Schneep was right about the trip being longer since we stopped at Chase's, but eventually, by Fall, you made it.
Deep in the woods, where the red trees become thicker, and the constant light seems to fade, lies a stone hut that is covered in dark red moss. In the front are hanging plants and weeds inside wicker baskets from the rooftop. Two torches light the frame of the wooden door, and from the single four-paneled glassless window, you can't see anything or anybody home.
"You think he's here?" You ask.
Doctor Schneeplestein, holding tight to the strap of his satchel, walks up to the door. "I don't doubt it." Then he just opens the door, and we all step inside after him.
At first its dark, then your eyes adjust, and the first thing you see is the cluster of things around you. There are counters everywhere later out in a maze-like layout. Shelves of old books line the walls. Hanging from the low ceiling are dim green light bulbs over every other clustered counter, giving a green-ish hue to the mysterious objects that are piled and stacked on the counters. Some of those items include a crystal ball with a finger floating in the center, a stack of books that look to be written in a language you've never seen before, a small wooden box spilling its contents of jewels and jewelry, and even a Newton's cradle made of eyeballs.
Even though the eyeballs are giving you the creeps, the most shocking thing is seeing the array of multicolored liquids each boiling in a separate cauldron. And on a shelf above them are containers of many shapes, sizes and colors. The largest being the size of a head and the smallest being the size of a thumbnail. Some are filled and some are empty, but all are closed by a cork stopper.
This place mystifies you to the maximum. The smell of dragon's blood incense and witchy vibes of leather books makes you rethink Marvin's existence. You remember there not being much content with him, but you know that the community sometimes portrays him as some sort of wizard. This house seems to agree. Houses do, after all, take the shape and lifestyle of whatever they are assumed to take. The only thing missing is Marvin himself.
The three of you are shoulder to shoulder, crammed into the entryway of the hut, so Schneep is the first to step further inside, being followed single file by you and then Chase.
Holy fuck I think an eyeball just blinked at me. Winked? Blinked? I don't know.
"Marvin? It's me. I need your help," Doctor calls to Marvin who is nowhere to be seen. He calls again.
"Ah!" You hear a voice call from somewhere. "I figured you'd show up eventually!"
Your head turns towards the sound of clanging coming from the back corner near the cauldrons. There lays a spiral metal staircase that leads down to what seems to be another floor that's underground. A few more clangs and soon pops up another Irish man.
Marvin the Magnificent climbs up the stairs and greets his visitors with a huge smile. Thank god he's wearing different clothes because you would not be able to tell which Jack is which. Marvin wears a blue shirt with a black cape, and his hair is pulled back into a small knot on the back of his head, hidden behind that white cat-faced mask of his.
"Friends!" He says. "Welcome! Welcome, welcome, welcome! Come in, come in!" He gestures for the three of you to step in closer to the open area in front of a register counter. He spots his friend. "Doctor!" he goes over to him and put and arm around his shoulder. "Long time no see, eh Doc?"
Schneep fixes the stethoscope around his neck. "Yes, Marvin, but we have a very-"
"Chase," Marvin says happily as he walks over to him, completely ignoring Schneeplestein. Chase gives an uneasy look and Marvin seems to know to cease the enthusiasm. He just rests a hand on his shoulder. "How ya holding up?"
"I've seen a lot better days."
Marvin nods in understanding with a little sympathy in his eyes. "I hear ya." Then he finally turns to you. A smile grows and his voice is filled with wonder. "(y/n)..." he takes your hands in his and pats them. "I'm glad I could finally meet you."
Behind him you can see Schneep looking more and more anxious to finish the reunion and to get to the serious business. You can't tell if Marvin is purposefully ignoring him, but you really do appreciate how kind he is right now.
"You are?" You ask. "Most egos run away in fear at the mention of my name."
"Of course I am, (y/n). It's because I'm a Jacksepticeye ego. I know how he works. And I can tell the difference between you and Anti. The others don't know anything other than that Anti favors you, and that terrifies them."
You sigh, "Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who favored me..."
He nods. "Yes, I suppose not. So which leads to this, " he returns to his more enthusiastic self. "what brings you three here?"
Schneeplestein happily steps in as if he's been waiting his whole like for this moment of explanation. "You see, Marvin. There's something wrong."
"And that's why you came to see me!" he pronounces.
Schneep inhales, ready to continue. He explains everything the best and thoroughly he can, but you can't ignore that hint of irritation you feel because you could have also explained your problems yourself.
"So you see," he finishes up. "Since (y/n) came here to the Other World, she's been acting... Strange."
Marvin goes and sits on a stool behind one of the counters. He nods as if deep in thought and lifts a finger. "It seems as though something here is influencing your actions."
"That's what we were thinking," Schneep says, "but what is it exactly? Is it him?"
Marvin shakes his head. "No... I fear I know exactly what it is. It's quite obvious, really."
"Then, why haven't I discovered it?"
"Because it revolves around my type of work."
"What is it?" You ask, the irritation leaking into your voice.
"You were given a potion by Dark, were you not?"
You think you know where this is headed. "...Yes?"
"His Black Rose tea, I believe, is what he used. Now, I had nothing to do with the production of that particular potion. That was all him, but I knew the effects it could have. And it seems that there are still remains of that potion inside of your system. He used it to enter your body to a manipulate you from the inside. And though Dark is missing, that doesn't lessen the effects of the tea's remains. It just leaves them without a source to be manipulated directly. So really, the tea remains are just sitting there without a purpose, but it still may make you feel things that Dark had made you once feel. And there's no way to flush them out."
"So there's nothing to do?"
"Ah, I never said that! I may have just the thing to help!" with a swoosh of his cape, Marvin swings across the room to where the brewing potions sizzle and bubble. He dances around as you and Schneep watch.
Chase remains a distance away, sitting in a chair, head resting on his arms as he stares at a floating purple crystal orb in a box. You don't want to bother him.
"Just a little bit of this..." Marvin picks things from drawers and cabinets and drops them into a cauldron. Tiny puffs and blows poof up from the potion, blowing into his face as he works. The mixture is turning different colors of greens to whites to oranges. And once it tuned black, so Marvin reached to the side and plucked a single leaf from a nearby plant and dropped it in, and out came shooting sparks, looking like a miniature Fourth of July fireworks display. The final color is a dark greenish blue. Like a really dark teal.
Then he grabs a small glass bottle from one of the shelves, dips a ladle into the potion, and pours it into the ball-shaped bottle. Finally, he closes it with a cork stopper, and clasps it into a series of four leather straps, holding it in place, ready to latch onto a belt.
Marvin hands it to you, letting it dangle by the leather strap from his finger. "This should help you," he says.
You take it in your hand. The glass is tinted a green color and is just the size of a baseball. The black leather straps hold it tight so it doesn't fall out of them. The foggy, turquoise liquid looks green through the glass and swirls around inside. "What does it do exactly?" You ask.
Marvin leans on a counter as he explains, "Whenever you feel... Not yourself, take a sip of that," he points to the flask, "and surely it will calm your nerves and reduce the effects of Dark's potion inside your system temporarily. So truly, it is meant to keep your human soul in check."
You turn it in your hands, "How long will this one flask last?"
"It should last you at least a few days. It all really depends on how often you're getting these 'rages' of yours."
For some reason those words frighten you. That there's an uncertainty of when you will become angry. So now you have to keep track of when you do. But sometimes you don't even know you're angry. Good thing Schneep is here to help.
"Thank you, Marvin," you say as you clasp the potion to your belt, letting it hang at your side.
"It's my pleasure. Anything for you."
You smile a little and go sit at another stool, resting your feet from a long walk.
"Chase," Marvin calls. "How ya holding up, Bud?"
You just hear a moan as a response solemnly from from somewhere behind a large mound of relics. Your shoulders fall in sympathy for him. He's been though a lot and here you are bringing him here away from home. You convince yourself it's for his own good. You whisper to Marvin, "Do you think you may have anything to help him get back on his feet?"
He chuckles, "I may have just the thing... But it ain't much of a potion." The he runs down the spiral stairs. You can hear the clangs of the steps fade further and further away, then silence.
You glance at Schneep, who returns with a smug look and holds up a finger at you. You can't do anything but wait for Marvin to return.
A few moments later he reappears. This time he holds a tall glass in his hands full of a thick yellow liquid and on top... Whipped cream?
"What is that?"
"This right here is the cure for all your problems! My most astounding creation yet! It's recipe has been passed down for generations and had yet to be perfected! That is until I came around and worked for endless Falls and Wakes grounding every bone in my body to dust in order to make it perfect. And I've succeeded!" Marvin walks over to Chase and hands him the glass.
"Really?" Chase asks.
"Nah, I'm just messing with ya. It's just a banana milkshake." He lifts a finger knowingly. "However, it is made with a very special ingredient!"
"Don't tell me," says Schneep. "Did you really use..."
"BANANA MILK!?" both of them say simultaneously. They share a big laugh.
There are way too many Jack's in this one room.
When the laughter dies down Marvin explains that bananas are perfect for curing hangovers because of their magnesium, electrolyte, and potassium riches. Bananas help rehydrate your system after many alcoholic drinks because alcohol just sucks everything out of you.
You see Chase start to drink the glass. Good.
Meanwhile, the other three of you leave Chase be and sit at a table to converse some more, Marvin, sitting across from you and the doctor.
"So," Marvin starts. "Your Majesty, how is life in this big castle of yours? Loving life? What are you up to now that Dark is gone?"
You notice he didn't mention Anti. Little does he probably know you've spent the past months of his disappearance trying to get him back.
"Please don't call me Your Majesty. (y/n) is just fine. And..." You scoff. "If I told you, you probably wouldn't like it."
"You're trying to bring Anti back," he says.
You feel a surprised look slap your face. "How-?"
"It's not that hard to tell. You're missing something in your life. You've only been ruling with a half of you. Not a whole. So of course it's natural to want to find your other half."
"So you're not scared? Or angry?"
He shakes his head. "No. In fact, I'm glad you are. Have you noticed, (y/n), strange things are happening here in the Other World. Nature isn't listening to anyone. Your castle is breaking down to rubble. This world is tearing itself apart. And have you noticed a decrease in temperature around here?"
You nod, remembering the coolness on your skin walking from the castle, and Chase mentioning a chill.
"Weather doesn't exist here, (y/n). It's not supposed to change." something's very wrong. I've been monitoring all the signs and I've been hoping every day you'd come to see me."
"Why is that?"
"Because I think I know of a way to stop this world from destroying itself."