Unexpectedly Sequeled

TA 45

...Very slight change of plans. We'll split them up. I'll pretend to go after Host and Anti, you pretend to go after Dark. Last minute, I'll raise my tail up in signal. You'll swerve to hit me, okay? This makes our chances drop a tad, but it'll be fine.

"Y̴̔o̵͒ú̸ ̶r̶̃e̶̓ȃ̵l̴͐l̴̍y̷̓ ̸ń̵e̴̓e̷̚d̷̓ ̴t̴̂o̴̊ ̶s̷̔t̴̄ö̴́p̷̆ ̵c̷͆o̷̓m̶̓ì̴n̷̅g̷͋ ̶ủ̷p̸̔ ̶w̶͗i̸͗t̴̎h̸̑ ̵P̸̈́Ä̷́R̴̂T̴̊Ḯ̵Ȁ̶L̴̿ ̶p̶̾l̸̑ȃ̸n̸̎s̵͝ ̸ā̴n̷͘d̶͝ ̵č̸o̵͝m̸̉ȇ̶ ̸u̴͑p̴͝ ̴w̶̽ï̷t̶̃h̴͘ ̶s̴͐ỏ̷m̶̄e̸̎ Ȃ̴C̷̈T̸̎U̴͝Ȃ̵L̶͊ ̵p̴͒l̵̀ǎ̶n̸̏s̷̈́.̸ ̶T̷h̵̊ĩ̷ś̸ ̸h̶͘a̵̔š̵ ̵b̷̽ë̶c̸̿o̷̐m̸̐e̸̍ ̷q̸̊u̴̿i̸̎t̶̾e̷̚ ̵t̶͗h̶̃e̴͌ ̸ȁ̵ẁ̴f̸͗u̷͂l̵ ̶t̴̿h̶̿e̶̐m̸̽e̴̊ ̶ȉ̸n̴̚ ̷y̵̓õ̷ü̵r̸͌ ̷d̷̎ä̷m̴̿n̵̂e̸͠d̸̈́ ̶s̷̓t̴̛o̴̓r̸̄i̸̅é̸s̶̆.̷" Auto let out a gurgle of a hiss, her voice dropping concerningly low. 

Usually because in those situations, there's no time to stop and take forty minutes to think of a fully fleshed-out plan! This is one of those situations! Just do as I say and I- and we win! And be careful this time! DON'T drop your guard around that psycho!

Auto sighed but nodded. The two stepped away from each other, and then the fox charged. It launched just between Dark and Anti, turning to the glitch and Host and snarling. The two stepped back, but Dark turned to grab it by the scruff. Unfortunately, life had other plans and his reaching hand was almost blown off. He turned to see Auto with a smirk, her soul out. There was enough space between her and Host for her to be sort of confident. 

The duo successfully split the group up, but now it was a matter of timing. I was always bad at timing. Or perhaps I was too good at timing? I have no idea- my timing was always convenient. But not always in a good way. So, there was still the possibility that-

"That- that right there! That's the kind of mindset that got the Author here!" Host cut into the writing again. Yes, it got me here. So close to victory. Victory over... Beings from another universe that I technically control. 

Wait...

Host knows what I write, so does that mean-?!

Host was narrating, so there was only one thing to do now. The fox feigned an attack at Anti, making him back off, before jumping and twisting in the air, howling. Host was caught off-guard, but Auto got the hint. There was a new signal. Dark looked over his shoulder to look at the fox, and in that moment, he made the biggest mistake he could've in this situation. 

Auto aimed, and with as much energy as she could save up and muster in those moments of violence, she fired. 

And I won.

A piercing shriek echoed through the outdoors, seeming to go on forever. Birds and bats flew away, insects went silent, and a shadow cast over the moon. All as if the entire world could understand what was happening. 

A tremor went through Auto, and she stumbled back. The white dots in her eyes were gone, and as she steadied herself, she seemed to get worse. The fox had fallen- it had lied. I lied. But Auto should be happy about that. She did what she set out to do.

So why did she look so broken? This is what she wanted.

"You were wrong. You always were. This is what YOU wanted- she never hated you, idiot. Spite and hate are... So, so different." Anti shook his head, stepping back to give Host space as he went towards Auto, who had fallen to her knees. The glitch's eyes never left the fox, and after a moment, he walked towards it. 

Without a word, Dark followed the glitch and sat next to the fox, who was still breathing... But not for much longer. 

"Host felt bad, he really did. He felt worse than words could ever express. It was laughable, really..." Host's words were almost casual as he took Auto's soul into his hands. "The trails of Actor's soul left-" Auto jerked backwards, but Host held her still. Already, Host was pale with the effort, so she must've not been putting up much of a fight. "-Flickered away and left Auto's soul." The dark egos relaxed at that, but Host seemed to tense, his shoulders trembling slightly. 

Something was wrong. Was Host... Crying?

Wait. No. He's- "Heheheheh. Unfortunately for the dear Author, Host wasn't a fan of letting friends go. Neither was he a fan of losing. Especially not to people who fail to think about the consequences to their actions." What did he mean-?... No. No, no, no!

A blue aura washed over the fox, leaving it still. Slowly, the mangled, beastly creature relaxed under the magic's influence. A slightly chilly feeling tingled through it as Dark's blue aura healed its wounds. 

And then the manor's door opened, the light from inside stretching out and highlighting the shadow of a figure. 

"The dark egos were never the ones being played, child."