Chained Puppet

Another Ego?

"Like Jameson said before. Watch out" Jackie commented, "For this magic weirdo AND Anti. If he starts acting off, tell someone, agreed?"

They all nodded a bit sadly, watching Anti on the couch as he cuddled a pillow. No way he could be the way he was before again. There just wasn't any way. Right?

By the time Anti woke up, it was a new day. He could hear birds chirping outside, the soft buzz of the TV, crackling from the kitchen signaling that someone was making breakfast. But Anti just felt so comfortable where he was. Even if he knew he'd be stiff, he didn't care.

He barely opened his eyes when he heard a scream. 

Anti bolted up and ran to the kitchen to see Chase on the floor bleeding. It looked like he had been stabbed and he was crying. As soon as he saw Anti, he started shouting for help.

"No! Please! You don't have to do this! Please! Jackie! Henrik! HELP!!"

Anti shuddered, confused but as he looked down, he saw the knife in his hand. He yelped in fear and dropped the knife.

At the clang of the metal on the floor, Anti bolted up from the couch, heart pounding.

"Whoa there!" Jackie's voice was next to him on the nearby chair, "Easy, Anti. It was just a dream, man"

Anti's breathing eased but he got up, untangling himself from the blankets they gave him in the night. He ran to the kitchen to see Chase just fine, cooking up some eggs and bacon for breakfast.

"Oh hey there, Anti! You're awake! You hun- ooof!" Anti glitched over to him and hugged him tight.

Chase put down his spatula and rubbed his back, "Hey calm down, dude. It's okay. You're home now. Everything's gonna be okay"

"I had a nightmare"

"It was just a nightmare. You're okay now. I got ya"

A few moments later, Anti let him go but stared at the spot on Chase where he stabbed him in the dream. Chase didn't mind it, though and ruffled his hair, "Go sit down at the table, hm? Breakfast is almost ready"

Anti did as told and slowly, everyone else started filing in the kitchen, too, either patting Anti's shoulder or greeting him with a smile. It made Anti feel better, at least.

They ate in silence but it was pretty awkward. You could tell questions were in the air but no one was brave enough. Marvin kept staring at him, which was weird but he waited until they spoke first.

After finishing his breakfast, Henrik was the first, "Did he hurt you, Anti? Do anything? I noticed your stitches were removed. Your head looked . . . . healed"

Anti nodded, "Y-yeah. . . I'm fine. He uh . . .  It was magic or something he said. He tried to get me on his good side I guess. Something about us working together"

Chase snorted "Did ya tell him to fuck off?"

"Pretty much"

There were a few giggles but things were still serious. They needed to know.

"Anti . . . Did you see what he looked like?"

He drank a little of his water but nodded, his features turning worried, "He . . . . I don't know who he was and he didn't say his name. But he looked like us"

"But zhat is impossible" Henrik gaped at him, "Zhere is only us Septic egos. There are no more. Perhaps you vere mistaken?"

Anti shook his head, "He was too close for me not to see his face. He was a Septic. I know it. And it wasn't Sean. Met him already, too"

"Wait, what?" Jackie stopped him, "Explain?"

Anti just shrugged, "I was trying to get here . . .  accidentally glitched myself to Sean's place instead. And two other people's. I don't know who, though."

"Fuck, man" Chase groaned, "You're damn lucky Sean didn't erase you right there. He say anything to you?"

"Who cares about that?!" Henrik shouted,"Zhere is a Septic ego out zhere we don't know about zhat wants to kill us! Perhaps we should call Sean ourselves now. He vould know-"

"No!" Marvin interrupted, "There's a reason we blocked Sean out of our lives, remember? He doesn't care about us and he'll only help if it benefits him. We can figure this out on our own, I know it"

'I agree with Marvin' Jameson joined in, 'I think we should hold off. Sean might not even know, himself. He didn't know about Anti's existence at first, remember?'

"JJ's right"Chase agreed, "Let's just take a breather. Jackie, I'm sorry. I know you're gonna disagree with me on this next thing but I really think we oughta discuss it. We might need help. If this dude knows magic shit-"

"Anti has his glitching abilities. You have your gun and I have my strength." Jackie KNEW what Chase was going to suggest and he didn't agree one bit.

"Anti doesn't remember enough about his own powers yet to actually help. No offense, Anti. I think we could use an Iplier's help"

"We're not asking Dark"

"I didn't say Dark"

"You were thinking it."

"Jackie, come on, now. We don't know how powerful this man could be."

"But we know how Dark can be. He's manipulative and evil. He'd probably join forces with the guy!"

"You don't know that"

"Agh! Shut zhe fook up, already!" Henrik stopped them from arguing further, "We vill discuss it later. . . . For now can we just be grateful Anti is back and unharmed?"

Everyone went silent, taking in Henrik's words. They were both equally shocked and amused at the statement.

'Never thought we'd see the day we'd be grateful for that' Jameson chuckled silently.

The others smiled softly but Anti was left in a dreamworld, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't stop thinking about what happened yesterday. It was all so much. The new people, the new experiences and abilities. New discoveries. 

He may have just woke up but he was already tired again. He just wanted to crawl into his bed rolled up in the blankets and forget about everything. This time without so much drama.

Marvin was a little panicked. He hadn't known. He was hoping it wasn't the case. But he remembered now. This wasn't good. His past was coming to haunt him and not even his brothers could help.