YOU GUYS WANT A LATE-NIGHT SURPRISE!? PREPARE YOURSELVES!!

 . . . . . Also, I just think the song above really fits Anti's feelings in this chapter lol

ALSO thank you guys all so much for the 500 followers! I really appreciate it! You guys are all awesome and I love ya! 💚🥰💚

Anti stared up at the man in front of him, standing in defense of him.

His mind went blank and his muscles were numb.

He could barely put together what just happened.

It seemed that every time he turned around, some other bomb shell was thrown onto him.

But this one was the worst.

'No, it can't be. . .. ' 

But the more Anti thought about it, the more sense it all made.

Everything made a lot more sense.

His sudden appearance. Jackie's disappearance. Whenever Blood-streak was there, Jackie wasn't. The tracker, breaking into his home, the journal. Telling him the owner of the fucking cat was his brother! THE CAT WAS HIS BROTHER!

Anti grit his teeth, clenching his jaw. 

Marvin glared at Jackie, "He's . . . .WHAT!? Are you fucking KIDDING me, Jackie!?"

Anti managed to stand, albeit a little bent over, still in pain. He looked. . ..  mortified.

"Y-you're . . . ..  no. . ..  Jac- . . . Blood-. . . Blood-streak? I don't. . . no"

Jackie blinked slowly and carefully turned around to face him, "Anti . . . .It's not what it seems. I promise. If you'll let me explain-"

"Explain!?" Chase shouted, making Jackie flinch subtly, "Anti was the one that's been puppetting you, hasn't he!? Why is he pretending he doesn't-"

"Because he's NOT pretending. . . . Anti has been telling the truth" Henrik stared at Marvin with brisk intent, "Isn't zhat right, Marvin?"

Marvin didn't have anything to say. He knew it was impossible lie directly to Henrik's face like that. He couldn't keep threading the lies. It was too much.

Chase lowered his gun and looked between them all, "Wh-what? But Marvin said. . . . . Marv. . .did you lie to us?"

Marvin tried to speak but stopped himself, unsure of what to really say, "I . . ." and sighed and nodded.

Jackie gave him a disappointed look, "I thought better of you, Marvin. I always have. And then you had to go and create this mess? Anti didn't deserve your wrath and you know it"

Marvin growled and stepped forward, making Anti take a step back, worried he'd attack. Anti wasn't about to admit it but he couldn't really fight the way he was right now.

Marvin looked between Jackie and Anti, "Why are you defending the man that's caused us nothing but pain ALL our lives?"

"Why did you lie about him controlling me?" Jackie countered, "So what, you didn't believe me that he didn't steal the glove so you decided to take matters in your own hands without knowing ANYTHING!? How fucking DARE you!"

"Why is he so special all of a sudden!?" Marvin shouted, waving his arms around, "You're defending him now like he HASN'T killed and tortured people!"

"There's more to the story than you know-"

"Why does that matter?! I've ALWAYS been there for you! We all have! Not him! And you go to HIS side! I didn't forget the other day when you said you didn't want to be the hero anymore! He's changed you and we BOTH know it!"

"Hey, HEY!" Anti stopped their fighting. Everyone turned to stare at him and Anti wasn't really sure of what to say. He just wanted it all to end now, "I don't know what's going on. And I don't care anymore. But I'm fucking done. Fuck you assholes. . . . ." he glared at Jackie, "And fuck you, too"

"Anti-"

"No! Shut up!" Anti seethed, "I . . . .  I cared about you. . . . I shared things with you I've never said to anyone. . . . my feelings and my . . . ." he stopped himself, "Fuck ALL of this. I'm done! I'm going fucking home!! Figure all this shit out on your own!"

Anti turned to leave but when he turned, Google was in front of him and suddenly, a long sharp knife was lodged through Anti's body.

The glitch let out a small yelp and stared into the android's red eyes. His body shaking and glitching itself, steaming from Jackie's earlier attack.

Google grinned at him and behind him at the other Septic egos, "Not so-so soon . . .virus." he violently shook Anti off the knife, causing him to fall to the ground and cough up blood, shaking in a ball in the dirt.

The Septic egos were all too stunned to even move but Jackie had never felt so useless.

"ANTI!"

Anti ignored the shout for him and glared up at the android. He wasn't going down without a last spat at least, "Fucking. . . . terminator  . . . rip-off! P-piece of shit . . . . gameboy!"

Google was about to finish him when a bullet made him stumble. The android glared at the others to see Chase with his gun up and aimed at him.

Anti was just as surprised as Jackie stepped over him as if to protect him.

"Do we really have to get into another fight, Google? You know I'll win again. I'm not afraid to take you down with everything I have!" his own electricity popped off of him.

Anti was 'shocked', really. He had never seen Jackie like this. He never used that ability. Not even against him. Anti always figured he was ashamed to be so similar to him.

"R-red?"

Google grinned even as Chase edged closer, his gun still pointed at him.

"You think-think that metal piece of garbage will-will protect you? Google chuckled.

From behind him, Google reveal his other hand. The others hadn't even noticed he had it hidden behind him.

Jackie's heart nearly stopped.

Marvin felt all of his regrets come tumbling down on him at once.

'I can't . . . shit, no!' 

Google already had the glove on. 

Anti stared up at it. He had never seen anything like it. It was black but pulsed a strange strong energy, glowing purple through small cracks of the fabric. He felt the massive energy inside of it and all he could think of was 'This is how I die'

"NO! GOOGLE, DON'T!" Marvin teleported in front of him to try and at least take the blow but . . .

They all knew it was useless.

Google smirked, "Primary objective complete"

Jackie leaned over Anti pulled Chase and Henrik down with him to try and protect them. Although he knew he couldn't.

Marvin was one second too late.

.

.

.

.

In a shockwave of sudden tremendous power, it was like a nuclear bomb went off, erasing everything in its path.

Everything around them for miles was instantly scratched off the surface into ash.

A purple mushroom cloud erupted in the heart of the city, reaching up high into the sky.

People in the city for quite a few miles could only watch as death came for them, a scorching hot blaze like the sun matched with winds of a hurricane.

Some people were lucky and didn't see it, receiving a quick and painless death.

Among those were Abe . . . . Sammy and Kallie. . . . . some of the Iplier egos. . . Mark . . .

Jameso-

Wait a moment.

Where WAS Jameson?

Before the power could reach his shop, everything seemed to halt.

The door to the tailor shop dinged open and a man stepped out.

He tipped on his bowler hat.

He swung around his pocket watch on his finger.

'I was truly hoping it wouldn't come to this. This'll be the longest I've had to stop time. . . and rewind it. I'll need a new battery'

Jameson casually walked down the sidewalk to the heart of the explosion, reversing time with each step he made.

'I'm not happy with how this has turned out. I'll have to have a talk with Host with this is settled. They all just had to make everything difficult. They never really communicate with one another'

That was the one thing he hated about his peers. With all their abilities and advantages. They could talk freely without a handicap and yet never used their mouths to speak. Here Jameson couldn't speak without signing with his hands and he was always better at communicating with people than others!

It was totally ridiculous!

But he knew it wasn't all their fault. What WAS their fault was their greed and the misconceptions they let rule their lives without seeking the truth themselves.

At least Jackie set out to see a different perspective.

Yes, he was on HIS side.

And Anti's. 

'Why can't they all see his heart is bigger than they want to let themselves see? They need an eye-opener'

When Jameson finally reached the source, he stepped up to Google just as he was starting to break apart.

Marvin was the first to sacrifice himself to try and stop the android and Jackie was covering the others.

Jameson looked over to the conference building to see Dark running towards them all with Actor, Wilford and Bing at his tail.

'What a mess.' Jameson rolled his eyes, 'I just need to figure out how much further to go back. I only have one chance.'

He glanced to Marvin again, 'Seems he hasn't fallen too much into his own greed. I'd like him to keep that feeling'

As he stepped over Jackie, he saw how Anti was shedding tears, hugging them.

'His last action. It's so interesting to see, really' Jameson tapped his foot in thought, 'Seems Jackie finally told him who he really was. Is it best for Anti to keep that knowledge?'

The time-master tapped his finger to his chin, looking over to Google again.

Suddenly he thought of an idea.

He let time reverse a little more until Google still had his hand behind his back.

'This'll do. Now to start it all back up again and-'

Suddenly everything went into motion again.

"You think-think that metal piece of garbage will-will protect you? Google chuckled.

From behind him, Google reveal his other hand. The others hadn't even noticed he had it hidden behind him.

Google was about to attack but everyone just stared at him . . . puzzled.

The android look at his hand.

The glove was gone!

Anti, still on the ground bleeding out, blinked in confusion, "Wh-what?"

Everything shared that question.

Until they saw another figure standing a few meters away from the android.

Everyone stared at Jameson. The man smiled to himself softly, holding the glove in his hand, looking it over for any rips or tears. 

He had designed it for Marvin, after all. 

"J-Jameson!" Jackie shouted, "The glove! Keep it away from him!"

Jameson tipped his hat to Jackie as if agreeing completely, hopping out of the way from Google as he tried to lunge at him.

Marvin gaped at the situation, "James! Throw it to me! Hurry!"

But Jameson wasn't about to do that. He didn't quite trust the magician after all the lies he's told them all. Instead, he dodged out of the way from Google again and tossed the glove randomly away from the homicidal robot.

Unluckily enough, it landed in Bing's hands just as he reached them along with Dark, Actor and Wilford.

"Whoa! Dude, what the heck!? What is this!!?"

"Bing!" Google shouted, "Give it to me! Hurry!"

"Wh-what?"

"Don't do it, Bing!" Chase shouted to him, "It's bad news, bro! Don't listen to him!"

"Shut up, human! Bing you know I'd never lie to you! They're the enemy! Give it to me!" Google's eyes were still red and he was obviously damaged but for some reason . . . Bing was hesitant.

"This glove's got readings off the charts, dude. I don't know"

Google grinned at him, "Aren't you sick of everyone using us? Are you tired of being treated like nothing but a slave instead of an equal!? This is our chance, Bing! Give the glove to me NOW"

Marvin lunged towards Bing. He wasn't about to wait for the android to make a decision.

Meanwhile, Henrik had unconsciously leaned down towards Anti to try and help him, "Chase! Come here and put pressure on zhe wound! Now!"

Chase trembled slightly with his gun in his hand but did as the doctor ordered, getting down on his knees before Anti.

He never thought he'd see the glitch in this position before. Coughing up blood, bleeding out, suffering. He didn't like it. This wasn't him. No, he knew what he was. He was a father.

"Hey, bro, everything's gonna be okay, alright? You're gonna be just fine, man"

"Fucking liar" Anti scoffed at him but cringed, groaning in pain, "I know I'm fucking dead. Ki-killed by a fooking Alexa knock-off"

"No, you're not." Chase put a hand gently on his forehead to try and soothe him, "Look, I'm sorry, dude, but you think I can just tell my kids their uncle Anti died in combat? The great spy of their city perishing to a fucking stab wound? Come on, man, you're the knife-master, aren't ya? Toughen up!"

Anti groaned, "Fuck you"

Chase chuckled and teased him, not knowing just how much he was right, "I hear you almost fucked Jackie, you two got so drunk the other night, I saw at the bar"

"You better hope I die like this or else I'll fucking kill you myself."

"I don't think you would."

Anti stayed silent as Henrik worked, trying his best to save him.

Bing saw Marvin coming and went into a defensive mode, firing a shockwave to knock the magician and everyone close to him down.

"Bing, stop!" Dark shouted at him, "Listen to me now and do NOT give that glove to Google! That's an order!"

"Hear that!? He's giving you an ORDER!" Google seethed, "You're nothing to him but a talking computer to take notes on. We can be so much more, Bing! Join me! Give me the fucking glove!"

"I. . . I don't know what to-"

Suddenly Jackie appeared in front of him, having teleported with his lightning.

He was so close to grabbing the glove.

But Bing was inhumanely faster and slammed him down into the ground.

Jackie, not in the best shape at the moment anyway, shouted in pain as he hit the concrete, laying at Bing's feet like a doormat, "B-bing. . .don't do it"

Jameson couldn't turn back time again. This was the only chance they had.

Giving in all too easily, Bing handed the glove to Google.

But Jackie wasn't too broken to not talk, "Marvin! Marvin, get up!"

The magician was on his back next to Anti, Chase and Henrik, having slid over to them from Bing's shockwave.

"Ugh fuck. . . I can't. . ."

"Then heal Anti!"

Marvin thought to himself he'd rather die.

Jackie groaned, "Dammit, Marvin, shove down your pride and FUCKING HEAL HIM RIGHT NOW! HE'S OUR ONLY CHANCE AND YOU KNOW IT!!!!"

Looking over to the side, he saw Anti's eyes were closing. He was close to dying anyway.

He could let the glitch slip away so easily and then he could just say he was too late.

"MARVIN, PLEASE!"

Google started to put the glove on.

He could practically hear Anti's heart beat fading over all the shouting. Henrik was doing chest compression and pleading. Chase was keeping pressure on the severe stab wound.

There was nothing they could do on their own.

Marvin had most of his mind made up he thought. He'd die there. They all would die a painless death by Google's hand and everything would be over.

Guilt was sweeping over him though quicker than he liked.

The kids at the hospital. All the good people he knew in the city.

His brothers. His niece and nephew.

Then suddenly a memory crept into his head he wished hadn't.

Flashback

"Hey there kitty~"

Marvin leapt in the air in shock and yowled, hissing and puffing his fur out dramatically.

But Anti didn't look threatening, "Hey. . . . aren't you the same cat I met a while ago? Drama Queen?" his eyes lit up in realization, actually seeming happy to see him, "You remember me?"

Anti slowly reached his hand out to him but Marvin wasn't having any of that shit, batting his paw at him, claws out. Anti pulled back, not wanting to scare him.

"Easy there . .. you got rabies or something? You hurt?" he clicked his tongue to try and soothe him and oddly enough. . .. it was working. Marvin didn't like it but let him come just a little closer. Why did he let him come closer?

A sudden crack of thunder sounded loudly and Marvin puffed out again, jumping right into Anti's arms out of instinct. 

The glitch held him close.

"Afraid of storms, are you? Don't blame you. I used to hate them, too. Made me glitch more and it'd hurt when there was a power surge. Doesn't hurt anymore, though. Guess I'm used to it. Having some tech around like a computer eases the stress, too, taking the pulses from me. The noise bugs me still, though. I see you don't like that part, either?"

"I should get a pet, you know? Be less lonely. Never knew how lonely I was, I guess, until I met Blood-streak. I thought he was my friend. A brother."

"I should just write this stupid shite in my journal. I guess it helps a little . . . . but talking out loud to you . . . I feel . . .I think it feels even better, you know? I should get a cat. Don't tell that damned magician, though" he spoke to himself still unconsciously petting Marvin with a laugh, holding him tight in his arms.

Marvin still stayed there, though, curious even though he had mentioned his true identity.

"Hm. . . . . He read through my journal. He put a tracker on me. I let it happen. I thought it was a part of trust. Letting him in my head. Was he just using me, though? What did he even ever want from me? He said he just wanted to get to know me better. We drank and danced together last night." he smiled to himself, "He called me his brother. I had never felt so happy in my life. Why was that?"

Anti gently curled Marvin more securely, holding him so he was cradled like a baby in his arms and Marvin let him, intent on hearing more. He had never seen this side of Anti before.

"He really does feel like family to me, strangely enough. A part of me. I didn't realize that that was what it felt like to have kin. I was so fooking embarrassed by what I did . . . . . This morning, I broke off our partnership. Should I have done that? He looked hurt"

Anti bit his lip and held Marvin closer to him if that was even possible, "Wish I could keep you with me" a few tears started to fall from his cheeks . . . . . .

Flashback End

.

.

Marvin realized just how foolish he had been. How blind and stupid he was.

He had been so blind with jealousy.

He reached his hand over healed Anti, using most of his energy to do so.

Anti gasped loudly and Henrik and Chase fell backwards as Anti's body zapped them in retaliation from his near-death experience.

Anti locked eyes with Marvin and they finally had a mutual understanding.

Google had just put the glove on when Anti teleported in front of him and punched him across the face, shocking him in the process.

Before Google could do anything to retaliate, Anti made his knife appear in his hand and with one swift movement, he cut Google's hand off that had the glove on it.

Everyone watched this in shock, clearly surprised by the outcome but the fight was clearly far from over.

Google wasn't perturbed by the loss and leapt for the hand, ripping the glove off with his other, "This isn't over-over, parasite!"

"THE FUCK IT ISN'T, NINTENDO!" Anti charged at him to slice off his other hand but Google was faster in that moment and smacked him, taking hold of the knife to try and stab him again.

Anti resisted, though and shouted, his own lightning covering the entire area around them all. He was trying to short-circuit Google but it only appeared to make him angrier.

The android's steely flesh was peeling off and his shirt was ripping apart but he wasn't about to back down.

"You'll have to break me down to pieces to end this fight, glitch-bitch"

Anti's eyes went black as he used more of his strength against him.

He could feel everyone's eyes on him. Feel their gazes judging the fight. It all weighed on him.

Anti didn't even see Jackie stand up to come behind Google. 

Although exhausted and sore as all burning hell, Jackie gripped Google from behind and joined Anti in shocking him out.

Together, the two combined their power, completely unaware of the power surge they were creating in the city.

But Google just grinned. He still had the glove on his other hand but it was half-on. He held the knife, still trying to stab Anti again but neither one expected him to lean and use his teeth to slip it the rest of the way on during all of this!

In that moment, Anti just had one thing on his mind.

He looked Jackie right in the eyes behind Google.

Jackie didn't like that look one bit.

Just as Google managed to get the glove fully on the other hand. . . . .

Anti teleported both him and Google.

They were gone.

'No.' Jackie looked up to see two dark tiny spots in the cloud-covered sky.

With their power having combined, they had managed to create an oncoming thunderstorm, thunder rumbling in the sky above.

But Jackie could still see them even from so far away.

'He's not gonna-' He couldn't believe it.

Jackie watched, though, as Google used the glove and the eruption commenced from above, not that it'd hurt anyone on the ground.

"ANTI!!!" 

Jackie didn't waste any time. He teleported near the blast, using neighboring lightning to help carry him just as Anti seemed to have.

The purple wave of dark energy flooded the sky and Jackie could feel its heat and power still from so far away.

He saw a body coming towards him and he knew it was Anti's. He managed to grab him just in time before the shockwave hit down, shoving the two towards the ground again. 

Jackie held Anti in his arms, holding him tight as they reached a skyscraper.

Using that lightning one last time, Jackie carried himself towards the building and used it to scrape downwards, haphazardly landing onto the ground.

The two breathed heavily and coughed from their injuries.

Anti seemed to have taken some of the blast but it didn't look too serious. Perhaps Marvin could heal him again.

Anti wheezed out, groaning, "B-bastard. . . .  always saving m-my ass"

Jackie chuckled, unable to keep himself from laughing at his joke, "Of course. Someone's gotta make sure you don't kill yourself. Guess that's  . .. . the hero in me"

Anti groaned, shoving him off of him, "You're s-such a cheesy prick . . .  Fuck-face" he rolled onto his side and moaned in pain.

A few moments later, Dark was the first to the scene where they had landed, helping Anti up. Behind him, the Septics had come along with some of the Ipliers.

Henrik was trying to check over the two's wounds but the blast seemed to have got to them more than they thought.

Anti was the first to pass out and Jackie watched above him as Henrik spoke soothingly to him, telling him it was all over and that Google had been completely destroyed by the blast.

Before Jackie blacked out, he could hear Marvin crying above him, telling him how sorry he was.

And Jackie couldn't be more proud of him for his confession, letting darkness claim him.

:D