"No. . . ." Chase whimpered, "No . .. he didn't just. . ."

"He left" Jackie filled in, " . . .The son of a bitch fucking LEFT!"

"No . . ." Marvin leaned closer to Evan, "No, there's gotta be another reason. . . . something that- why did he take Henrik and Eva?"

"Because they're scientists and can make him . . better? For insurance to make sure he doesn't die?" Evan didn't like the insinuation, "But yeah. . . . They're gone"

Anti had started backing away towards the others.

If he was going to die, he was going to die with THEM at his side.

"It's over" Dark sighed.

Jameson stomped on the ground, angry with them all.

They looked to Jameson, curious to what he had to say.

'If he was going to run away, he would have done so the moment he got his powers back. There must be another reason! There HAS to be! I can't believe he'd just leave us to die now after everything. He saved my LIFE!'

Anti swallowed, remembering the look in Antisepticeye's eyes before he ran and took Gab, Hen and Eva with him. He looked so emotionless.

Or was it something else in his eyes?

Mark's face was covered in blood by this point. The power he was releasing was ready to burst at any moment.

He was a ticking time bomb.

"HE LEFT YOU! HE LEFT YOU TO DIE!" He laughed at them, "AHahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Marvin gasped, "I know why he took Henrik and Eva"

Everyone looked at him, curious to how he'd know anything.

Marvin looked to Dark, "The stories, Dark. . . . . They're not JUST stories. . . they're their own universes Mark created. . . right?"

Dark nodded, wondering where this was going, "Yes. They are four different universes he created solely the purpose of the stories along with the egos in them.  . ."

Marvin hummed, "The Space universe I was in him Antisepticeye last with Olivia and Henrik . . . . Antisepticeye had  . .  questions about the warp core. . . . and its power"

Dark sucked in a quick breathe, "No. . . you don't think.  . .  That idiot! If he takes that power, he'll DIE!"

"That's IF he went there" Chase was unsure, "But a hopeful if . . . . whatever the case . . . . . . I'm just sorry I won't get to see my baby grow up"

"We're not dead yet, Chase" Marvin tried to soothe him.

"No, but we're about to be" Jackie muttered, "That power . . . it's gigantic. There's no way in hell we can beat that. . . or run from it."

Anti shared a look with Jameson, "I hope you're right, James . . . Marvin . . . .. I you guys are right"

In a matter of seconds, Mark would unleash all that power and eradicate thousands of miles of earth.

Henrik opened his eyes to see that damn warp core in front of him again.

Eva gasped, holding onto him, "WHAT IS THAT?!"

Antisepticeye was still breathing heavy from his fight with Mark, "It's the warp core. Doc, you know what I want you to do. Do it"

"What?" Gab was confused. Do what?

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Henrik shouted at him, "YOU'LL DIE!"

"WE'LL DIE ANYWAY IF YOU DON'T!" Antisepticeye shouted back at him.

"WAIT!" Eva bounced, "You want to put that power in yourself, don't you!!?"

Antisepticeye nodded.

Eva bit her lip but nodded, determined, "If you won't do it, Henny, then I will! This is our last shot!"

"Wait, what's happening?!" Gab yelled over them, "Someone just please tell me what you're talking about! Anthony . . . you want them to put THAT" She pointed at the warp core, "Into YOU!? How do you know it won't kill you?!"

"I don't" he shared a look with Henrik, "I know you can do it, though, doc. You're the smartest of all the egos and your wife is just as smart. I figured together  . .. . you could make it work. . . but we don't have much time. Minutes"

Henrik swallowed but took a long breathe, "Zhen I guess we better get to work"

He took Eva by the arm and together, they started to calculate and tinker with the core and the panels.

The severity of the situation was not lost on Gab, "Anthony . . . I thought you were going to take the deal"

He sighed, not meeting her eyes, " . . . . .I was going to . . ..  I thought about it. It was an option, don't get me wrong.  . . . But then I met Anti's eyes . . . and I HEARD his previous Septics in my head from this little marble. . . .telling me exactly what I needed to do." 

Antisepticeye rubbed at his shoulder a little, "I remember the day like it was yesterday when we all fought. I thought I had them. I dropped a MOUNTAIN on them all to crush them. They shouldn't have lived. They didn't have the strength. It shouldn't have been possible."

He watched Henrik work, unaware that the doctor was listening to every word.

"But against all odds, they pulled through. Jackie vaporized that mountain and they all came together one last time for a last ditch effort attack that took me down. . . . . . . maybe this can be the moment WE turn the tides on Mark"

The warp core suddenly made a low humming noise and the room went dark, Henrik and Eva working furiously together to make the necessary arrangements.

Gab hugged him, not wanting to let go for a second, "Please . . . there's gotta be another way. What about Wilford? The other Iplier egos?"

Antisepticeye put a hand on her back, "You know as well as I this is the only way.  . . . . Remember that first night we spent together?"

Gab pulled away slightly and looked up at him, "Of course . . . we tried everything to make that itch to kill go away"

"I have a confession" Antisepticeye moved her hair back behind her ear, "That itch to kill went away at the beginning of that night. . . when we started spending time together"

". . .WH-what?"

Antisepticeye smiled, "It took a while for me to figure out my feelings but I understand now. I didn't need any hobbies. I didn't need alcohol or sex . . . I didn't need to fight or kill anything . . . . . I just needed YOU"

She didn't have the time to say anything.

"EUREKA!" Henrik shouted and him and Eva high-fived each other.

The warp core was suddenly emitting a red hue. It did NOT look promising.

Eva shrieked, "We did it! We think! I'm sure it's fine!"

Henrik nodded, "There's still a sixty percent chance you could die immediately but. . ." he shared a concerned look with Eva before looking back to Antisepticeye.

"If you keep all that power inside of you for more than a few minutes, you WILL die"

Antisepticeye nodded, "It's okay. I have a plan for that" he took Gab's hand and walked up to the warp core. He stood in front of it, looking at his monstrous glory.

Glancing at Henrik, he sighed, "If I die immediately. . . I'm sorry that you're stuck here. If I don't . . . I'll try and remember to grab you all going back."

Henrik nodded, "It's okay. I understand. I thank you for making this sacrifice. . . . you really have changed for the better . . . .Anthony"

Antisepticeye nodded to him and Eva, acknowledging them with mutual respect.

Then he turned back to Gab, "It's going to be okay. I won't LET myself die. . . alright?"

Gab started to cry, "But what if you DO? I can't live without you now, Anthony, I fucking can't. . . . I LOVE you"

Antisepticeye took face in his hands and kissed her as passionately as he could, completely aware that there was a VERY real possibility of him dying in the next few seconds.

When he parted from her, he found he didn't want to die but he knew he had to do this to make sure she'd live. He brushed away her tears.

He realized what this feeling was.

"Gabriella . . . . I love you, too"

Before he could change his own mind, he jumped into the warp core.

Mark's inner nuke was about to go off.

Seconds.

"I don't think he's coming back" Dark sighed, "I'm sorry . . . this is all my fault. I hope it's quick"

Anti took his hand, "It's okay. . . ..  I don't blame you anymore"

"Nah" Jackie shook his head, "This Mark guy was the real villain. . . not you"

Dark sighed, squeezing Anti's hand back, "Thank you . . . . I wish we could have all gotten to know each other better. I think we all would have been good friends"

Anti nodded, sniffling. 

Anti took Jackie's hand, too and Jackie put a hand on Marvin's shoulder. Marvin leaned his head against Evan's shoulder. Chase pat Dark's shoulder and Jameson took Chase's other hand.

The only ones they were missing now were Henrik and Eva.

Anti only wished they were here. He only wished Antisepticeye would come back.

'Please . . .please let me be wrong. Please . . . . come back. . . '

He took a deep breath, "Do you guys. . . remember our song?"

Marvin cleared his throat, "Not really in the mood to sing . . . "

But Jackie remembered that day. It was their song. The song that always pulled them through. The song he always kept in his heart. Anti sang it for them to lift their spirits and motivate him to not give up when the mountain was on top of them.

They always had this one song in common.

It was their bridge.

Jackie took a deep breath, "Some . . . ..where. . . . over the . . . rainbow . . . . way up . . .high"

Marvin groaned but he couldn't help himself, "There's. . . . a. . . .land . . . that I heard of . . . once. . . in a . . . lullaby~"

Anti smiled, "Some . . . .where . . . .. . over the . . . . rainbow . . . . .skies are . . .. blue~"

Dark knew this song. It was odd to him that they chose this to go out with but he wouldn't bring them down when they were all about to die.

He took a deep breathe himself, "And the . . . dreams. . . . you dare to . . . . . dream . . . . . really do . . .come true~"

Chase chuckled, "Some . . day I'll wish upon a star. . . . And wake up where the clouds are far . . . behind . . . .me~"

Jameson smiled. He wanted to sing but he'd have to settle in his final moments with listening to his brothers final words.

Anti took over again, "Where troubles melt like lemon drops! . . .Way above the chimney tops! . . .That's where you'll . . . . find . . . . . me . . . . . . . ."

The bomb went off.

The white light engulfed them all.

They all closed their eyes shut, holding onto each other.

"SOMEWHERE  . .  OVER THE RAINBOW!!!!!~"

Anti whipped his eyes open. 

He couldn't believe what was standing in front of them.

Henrik and Eva. . . . Gab and. . . . .. .

Antisepticeye stood before them all, glowing a bright white, his body red and pulsing. The white light was nuclear and hot but that didn't stop Antisepticeye from crying out their damned war song to let them know he returned.

Henrik and Eva scrambled, dragging Gab with them to the others.

Henrik shouted over the loud rumbling of Mark and Antisepticeye's power, "He took us to zhe warp core! He absorbed it!!"

Anti couldn't stop staring at Antisepticeye's back but he heard what Henrik said, 'Marvin was right'

Antisepticeye's first move was fast and he lifted up his hands and slammed them down in the air in front of him before pushing them forward.

The movement with the power of the warp core quickly contained Mark's nuke blast and and dissipated it, stopping the attack completely and clearing the air.

Mark was left standing there, shocked beyond all reason. He wasn't done yet but he recognized Antisepticeye and his new upgrade.

"You . . ..  you didn't" he wobbled slightly and pointed at him, "You . .. fffffucker!"

Once again, Mark engulfed himself in Gab's powers, ready to fight Antisepticeye at full power.

The energy surrounding Antisepticeye was massive and he knew he didn't have long. He could already feel his body deteriorating. 

He spread his arms out wide and breathed out.

A few strands of the power branched out from him and as if following some sort of command, stabbed into Anti, Jackie, Marvin, Evan, Dark and Gab!

Anti gasped at the sudden intrusion but he could hear something.

A voice.

'This is the only way. Together'

They all heard it.

They all understood.

Marvin's hands were broken but he could still project power from his body. Jackie's leg was broken but he still had another leg. Evan had one hand now but he had another. Gab didn't have her own powers yet but she could still contain energy. They could all do this, too.

They all made their way forward next to Antisepticeye, sharing this great power between them all.

Antisepticeye's body felt so much less overwhelmed. This was his plan to not die.

Gab stood at his side, taking his hand.

Antisepticeye nodded to her, "You know what to do."

He glanced to all the others, "We only have one chance for this. Let's make it count"

Chase, Jameson, Henrik and Eva were left on the sidelines behind them but Chase wasn't about to be left behind.

Together, Antisepticeye, Anti, Dark, Marvin, Evan and Jackie unleashed everything they could onto Mark at the same time Mark threw his own.

He wasn't about to stop now. He screamed, intent on using EVERYTHING he had in this last ditch effort.

Their enormous energies collided together with a crack and boom.

But they all stood tall.

The Septics weren't about to go down now.

Mark's power was inching closer to them, though. He didn't have as much to lose.

He didn't even realize that Gab wasn't by them anymore.

"THIS IS IT!" Mark laughed, "THIS IS THE DAY I WIN! I'M THE HERO! I'M THE VICTOR! I AM THE BEST!!"

His power was about to overpower them when a surprise attack hit him in the head and he stumbled!

The Pheno gun!

Mark snapped his head to look where he was hit from only to see Chase in a tree nearby with a smirk on his face and the gun held high.

"YOU!. . . ."

But that was all the distraction needed.

The Septics and Dark stopped their own onslaught, making Mark stop in his own shock.

No. . . 

Wait.  . . .

He didn't STOP. . . .. 

The power was just GONE.

He didn't expect this. 

It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

Gab had her hand on his back.. . . . . 

Taking back what was rightfully hers.

Mark could feel she had taken back her powers and complete power over him now.

This was over.

Antisepticeye raised his arms up to the air and unloaded all the warp core's power from his body, taking it back from the others as well.

They wouldn't need it anymore.

Marvin groaned, "IS IT OVER!?"

Mark fell to his knees, the exhaustion hitting him like a bullet train.

He had nothing to say.

The storm had moved on and the sun was peeking out from the clouds.

Mark was covered in his own blood, battered and burned. Blood was still trickling out of his mouth, nose and eyes.

Gab hung over him threateningly, "Don't fucking move or I'll kill you"

"ᴳᵒ ᵃʰᵉᵃᵈ . . . "  Mark spoke softly, " . . .. ᴵ'ᵐ ᵈᵉᵃᵈ ᵃⁿʸʷᵃʸ"

"No" she growled at him and slammed him into the wet grass and mud with HER gravity power, "You don't get to decide when or how. Not after everything you've done, you bastard"

Dark limped over to them. Without his cane and after this fight, he really could have used it now.

But he saw Mark's cane he made and picked it up, using it instead for now.

Dark twirled the cane around in front of Gab, "You probably got some power in here, too. The reserve he stored."

Gab quickly took it, the glowing from the cane fading as she did so, "Thanks, Dark . . . . I feel whole again"

Dark chuckled, "I know the feeling.. . . now then" he looked down at Mark, "What to do with you . . .."

Antisepticeye limped over to them, seething, "What do you mean, what to do!? FUCKING KILL HIM SO THIS SHIT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!"

The others made their way next to him and Marvin sighed, "I hate to say it but I agree with him. Didn't you say this was the SECOND time you've fought him? We don't want there to be a third"

Dark stared down at Mark who still refused to even look his way.

He expected to die.

Anti recognized that look in Dark's eyes.

Dark sighed, "I can't do it. . . ."

They all wanted to argue with him but Dark shook his head, "No. . . ..Look . . . Anti made the same choice with Antisepticeye over a year ago. And he changed . . a LOT! Who's to say, I can't help Mark change, too?"

They were all quiet.

Mark's eye twitched, not sure about what was happening exactly. He should be dead by now.

Why wasn't he dead?

Gab sighed, "Look . .. if you're serious, then  . . . Marvin?"

He hummed in question, letting her come up to him and Evan, asking them.

"You made that marble for Anti, right? I stores power inside of it. Anti took away Anthony's power before and put it in it. Could you make another one and put Mark's power in it and make HIM normal?"

Evan nodded, "Actually . . . yes. Yes, I can do that. It's very simple. He's hardly any threat now, though. We can do the actual spell later, I think. But for now-"

He waved a finger, making Mark fall on his stomach, passed out.

"A simple sleeping spell. Should keep him out for a while. He's finally worn down enough that it works on him"

For now, Dark had power over him.

"SO can we fucking GO now?" Chase asked, "I got a pregnant wife to get back to"

Anti chuckled, "Yeah . .. yeah, let's go home. . . ." he looked to Dark, "Maybe we'll see ya around sometime?"

"You will" Dark smirked, "I'll see you tomorrow for the containment spell."

"Oh right"

Antisepticeye groaned and grabbed Anti's arm, "Stop fucking flirting and let's go already, dammit. Everyone grab on! NOW, FUCKERS!"

Although surprised by his language, they all did as he said.

In a matter of seconds, they were back at Anti's place.

Only to see . . . . .

A house full of Ipliers throwing a party, eating food and trashing the place.

Wilford laughed, seeing them and danced his way over to them, "SO DIDJA KICK HIS ASS?!"

Apparently Wilford did as Dark asked but instead of taking them anywhere else, he decided that the safest place to bring them was Anti's universe in his HOUSE.

It took a few minutes but soon, Evan found Marvin's reserve stash of healing potions in one of his suitcases he had brought to Anti's house with him.

They all took one and Marvin was able to use his hands to cast some magic, creating some temporary rooms for all the Ipliers until it was safe for them to go back to Dark's place.

Then they all crashed, not caring WHERE they fell asleep.

Even Antisepticeye wasn't bothered to go home with Gab just yet, content on napping for a while with her until he made SURE it was all over.

The next day

Dark apparently had contained Mark in a room and sedated him with some morphine he found in Dr. Iplier's office. 

Mark was basically in a coma

Marvin's first job was to create the containment and make it so only Dark was the 'administrator' so to speak. Only Dark could freely give Mark his powers back if he wanted to.

But instead of putting his powers in a marble . .. he put it in Mark's cane and then stashed it in the attic where only he could find it.

Marvin and Evan then easily fixed Dark's old cane which is was very happy about.

"Thank you very much. I don't know how to repay you"

Marvin snorted, "I mean, money would be nice"

Evan shoved him with his one hand, "Marv! That's rude"

"Aw, relax, stumpy, you're just not thinking straight with one hand still"

"Having one hand doesn't make me less smart"

"You're just loopy still from all the blood loss" Marvin still tried to argue.

"You're unbelievable."

"I know. I'm amazing, right?"

Evan sighed, "It wasn't a   . . . .. ." he decided to end the argument himself, "Yes, dear"

Marvin clapped his hands, "ALSO! Dark, Gab told us of your little rooming issue but NO FEAR! I'm here to help! I'll gladly make all the rooms you need to house ALL your Iplier egos and then some!"

Dark smiled, "Thank you! That's more than I could ever ask of you. You've all already done so much. I feel like I've only caused problems for you all"

"You have."

"ANYWAY!" Evan directed the conversation elsewhere.

Antisepticeye glared at the door Mark was being held in.

Gab was busy chatting with some of the Iplier and Septics so she didn't see the intent in his eyes.

But before he could even think of doing anything, Anti appeared in front of him.

"HEY ANTHONY!"

Antisepticeye flinched, not expecting him to appear out of nowhere but he sighed.

"What do you want now? I already promised I wasn't going to kill you assholes"

Anti crossed his arms, "You want to kill HIM. . . don't you?"

Antisepticeye should have known he was easy to read by now, " . . . ..  a little"

"We already decided it was up to Dark."

"He tried to kill ALL of us. It shouldn't be just up to him"

"Just like it shouldn't have been just up to me to NOT kill YOU?"

Antisepticeye was silenced for a moment. He took a deep breathe and rolled his eyes, "Fine . . . but if the bastard goes batshit again, I'm killing him immediately."

"Fair enough "

They were silent for a moment before Antisepticeye finally spoke up, looking a little nervous, which was odd for him, "Look . . .  I've been thinking. Close your eyes"

"Why?"

Antisepticeye smirked wickedly, "Don't trust me?"

"Not with that look you're giving me"

"Just trust me and close your fucking eyes. I want to give you something, you little prick"

Amused, Anti finally closed his eyes, "Okay. . now what?"

"Hold out your hand" he sounded like he was struggling getting something.

Anti was nervous. What the hell was he doing? But he held out his hand.

Something a little wet and round was put in his hand and he cringed, "Ew, what is it?"

"Open your eyes"

Anti did. 

There was a green marble in his hand. He looked up to Antisepticeye suddenly to see he had taken the marble out of his eye socket.

"Anthony . . . why'd you . . .. I gave it back to you. You can KEEP it. It's yours" he tried to give it back.

"No" Antisepticeye declined, shaking his head, "I'm giving it back. . . . . . I know you were very hesitant on giving it to me anyway. Your previous Septic's soul remnants are in it. They're still there. . . sort of"

"I ..  . . are you sure?"

"I realized . . . . now that the battle is over . . ..  I don't NEED my powers back anymore." Antisepticeye looked like he had genuinely thought about this a lot since yesterday, "I know you all were scared I'd fall right back into my old ways how I was before.. . . . . And I don't blame you. I felt myself waver a few times. And I realized that I don't want to feel that. I don't want to go back to the way things were. . . . I don't need my powers to be with Gab OR to be satisfied"

"Anthony . . ."

"But also" he stopped Anti, "You should let those soul pieces go, Anti . . . . you know that. They're ready to be whole again with their other pieces in the next world."

"I . . ."

"You have to let them go. . . . maybe not today or tomorrow but soon. . . .. You can't keep them with you forever. Just ask them yourself."

" . . . . " Anti fell silent but nodded, putting the marble in his pocket for safe keeping.

"So . . ." he moved the conversation, "When you and Gab going back to her universe again?"

"Tomorrow."

"Cool. Plenty of time to still hang out"

"No . . ." Antisepticeye stopped him, "No, no no. .. no way"

"Yep"

"No"

"Gab already said yes. You gonna argue with her?"

"I definitely will"

"Come on, we FOUGHT together! You're one of US now!"

"Nope" Antisepticeye started to walk away from him.

"Eh, you'll warm up to us" Anti followed him, not taking the hint.

"I will not"

Anti shoved him playfully.

Antisepticeye shoved him down the stairs.

Stacey was overjoyed to see Chase back and alive and Jack missed his father.

Sammy was so relieved to see her brother again and Benny was happy his hero uncle had helped to win the big fight.

Jackie wasn't excited to see Chad but he tolerated his presence. He seemed to admire Jackie just as much as Benny from the story he told. Maybe this universe's Chad wasn't as bad as he thought.

Marvin and Evan were happy to be back home together again. They told Sampson and Bee all about it and together. It was hard for Evan only having one hand now but Marvin had plans to fix that.. . . .

Jameson was ecstatic to see Emily again. Not as excited to see Griffith and Wilson but close enough. He didn't ever want to leave his fiance like that ever again. It was time to plan their wedding.

Henrik and Eva were back again with Olivia and Iris. The two girls were overjoyed so see their parents together again since being repeatedly split up in the stories. They were definitely going to have separation anxiety when they got older.

Antisepticeye and Gab were back at her universe again. No one knew what they were really doing but somehow they had to guess it involved a lot of . . .. close contact.

Anti was back home at his place.

He was alone now but . . . 

It was fine.

He did as Antisepticeye suggested and delved into the marble for the soul remnants. As little as he was ready for this, he knew Antisepticeye was right.

The soul remnants were ready.

It was hard for him but Anti let himself be close to them one last time before letting them go.

They were whole now in the world after.

He was totally alone in the house now.

He'd just have to get used to it.

He'd still see everyone. It wasn't like they were shutting him out. He was ALWAYS welcome in their lives.

This was fine.

Suddenly his phone buzzed and he checked it out.

It was Dark.

Seeing as their universes were expanding and friendships were forming, Marvin decided to add him on their contacts, spelling everyone's phones so they could all communicate with each other even being in different universes.

It was something he was VERY proud of and wouldn't stop talking about.

Anti accepted the call quickly, thinking the worst, "Hey, Dark. What's wrong?"

". . . nothing " he chuckled lowly, "I was wondering if you wanted to come to the Iplier house to hang out? Wilford would like to see you again, too. Google and Bing were curious about you, too as well as some of the others."

"Oh . . ." he could feel his heart racing, "Y-yeah! Yeah, I'd love to! I'll be right over!"

He hung up the phone and got ready to go meet Dark.

It looked like he wouldn't be so alone after all.

A few more chapters left :)