions! Enjoy reading!

2018

"This is stupid. You're kind of stupid"

Mira gasped and swat him playfully, "And YOU'RE a sourpuss! Have a little fun once in a while, will ya!?"

"Oh I do, but this is NOT on my list of fun things to do. Not by a longshot"

Mira laughed, "Eh, you're still just spicy because you got some content to do!"

Anti huffed, "  . . . . but why're we hiding at a bowling alley?"

"We're not hiding!"

He snorted, "Before I could even knock on the door, you shot out like a maniac and dragged me off to chase back down the Uber . ..  and now we're HERE. You obviously didn't want Dark to see you leave  . . . and with me"

Mira shoved his bowling shoes to his chest with a smile, "I'm not hiding"

"You are. Why with me, I'll never know but whatever stalls me from having to actually do any work, is fine by me. I'll just blame you"

"Oh come and just have a little fun! Go! Bowl! You got this! I believe in you!" she hopped in place excitedly.

Anti sighed, 'Why the fuck am I here?'

Rolling his eyes, he forced his shoes on and grabbed a ball, throwing it across the lane only for it to land in the gutter immediately, "There . . . happy?"

"Try smiling"

"Fuck off"

"You want some food!? I'll order us some pizza and wings!"

Anti didn't even get a chance to reply, watching her run off to the bar.

He really didn't know what to make of her. 

'I thought I chased her off last year. But ever since that day, she keeps trying to sneak off and do things like this with me . . . three times already. First it was sneaking off to the arcade, then the park and that was sort of fine . . .. weird, but fine. I guess. What is her deal? Is she really that lonely?'

He knew by now that the other Ipliers practically ignored her presence. He knew what that felt like.

Perhaps that was why he let her do as she wished, dragging him around places lately.

Mira soon returned with a tray of food, "I got spicy and garlic wings and mushroom and pepperoni pizza!!!"

Anti snorted and readied to throw the ball again, 'Yeah, she's definitely lonely. Desperate, too, if she wants to be around ME of all people. Dumbass'

He threw the ball again and this time managed to hit a couple of pins. Without thinking, he pumped his fist, "Yes!"

"Hey, good job! You got some!"

He thought it was a jeer at first but whipping back to look her in the eye, he could see it wasn't.

She was . . .  genuinely happy for him?

Suddenly a strange feeling welled up inside of him.

Seeing her smile. Hearing her praise him. Talk to him like a . . . . like a friend.

Were they . . .  were they friends now? Nah, that didn't seem right. Anti didn't have any friends. . . .

A few months later, none of the other Ipliers or Septics knew of Mira and Anti's one-sided 'friendship'. They were good at keeping it on the down low but Anti was more impressed with how secretive Mira really was about it. It's partly why Anti wasn't completely opening himself up to her quite yet like a friend would.

'Like I would, fucking idiot!'

Anti had a hold of two frayed wires, one in each hand, laughing maniacally.

"DAMMIT, ANTI! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW OR I'LL FUCKING END THIS AND JUST KILL YOU!"

Jackie was on top of a building looking down on him. If he didn't stop Anti now, this whole section of the city would lose power and that was no good for anyone! There was a hospital nearby! The stoplights would all stop, too, and people would get hurt or killed!

But Anti didn't seem to care at the moment, a big fat grin on his face.

"I fucking dare you, hero"

Jackie searched around for anything he could throw at him to stop him.

Mira, meanwhile, was just taking a walk downtown. She just came out of the store with some ice cream for everyone, hoping to get back home before Wilford tries to kill someone again.

'They won't stick around me but they love it when I bring treats for them all' she rolled her eyes to herself, 'Ravenous boys, they are, and just like Mark, most of them prefer the Butter Pecan. Personally I love Triple Chocolate with oreo and cookie dough bits. Mmmmmmm. I can't wait to lay in bed at home, binge my fav show and eat all of it up and-'

Suddenly as she turned a corner, she stopped, frozen.

She saw Anti with the wires.

She saw Jackie above on a high building holding an empty bus.

She had never seen fear in Anti's eyes before but it was apparent as Jackie threw the bus directly at him.

Mira had only a few moments to react but she was fast.

Anti never thought Jackie would actually lose it and try and kill him.

'I never thought-. . fucking hell, he's more ballsy than I thought! Am I gonna die from this?'

He never felt this before. This fear overwhelming him. The uncertainty.  

He dropped the cables on the ground as his nerves dwindled. What the hell could he do against this, anyway?

Anti never expected Mira to jump out of nowhere in front of him.

'What is she doing?!'

"MIRA, NO!!" he snapped out of his frozen state and was about to glitch them out of there, finally having the thought to do so when the most insane thing happened.

Mira lifted her hands up towards the bus. It was almost upon them when a bright and destructive light cracked out of her body and hands like a nuclear beam.

Anti fell to the ground underneath her, watching this massive power unleash from within his newest friendly acquaintance.

Anti couldn't even think, watching as the light faded and the bus was just GONE.

Jackie seemed just as astounded and dismayed by this turn of events. Sure he let his temper get the better of him but he never thought anything like this could have ever happened!

"Wh  . ..  what the fuck?" But Jackie was the first to break out of this stupor and shouted down at them, "THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS!? YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID!"

Mira glared up at him and just turned around to face Anti, "Come on. Get us out of here, okay? Glitch to my place. Can you do it?"

Anti suddenly started to breathe again as she leaned down in front of him on the ground. Swallowing down his pride, he griped hold of her and glitched them to the Raspy Hill Mansion.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?" Dark was pissed, "YOU RISKED YOUR LIFE AND FOR WHAT?! HIM!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA-"

"Yes." she interrupted him, "Yes, I do. And I don't care what you say, Dark. I'd do it all over again"

Dark growled, shaking but he knew there was nothing he could say or do that would change her mind.

Anti still stood beside her, still trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

'I knew she was strong and she always said she could handle herself but I never thought . . .  fucking hell, she's like a mass weapon of destruction and I've been so stupid and rude to her. She could have killed me in a millisecond at any moment!'

He looked down on her. This small brave woman. A foot shorter than him but with all the ferocity of a mother tigress. Helping HIM. And for what?

'I don't  . .. I don't understand'

It wasn't long before Jackie burst in the mansion. Mira was in the kitchen scooping out the ice cream that Dark had went back for and Anti stayed in the living room with his thoughts until the other Septic rushed in and after him.

Anti couldn't find the fight in him, though, to fight Jackie back.

"You fucking lowly garbage! Thought you'd just use that freak of a girl to get out of justice, huh? NOT THIS TIME!" Jackie was quick to strap strong handcuffs on him and Duct tape Anti's mouth shut.

Mira walked into this scene and was furious, shoving the bowls of ice cream into Eric's hands, "Hold this"

"O. . . okay"

"HEY!" She stomped up to Jackie, "What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"

Jackie wasn't afraid of her, though and shoved her to prevent her from getting any closer to Anti, "My fucking job! What the FUCK do you think YOU'RE doing?! Helping the enemy!? You know, I actually thought better of you until you started hanging out with this asshole! There MUST be something wrong with you or else he's manipulating you!"

Dark gaped at Mira, "You've been hanging out with him!?"

"Oh so what!? If any of you would take the time to actually get to know him, you'd see he's not really a bad guy!"

"Not a bad guy" Jackie cackled, "He is a killer! He thrives off of hurting and torturing others and he needs to be dealt with accordingly! Stay out of it!"

"NO!" Mira shoved Jackie this time, slamming the larger man into the door frame, denting it. 

Everyone stopped and stared at her, not sure how to react.

Mira didn't care, though and stood in front of Anti, "I don't care what you say about him. I know him better than you do."

"He's nothing but a piece of shit who'll betray you in an instant!" Jackie argued, pulling himself out of the dent.

"I see him . . . . all you see is violence and rage and insanity.  . . but I see loneliness and distress. I see myself in him. I understand him. He is my friend. And I will NOT let anyone hurt my friends. And if you can't see the real him, then YOU'RE the piece of shit here. . . . . not him."

Jackie shook, his anger getting the better of him and he went to lunge at her only for Dark to stand in his way, grabbing his fist.

Dark sighed, his eyes glowing red, "I may not care about Anti . . . but you go for my sister again and I'll have your head on a plate for my dog . . .understand?"

Mira turned around confidently to face Anti, gently taking the tape off his mouth and effortlessly breaking the handcuffs.

Jackie paled, knowing the strength it took to do that but his anger was still high, not thinking of that clearly at the moment.

"You have no idea what you just did, Mira" the hero shook his head at her, "Just don't come crying to me when he turns on you"

Mira merely ignored him, still facing Anti. Anti just . . .was shell-shocked. He didn't know what to do or say. This woman cupped her hands on his cheeks, looking so worried for him.

"You okay? You can stay here for as long as you'd like"

"He can?" Dark groaned.

"Yes."  Mira set it in stone, "He can, Dark."

Dark just sighed, knowing he couldn't change her mind. Not on this.

Finally Anti blinked and blurted his mind, "You . . . you defended me"

Mira just smiled up at him with the brightest energy he's ever felt, "Well of course I did! He doesn't know you like I do! You're my best friend, Anti!"

That struck him . . .. right in the heart. It made his chest hurt and his face heat up, "I. . . . I'm your friend?"

Mira didn't bother answering, leaning in to hug him instead. Anti let her embrace him but honestly he didn't know exactly what to do. Especially with Dark's glare on him like searing ice. A look that told him that if he ever hurt her in any way . . . .he was dead.

Not that he could bring himself to think that way about her now. Not her.

Not his friend . . . . . 

Slowly, he finally found the courage in himself to hug her back, feeling her kind soul comfort his broken one.

The Meeting Room

2022

Jackie, Henrik, Chase and Marvin stood in front of the door before Dark. . . knowing looks on their faces.

Dark traded in his initial fearful and cold feelings to that of wrathful anger.

"I know Sean told you Mira was missing. . . . . but something in your faces. . ..  tells me you know something MORE"

Before Jackie could say anything, Chase stopped him.

"We do. And if you want to find her OR Anti, we can't waste any time. What have you guys learned so we can help, dudes?"

Actor laughed in the corner boisterously, "OH YOU LOT HAVE NO IDEA! LET ME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!" 

Marvin and the other stared at Actor. The Septics were all wondering the same thing.

"Uh . . ."

Mark waved it off, "Don't worry about it. Just get in here. We'll catch you up. Where's Sean and Jameson by the way?"

"Uh . . ." Marvin chuckled, "Looks like we got some things to catch you guys up on as well. Let's get started"