Mark made his way downstairs in the morning, carrying Chica in his arms. He found King, Chase and the Googles in the kitchen with the baby squirrels and smiled slightly. "I guess our babies won't be babies for much longer." He sat down on the floor, letting the sleepy Chica curl up in his lap.
"Gonna miss her being so little and cute, bro?" Chase smiled.
Mark nodded. "I'd considered maybe leaving her like this but... I don't know if it's good for her." He sighed. "I mean, being little kids started to effect us, I don't want her to be a different dog. I love MY Chica." Hearing her name, the puppy in his lap squirmed. She whined and pawed at his leg until he started petting her and she calmed again. "You ready to give up your babies?" Mark asked, looking up to watch King, with three of the baby squirrels clinging to his shirt and the cloak he had wrapped around himself.
King stared at the babies a moment before he slowly nodded. "Yeah. I think so. I'm gonna miss holding them, but they're... a lot of work... and I think they'll be happier outside, with their trees and friends."
"I'm sure they will be." Mark smiled.
Before too long, Chica was feeling more awake, and let out a few barks as she wriggled around in Mark's lap, playfully nipping at his fingers. King frowned, as the babies twitched and clung tighter to him at the barks. "Shh... Chica... you're scaring the babies." King looked over at the dog.
Mark chuckled softly. "Sorry, King. She didn't mean it." He scooped the puppy up, holding her against his chest and she tossed her head back, nipping at his jaw. "Chica... no..." Mark chuckled, then he smiled. "What about the laser pointer? You wanna chase the little red dot?" He looked up as Google Red grabbed a laser pointer from the drawer and held it out to him. Taking the pointer, Mark gently pushed the pup out of his lap. "Okay girl.... here it is!" He turned on the light, aiming it at the floor. The pup wandered around a moment before Mark finally caught her attention with the laser, then she took off, chasing the little dot all over the kitchen.
It was a little while before Henry scampered into the kitchen, making his way over to Mark and prodded his leg with his nose, snuffling. "Hey Henry." Mark grinned, petting the pup with his free hand while he continued to move the laser pointer around the floor, leading Chica.
"What are you doing?" Amy laughed, leaning in the doorway.
"Playing with Chica." Mark grinned. Suddenly Henry noticed Chica on the chase and raced over to join in her hunt of the little red dot.
Amy crossed the room and sat down beside Mark, leaning into him. "Good boy Henry! Get it!"
Chase grinned. "Good doggos! Get the light, dudes! Get it, get it!"
They were all still playing with the puppies and cuddling baby squirrels when Robin made his way into the kitchen. "There's always so much happening here in the morning." He chuckled, making his way to the coffee machine.
"Only when Wilford and Jameson have been messing around in our lives." Mark smirked.
Chase, who now had possession of the laser pointed, directed the puppies across the room, placing the red dot on Robin's butt. Chica and Henry instantly charged him, jumping at the back of his legs. "Oh, hey!" Robin laughed, turning around and leaned down, petting the puppies, until he noticed the red dot, which Chase was slowly moving down his leg. "Chase!"
Laughing, Chase turned off the laser pointer. "Sorry, bro! I just wanted them to say good morning to you!"
"Well good morning Henry and Chica." Robin grinned, ruffling up their fur. Henry dropped onto his back, while Chica sat on top of his foot, wagging her tail furiously. After a moment, Chica got up, running back to jump on Mark who smiled and pulled her into his lap, kissing the top of her head.
Henry flopped over watching Chica and let out a whine. Mark chuckled. "Well come here then Henry." The puppy pawed the ground, still laying on his side and let out another whine. "Come here!" Mark laughed, shaking his head, and Henry squirmed forward slightly before barking.
"Henry! No barking!" King gasped.
Robin smiled, watching the squirrel babies crawling on King. "Oh, that's right. The babies are going to be turned back today, huh?"
King sighed, nodding. "Yeah. Did you want to cuddle one? Last chance."
"Oh, yes!" Robin grinned, carefully stepping over Henry and made his way over to take a baby squirrel from King.
When Jack found his way into the kitchen, Chica was nearly asleep in Mark's lap, Henry was sitting in Amy's and kissing her face, while King, Chase and Robin were cuddling with baby squirrels. "Hey..." Jack smiled, making his way over to get a cup of coffee. "Am I the last one up?"
"Wilford and Jameson are still sleeping." Mark shrugged.
"Nah. They're up." Jack smiled, leaning against the counter. "They're in the living room playing tic tac toe."
Mark looked up at Jack, tilting his head. "Tic tac toe? Seriously?"
Jack shrugged, nodding his head. "Yup."
Getting to his feet, Mark lifted Chica with him and handed the sleepy puppy to Jack who grinned, pulling her close. Chica sighed, settling into him and Jack let out an involuntary "Awwwww". Slowly Mark crept to the living room, leaning around the corner. Wilford and Jameson were sitting on the couch, looking down at something between them and Mark quietly made his way over.
"Yes, we're playing tic tac toe." Wilford mumbled. Jameson looked up at him frowning, and Wilford simply gestured to Mark. Looking over at the man, Jameson's mouth opened wide, then he grinned giving a little wave.
"I thought I was being quiet." Mark chuckled. "Well, uh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. Just curious what you guys were up to..."
Wilford looked up at him, tilting his head. "Did you want us to turn the dogs back?"
Mark nodding slightly. "Yeah... but not just yet. Amy and I are getting in some puppy snuggling and everyone's saying their goodbyes to the squirrels."
"So buzz off then." Wilford muttered.
Jameson frowned, shaking his head. He tapped Wilford's shoulder and the mad man looked up at him as Jameson waggled a finger 'no' at him. He looked back to Mark with a smile. Pointing to Wilford, Jameson then placed his fingers in the corners of his own mouth and pulled it down into a frown. Mark looked at Wilford, then back to Jameson. "Why is he upset?"
Wilford's head snapped up, forcing a large grin. "Upset? Whoever said I was upset? I'm Wilford Warfstache, I-" Jameson placed a hand on Wilford's shoulder, frowning at him and Wilford sighed. "You said I was upset? Betrayal..."
Jameson's chest bounced slightly as he laughed and Wilford's grin faded to a small, genuine smile. Letting go of Wilford's shoulder, Jameson pulled out his cell phone and leaned over the back of the couch, typing before he showed the screen to Mark. 'He's bluer than the ocean. He said he's gonna miss someone to run wild with him, that's all.'
"He's upset you'll be leaving soon..." Mark nodded.
Wilford shook his head, swiping a hand through the air to brush it off. "Jamie, it's your turn." Jameson looked down at the pad of paper between them, then looked back to Mark. Wilford rolled his eyes, staring up at Mark. "We're busy." Jameson turned, tapping on Wilford's shoulder and frowned at him.
Mark sighed. "It's alright Jameson. You guys have fun." He bit his lip, heading back into the kitchen. Jack was still holding Chica, the puppy licking his face as he chuckled. Mark took a moment to look around the rest of the room, watching King, Chase, Robin, Google Blue and Yellow in a lively discussion over something as they held the tiny squirrel babies, feeding them for the last time. Amy was still sitting on the floor, quietly talking to Henry as she brushed her fingers through his fur, and Google Red and Green were standing in corners of the room, silently watching. Slowly, Mark made his way over and leaned against the counter beside Jack, as Chica tossed her head back to stare at him. "Sean..."
"Yeah?" Jack grinned, bouncing Chica gently.
"Did you get your tickets yet?" Mark asked quietly.
Jack nodded, sighing heavily. "Yeah, got them all this morning. We leave the day after tomorrow." He glanced at Mark. "Hope that's alright. Thought we could edit today and then maybe we could all do something fun before we had to go, you know? Robin and I could probably use a down day before we have to travel."
"Oh yeah, that sounds great." Mark nodded, staring at King and Chase.
"You alright?" Jack shifted, following his gaze.
Mark turned his attention to Jack, smiling and nodded. "Of course. Yeah." He sighed then, tilting his head. "I think we have to work out them seeing each other before you leave."
Jack rose an eyebrow, looking at him. "Oh, yeah?"
"Wilford's... really upset that Jameson is going home, and I've never seen King connect with people like this. We can't just separate them all again and not expect it to go wrong again. Maybe if we give them time frames of when they'll see each other again, it'll be easier on them."
"It's not a bad idea." Jack smiled. "Chase is always really excited to be here with them all... and Anti... well Dark is the only one he has actual conversations with most of the time."
Mark nodded, until Chica barked and he jumped a bit, then laughed. "Chica, no. Come here." He purred, taking the puppy from Jack's arms and tucked her against his body petting her. "Be a good girl... you're going to be big again soon, Beaka."
Jack reached over, scratching behind her ears and grinned. "Or... you can stay little and come home with Uncle Sean."
"Uhh... no." Mark grunted, grinning.
"Oh come on, she'll love Brighton!" Jack smirked.
Mark shook his head. "She'd miss daddy too much. Wouldn't you my little Chica Beaka?" Mark purred, nuzzling his nose against the puppy's snout until she gently nibbled at it and he laughed, leaning his head back. Jack just chuckled, grabbing his coffee off the counter to sip at it.
After holding Chica for a little bit, Mark leaned forward, watching Amy on the floor with Henry. "Well..." He sighed. "Do you think it's time?"
Amy smiled sadly and nodded her head. "Yeah. You ready to be my big boy, Henry?"
Mark looked over, taking in the scene of King very gently hugging a tiny squirrel baby against his chest before he got up, and tucked him in the box. He took the baby from Chase, kissing the top of it's head before settling it in the box, then repeated the action taking the babies from Robin and the Googles. He picked up the box and turned to Mark, chewing on his lip.
"Ready King?" Mark offered him a small smile.
"I..." King sighed. "I'm King of the squirrels." He muttered, completely at a loss for words.
It was a strange response, but Mark was used to strange by this point. He simply nodded his head and carried Chica into the living room. "Alright guys. Are you ready to turn them back?"
Wilford looked up at Mark, then glanced at Jameson, who nodded his head. "Yes." Wilford answered, getting up.
Amy had gotten up, lifting Henry into her arms and was kissing his head as she brought him into the living room. Very hesitantly, King held his box of babies to Jameson. The mute patted his shoulder, giving a nod as he took the box and hugged it close. "Thanks Jameson." King sighed.
Jameson tapped a hand under King's jaw, and Wilford couldn't help but translate. "Chin up, old boy." He mumbled, then gently pulled at Jameson's arm before heading towards the back yard. Wilford headed outside, and Jameson followed, setting the box down in the yard. Mark and Amy carried the puppies out and Jameson took Henry, while Mark handed Chica off to Wilford. Mark and Amy joined King, standing inside the back door, watching closely. Chase made his way over and placed a hand on King's shoulder, watching the events in the back yard, as Jack and Robin wandered over to stand beside Mark and Amy.
After a few moments there was a familiar flash of white, and Wilford and Jameson were holding the collars of two adult dogs. Mark let out a sigh of relief, and Amy smiled. Chase felt King tense as the flaps of the box moved, and the first squirrel bolted out and into a tree. Chica let out a few barks, crouching down as she tried to chase it, but Wilford managed to keep a tight hold on her. A second squirrel popped out and bounced around the yard a little before it scampered up a tree, then the other three squirrels leapt out in rapid succession and disappeared into the trees.
King turned, pulling away from Chase's hand and headed to the kitchen. Frowning, Chase quickly followed him. "You alright, bro?" King nodded, then shook his head, pacing the kitchen a little.
Google Blue watched King pacing, before he looked to Chase. "He considers the squirrels family." The android reminded.
Chase frowned. "You just lost your kids." He sighed, grabbing King's shoulders to stop him and hugged him close. "I know that feeling, bro." It didn't take long for King to burst into tears and he buried his face in Chase's shoulder as he sobbed, the man just rubbing his back as he looked up to Google Blue who shrugged in response.
Google Red, Green and Yellow left the kitchen, joining the others in the living room to allow King to have his break down in peace. Wilford and Jameson were just bringing the dogs back inside and everyone knelt down on the floor to pet them. Mark grinned as Chica sat in front of him and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You must be so confused... I wish I could explain all of this to you. Do you even remember being a puppy?"
Wilford took Jameson by the wrist, pulling him around the crowd and grabbed the notebook. He released his hold on Jameson and sat down, drawing a new tic tac toe board. Jameson smiled, sitting down and pointed to the old, unfinished one. "I was losing that one." Wilford winked, drawing an x on the new board, before holding the pen out to Jameson. His chest bouncing with laughter, Jameson nodded his head as he drew an o.
Amy rubbed Henry's belly as Robin gently patted his head. "I guess..." Amy sighed. "We should get editing that mess of footage. It's going to take awhile."
With a frown, Mark glanced around. "Where's King?"
"Chase is handling him." Google Red explained simply.
"I should still check on him..." Mark sighed, getting up and Google Red stopped him.
"Let Chase handle him." Google stated.
Amy smiled, rubbing Mark's back. "You can always check in on him in a bit."
"I guess." Mark mumbled.
Mark, Amy, Jack and Robin would lock themselves into the recording room for the rest of the day, working on editing all of the videos they had filmed. Google Red and Green even joined them at one point, to help with what they could, like colour correction and sound levels.
When Dark walked into the kitchen, Anti was standing on his counter, digging deep in his cupboards. "What are you looking for?" Dark rose an eyebrow, cracking his neck.
Anti shrugged. "Secrets."
"Yes, I keep all of my secrets behind my mugs." Dark smirked, sitting at the table to watch the glitch.
"You COULD!" Anti hissed. "There weren't any in the living room."
Dark chuckled. "Most do not simply leave secrets lying around." He pointed out. "What exactly do you think I would have hidden here anyway? You expect to find a journal with hidden thoughts and emotions?"
Anti's eyes widened and he turned. His body glitched and he smoothly transferred from the counter to the floor. "Like a diary? Do you actually have a diary?"
"No." Dark smirked.
"Bullshit! You wouldn't have brought it up if you didn't have it!" Anti cackled. "Where is it?!"
Dark leaned back in his chair, happy to let Anti's imagination get the best of him. "If I had such a book, why would I tell you where I had hidden it?"
Anti narrowed his eyes. "For... friendship?"
Dark tilted his head. "In that case, of course. It is hidden inside of my mattress." He knew the statement would bring the destruction of his mattress, but he was more than happy to get a new one for the price of the entertainment of watching Anti destroy his old one in a fit. He could do with a new mattress anyway. Just as he assumed, a wild surge of glitches tore through Anti's body and he raced to the bedroom, Dark getting up and slowly followed. He knew there was no need of them going to Mark's that day, and toying Anti with the idea he had a book with all of his deepest thoughts and desires, just laid out, seemed like a good day to him.
Anti on the other hand was too caught up in the excitement that there was some kind of instruction manual on Dark's inner workings, to realize that he was playing right into the other dark entity's hands. Such things happened when one let their guard down around Darkiplier. In either case, ripping the mattress to shreds and watching as fluff flew every which way, was just as satisfying as ripping the boom mic to shreds, and the fact that Dark was allowing him to do it, was satisfying enough for the glitch.
Back at Mark's place, King's sobbing eventually came to an end, and Chase suggested they go out for awhile. With Google Blue in tow, they headed out for some rather early morning ice cream and then found an arcade to spend most of the day at. Chase getting rather obsessed with a Skee-ball machine.
Wilford and Jameson spent a little bit playing tic tac toe before Wilford was sure Mark was too caught up in editing to notice them leave. "We have a few more days..." He smirked. "One last hoorah?"
Jameson pulled the pad towards himself, grabbing the pen and wrote out, 'No giggle juice this time.'
Wilford pouted out his lip, but nodded his head. "Sober adventures, if we must." Jameson gave a wink as he stood, pulling at Wilford's sleeve. "You ARE stir crazy here, too!" Wilford laughed, getting to his feet as Jameson quickly nodded. Turning his head, Wilford glared at Google Yellow. "You wouldn't stand in our way, would you?"
"I have no directions to keep you here, Wilford." Google Yellow explained. "As I understood, you were a free agent once the dogs were adults."
"Peeeerfect." Wilford grinned, wiggling his mustache as he lead Jameson out the front door.
The videos took all day to edit together, and even into the night a bit, but it was worth it. They were all ridiculously happy with how they came out and they were sure Dark and Anti would be happy as well.
Instead of just a simple video for each channel, they had come up with a series of videos that wove together to create quite the story. It was the only way they could explain their absence. They had the basis of the videos Dark and Anti had posted originally, and then Dark's strange video of playing fetch with Chica. But it would all really kick off tomorrow, with a video posted to Jack's channel.
Anti would be in front of the camera, along a wall in Mark's recording room, set up to look like a completely different recording room. Anti's recording room. "Sorry for the delay puppets, I had some... loose ends to tie up." The glitch would smirk and shift to the side, revealing a bound and gagged Chase in a chair behind him. Then he would lean back in front of the camera. The glitch would drone on for awhile about his new plan for the channel... now that Jack was gone. He wouldn't elaborate on where Jack was or what he had done with him, but he would hiss out a warning to stop asking for that, "Weak, insolent worm". Not the term that Jack and Mark had given him, but Jack had accepted it. At the end of the video, Anti would lean forward, his neck beginning to bleed. They hadn't planned that actually, but his excitement and possibly stress from recording had triggered it, and just at the right moment. "His outro was too long, wasn't it? And loud. I won't do that to you, puppets. Stay tuned. I'll be back." With a smirk, Anti had sat back, letting the screen fill with glitches and static, and that was where the video would end.
The following day, a video would post to Mark's channel. Dark, done up in his suit as always, with puppy Chica and Henry running around his feet in the living room. Dark would give a warm smile to the camera, though it would be unnerving coming from him. Like he was hiding something, but wasn't he always? His aura flickered around him, though he had struggled to contain it when they filmed. Everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, after all.
"I know you are used to a certain start to these videos." Dark had smiled. "I will not take that from you. Hello, everyone, I am..." His voice seemed to drop an octave as he spoke his name, "Darkiplier." His voice reverberated off the word, and he placed his hands behind his back. "Today I am going to be introducing my new..." His eyes flicked towards the floor then back to camera. "Co-hosts. We all know who you really wanted to take over this channel. I assure you, she is fine." A devious smirk crossed his lips that had even bothered Mark as the line was spoken. Mark knew Chica was fine, as she was running around the dark entities feet at that moment, but he still felt like Dark had somehow hurt her. He knew the audience would feel the same, but he hoped they'd know he and Chica were both actually fine. "Let me introduce them to you now." Dark lifted up puppy Chica as she wriggled in his arms and tossed her head back to nip at his jaw. "This is Chico." He grinned. "Think of her as... new and improved, as I am clearly an improvement on..." A certain darkness crept into the room. Not what Mark had asked for, but watching it back, it felt all too right. "Him." Dark had growled.
In editing, Jack pointed out that Dark had actually glared off camera, at Mark, when he had said it, but Mark decided that it looked almost as if Dark was just lost in thought over it, and let it slide. They didn't have time for reshoots anyway. Dark had set Chica down, picking up Henry with a fake smile and Henry had cuddled into him, tucking his nose up under Dark's jaw as he had gotten used to doing. "This is Henrich. He can be a bit shy." Slowly Dark had walked closer to the camera, Henry shifting in his arms to whine at Google behind the camera. "Henrich wants you to forget all about... Markiplier." Dark snarled slightly and Mark tensed, wondering how much Dark was actually playing up, growling his name out or how much of it was still real. "I am here now. Let me..." Dark smiled, glancing at the puppy then up to the camera. "Let us in." He held Henry out to the camera, his aura flaring out behind them. Then he set Henry down, giving a slight wave to the camera. "Until next time..." Jack pointed out again, that Dark had looked off camera. He had never wanted to say the line, and he had needed a small push from Mark to actually say it. "Buh bye."
In the raw footage, as soon as he said the line he had stepped back and rolled his eyes. "I would not have even said that as a toddler." He'd snapped, before you could hear Mark laughing off camera.
"It's endearing!" Mark's faded voice had called. "Do you want to retake that? Make it smoother?"
"I am not saying it again." Dark had growled, before his attention turned back to camera. "Turn that off. Take over."
Of course, they cut that end bit out of the video, but they had to hope Dark's look off camera didn't draw too much attention. Or if it did, maybe they would theorize that Mark really was in trouble and someone off camera was forcing him to play Darkiplier. Or maybe Darkiplier was looking to Mark bound up in the corner. They'd really lose their minds then.
The next day, Mark's channel would go "live", to the living room again. Leaving Jack's channel an extra day without upload was on purpose, to throw everyone off. The "live stream" which of course was a pre-recorded video, would make it seem like Dark had filmed a video, and accidentally switched into live stream mode, which of course, was something Mark had actually done in the past. The live stream started with Dark up close to the camera like he was playing with settings. Then he had backed up, Chica still in his arms from whatever he had been 'recording' with her. He would walk to the back of the room, his aura flickering beyond his control. The more tired he had been during shooting, the more red and blue expanded out from him and flickered into the shot. Mark had decided it best not to bring it up, and risk the dark entity refusing to cooperate anymore. Dark half stooped down, almost dropping Chica to the floor. "Disgusting mongrels." He would mutter out, opening two wire crates that were just barely big enough for the pups. "Get in." He growled. Of course, Chica and Henry were no actors, especially as puppies, but as if by perfect timing, Chica flopped onto her back at Dark's feet. "No." He snarled, grabbing her up, and made it look a bit more rough than he was being as he shoved her into one of the crates and closed it. "In!" He snapped at Henry who ran to hide behind the couch.
In the raw footage, Dark and immediately softened and crouched down. "Henry... come here." He patted the floor.
"I think he's ok." Mark had called off camera, though he'd quickly appeared on camera. "Henry, shh..." Mark scooped the puppy up, holding him on his back as he looked up at Amy off camera. "He's ok. Just a bit spooked."
Dark leaned over, rubbing the puppy's belly. "You are not in trouble. Good boy."
Mark opened his mouth to remark that Dark was still a little soft with the puppies, but quickly decided against it. "I'm gonna hold him off camera... you yell at the couch a bit, and then I'll put him back for you to grab." He explained, walking back to his original position.
Dark nodded his head, his expression becoming blank again. This is where the video would continue, and no one would ever see Henry being comforted between scenes. "No!" Dark snarled. "Get back here! In the crate! Bad dog!" Dark growled, heading to the couch. Mark slipped around the back, handing the puppy off to him and Dark scowled at him, as Henry laid nervously in his arms. The entity hadn't been able to bring himself to roughly put Henry in the crate, so he gently pushed him in before closing the door. "Why are they so interested in mutts." Dark had growled to himself.
"He looked off camera... again." Jack laughed, when they were editing the video. "What were you doing?"
Mark shrugged. "I don't know... he's usually pretty focused on the audience. Maybe he was still feeling a bit off?"
Jack bit his lip. "He was taking direction from you pretty well... maybe he wanted more direction from you?"
"That'd be a first." Amy grinned.
"Just uh... can we cut that part out?" Mark chuckled.
Robin nodded his head. "I think I can blend it with when he looked back at camera. Let me see."
With some seamless editing, at least that one look off camera was cut from the video. Dark's attention seemed to snap to the screen, his face dropping and eyes widened, as he was supposed to notice he was live. His aura flared up around him, and a creaking sound entered the room. Dark leaned into the camera. "You... never saw a thing. Go back to sleep." He grinned, reaching out and the live stream would end there.
The next day, Jack's channel would go "live" with a pre-recorded video from "Anti's recording room". Anti sitting in front of the camera, watching the monitor for the 'chat' to start, then he would look to camera. "No one mention Jack." He growled. "I'd say the mods would ban you, but I haven't tested them out yet... or where they lie." Anti giggled. He would talk for a little bit, snapping every now and then about how no one needed to know where Jack was or if he was alive, and that he was fine, and nothing was wrong. They were just hoping to make it seem like he was responding to comments. The generic comments that they knew there would be.
Then something would seem to catch Anti's attention and he would stare off camera at a monitor. "Mark's channel? Darkiplier?" He'd hiss. "Puppies?" The glitch would chuckle, looking back to camera. "Is that what you all expect from me? Puppies?"
The glitch had stood, then leaned down to the camera again. "I've got still got a loose end to finish tying up before we do that. Warning... to the sensitive puppets... tying up this loose end might be..." Anti looked back in the room to Chase, still bound in his chair but very awake and eyes wide. "Messy." Anti cackled. "If you can't handle blood and gore... look away, puppets." Anti hissed. Jack had made him give that warning. Anti had stated up and down that if they were watching that far into an Anti live stream, they were prepared, but Jack had wanted to make sure.
Anti had walked back in the room, a knife seeming to glitch into his hand. Chase had squirmed in the chair, eyes wide in real panic as he whimpered against the cloth in his mouth. Then Anti had stabbed into the blood bag on his side and Chase had thrashed, screaming into the cloth as Anti had twisted the blade and stepped back, blood spluttering out. There had been a cut there, where Jack had checked on Chase, but they blended cuts easily in Anti's live stream with full screen glitches that they timed out every few moments. Anti had walked back to the screen with a smirk. "Alright. If the puppets want puppies... I'll get you some puppies." He giggled, and that's where the live stream would end.
Jack had plans to get Anti to take some selfies in the airport on the way home, that they would post to Jack's instagram later in the day, after the fake live stream.
The final set of videos, would involve an all out fight between Dark and Anti, with the usual slinging of insults, and and a few racy moments where they almost stabbed each other, which would post to Mark's channel. That video would end on a cliff hanger, with Anti lunging towards Dark with a knife in his hand.
The following day, a video would post to Jack's channel with Dark and Anti laying on the ground in the back yard, a trail of destruction laying around them. Chica would be licking Dark's face and the entity would groan. "Noo... Chico. Get away." As he playfully pushed at the pup.
The camera would pan up to Mark and Jack standing over them shaking their heads. "I disappear for a couple of weeks to deal with the emergency problems at Cloak, and he tried to take over my channel with puppies?" Mark would remark.
"Kind of genius." Jack would sigh. "I left Anti at home... I'm not even sure how he got here."
Mark would shrug, picking up the puppies, one under each arm and smile at Jack. "Wanna play with some puppies?"
"Yes!" Jack grinned. "Shouldn't we... do something about them?" He'd asking, looking back to Dark and Anti.
"They wore themselves out." Mark chuckled. "Serves them right letting everyone think we were dead. Just leave them. They'll recover." He'd turn to walk inside and Jack would follow.
"Shouldn't we... make vlogs? Let everyone know we're not dead?" Jack would smile.
"Eh... tomorrow!" Mark grinned, handing Henry to Jack. "We have to figure out who actually owns these puppies!" Then he'd lean into the house and the video would end with him calling out. "Chica! Henry! Come meet some little friends!" He wanted to make sure no one thought the puppies were actually his dogs somehow. Of course, adult Chica and Henry wouldn't be in the shot, that would be an editing nightmare.
The end of the adventure would be vlogs on both channels the following day, vlogs that they hadn't filmed yet, but would once Jack was home. Mark would simply say he was caught up in a project, filming that series of videos obviously, and that everyone needed to calm down. He would show off adult Chica and Henry and promise they were ok, and also promise that the adorable puppies who had been on set, and that he claimed were actually named Lola and Spike, were not mistreated, and they had since gone home. Jack's vlog would involve some sort of apology for disappearing for so long and for really scaring anyone, but he would explain that he and Mark had been excited about the project and wanted it to have the right feel. He would also apologize for any feelings he had hurt, even though he would have already responded to anyone on twitter that Anti had been cruel to, and apologized to them directly before giving a real response. He would further explain that Chase's future was hanging in the balance, but Dr. Schneeplestein was an amazing doctor after all, and he was sure Chase would be just fine. Then he would promise that he was home by this point, and normal videos would begin the next day.
Admittedly, Dark and Anti weren't crazy about the ending, but they knew that it made the most sense for a video series actually planned by Mark and Jack, and not themselves.
As Mark, Jack, Robin and Amy crawled out of their editing den, they found themselves in a relatively empty house. Mark sighed, looking over to Google Yellow. "Where is everyone?"
From behind him, Google Red answered. "Wilford and Jameson left this morning, and did not say where they were going. Dark and Anti never arrived today. King and Chase are with Blue, getting pizza at a diner."
Mark turned to face Google Red. "Repeat the part about Wilford."
"He left with Jameson this morning." Google Red repeated.
Groaning, Mark looked at Jack and sighed. "I'm sorry."
Jack shrugged, smiling. "I told you, Jameson knows it went too far last time. I trust him."
Sighing, Mark nodded. "Alright, if you're sure."
Google Yellow smiled. "We are going to head home now. It seems to be the plan that after pizza, King and Chase will be returning to our place, and we have something to pick up at the store in the meantime."
"You don't all... go to the store together, do you?" Mark sighed.
"We are a super computer. Not a stupid human." Google Red remarked. "We do not go very many places together. That would confuse humans."
Mark shrugged. "Just checking. Well uh, thanks for the help editing, and have a good time... I guess?" Chica stepped up beside him, nudging her head under his hand, and Mark smiled as he pet her, while the Googles took their leave. "I guess, we relax now?"
Robin laughed, smiling. "Why is that a question?"
Jack stretched out his arms, yawning. "I just have to call the guys back home and see how they're doing."
Mark nodded his head. "I'm starving."
"Yeah..." Amy glanced at her phone. "It's late."
Mark and Amy headed to the kitchen to try and figure out food, and Robin followed to see if he could help while Jack set up and connected the call. As they popped on screen, it was a comforting sight. Dr. Schneeplestein was sitting back, seeming more relaxed than he had in days. His lab coat was crisp, clean white, and he was wearing his cap and mask, though he pulled one end off one ear and let it hang so it would be easier to hear him. Marvin was sitting in the middle, smiling slightly wearing his cap, and a head band with cat ears on his head, and Jackieboy Man was suited up, including his mask and sitting on the other end of the couch with his legs crossed. "Hey guys... looking good." Jack grinned.
"I still can't find my mask." Marvin sighed.
"Yeah, we'll find it when I get home, I promise." Jack smiled. "I like the ears though." He chuckled.
Marvin laughed, nodding. "Jackie found them!"
"That's great." Jack exclaimed.
"Vhere are ze ozers?" Dr. Schneeplestein tilted his head.
Jack shrugged, sitting back. "Uh, Anti's off with Dark, Jameson... went somewhere with Wilford and Chase was getting pizza with King and Google."
Dr. Schneeplestein huffed. "Good to know zey are enjoying zemselves vhile ve are still pulling ourselves togezer."
Jack frowned. "I know it's been hard Schneep-"
"Doctah Schneeplestein!" The doctor snapped, and Jack chuckled.
"Feeling better I see." Jack smiled, nodding. "I'm sorry. Doctor Schneeplestein. I know it's been hard... but they went through their rough patch too, and they're getting ready to leave... saying goodbye to their friends again. You remember what that's like huh?"
"No." Marvin sighed.
"I remember. It has been quite some time since I got to see zat bumbling idiot. He vas zhere a few days ago... vas he not? Vhere is he now?" Dr. Schneeplestein leaned forward in his seat.
Jack shrugged. "Living his life, I guess? I haven't seen him in a couple of days. But look, Mark and I are talking about setting up some kind of a system so you guys can hang out with each other more often, okay?"
"Does that mean I can finally meet the Silver Shepherd in person?" Jackieboy gasped.
"I'm sure we can work that out." Jack smiled. "Especially if you're willing to travel with Anti... and keep him from... destroying everything."
Jackieboy cringed. "Jaaaack." He whined. "Not Anti!"
Jack sighed. "I know... I know. He really likes hanging out with Dark though and he seems almost... human, when they're together. I don't want them kept apart until Mark and I have time to get together." He shrugged. "If you really don't want to though, I can talk with Chase and see if he can handle it."
"Zat sounds like ze horrible idea." Dr. Schneeplestein muttered. "I can handle Anti."
"Uh..." Jack scratched the back of his neck, then smiled. "Well, we'll figure it out, we have time. Anyway, you guys seem to be doing a lot better... and I'll be home the day after tomorrow, alright? Videos start up on the channel tomorrow..."
Suddenly there was a groaning as a figure staggered by in the background. "You put Robbie back together!" Jack exclaimed.
"Yes." Dr. Schneeplestein grunted.
"Now that we're feeling better..." Jackieboy Man cut in. "We're probably all going home."
Jack nodded. "Yeah, no that makes complete sense. So I probably won't call you guys tomorrow, if you need me, call me, okay? I'm glad you're all feeling so much better."
"Thanks." Marvin grinned.
They said their goodbyes, and he hung up the call. Heading into the kitchen, he smiled and leaned in the doorway. "It seems everyone is back to normal."
"Good to hear. That was a fast call." Mark smiled.
Jack shrugged. "They're doing fine. I'll talk more with them about what happened when I get home... for now... I'm tired, and hungry!"
"We're working on food." Robin grinned. "Get over here and help!"
They made dinner, watched a little TV and all fell asleep rather early that night, just happy that things were back on track for normal. At least, what they called normal.