He Doesn't Talk Much - Jacksepticeye Egos Fanfic

Chapter 17 -Running Out of Time

Marvin the Magnificent, JJ signed, his eyes wide. Why was he here? I thought you said he was missing...

"Yeah," Jackie agreed, in a nervous voice. "Yeah, he was."

JJ waited for Jackie to elaborate, but he didn't. It was strange; he'd never seen Jackie or Chase like this. They were quiet, tense, but not outright afraid.

So... what's his deal? JJ asked, sitting across the bed from Jackie and Chase. Chase was picking through the playing cards on the cot, turning each of them over before tucking them into his hand.

Jackie watched him for a moment, then tore his eyes back to JJ. "Well, uh, we don't really know." Jackie scratched the back of his head. "That's part of the problem. I think... he wanted... to be a magician, right?" Jackie turned to Chase. "He... he... uh..."

Chase shook his head. He didn't look up, but he sighed deeply. "Marvin was created before most of us. And we still know the least about him. None of us were around before he vanished..." Chase sighed, letting his hands fall still. "Yeah. He did want to be a magician. Like, a performer. Not real magic, though. He didn't believe in real magic..."

"What...?" Jackie said, looking confused.

Chase went back to picking up the cards. "I don't know what I'm talking about," he muttered.

Jackie looked slowly back at JJ. "Well... anyway, for all we know, he could be as strong as Anti. Or stronger. But we've got no clue whose side he's on."

JJ looked very uncomfortable at this. His hands shook slightly as he signed, but... he didn't kill Jack, at least.

Jackie nodded slowly. "Sure, he didn't kill Jack. But he hasn't exactly been around to help, either." Jackie frowned. "Halloween 2016... nothing. Jack was dead at his table until Schneep and I found him. Chase helped us get him to the clinic. Where was Marvin? Nowhere to be found." Jackie explained. "A-and then, at PAX, the next spring, when Anti was about to go onstage-"

"You mean Jack," Chase said suddenly.

"What?"

"You said Anti was about to go onstage. You meant Jack."

Jackieboy went white as a sheet. "Yes, yes, of course," he said quickly, in a small voice. "No, Jack was about to go onstage, and Anti showed up. I- I don't- I didn't mean to say that." Jackie looked down. "The point is, Chase, Schneep, and I have been the only three reliable ones... the only ones working against Anti."

"Oh, that's a good sign," Chase muttered sarcastically, turning over a jack of spades. There was a red stain across the center of the card, right through the jack's neck.

"There's another card there," Jackie said quietly. Chase squinted.

"You're right!" He peeled the edge of the jack to reveal the card underneath. A three of spades. On the card in scrawling red handwriting were the words, Running out of time!

JJ's face went white.

"I don't like the look of that," Jackie muttered.

"What the hell are we supposed to do about that?" Chase growled, throwing the cards back onto the bed. Jackie tried to meet his eyes, but Chase was staring at Jack's sleeping face, frowning intently. JJ was clutching his hands, looking around the room shiftily.

Jackie felt lost, helpless. "God... damn it," he sighed. A resoluteness came over him, and he set his shoulders. "Alright," he said, standing up. "Let's start preparing for this Halloween special."

JJ's panic dissolved suddenly. His eyes lit up.

Chase looked confused as he met Jackie's intense stare.

"No fear this Halloween. We're handling this our way," Jackie insisted, offering a hand for Chase to pull himself up. Chase accepted it, and stood, but uncertainty had crept into his eyes. "JJ's video is going to be pure and Halloween-y and wonderful, goddamn it," Jackie growled. Chase's fear couldn't stop a small smile from creeping across his face.

Chase sighed. He nodded in agreement. "And the people are going to love it."