Infected

Defeated

A/N: I don't update for a few weeks and everyone freaks out 😂 should I take that as a compliment? TBH, there is a reason I've neglected this one a bit. I can't explain now, but I promise, you'll find out in the future 💖

You hurry up the stairs in search of Anti. Hiding yourself behind a pillar, you watch Dark take a leap off of the platform. Sean and Nate must have distracted him enough to get him away from you.

You move around the pillar again, ready to fight Anti, but you bump into someone else. Dr. Schneeplestein. You internally groan; you had forgotten about him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Schneeplestein asks.

"I don't have time to deal with you right now. Let me pass." You attempt to go around him, but he moves in front of you again.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Miss (y/n)," he says. "At this point I have to--"

The evil doctor is cut off only by your fist colliding with his face. For once, this works out well for you. Schneeplestein had been standing near the edge of the platform. The sudden shock of the punch is enough to make him lose his balance and plunge him into the battle below.

You shake your hand out and continue forward. With him out of the way, your only concern is Anti. He was just here, but where is he now? He can't be far.

You find him in a moment, sitting next to a big, broken window. A snowstorm rages outside, and the wind is blowing inside, ruffling his hair ever so slightly. His silhouette alone is enough to make you rethink your decision.

"You just can't quit, huh?" Anti asks.

"I'll stop fighting you when you stop kidnapping me and my friends," you send back.

Anti crosses his arms and studies you with an amused smile. "Ya know, every time you come here, you're a little bit braver. But every time you confront me, you still get that little shake in your voice."

You glance to the ground for a second and press your lips together. Anti steps toward you and says, "I know you're trying to buy yourself some time. But what I don't understand, is why."

You look up again and suddenly realize that Anti is really close to you. Because you're trying to challenge him, you force yourself to not step away like you normally would. Instead, you plant your hands on his chest and give him a shove.

Anti is knocked slightly off balance. He starts to laugh, but it's not mocking that it had been before. It's more of a "you-have-no-idea-what-you've-just-done" laugh. 

"Oh, you're asking for it now."

He lunges at you, knocking you to the floor. You shove him off by kicking him in the stomach. He somehow gets to his feet, and you do the same. You move toward him and raise your fist. Anti catches it, but you manage to land a punch to the left side of his face with your other hand. He grunts but still is able to shove you into the wall like a ragdoll.

"I may have underestimated you this time," Anti says. He walks over to where you're crumpled on the ground. He towered over you. "You seem to be stepping away from your 'gentle nature'. If I didn't hate you so much I might be enjoying it."

You say nothing, but extend your foot into Anti's legs. Not expecting it, he crashes to the floor. You get up, thinking that you'll now have an advantage. However, Anti glitches so that he's on his feet again.

"Oh, that's not fair," you say, forcing smirk. Not that you expected much less.

"Deal with it," Anti says, spreading his arms. 

You land another punch to his face, but he grabs you as he falls to the floor. He kicks you in the stomach and shoves you off of him. He does all this without releasing his iron grip on your wrist. You never get away from him, because you can't.  Anti flips you to the floor, smacking your head.

As Anti moves over top of you, you shove your feet into his chest again. He puts all of his weight on your legs, so that you physically can't push against him. You grunt in pain, and do everything you can to get him to release you. He punches your face repeatedly, until you taste blood.

Anti leans in near your ear. "Still think you can take me?"

You pause to catch your breath, and then say, "Maybe you're right."

Anti pulls back and looks at you, confused. "What?"

"Maybe you're right, maybe they were all right," you continue. "I'm one person. Everyone down there is working as a team." 

You look up at Anti's questioning eyes, tears starting to form in your own. "Maybe it would have been easier if I had listened to you, and taken your advice. Maybe I should have joined you."

Anti's eyebrow creases. He gets off of you and moves away from you. You sit up and see him pacing as if he's thinking hard. He looks back over at you.

"What are you playing at? Why now are you deciding to change alliances?" 

You force out a laugh. "Are you seeing the blood running down my face?"

Anti presses his lips together, much like you did. Maybe you weren't so different? He walks over to you and grabs your hand. Pulling you to your feet, he studies your bleeding face.

"Are you serious?" he asks.

You smile and let out a more real laugh. Then your face turns serious as you answer. "No." 

You deliver another blow, this time straight to his nose.