Sean paced around his house up stairs, down halls and in and out of rooms. He was thinking of what he should do but was having a lot of trouble with it. Gab was watching him wander around aimlessly with BB in her arms. He had been liked this since his conversation with JJ and Anti. Sean briefly told her about it and as stunned as she was that Anti didn't try to kill him, she had to agree with him.

"You need to do something, babe" she spoke out once he came back into the living room, "You're wasting time and you know it"

Sean swallowed and ran a hand through his hair, "But that's just the thing, Evelien . . .. I don't know what to do! I can't fight Dark and Mark can't . . . . I can't help"

"No, you're just giving up too soon. Think. There has to be something you can do. You feel them, right? Isn't that what you've said before?"

Sean came in to sit beside her, petting BB to calm his nerves, "I do. . . . Anti's gone unhinged. Chase's heart is pounding. The others are worried but not as stressed. I think Chase and Anti are with Dark if I had to guess. It's probably already too late for me to do anything"

"Sean." Gab raised her brow at him, "There's always a way. You're just too afraid to face it. . . aren't you?"

Sean closed his eyes and sighed, "You know me too well . . . . yeah. I know. But I'm scared, Gab"

"It'll be okay. You just got to give it a shot. What's the harm in trying? It's better than sitting around doing nothing and worrying, right? Trying something is better than nothing"

"You're right" he smiled softly, nodding, "You're right . . . . Marvin gave me something a long time ago. He said to use it only in case of emergencies. Guess now's better than never right?"

"Duh!" Evelien shoved him, "Now go! Hurry up before Dark does something stupid!"

Sean steadied himself but grinned at her, "I'll be back. Don't wait up! Bye BB!" He ran to his room.

He had thought of doing it before. But he wanted to be sure. What he was about to do could hurt them if he wasn't careful. But this was an emergency. He dived under his bed and reached his hand around.

Once he grabbed what he was looking for, he was gone.

Marvin's eye twitched suddenly and he cringed as a weird feeling came over him.

"You alright Marvin?" Henrik asked him and the others stared at the magician.

"Yeah, we don't need you in danger, either right now, Marv" Jackie tried to make a joke.

Marvin shivered, "You said earlier you spoke to Sean, Jameson?"

JJ looked worried but nodded sheepishly.

"What's wrong, Marv?" Jackie asked again, a bit more assertive.

Marvin didn't get the chance to say anything though when Sean suddenly appeared in the room, a small object in his hand.

They stared at each other equally as surprised.

"Guys. . . . " Sean licked his lips apprehensively, "I got an idea. . . . if you're willing to listen, that is"

Anti stood in front of Chase before Dark, growling softly like a defensive beast, eyes black and power snapping around him in his fury.

"Look at you. Your 'brother' here was just singing your praises about how much you've changed. And yet you snarl at me like an animal." Dark smirked, "Delusional"

"The fuck you want me to do, Dark!?" Anti shouted at him suddenly, his voice cracking, "I fucked up your house, your office, your closet . . . not to mention I just tore Google a new ass again! I could do anything you wanted right now, Dark, but it STILL wouldn't be enough for you!"

"What did you do to Google?" Chase softly asked but was ignored.

Dark wrinkled his nose angrily, "You're damn right nothing would be enough! You need to die for what you did and THEN I'll be happy! It shouldn't be that much of a bother for you anyways! Just take it and we can move on!!"

Anti stood firm, "Not without a fight, bitch"

"Always so damn stubborn" Dark's auras lashed, licking the power that Anti projected on the other side of the room.

Chase watched as his brother clutched his knife, ready to go down fighting if necessary.

'Fuck' Chase cursed in his head, 'But Dark was so much stronger the other day. Unless Anti gained more power since then, it's a decided end already. . . . and if Dark really was right about him recharging the city. . . '

Chase's heart skipped, knowing he was just as screwed, watching. He could only hope a miracle worked its way in for them.

Anti glitched, taking the first move to attack.

Everyone stared at Sean until finally Jackie made a sound, "Excuse me?" he'd stand up if he could.

Sean bit his lip, trying to build up the courage. He hadn't been in contact with any of them in so long, he was worried they would refuse him.

"Guys . ." started again, "I know it's been a while and you probably all hate me for . .. you know"

"Leaving us all blind without a vord?" Henrik suggested.

"Y-yeah. . . Look, I'm sorry. Anti was right. He gave me an ear-full earlier. . . . I didn't think I could be much help but he if there is anything that I CAN do. . . I should try. So. . . I'm here."

Silence filled the room for a few moments, making everything awkward.

"Well, considering we don't really have much time, I'm in." Marvin set Basil down on the floor, crossing his arms, "What's your plan?"

The others seemed to agree with Marvin.

"Chase and Anti need us. What can we do?" Jackie piped up, "I'll do what I can even if it's not much"

Sean noticed his state and nodded, looking over to Marvin again, "I want to change the circumstances."

The magician's eyes went wide, "Uh . . . ."

'Can that even be done?' Jameson signed.

"It could" Sean came closer to sit on the couch, "It'd be risky but it's not impossible."

"Risky as in we could ALL die" Marvin glared at him, "Not impossible because it's never been TRIED before, Sean!"

"What other choice do we have!?"

Marvin spelled a globe the size of a bowling ball, "We need to see what's going on there, too, then. Not that I'm agreeing to anything yet"

"You're the one who said we were running out of time"

"I know but!-" Marvin stopped himself, "I'm afraid of this. . . we could all die. I must say I agree with Dark if only just a hint. We could. . . let Anti die. But then again, Dark could just kill Chase, as well anyways. I don't think he knows. The way he's spoken."

Sean nodded, "It's plausible that Dark doesn't know that the circumstances are different between the Septic and Iplier egos. So then? What do you say, Marv? You're the one who will have to help me do it"

Marvin swallowed and breathed deeply, looking through the globe watching as the fight between them started. That wasn't good. Dark was indeed stronger than Anti and it wouldn't be long before Dark gained the upper hand to take him down after playing with him.

"Alright" Marvin finally nodded, "Let's try it, then"

Anti slashed at Dark with his knife, aiming for his jugular. He wasn't aiming to kill but if he could take him down even just for a moment, it could be enough to possibly teleport Chase out of there. Not that Dark could die anyways.

Dark gripped his arm, twisting it back and reeled back to punch him.

Anti merely glitched himself out of the hand and went to kick him in the crotch. Dark backed away sharply to avoid the kick and projected Celine's aura as a sort of heat wave but that might not have been the best idea.

Anti threw a green shock towards him and the heat only magnified it, snapping around Dark. The man grimaced but powered through it as he lunged a strong attack towards him and Chase.

Anti glitched back towards Chase to grab him and bolted out of the cabin just as Dark blasted a hole through one of the sides.

Out in the 'cold' dark night, Anti stood over Chase protectively but the father wasn't about to be a victim in this fight.

"Anti, we got to get out of here. Maybe we could go to Mark's and he could help? Could you glitch there?"

Dark emerged from the side of the cabin, his eyes glowing red and his auras flaring around him like fire.

Anti gulped, "Yeah I don't think even Mark can stop THAT. Just stay behind me, Chase."

"Yeah, no" Chase took out his gun from the back of his pants.

"Where the fuck did you have that!? Up your arse!?"

Chase huffed, "Like hell I was going to come here with Marvin for my kids WITHOUT a weapon of my own"

"Fair enough" Anti grabbed at him again, glitching out of the way as Dark shot another attack towards them.

Marvin's eyes glowed and he held Sean's shoulders, "You're sure about this? Everyone?"

Sean held his arms out for the others to take. Jackie held his hand on his back, "Might as well."

"The fight is still ours" Jackie spoke, "If one goes down, we all go"

Henrik and Jameson didn't make a comment but their actions were enough, taking one of Sean's hands.

Marvin sighed, "With the globe, I can barely reach Anti and Chase but it should be enough. Just keep the circumstance in your head, Sean and I'll guide you through".

Sean took a breathe and opened his eyes only for them to be glowing as well, "Got it"

"I don't know how long this will take or if it will even work. . . let's just hope we'll do it in time."

They started the spell.

Chase felt something odd but just cocked his gun, standing beside Anti and shoving the feeling aside, "I may not have any powers but that doesn't mean I'm not a good shot"

"Fine. Just don't get yourself killed, Brody"

"Aw, I liked it better when you called me Chase"

"Fook off else I'll call ya Fuck-face how 'bout that!?"

Dark suddenly appeared in front of them, eyes glowing red and he went to attack Anti only for Chase to shoot him in the shoulder.

"Mm!" Dark grunted and stumbled a little, glaring at Chase but still aimed his attack towards Anti, shoving him strongly into a tree. The bark snapped at the impact and Anti groaned as it scratched his back.

Dark then tried going after Anti towards the tree but the father shot him again a couple times in different spots to try an throw him off.

It didn't seem to work as well, however, as before. Dark was in a rage mode and was putting aside his own pain in favor of the fight.

Chase had three bullets left.

Dark's red aura flared in his hand and reached for Chase but Anti was quicker and shoved himself into him, sending them into the snow. Anti wrestled with Dark but unfortunately the Iplier was stronger physically as well and was overpowering him, an arm around his neck attempting to choke him. It hindered his ability to glitch but that didn't Anti was helpless.

He turned around so Dark was under him and he was laying his back on his stomach, "Ch-chase! Shoot the fuck!"

Chase shot Dark once in head and first Dark went down, letting go of Anti and giving him the chance to bolt up.

Chase had two bullets left.

"How long you think that'll put him out of commission?"

Anti was about to say something snarky when Dark kicked his feet out to trip Anti. As he stumbled, Dark took Anti's knife that fell out of his grasp and stabbed him through the stomach.

"Guh!"

Chase caught him and Dark huffed behind them, standing back up. He clutched the bullet in his hand and threw it into the snow, "I'm so FUCKING . . ..TIRED of this!" Dark growled dangerously, "I've had ENOUGH!"

Chase watched as Anti glitched softly, pulling out the knife. The glitching help him heal a little but not all the way. He was still bleeding pretty badly.

"Fuck" Chase couldn't do anything as Anti struggled out of his hold to stand against Dark again.

Anti's knife was back in his hand, messy with his own blood, "Th-think that'll fooking do anything to me, bitch? Try h-harder"

Chase felt that weird feeling again but ignored it. It was almost like a pulling sensation . . . similar to Marvin's spells. Perhaps it was. He didn't know and he didn't have the time to find out.

Dark hit the knife out of Anti's hand and viciously and kneed him in the stomach so hard, Anti spit out blood. But Anti merely backed up, standing still in front of Chase.

The Iplier ego shook his head, "You're fucking stubborn, I'll give you that. You went down faster the last time we fought"

He punched him across the face and again Anti stumbled but refused to fall down. By now he had lost most of his strength in power, his glitching minimal and his eyes going back green. . . but he wasn't about to back down so easily. He was going to make Dark wish he didn't make the effort.

Sean's nose started to bleed and Marvin's spell was faltering, "S-sean. . . It's not working."

But the creator just whimpered. He couldn't just give up. They were so close and he could feel it. Perhaps if they weren't under a time crunch?

"I. . .. But I-"

Jackie let a few tears fall, "We won't blame you, Sean. Chase w-won't blame you"

"At least you t-tried" Henrik agreed, "Ve were just too late"

"No." Sean let go of Marvin and their eyes stopped glowing, stopping the spell, "It's never too late. I'll try one more thing"

He took out his phone.

"Why are you so persistent!?" Dark slapped him but Anti was still standing, "Just fucking stop fighting it already! It's GOING to happen!"

He was about to go at Anti again but Chase pulled him out of the way, taking the hit himself in his shoulder, "gruh!"

"Stay out of the way!" Dark shoved Chase aside and away from Anti, "I told you before! He needs to learn! This is happening! You'll just come back anyways! Why keep fighting only to hurt yourselves even more!?"

Anti tried to push himself up out of the snow but his human body wasn't doing the best. He had been through too much. Put his body through way too much trauma and pain. This was it.

He couldn't force his body up anymore. Dark was right, "J-just don't. . . .hurt Chase . . ."

"Anti, no!" Chase laid himself over Anti to protect him, "Stay away, Dark! I won't let you kill him!" he pointed his gun at Dark.

"Ch-Chase no- stop. Just-"

"No! You're my brother and you've been through enough pain!"

"S-so have you! Let me-"

"Dark doesn't have to do this! There's no fooking reason! He's just being a stubborn old BASTARD!" Chase pointed his gun at Dark, ready to shoot him in the head again.

"D-dark please" Anti tried, "Don't hurt him. I'll take it!"

Dark snarled and lunged. He shoved Chase out of the way and was about to snap Anti's neck but Chase acted first and shot at Dark, aiming for his temple only for the Iplier ego to catch the bullet in his hand.

Chase had one bullet left.

The gun shook in his hand. Dark, in his rage, reached for the gun.

Chase's eyes met Anti's and they just stared at each other as Dark swiped the gun from him.

Dark pointed the gun to Chase's head.

Anti's lung's and heart stopped and he couldn't even shout.

Dark pulled the trigger.

.

.

.

.

.

The air filled in Anti's lungs again and his limbs spasmed, "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Anti ignored his pain and scrambled for Chase, "CHASE! CHASE! NO! NO!!!"

Lightning crackled off of Anti, his emotions overwhelming him and making him stronger than ever before. He had never felt anything like this before. The was stronger than anything he had ever experienced even in the void.

Dark fell back as Anti's power raged and he screamed, lightening forming like a ball around them all. Dark stared completely bewildered and confused as Anti cradled Chase's body in his arms, screaming.

Anti cried out as if he was impaled and his glitching grew powerful enough again to teleport.

Sean and the other egos stared over at the empty space on the living room floor as Anti appeared.

Sean felt it as soon as it happened as if a piece of him left. A part of his soul faded away.

He dropped his phone to the ground after having called Mark.

On the floor Anti cradled Chase's lifeless body, sobbing with Dark beside them looking still as shocked.

"HENRIK!" Anti shouted, "HENRIK SAVE HIM! MARVIN! HELP HIM! HELP HIM!! HURRY!"

Henrik ran over with Marvin at his side but they knew.

Chase wasn't breathing. His body was already going cold.

"I. . ." Dark stuttered out, "Wh-what's. . . ."

Henrik closed his eyes and leaned over the ground, tears coming to his eyes. He shook his head.

Marvin lightly took Anti's shoulder as he cried.

Jackie, Sean and Jameson came over and Jackie fell beside Anti to cover Chase's open eyes, closing them, "A-anti"

"MARVIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? SAVE HIM! HURRY!" Anti was still emotionally distressed, not knowing how to deal with what just happened.

"Anti . . " Marvin whimpered, "Anti, I'm sorry. . . . there's nothing. . . too la-"

"NO! PLEASE NO! NOT HIM! NOT HIM! Chase!" Anti whimpered and lightly shook his brother.

"Chase" his voice cracked and he glitched, not understanding, "Wake up" he shook him again and again, "Wake. . .. wake up. Help him"

Dark finally understood and he paled in the realization, "He. . .wait no . . .. bu-but. . . I thought" he stood up slowly, slightly shaking.

Sean cried and held Chase's dead hand as Anti still tried to shake him awake, "Mark never t-told you. . . . I w-wished you would have listened s-sooner, Dark. My egos. . . have different circumstances. While you can't die. . . mine can"

Dark blinked, "I. . . . I'm sorry. I'm sorry. . . " he looked over to Anti who finally stopped shaking his dead brother, "Anti, I'm-"

"GET OUT!" Anti snapped his head up to glare at him dead in the eyes, "Get the fook out"

Dark couldn't fight it anyways. He could feel Mark calling to him, "I'm sorry" he disappeared.

Anti shook, glitching and crying. None of them had ever seen Anti like this before and really it was quite concerning.

"We were too late" Marvin sighed, "I saw everything, Anti. It wasn't your fault."

"There has to be something. . ." Anti whimpered, "Something we c-can. . . " his hair fell over his eyes and Sean brushed it back for him. Anti didn't have the strength to fight him or push him away.

"I should have been here for all of you. . . . It's all my fault, Anti. You were right. . . . I'm so sorry. Ch-chase didn't. . . .he didn't deserve this"

"He didn't" Jackie agreed, "And what about his kids?"

"He was-" Anti shook out but took a breathe and take it all in. Breathing out, he calmed somewhat. There was always something. . . . something HE could do now.

Anti shivered, "I went. . . . will the full in-intention of dying by D-dark's hand. Chase w-wouldn't let me and I fought to . . . to make sure the idiot wouldn't . . . kill himself."

They all raised their heads, taking in Anti's words. They didn't know what was about to happen.

Anti swallowed and placed his hands over Chase's shoulders not bothering to wipe his tears, "This is all m-MY fault . . . you all can't deny t-that. . and now. . . I need to fix it."

He let his eyes glow green and his energy snapped around him . . .whatever was left, anyways.

That was fine though. He wouldn't miss it where he was going.

"Anti?" Marvin grew worried. He already lost one brother. . . , "What are you-?"

"We can trade places. . . . " Anti bit his lip, "I know this body's been through hell already the last couple days. . . . but it's b-better than nothing. . .right?"

They could all only watch as Anti closed his eyes and let himself fall into the void, gripping Chase's body tight so it'd be easier to find him there.

"Anti, wait!" he didn't lsiten.

Anti's breathing hitched and when he opened his eyes he was in a dark fizzing void. Gravity felt like being underwater. He wasn't sure if this was where Chase's soul would go but it was a good guess. He had to try. He could at least TRY.

A distance away was a form. A man with a hat floating near.

Anti swam towards it and when he was near, he wasted no time in gripping him and flinging him back where Anti came from. And Anti took his place.

.

.

.

.

.

Sean and the others watched as Anti gasped suddenly but their creator knew otherwise who it really was.

He breathed heavily and stared around blinking as if he just woke up from a nightmare, "Fooking. . . Anti. . .Where's Anti! What-" he took notice of who he was holding. It was his own body.

Jackie let out a cry, "Ch-chase . . .you're back. . . . he did it"

Chase, in Anti's old body, looked down at himself, piecing it all together what just happened.

And he broke, "Anti. . . .? "

The Septic family held onto each other. They lost one brother. . . .

Only to lose another.

Don't worry. Everything will work out :) This story doesn't have a bad ending