Henrik rolled his eyes, "Of course ve have a problem! We're all teleporting through a horrible story line with no sense of actual plot! Who is zhis lady?. . . .  Are we in a desert?"

"Look" Jackie stopped him, "I ran into Dark. We were in space or some shit and-"

"AW!!" Henrik groaned, "Vhy did I get stuck vith Evan, Anti and Antisepticeye robbing a museum and you got to go to SPACE?!"

Gab stiffened at the mention of Antisepticeye but tried not to draw attention to herself. She didn't want them to know she was involved with him just in case.

'Anthony . . . Anthony is WITH them!? But HOW? . . . And how hasn't he tried to kill any of them yet?'

"I was with Olivia and Uncle James in a TV commercial for bubbles" Iris mumbled.

Henrik blinked and look down on her, "Vhat? Nevermind. We need to figure out how to get out of here"

"That's what I'm trying to tell ya, doc" Jackie rolled his eyes, "Dark said he's been through Mark's story before. That's what this all is. He said that all we have to do is follow along with the story and eventually it'll be over. Hopefully then we can just kick Mark's as . . . Butt" he forgot there was a five year old child around them, "and then we can go home and leave this nightmare behind us"

"Sounds legit. And you are?" he asked Gab, "It's quite odd for a stranger to be involved in all of this"

Gab cleared her throat, "I uh . . yeah, I mean-"

"I've got peanut butter and jelly and I've got tunafish sandwich!" Mark repeated on the picnic blanket, "Which would you like?"

He glanced down at the skeleton with a T-shirt on that said, 'mom'.

"Don't worry about that. That could be ANYONE'S mom. I'm sure it's not . .. yours"

Iris blew a raspberry at him, "I don't like him"

"Sweety, don't engage." Henrik kept her close to him, "Any choice made could result in us teleporting again too soon"

"I'm sorry" Iris looked upset, "I'm miss mommy. Where is she?"

Jackie pat her head, "It's okay, Iris. Your mom is just fine. She was with us in space, actually!"

Henrik gaped at him, "And zhat wasn't the first thing you said!? Idiot!" he swat Jackie upside the head, "She could be anywhere. . . . Space, zhat museum place, that commercial place. . . . gah! This whole thing is just one mess after another! DAMN IT ALL!"

Iris started to cry, all the tension and fear getting to her and without her mom and sister there, she wasn't used to just her father's temper. He'd never hurt or yell at HER but she didn't know that.

"Infinite possibilities!" Mark continued, "Not really. . . . everyone's kinda dead so what could happen after this?"

They all stared at him in horror.

What?

He laughed it off, "LOVE! That could happen!  . .. . So which sandwich do you want?"

Gab blinked, really missing her powers. But she still had a heart and didn't like seeing the little girl cry, "Hey, it's gonna be okay, sweety. Your daddy's not mad at YOU"

Iris sniffled, "He's not?"

Henrik softened, "Oh my little mouse, of course not! I could never be mad at you." he hugged her close to him but this only served to remind him how little he had actually hugged his youngest daughter. He needed to do that more.

Henrik kept his daughter close and looked back at the woman, "You didn't answer me, miss. Who are you?"

"My name is Gab." she provided, still smiling at the little girl, "I just so happened to be around Dark when that guy you all are talking about . . .. teleported us?"

Henrik wasn't buying it, "You seem awfully calm for some normal person who just so happened to be next to someone like Darkiplier."

Jackie nodded, "Actually, yeah. Come to think of it. . .. you were already really calm when we were in space, too. That kind of stuff isn't normal. Any other random person would have been panicking and freaking out." he nodded to Henrik, "Remember how Sean was when we dragged him into our mess last year? He convinced himself it was all a dream just so he wouldn't pass out again"

Somewhere far away in a completely different universe. . . .

Sean was side by side Evelien playing 'It Takes Two' when he sneezed rather violently.

"Wow" he rubbed at his nose, "That came out of nowhere"

Evelien giggled, "That means someone's talking about you, bub"

Sean just smiled and continued with the game with her, "I hope it's nice things."

"I remember" Henrik rolled his eyes, "He was a dramatic whining baby but that's what a normal reaction was." he eyed Gab with heavy suspicion, "What's REALLY going on here?"

Gab just shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah, sure I'm shocked but that's kind of just how I am in weird situations. Just . . overly calm. Look, I just wanna go home and get back to my boyfriend. Can we just move things along, please?" she tried to save herself.

Iris wiped away her tears and suddenly hugged Gab, "You're really nice. . . .you remind me of my mommy!"

"Awww" Gab smiled down at her.

"I've got peanut butter and jelly and I've got tunafish sandwich!" Mark repeated on the picnic blanket, "Which would you like?"

Henrik groaned, "Fine, I suppose you're right. We have to make a decision."

"I just hope the others are still alright" Jackie muttered to himself, "You said Antisepticeye was with you, Anti and Evan before? Geez, talk about a fu- . . .messed up team. I wonder who's with who now"

"It doesn't matter." Henrik sat down on the picnic blanket in front of 'Mark'.

"Give me zhat peanut butter and jelly sandwich." he turned to the others and his daughter, "Be safe" he touched his daughter's chin, "You too, my dear. Stay close to your uncles, my sweet little mouse"

Iris started to tear up again, "Daddy, no! Don't go-"

They started to teleport. 

Gab felt the familiar feeling of being pulled away again only to be spit back out.

All of sudden she was in front of a very confused man.

She nearly came to tears and smiled.

But the man just blinked at her, confused, "Are you . . . . Gab?"

That's when she finally noticed that THIS man had TWO eyes.

Antisepticeye glared at all the lights and the fake crowd noises. He hated this.

And what was worse, was that the magicians and the female scientist were there AS WELL as the crackpot Warfstache!

'Just my fucking luck' he thought to himself, 'Not only is the ONE magician around me again but the OTHER one is too.' He glanced over to the woman with them, 'Ah yes, and this is the doctor's wife. Why's she looking around like that?'

Eva suddenly gasped, "Oh! Guys! I need to tell you something!" she was jumping up and down in excitement.

Wilford held a microphone to her mouth but at this point, she just ran with it.

"I was just in space! With Dark and Jackie! Oh and some other woman I never met before! I think her name was Gab!"

Antisepticeye stiffened but tried to remain aloof. Evan could see it, though, just like when Antisepticeye was trying to evade telling them what Darkiplier had stolen from him.

"Talk about a weird fucking pairing" Marvin mumbled to Evan who elbowed him in return.

Eva was used to their bickering, though and continued, "Dark said he had been through this story before and all we needed to do to get to the end was to make choices. He said he knew which ones worked but before he could tell us anymore, we were teleported. However, I'd have to hypothesize that the 'right' choice doesn't matter anymore because with every choice-"

"With every choice, we teleport somewhere else with a new group of our" he glanced at Antisepticeye, " . . . friends?"

Eva fixed her glasses, "Well yeah! How'd you know that?"

"Because it's happened" Marvin gave her a look, "We're going through a weird story with this weird version of some Mark guy except he's not the 'Actor' Mark I guess"

Eva ogled him, "Oh wow, really?! We didn't get any story! Dark guessed that it just meant that Actor was trying to keep things from him on purpose to mess with him"

"I'd believe that" Evan nodded, "With how Actor was talking before we landed in this mess, it didn't seem like they were exactly buddies"

"I don't give a fuck who they are to each other!" Antisepticeye shouted, "Let's just get this the fuck over with already!" he motioned to Wilford, "And why the fuck is he acting like he doesn't know us?! We literally just met!"

"Welcome to the final round everybody!" Wilford suddenly shouted loudly, "Now if you all are done with your hot gossip, let's get back to my show!"

"I thought Wilford was under different rules or something" Evan wondered, "He was jumping back and forth through time and space. Is this maybe BEFORE he met all of us?"

 Eva shrugged, "I don't know but I think we just need to make a choice when we get to one. I think that Dark could be telling the truth"

"And you trust him?" Antisepticeye scoffed, "Just a couple of days ago, he was trying to kill you all AND me for power. He's a power-hungry maniac and I should know. Takes one to know one"

"At least you're self-aware" Marvin rolled his eyes, "Look, it doesn't matter. I made a choice on that date I was at before and it led me here"

"Wait" Evan stopped him, "You were on a date?"

"Now's not the time to get jealous, honey. Anyway, I forgot to remind Chase and Stacey before but remember the potions if you get into any serious trouble, okay, Eva?"

"Right"

"Wait." Antisepticeye stopped him, "Back up. Potions?"

Marvin shrugged, "Yeah, I gave everyone some after the FIRST time Dark attacked us. Defense and offense potions, healing potions. Gave everyone a one-off shield."

"And where the fuck was MINE!?"

The magician rolled his eyes, "You weren't THERE yet! Keep up! . . . That and a lot was happening at the time and I didn't really care about you sooooo . . ."

Antisepticeye looked so fed up with everything.

Wilford continued as if none of them were talking, "We've made it here after a long time! Everyone else is dead and gone! But you guys have survived!"

They all stopped talking and/or bitching at each other and stared at Wilford.

Antisepticeye nodded, "Huh . . . . I think I'm gonna like this show"

"Excuse me!? Dead and gone!? Survived!?" Marvin shouted.

Eva only grew worried. Her daughters came to mind and she hoped they were alright wherever they were. She hoped they weren't too scared.

'When I come face to face to that Actor, I'm gonna blast him right in the face with Henny's Pheno gun. He doesn't know I know about it but that's just alright with me'

"We got pretty boy in fourth place, VERY pretty boy in third-"

Marvin and Evan glanced at each other trying to figure out who was who until Marvin looked down at their podiums and he smirked, "Yeah, that's right. How's it feel to be JUST pretty and not the prettiest, baby?"

Evan just rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's vanity.

"And THEN we got one-eye bitchy glitchy baby poo poo pants in second-"

Antisepticeye blinked, "Oh, I'm gonna kill him"

"And then we got mistress Frankenstein in FIRST! oH good for you! I don't even CARE about your names! I just know you're in first place which means that YOU get the chance to solve this puzzle unless you wanna try and get another letter in there!"

They all looked in front of them.

Eva paled. She knew what the puzzle said but she was worried Wilford really wouldn't kill her.

"Uh . . ..  ."

But before she could say anything, Wilford suddenly spasmed violently before looking around questioningly.

"Huh . . . okay, alright. I see what happened here. I remember THIS place! Yeah. . .. I killed a guy and got fired." he laughed, "Good times. Good times." he saw the others, "Oh lookie! It's YOU guys! You're still alive! Good for you!"

"Uh" Marvin cleared his throat, "Wilford? You remember us?"

Wilford snort, "Well of COURSE I do! . . . .. you're Dave, right?"

"NO!"

"Wait, wait, I got it . . .. Abe? . . no." Wilford looked long and hard at Antisepticeye when suddenly he grinned, "Anthony! Boy, it's so good to see you again! Boy what a mess up, huh? Markimoo really did mess with everything, didn't he? Heck, I don't even know what's going to happen now. He really did make good on those promises, huh?"

Antisepticeye nodded, going with it, "Uh . . yeah." but he suddenly thought of something, "Wait. Wiflord, can you still use your powers?"

Evan gasped, "That's right! YOU could get us home, Wil!"

Wilford scratched at his head, "Gee, I don't know about that. Oh but what the heck! I can give it a SHOT!" He laughed, "GET it!? Because I have a GUN and. . . oh nevermind. You guys are no fun!"

Eva was losing her patience, "Wilford PLEASE! My children need me! You like kids, don't you?"

Wilford grinned, "Well of course! I LOVE kiddos! And I remember your little scamps! They were in my Bubble Commercial!"

No one knew what that meant.

"Please, Wilford" Eva pleaded with him, "I need to get back to my kids"

Wilford just appeared behind them all, "Alright, alright. Don't want Mark getting ahold of them. Now let's try this. Might as well do it now while I'm still HERE huh?" he chuckled but no one else thought that was funny.

They all felt the pulling sensation and they seemed to be teleporting!

Antisepticeye closed his one eye. Now that he knew Gab was involved in all of this, too, he was hoping to see her again when he opened his eye.

But instead, when he cracked them open, he was met face to face with Darkiplier.

Jameson had been in a cell after his horrific disappearance from the TV commercial. He was still mad at himself for losing Olivia and Iris.

But a few seconds later, the cell door opened. Walking out, he immediately recognized Stacey and ran up to her.

Stacey jumped and looked just as confused but sighed in relief and hugged him, "Oh Jameson! I'm so happy to see you! What's going on!? One moment I was with Chase and Marvin on this date thing, I don't know, don't even ask, and then the next I'm opening my eyes in a prison cell!?"

Jameson shrugged but signed, 'I was with Olivia and Iris in a commercial and the same thing happened to me'

"So, it's you two this time?"

Stacey and Jameson looked over to see Darkiplier stepping towards them. They were scared shitless of course but it didn't seem as if anyone else they knew were around.

Stacey was frightened of him but tried her best to stand her ground, pregnant be damned, "Yeah! Got a problem with that?!"

Dark blinked, "Well. . .no.  . . . what are your names again? Look I'm in this trap just like you all. Mark and I aren't friends in any way shape or form."

Jameson believed him but he tried to remain guarded, 'I'm Jameson'

But they seemed to forget that Dark couldn't understand him, "I. . . I'm sorry. Mam, do you know what he said?"

Stacey had her hands on her hips, "He said his name is Jameson. And I'm Stacey. Jameson is mute and can't talk so he communicates with sign language"

"I understand. Alright. I'm sorry we can't communicate. You seem rather sensible" Dark ran his fingers over the head of his cane, "It seems like we're in the prison. If you didn't know already, we're in a story of Mark's creation. With some revisions, of course. I already told the hero and the female scientist but what you must know is I've been through this before. It's a bit different this time around but the choices seem to be the same. We teleport and split up with every choice that is made."

Jameson sighed, relieved, 'So then that means that Olivia and Iris could be safe?'

Stacey repeated what he asked and Dark nodded, "Who are Olivia and Iris?"

"They're my friend's daughters. One is eight and the other is four."

Dark didn't look happy, "Damn Actor . . . bringing children into this is just distasteful. They should be fine and definitely shouldn't be alone but either way, as long as they just make a choice and go with the story, they shouldn't be harmed."

"Okay" Stacey took a breathe, "Now how do we get out of here?"

Dark looked around, "Hm . . .. it seems the warden already took the box. . . . Ah, there he is. That's Mark over there" he pointed to a man that looked like Mark in a prison jumpsuit yelling at a larger man to respect him.

"Now I need you to respect me and help me and my friend BREAK OUT"

Suddenly the larger man punched him so hard, Mark blasted through the brick wall.

Stacey screamed, "Oh my god! Is he DEAD!? What if someone punches ME?! I'm pregnant!"

Jameson looked excited and hugged her again but Dark just looked flabbergasted.

"You're WHAT?!"

'Damn these Septics! Involving their weaker egos into this is one thing but now their pregnant spouses?!'

Just then, the lights went out.

"Break out? Of this place? Why would anyone wanna . .. break out?"

Dark's mood suddenly lifted, "Yes! I never thought I'd ever be happy to hear his fucking song! Yancy!"

Stacey cringed, "Who?"

A singing prisoner that looked eerily similar to Mark with a plain white shirt and prison pants was lit up on a table, "The outside world recoils in fear"

He hopped off the table and started to snap his fingers, "Thinking if they slip up, they'd get locked up in here-"

"Yancy!" Dark tried to shout at him but the ego didn't seem to hear him.

"You're killing yourself just to make ends meet while I'm working on my tan and kicking up my feet!"

"Yancy, we don't have time for this!" Dark took some steps forward but Stacey stopped him.

"We ran into this sort of thing already. When my husband and Marvin were in this Date part, the guy, Mark was like an animatronic or something waiting for someone to continue the lines"

"But that's always how that goes. The egos are always different, though!" Dark argued, "Once jolted out of Mark's story, they'll see that it was just all it was. A story"

"I don't think-"

"I know what I'm talking about!" Dark pushed her off of him, "Yancy!"

Just then they were in the prison yard with others continuing to dance and sing, "Shoot some hoops and lift weights in the yard~"

"Something's not right" Dark felt a headache coming on, "It wasn't like this before. Everything's jumping. He's messing with me"

Stacey and Jameson were getting worried for him.

Yancy popped up, "Come on and meet the gang! There's-"

Dark suddenly grabbed Yancy by the throat, "DAMMIT, YANCY! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Everything seemed to halt.

Stacey and Jameson held onto each other, not sure what was happening.

In Dark's grasp, Yancy didn't seem all that bothered. It was like he was paused.

Looking around, it seemed as though EVERYONE was paused in a sort of freeze frame.

Dark shook, "Yancy . . . . Yancy, please. I know we got off on the wrong foot the first time we met but don't you remember the mansion? The other egos?"

There was no reaction.

Dark's eyes started to glow red, "Yancy. . . .no, it's  . . .. Mark. . . Why has he done this to you? He took all of you again, didn't he? Made you all his puppets"

He let Yancy go and he just continued to sing with a big smile on his face. They were suddenly back inside the prison.

"There's Jimmy the Pickle and Shithole Hank! He makes the best hooch wine in his toilet tank!"

Dark covered his eyes with his hand. He didn't want the other two to see him like this. 

He didn't understand himself why he was getting so emotional. He should have seen this coming.

'"All that work trying to saving them before.  . . . then I defeat Mark  . . . . they all start to appear in the house. . . how, I still don't know"

Jameson snapped his fingers and Dark slowly acknowledged him. Stacey repeated what he said.

"That's right! Wilford! You . . you didn't know? Wilford said HE had been collecting the egos and taking them to you!"

It clicked.

Dark blinked, astonished how he didn't see it before, "Yes . ..  yes, of course. Why didn't I see it? I . .. I hadn't seen him in so long, I didn't think I'd ever see him again. Wait. . . he came to you guys? No wait. . . I remember now. He said he was collecting egos three years ago!"

It all came together, "How could I have forgotten? He told me all about egos and you septics but I must have just latched onto that and didn't  . . remember. He said to take care of them. The Ipliers. . . I tried .. . . but I failed"

"I DON'T WANNA BE FREEEEEEEE~! LEAVE ME TO LUXURYYYYYYYYY~! 

Dark held onto his cane as if it was his anchor keeping him up, "I fucking failed" he started to tear up but tried his best to keep the two septics from seeing it.

They did, though.

Jameson looked to Stacey, "So I think he's not good right now. It might be up to us to make the decision."

"It's not hard" Stacey shrugged, "You just make a choice and that's it. It doesn't matter what."

"How did Chase react when you told him you were pregnant?"

Stacey giggled a little, "Well I don't know just yet. I told him while we were teleporting and then I was here"

Jameson shook his head, "Stacey, you can't just swing that on him"

"I know, I know. But with everything that's happened, I didn't know at the time if we'd ever see each other again. I just wanted to maybe give him some hope. I know he still loves HIS Stacey but I was also kind of hoping now with a new baby, he'd . . . I don't know.  . . maybe learn to love this life a little more?"

Jameson looked worried.

"No, no!" Stacey saw the look in his eyes, "I didn't get pregnant on purpose! It just . .. happened. I don't feel bad about it, though. I think Jack is gonna love it, too." she held her belly.

Jameson smiled, 'I'm happy for you. For Chase, too. Maybe he needs this. I hope things end well for all of us."

"Me too. With Mark dampening Marvin, Evan, Jackie, Dark and Anti's powers, though . . . do we still really have a shot?"

Jameson took her hands, "Don't give up hope. I won't. I WILL see Emily again and we'll marry and all of you will be there! You'll have your baby and everyone will live together so happy! I KNOW we will! Everyone will be safe. . . I know it'

Stacey hugged him again, "Thanks James"

"SO I'M JUST PRAY'IN, I DON'T MAKE PAROLE!!!! 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA BE FREE!"

Yancy stomped down hard at the last note and glared at them all. He walked over to them menacingly.

"So tell me . . . still wanna be free?"

Suddenly a piece of paper appeared in Jameson's hand. It was a picture of a stock image with two people on it with no heads with the words #1 and #2 on it.

Making a guess, he slowly handed it to Yancy. Apparently it was the right move.

Yancy took it, "What's this? .  . .  oh. So youse the type of person with one of those family types waiting for ya on the outside, huh?"

Dark sighed from behind them. He definitely did NOT want to be there.

Yancy's right eye winced a little.

"I . . . I too was once also one of those familial types" his voice cracked, "Before the inciden . . ."

Suddenly Yancy convulsed and grabbed at his head, shouting in pain.

Dark looked towards him in a sudden panic, "Y. . . Yancy? This didn't happen before."

"Ffffffforget it" Yancy shook his head and his back arched.

He gasped, "DARK!!!"

Dark moved towards him, "YANCY! Are you okay!? What's happening?!"

Yancy grabbed hold of Dark's shoulders, gripping tight, "D-dark . . . it hurts. . . he's . .. he's holding on. Youse gotta. . ..  he. . . family. . . Youse is my . . ." he started to cry, "I remember. . ..  the words. .. it helped. Youse is. . . my brother. Kick . .. kick his ass for meh. . .. . yeah?"

Dark shook, his body welling up with more emotions than he could handle. 

Mark . . . he's gone too far.

Yancy gasped again and gave Dark an apologetic expression, "S . . ..  sorry"

All of a sudden, Yancy blinked his eyes and went back in place like a good little puppet.

"They ain't worth it! They always gonna leave ya behind so it's best to just stick with what youses!"

His voice changed and his expression got more serious. Dark knew then that this wasn't Yancy.

"The past ain't the kind of thing to be trifled with."

Yancy shook his head, looking confused, "So what's it gonna be, huh? You gonna stick with us? Or are ya gonna go out on yer own?"

Dark could have destroyed his cane with how much pressure he was squeezing it with.

Stacey and Jameson  held back, letting Dark be the one to decide.

Dark just sighed, "Very well, Actor. You really want to play the game like that? I see what's going on here now. You're taking over the egos minds. Forcing them to comply with the story again. They're there. That's okay then. Because when I free them, you're gonna wish I really DID kill you back then"

Yancy smirked and looked to be almost taunting him, 'Well say something. Why ain't you talking?!"

Dark growled low, "I choose to be free. Just as I'll free ALL of them. Again"

With that, they could all feel the pull and started to teleport.

When Stacey opened her eyes again, she was standing in a small play theater. 

And right in front of her was Eva, Antisepticeye and Dark.

'That's weird. Why am I grouped with HIM again?' but that was the least of her worries, 'Antisepticeye. Oh boy. This isn't going to go well'

Chase sat up in what appeared to be a child's bed. 

'Stacey is pregnant. . . . We're trapped in some weird ass story. The others can't use their powers to escape. We're really fucked here, huh?'

Just then, he noticed something move. The closet peered open but Chase sighed in relief, "Olivia! Hey! It's just me, Uncle Chase!"

Olivia recognized him and ran up to him, hugging him tight, "Uncle Chase! I was so scared! Iris and Uncle Jameson and I were in this weird commercial for bubbles and we heard the Mustache man talking but suddenly everyone was gone and I was just HERE! I got scared and hid in the closet"

"It's okay, Olive." Chase hugged her, "We'll figure this out. I think we just have to make choices and we'll be fine. As soon as something actually happens, that is"

"Have you seen mommy or daddy?"

Chase just shook his head. He wasn't about to lie to the child, "No, sorry. I was with Stace and Marvin last time."

She started to sniffle, "I want my mommy and daddy"

"It's okay" he kissed her forehead, "I'll protect you"

Anti looked around. He didn't know WHERE he was. Last thing he remembered was Antisepticeye choosing to go out guns blazing and he was HERE. . . in this strange dimly lit office. And the lights were. . ..  pink?

But more importantly, Wilford Warfstache was in front of him!

"That's enough out of you!" Warfstache took the box from him that was the same box from where he was previously.

Anti let him take it, "Wh . . ..  Wilford!? What's going on!?"

There was a TV behind him that was just static and the walls were cheap wood, not even real walls.

"You! You're LATE!" Wilford scolded him, "And the only thing I hate more than people showing up late for their interview is people showing up early. AND YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF DOING BOTH!"

"What?"

Wilford flipped his hands up dramatically, "But I'm a forgiving person! So let's just get on with the interview!"

Anti looked down and he wished he hadn't, "Are you in your underwear?"

"START THE MUSIC!!"

Music was suddenly blaring and Anti flinched, glitching.

But for some reason that seemed to resonate with Wilford and he flinched, too.

Wilford cringed a little and blinked.

"oH. . .. So I'm HERE now, huh? Wow, what a ride! I was just at the gameshow and now my old office! How exciting!"

Anti wasn't sure what to say or do, "Uh . . ."

"Don't say anything!" Wilford glanced over and say the box, "Ah, I remember that thing! So silly and utterly useless" he laughed, "If you answer a question, you might be popped off somewhere else already. I tried to help out the others. Anthony, that pretty girl and the two pretty boys but it didn't seem to work. I think Markimoo really has done a lot of work here. So fascinating!"

'He sounds like Eva' Anti smiled just a little but he was worried for his friends, "Please keep trying, Wilford. If you can. Who knows how long we could end up stuck here?"

"Probably forever" Wilford shrugged, "But I doubt it!" he broke out in a laugh, "Markimoo has always been one for theatrics but he knows that all stories must come to an end"

Wilford cleared his throat, tapping his chin with his finger, "End . . . . ." he smiled, "Yes, everything is going pretty linear, I'd say. It's easier for me to understand."

Anti nodded, "Good. What's going on?"

He glanced at Anti and the glitch tried to pretend Wilford had pants on as he leaned closer.

"We're half way there. To the end of the stories. There were four stories. The TV channel, the Date, the Heist and the Space story. We're half way there and when we get to the end, you should all have your shot at ending it."

Wilford pat his naked thighs, "I don't know what will happen after that. He changed everything. It's kind of exciting, though, isn't it?! Huh . . .. well that's okay. I'm sure we'll see each other again anyway!"

In the distance, a soft somber music started to play, making Wilford's smile fade away.

Anti hadn't seen him frown like this before. He always seemed to have some sort of smile on his face.

"W-Wilford? What's that music?"

"Celine . . . ." he took a deep breathe, "She always loved that song. . . . she played the piano so gracefully. . . ."

Before Anti could say anything more, Wilford tapped Anti's chest, "Remember those potions the pretty magician gave you all. And the marble .  ..  you'll need Anthony by your side very soon. There's also a nice lady with you all. Her name is Gab. Celine says you'll see her next. See ya next time!"

With that, Anti blinked and he was suddenly in front of a strange woman.

She looked so happy to see him at first until her smile faded in realization.

'The nice lady he spoke about' Anti remembered.

"Are you . . ..  Gab?

Meanwhile back with Chase and Olivia, a strange man that looked like Mark in a blonde wig broke in with a rush of knocks, whipping the door open

Chase held Olivia closer to him, unsure about all of this.

"What's wrong, sport!?" he looked worried but took a breathe, "Bless my stars! Was it the nightmare about the spaceship again? Hehehe. That one just keeps coming back, doesn't it?"

Chase stared at him, 'Is that a fanny pack?'

"Well I know just the thing that's gonna cure that. ANOTHER STORY!" He leaned over by the bookshelf, "Alright, let's see what we got here"

He pulled out a strange book that looked like Mark laying on the ground, 'Is that Actor? He's wearing the same red robe. . .'

"That might be a little too grisly" the man threw it aside and pulled out another book that looked like Mark holding a rose.

'That's where me and Stacey and Marv just were! The date! The hell is happening!?'

"Read that one too many times" The fatherly-like man threw it aside as well, "Nah"

There was one that looked like Wilford and another one that looked like Dark if he had longer hair.

Olivia whispered to Chase, "This is really weird, uncle Chase"

"I know. It is, isn't it? Just don't say anything. I'll talk, okay?"

She nodded.

The strange 'blonde' man kept pulling out strange weird books and throwing them aside before settling on two  labeled Romance and Horror.

'That's a little on the nose, isn't it?' Chase scoffed to himself.

"How about I let YOU decide, huh?" he came up to them and sat on the edge of the bed, "You could read a nice romance story. That'd be fun. Or I know you love scary stories but it might give you a few more nightmares. You could go romance? It'd be a little silly and more than a little sappy but it might be just the thing to kick ya back to sleep!"

'That was quick. Didn't expect a choice so soon' Chase didn't know what was going on but he knew what would happen next.

"Olivia. When we make a choice, we'll get separated, okay? You have to brave, alright? Everything's going to be just fine"

"You promise?"

Chase didn't like lying to her but he hoped everything would be fine, "Yeah. I promise."

She nodded, "Okay. I'll be brave."

"Good girl." he kissed her forehead again, "You'll see your parents again, I promise. How about the romance, story?"

She nodded, "Romance. I don't like scary stories anymore"

"I completely understand."

The man grinned, "Good choice!"

With that, they felt the all too familiar pull started to teleport.

When Olivia opened her eyes, she was in a cave. 

She was about to panic because she hated the dark and cramped spaces but a familiar shout drew her attention away from it.

"Olivia!!?"

She gasped and turned around, "Daddy!?"

Mark growled under his breathe, "Yancy. . ..  he just HAD to break out of my grasp. If only for moment. But it was enough to ruin everything." 

He scoffed, "I wanted to see Dark in more pain but now he has more HOPE. Disgusting." he shuddered at the very word.

Mark crossed his arms, watching everything in his head. 

'Yes, Wilford, you THINK you can help. You THINK you know what's happening. That wasn't Celine, it was me, not that he has to know. . . . had to get him to stop talking.'

He was getting angry again just thinking about Wilford, 'Taking my wife from me. Acting so heartbroken at her death. . . . she was MINE, you crazed homewrecker. . . and as for Damien . . .. he's ruined my plans for long enough.'

He took a long and deep breathe, feeling Marvin, Dark, Jackie, Evan, Gabriella and Anti's and all the other Ipleir egos energies flow into him more and more the longer they stayed trapped.

Even's Wilford's powers were being taken and that was just the beginning of his plans.

"It's almost time for the second Act to begin. . . . They won't see THIS coming"