Chained Puppet

Embedded Inside

Anti nodded. He looked tired after giving him all that energy. Like he could sleep for days.

Marvin rubbed his forehead gently to soothe him, "We're not ever doing that like that again, you hear me? The magic seems to be. . . . . embedded within you. Too closely a part of you. It's okay. We'll get through it, Anti. Just rest for now, alright?"

Anti couldn't argue with that and fell asleep with Marvin still rubbing his forehead.

'Fuck' the magician thought, 'I used to have so much power . . . .  I almost forgot what it felt like to be that powerful. And puppeteer has it, too. No wonder he's been keeping Anti so close to him.'

A few minutes later, Chase and Jackie ran upstairs to see what the hell was going on but Marvin managed to convince him that Anti was using too much of his power again. They bought it and left but Marvin knew Dark would see past all that bullshit. He didn't know if Dark had seen what happened but for now, he was grateful he didn't call him out on his lie. If he HAD seen it.

While Anti rested in his bed, Marvin kept himself deep in thought. It wasn't as if he had been doing nothing the last few days since the previous spell. He had been doing it again and again, continuously remembering small pieces here and there. But it wasn't enough.

He couldn't make them stick properly and the edges of the mind were. . . .  blurred or frayed in a way. He needed a better way to see the memories. Then perhaps it would also be easier to keep track of as well. He could . . . .  well it depended on the conduit of choice to keep those memories in.

Then he thought of it.

'The Television in Anti's apartment! That's it!'

But he couldn't go now. Not while everyone was up and about. He had to wait. Bide his time. Odds are the TV was still there. Or at least he hoped it was unless the puppeteer took and destroyed it since the last time they were there after kidnapping Anti.

'I'll just have to sneak out and see. Anti gave me enough power, if I walk there later tonight and run into any trouble, I could just teleport out. No problem!'

Excited about his little plan, Marvin grinned, his heart beating fast. Until . . . . . he suddenly felt arms around him. Marvin laid back when he noticed Anti cuddling into him. The magician couldn't help but smile and cuddle back.

'It's not even dinner yet, though. I can rest for a little while here until my little adventure'

Deep in Anti's mind, a memory crawled its way to the surface.

After he escaped Sean's head, he ran to the puppeteer. He didn't know where he was going but he followed the voice that was calling for him.

Like a dog, he followed the call.

After running for so long, Anti found himself in an empty warehouse, his lungs burning and his new muscles so tired.

"Come closer, puppet"

Anti didn't though, staying right where he was, "No! Show yourself! What did you do to me!? What happened!?"

It was dark and unsettling but Anti was stubborn, pulling the knife out he had used on Sean. Or rather. . . . had it really been HIM? Or the puppeteer?

"Insolent little mutt" the man came out of the shadows. He had a mask on and a cloak. Green eyes glowing past the eye-holes making him look like a demon or something. His mere presence sent shivers running down his spine and he backed up couple feet.

"You think you can order me?" the man reached out his hand and suddenly Anti was on the ground, a surging pain inside of him. He couldn't even scream, it was so much. He just convulsed on the ground on the dirty floor as the man got closer to closer until he was kneeling over him.

He stopped whatever he did and Anti went limp, shuddering in pain. He couldn't move.

The man gently pet his cheek, "Aw. . . . poor little puppet. You do not realize yet who you belong to. If it hadn't been for me, you'd still be just a thought. You would have been forgotten soon enough. You OWE me . . . .  Antisepticeye"

Anti growled but didn't retaliate. He didn't want him to hurt him again, "What do you w-want from me?"

"For now? For now you'll hold onto something for me . . . . Then later we'll make them all pay for what they did to us. Casting us aside. Don't you want revenge, puppet?"

Anti thought about it but puppeteer didn't give him time to think. He slammed his palm against his chest and a bright white light engulfed him.

It was so searing and painful, Anti couldn't help but to scream. He gripped the man's wrist but he kept him still, shoving whatever power this was inside of him.

Anti wanted to writhe around and claw at him but it was no use. The energy was so overwhelming, he thought he'd explode. In the distance, he thought he could hear car alarms going off and see street lights in his peripheral vision flicker wildly. Something terribly big was happening. He felt like he was going to die. And he just came to life!

Was this just IT for him?

The man above him just smiled. It was the last thing he saw before passing out.