They met when Mark and Sean introduced them to each other.

Anti was nervous about meeting new people but Darkiplier seemed nice enough.

The first time they met was at a comic con in 2017. They were going to do a short video together. Mark, Amy, Tyler, Ethan and Sean were all there, too, as well as a few other people. It wasn't so bad with so many people as long as Sean was there, too.

Anti was newer but the most fully developed ego out of Sean's others. He was new and still trying to figure out what life was but he was learning quick.

The other septic egos didn't have a lot of faith in him but he was determined to prove himself.

Anti just finished the first scene with Dark when they had to be face to face with each other.

"How was that?"

Dark scrunched his nose, "Could be a lot better. You were pretty shit to be honest"

Anti flinched a little, not expecting that, " . . .O-oh . . . okay"

The others were talking amongst themselves, not hearing the interaction.

Dark rolled his eyes, "Pathetic. This is a waste of my time"

Anti had the choice of either shutting his mouth or snapping back. Thinking back, he didn't know if choosing a different option would have made any difference.

"If you don't like being here so much then why'd you agree to it?" he snapped back.

Dark glared at him, "Shut your mouth, boy. As if you'd understand anything. You're still just a stupid doll Sean is using right now for his own amusement"

"That's not true"

"Isn't it? Sorry but as soon as he loses interest in making these kinds of videos, you'll be nothing more than a distant memory to him"

Anti's body spasmed and his corporeal form sort of glitched.

Dark just sneered, "What a pathetic little glitch-bitch"

"Hey, how's it going over here?" Mark walked over, "You guys having fun?"

Dark smiled, changing his features to seem kind and charming, "Oh, yes! We're having a great time getting to know each other, aren't we Anti?"

Anti felt sick. There was something sinister in Dark's eyes. Something daring him to say anything.

He didn't want to poke the bear.

"Uh . . y-yeah . . . . but uh . . . I don't know. I'm not feeling so good"

Sean heard him, "Oh no! What's wrong, bud?"

"It's probably nothing. Stomach ache"

Sean pat his shoulder, "Don't worry about it. How about you go back to the hotel room and sleep it off. I'll do the rest, okay?"

Anti felt like a failure but he couldn't stand to be so close to Dark now.

With his fake smile.

Anti nodded, "That sounds good. Sorry, Sean"

"Don't worry about it. You just focus on feeling better, okay?"

"Oh, you're leaving so soon?" Dark feigned worry, "Not feeling good? I hope you get better soon"

Dark pat Anti's shoulder almost a little too heavily as if giving him a warning.

"Um  .. uh . .. th-thanks" Anti swallowed.

It was like Dark was a massive black cloud hovering over him promising a tornado or something.

How did no one else see how menacing he was being?

When he got back to the hotel room, Anti just sat on the bed staring at his hands.

His body hadn't done that before. In videos, Sean edited them to make it look like he was glitching but Anti had never done it before himself.

Was it something he felt in the moment being around Dark?

Or was it just a coincidence?

'I won't tell Sean just yet. I don't want him connecting any dots and saying anything.'

Just remembering Dark's fake smile sent shivers down his spine.

Apparently it wasn't the end of the day and Sean had already told the other Septic egos that Anti wasn't in the video anymore and that he was taking over.

Anti got a text from Chase telling him to feel better soon. Chase was the only one that was friendly towards him. The other didn't trust him quite yet.

He was made to be the bad guy, after all.

It made Anti even more nervous. All he wanted was to not be a failure and yet here he was, failing on his first video with other people in it.

It wasn't a good look.

Trying to roll off the stress of the day, Anti decided to take a nap.

He dreamt but it wasn't a good dream.

He was in darkness.

Like a void.

He was alone.

He never liked being alone. 

Then again, he never liked being around a lot of people.

Maybe he just liked being around Sean as a buffer. A shield. 

Anti could hear the sound of dripping in the distance. 

It was getting closer.

Soon, there was heavy breathing.

He couldn't run.

He couldn't move.

The sound of dripping and breathing got closer.

Anti was so still. 

He could feel his own tears down his cheeks.

It was right behind him.

Anti started to shake.

He started to glitch lightly.

He couldn't breathe.

A hand black as tar edged over Anti's shoulder and gripped him.

He couldn't stop panicking and glitching and yet he couldn't move his body either.

All he could do was stand there glitching and crying as the creature's hand caressed his shoulder and breathed in his ear.

"Huuuhhhh" it breathed.

Anti sniffled and shook, glitching. He looked down at the hand still on his shoulder.

It was sort of wet but it wasn't water.

It was a black viscous liquid almost like blood but not quite. 

The unknown scared him even more and he couldn't stop glitching out of control even worse.

"Pathetic" it whispered in his ear.

Anti's eyes widened.

Its lips were practically on his ear, "Pathetic little glitch bitch"

Anti awoke from his nightmare, immediately sitting up straight, wheezing and sweating profusely.

"Whoa! You alright there, Anti?!" Sean saw the spectacle and rushed over, feeling his forehead.

Anti calmed a little when seeing Sean, letting his hand cool his skin.

Sean seemed so worried about him, "Did you get food poisoning or something? You're burning up like you have a fever."

Anti sniffled and cleared his throat, "I . . . . .I think I'm okay. . . . . it was just a nightmare"

Sean still had his hand in Anti's hair, "You sure, bud? Nothing else happened today?"

This could have been his chance to tell him.

But he couldn't do that to Sean and ruin things.

Anti shook his head, "No. . . no, I'll be fine. . . . It's just a nightmare. . . maybe I did eat something bad. . . . still learning, you know?" he tried to laugh it off.

Sean didn't seem satisfied but let it go, "Fair enough. . . . Say, it's still early enough. You want to get room service?"

"Sure"

Anything was better than going to sleep again so soon  . . . 

"Oh!" Sean sat on his own bed and got ready to pick up the phone, "By the way, Dark sends his regards. He said he hopes you feel better and wants to see you again soon. Isn't that nice. Looks like you made a friend!"

Anti blinked, sort of surprised but also horrified.

He hoped he never had to see Dark again but something told him he would very soon.

"Uh . . . . so. . . room service. They have pizza?"

For the sake of not involving Sean in his own personal mess, he had to put on a little fake smile of his own.

He couldn't ruin things anymore than they already were.

What do you guys think so far? Since rewriting the 'We're Not Friends' oneshot, I decided I wanted to do another similar story where Dark bullies Anti. It WILL get worse from here so buckle up, everybody!