Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    Eric looked at himself in the mirror as Roman set the final touches on his hair. His dark hair had small braids with tiny beads designed to catch the sunlight. His suit was an off-white color and his wrists were decorated with intricate bangles that kept his nerves from activating his powers and setting things on fire.

    Despite the suits and dresses and other formal attire all the heroes were still in their masks. Secrecy was still important and they knew the press would be nearby. The only exception would be Eric, who got glasses enchanted, courtesy of the Host, to protect his identity from anyone who shouldn’t know it.

    “And voila!” Roman announced and did a little excited jump, spinning the chair marginally and holding up a mirror so that Eric could see the back of his head.

    “ Awww, you look so cute,” Patton told him.

    “R-eally?” Eric ducked his head nervously.

    “Positively radiant, my dear,” Roman boasted, his red dress swishing as he twirled. “Not an eye will be able to look away from you.”

    Eric’s eyes widened fearfully.

    “Nice going Princey,” Virgil spoke up from across the room.

    “They’ll look in a good way,” Roman promised. “They’ll see you and realize that you are the most beautiful man in the world.”

    “B-ut that’s Illy,” Eric managed to force out.

    Roman paused to think on that, “Well I won’t deny that he’s obnoxiously good looking but now you can give him a run for his money.”

    Randall walked in, “How we lookin’[1]?”

    Twisting around the chair, Roman grinned as he motioned to Eric. “Marvel at this masterpiece. I dare say Da Vinci nor Monet could have done better.”

    “Very handsome,” Randall told Eric, both childhood friends smiling at each other. “Just came from checkin’ on the other groom. We’re just waiting fer a final sweep ‘a the area to make sure it’s alright.”[2]

    “Alright,” Eric said.

    On the other side of the building, Illinois was fiddling with his bow tie as he checked his hair and suit in the mirror.

    “How’s it looking?” Illinois asked, his eyes moving to look at his adopted brother in the mirror.

    “Nothing is amiss,” the Host told him.

    “Marv still isn’t back,” Chase reminded. “I don’t like it. I haven’t heard a peep from him.”

    “The Host spoke with Marvin, he is on his way back to the city with the Blade and the Angel of Death,” the Host took a seat. “While they will be late for the ceremony, Illinois and the attendants will find that they will arrive just in time.”

    “Okay,” Illinois took a deep breath. He didn’t touch his lucky coin, he wanted today to be a good day. A perfect day.

    He’d been trying to play his safe for months to hoard as much magic as possible. No adventures. No fights. Not even a card game with his siblings.

    Because Eric deserved nice things. He deserved to be happy and safe.

    After a while Dark checked his pocket watch, and Illinois walked out with him and the Host. The blind seer headed on ahead to wait with the other groomsmen.

    Dark waited at one end of a long rug that led to a big outdoor gazebo with a dark wood roof. Chairs led up to the gazebo and had wooden structures protecting it from any accidental rain or glare from the sun. A matching rug was one that Randall would lead Eric down. The two grooms would meet in the middle and then walk up to the altar where Jackie, who had taken the online classes needed to officiate marriages.

    The Entity paused, waiting for the signal from the organ that Dark could start walking. But he looked over at Illinois. The young man was looking around, his hand reaching into his pocket and resisted trying to pull out his lucky coin.

    In the demon’s mind he thought of little Illinois, barely at chest level, with wide eyes that hungered for adventure but a body too small to take him there.

    Dark had never liked thinking about how big Illinois had gotten. It reminded him that Illinois would walk out of his life and become his own person. It’s just . . . it had all been so wonderful while it lasted.

    Illinois looked over at Dark and smiled. “Hey, 아빠[3].”

    “Illinois,” Dark answered, trying to keep Damien quiet and invisible. Dark had to keep his hands to himself and his feelings out of the way. This was all for Illinois. He took a second to take a deep breath and schooled his features. “I’ll have your portion of the city ready for when you get back.”

    “What?” Illinois asked, mostly in confusion.

    But then the music began and Dark was offering his elbow. Illinois took it and promised himself that when he could pull Dark away again they’d talk. He didn’t like the tone Dark had taken when he’d said that.

    Illinois and Dark stepped in time to the music and all too soon he saw Eric, his hands gripping onto Randall’s arm. He almost tripped when his eyes met Illinois’s.

    Then all too soon, they were within arms reach. Illinois reached out to take Eric’s arm and they walked up. To Illinois, Eric looked like an angel he’d somehow snagged out of the sky and convinced to stay with him.

    They walked down the aisle and Illinois kept the pace slow so that Eric wouldn’t have a single problem walking down the aisle. Dark and Randall followed them up.

    Everything was going perfectly.

    Illinois and Eric were looking at each other and Jackie opened his mouth to start the ceremony, when someone else walked down the aisle.

    “I’m here!” Someone in a red tux announced. A smile as sharp as glass. “Shame on you, Damien, I almost missed the whole thing.”

    Everyone immediately looked at the Actor, Dark got in front of Illinois as the young man was trying to push Eric towards Jackie.

    “Get out,” Dark snarled in a furious growl.

    “You’d done your job, step aside,” Actor snapped out a dark mass of aura and batted Dark to the side, the Entity slamming into the organ and let out a pained cough.

    “아빠!”[3] Illinois called out. Yancy, who was closer, immediately raced to Dark’s side but the Entity shoved him away from both him and the Actor.

    “I will admit,” Marc smiled as he waltzed down the aisle, “I didn’t recognize you at first. That’s my bad. But I did try and talk to you, and it’s quite an oversight not to personally invite me.”

    Dark pushed himself back up to a kneeling position, his ringing shrill and aura coiling around.

    “I didn’t invite you because you’re a piece of shit and you just attacked my dad, so fuck off,” Illinois snarled. He started trying to move over to Dark but the Actor slid into his path.

    “Not possible,” Actor smiled, gesturing to himself. “Daddy’s here now and we don’t need . . .”

    Actor glared back at Dark, “. . . to be worried about extraneous characters.”

    “Get the hell out of here, I don’t want you anywhere near my family,” Illinois snarled.

    “Oh, junior,” Marc smiled. “I’m trying to help you. Think of it: father and son. We’d take the world by storm.”

    Illinois felt fury, thinking off all the foster homes and awful situations he’d been in, “Even if you were, you can fuck right the fuck off!”

    Behind the Actor, Ranboo was trying to inch closer to Dark. He’d been sitting with the rest of the heroes. But he was trying to quietly summon up a portal to get Dark away from the Actor but when he inched too close the Actor spun around and slammed his aura into the young teen, knocking him back.

    “If I wanted to take on the peanut gallery, I would have called you up,” Actor snapped.

    “Enderwalk!” Virgil called out and raced over to him as the teen slammed against the wall of the gazebo and let out a grunt of pain. Immediately the room seemed to snap out of whatever haze they were in and moved as Marc moved to attack Ranboo again. Tubbo was already the closest.

    Ranboo braced for the attack to hit but in the nick of time, there was a shattering of glass and Techno emerged from one of the eye portals. Shield and axe in hand he deflected the shot and blew a hole in the roof of the gazebo.

    “I’m gonna have to stop you right there,” Techno smiled. “Come on, kid, I saw you using a weapon before, come on.”

    “Boo,” Tubbo moved in as Phil and Marvin raced in.

    “Anyone dead yet?” Marvin demanded.

    “Bout time yeh showed up,”[4] Chase spat, pulled out his gun, a real one and aimed it at the Actor’s head.

    Snarling in anger, the Actor exploded into black mist, making Chase miss his shot and nicked Illinois right in the face by accident.

    Actor grabbed Dark and stabbed him with a dragged he pulled out of his black mist. “I don’t like being teased, Dames.”

    With a slice, Dark screamed and the Actor pulled out a black day planner. “If you want something done right you should just do it yourself.”

    Magic began to swirl around the Actor as bubbles began to form. They swelled in size and began to fill the room.

    Bing began to visibly freak out and used his nanites to push Mini and Oliver away with his nanites, throwing them outside the gazebo just as a bubble expanded to snap up the rest of the androids.

    In an instant the city rumbled and Dark . . .

    . . .  . . .

    Dark woke up in bed.

    He glared at the faintly glowing clock on the distant wall. It was barely a half-hour before he had to get up so there was no point in going back to sleep.

    He smiled faintly when he heard Wilford snoring, the man splayed out to Dark’s left. The softer snores were from Chase who was cuddled up into Dark’s chest.

    With a smile softening his features Dark decided: maybe he could sleep in a few more minutes.

Chapter Text

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CHANNEL 2

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[Making Waves is filmed in front of a live (CAPTIVE) studio audience.]

    Dark does eventually pull himself out of bed, which caused Chase to grumble and hold onto him a bit tighter, but he’s eventually able to pull himself downstairs for his first coffee of the day.

    It’s Saturday and early but one or two of the kids are already up. Namely Host and King who were always early birds. The two teenagers looked like they were still in the process of waking up.

    “Coffee’s already hot,” King grumbled as he stared at his phone, not as awake as he’d like to be, a black cat in his lap.

    “Oh thanks,” Dark told him as reached for a coffee cup.

    At that point Illinois raced into the room, a huge excited smile on his face, “Guys, I think I’m in love.”

[OOOOOOHHHHH.]

    “The poor thing,” King rolled his eyes. “I’ll start the funeral.”

[LAUGHTER]

    “Hey come on, he’s the one, I know it,” Illinois walked over as Chase slowly dragged himself into the kitchen. He set his chin on Dark’s shoulder and was trying to reach for the coffee pot. Dark gave him a little half smile and passed him an empty cup.

    “You’d think you’d run out of people to date since your [BLEEP] has killed more people than a serial killer.” King rolled his eyes.

    “Boys,” Chase grumbled. “If yer [1] gonna [2] argue, at least wait until I’ve had coffee. Or at least until I’ve had my fourth.”

[LAUGHTER]

    Illinois paused to look around, confused, he’d thought he’d heard . . .

    While Illinois was having his crisis and the adults were trying to fully wake up, two of the family’s preeten triplets were outside in the backyard.

    Memento and Mori each had a lobster in one hand, a roll of tape and a BB gun in another. Chase spotted them through the blinds and raced outside.

[LAUGHTER]

    Chase did a double take, “Boys, the hell are yeh [3] doin [4] ?”

    Dark lowered the tablet and gave the pre-teens a firm stare.

    “Science project,” Memento smiled at him.

    “What possible science project could you maniacs be doing?” King demanded from the window. “You two going to fight them?”

    “No,” Mori told him. “We’re just filming something.”

[LAUGHTER]

    “It’s too early fer [5] this,” Chase groaned and went right back inside.

[LAUGHTER]

[Musical jingle as scene transitions.]

    Much later in the day Chase was with Memento and Mori, the two had wanted to go to the local park. And in a weird turn of events Illinois wanted to come with him.

    Which was weird because on his days off school, when Illinois wasn’t going for runs or hikes, he was with Dark over at city hall just spending time with his dad.

    But here he was.

    “So, yeh got a reason ta be here or just wanted ta get outta the house?” [6] Chase smiled.

    Illinois was looking off in a corner of the park where a couple duplexes sat. “Huh?”

[LAUGHTER]

    “Yer [7] new crush here?” Chase kept a distant eye on two of his boys. Normally you could leave a pair of twelve-year-olds alone for an hour or two but that wasn’t the best idea with Memento and Mori.

    Illinois was more than a bit red in the face.

[LAUGHTER]

    “What?” Illinois stiffened.

    “What’s their name?” Chase smiled.

    “Eric,” Illinois smiled. “I just look at him and I just . . . I don’t know, I just feel something.”

    “Well, just be careful,” Chase told him. “I don’t wanna see yeh get hurt again.” [8]

    Illinois nodded solemnly before looking up and seeing the back door of one of the houses open up and the young man shot up and raced over to the chain link fence. Chase smiled as he watched him and followed after him a bit slower but kept his distance.

    “Hey, Eric,” Illinois greeted as he got up to the fence and Eric jumped in surprise. “You wanna [9] hang out?”

    “Ills,” Eric looked around in terror, his face a blush-red mess. “My dad’s home early.”

    “ Ohh, you want me to,” Illinois started before the back door flew open and Derek Derekson stormed out.

    “Eric! Are you talking to that boy again‽” Derek shouted and he stormed over. Eric almost tripped over himself trying to get away from the fence.

    At the yelling and the sight of Illinois flinching away, Chase raced in and pulled Illinois back so he could stand in front of him when Derek stormed to the door of the fence.

    He stopped when he recognized Chase.

    “You’re the Mayor’s boyfriend right?” Derek said, with the type of tone that would have been followed by an insult or a punch if he thought there was a fight he could win.

    “One ‘a ‘em, yeah, why?” [10] Chase had his hands in his pockets, mostly so he wasn’t punching the man.

    Derek looked at Chase, clearly deciding something.

    “Yeh have somethin’ ta say, say it,” [11] Chase told him.

    Glaring at him, Derek stepped back into his property, “Nah, have a nice day. Eric, gotta [12] tell you something about work, come on.”

    Eric snapped to scurry inside, looking terrified. Illinois looked concerned as Chase pulled him away.

    “Come on, Ills, gotta [12] get the boys,” Chase told the teen and decided to talk to Dark about this.”

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CHANNEL 12

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    “Well it’s not my fault,” Tommy shouted as he stormed into the bed and breakfast’s lobby. He had a starfish still on his head and was covered in seaweed. Ghostbur trailing in after them. Tubbo and Ranboo behind him each equally drenched in seawater and kelp. The only people of their group still somewhat dry was Tubbo and Ranboo’s adopted son Michael, and Tommy’s little son: Shroud. The two little boys were in little towel hoodies. Michael in a little pig hoodie, and Shroud in a black spider hoodie. Both of them were only wet from splashing in the water.

    “Ranboo dragged me right inta the ocean an’ tried ta drown me!” [13] Tommy shouted in an angry huff as Tubbo placed both the young toddlers into a little playpen behind the service desk.

    “You dragged me in,” Ranboo reminded sharply.

[LAUGHTER]

    “I smell like sea grass an’[14] [BLEEP][15]!” Tommy groaned.

[LAUGHTER]

    “[BLEEP]!” [15] Shroud shouted happily.

[GASPS followed by LAUGHTER]

    “That’s right,” Tommy stomped over to pick Shroud up who was babbling happily. “ [BLEEP] [16] you Ranboo!”

[GASPS followed by LAUGHTER]

    “That’s—” Ranboo started. “Come on, I’m just trying to help.”

    “ [BLEEP] [16] Ranboo!” Shroud copied him, flailing his arms out, Ranboo flinched in surprise. Tubbo laughed at them.

[LAUGHTER]

    Tommy let out one of his cackles. “That’s my boy! Now I’m gonna [2] prove I can do it by myself.”

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CHANNEL 6

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    Thomas walked through the park with his boyfriend Nico right next to him. “I don’t know, Virgil’s just been making me feel so keyed up all day.”

    “Well what’s been going on recently,” Nico was trying to think up a way to help him after everything he’d confided to him.

    “I don’t know,” Thomas said. “Virgil is actually working with Janus, and they never work together. And Logan says that we’re in some kind of fake—”

Chapter Text

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CHANNEL 6

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[Camera cuts to Badboy Halo who is sitting for an interview]

    “Well,” Bad smiled. “Everyone knows that Dream the only thing Dream cares about more than himself is George.”

[CUT to Bad setting up a box and rope trap with a headshot of George inside]

    “Yeah,” Bad smile grew even bigger as he surveyed his world. “I think I got this.”

    As if Dream had been watching and listening in, and he was, he tagged Bad in the back with a foam rock and knocked him to the side as he ran past.

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CHANNEL 24

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    “Boys, boys,” Big Q smiled as Nate and Phantom were dragged in front of the mob boss by Sam and Purpled. “I thought we were done with all this.”

    “Maybe if you weren’t causing trouble we would be,” Nate spat as he and Phantom shrugged off the people dragging him in. “Where’s Mad and Mare, you sick sadist.”

    “Oh gentlemen,” Big Q grinned. “I haven’t done anything to them. Haven’t even touched a hair on their heads.”

    “Bull,” Phantom told him, the vampire’s eyes turning red in anger. “You’ve got five seconds—”

    “Easy now, big guy,” Big Q pulled out a thin stake of wood twisted from long wild rose stalks. “Let’s not get too hasty. I’ve got a job for you boys.”

    “What is it?” Nate asked hesitantly. Even thinking about taking a job from Big Q made his skin crawl.

    “Well, you see,” Big Q smiled as one of his associates, Fundy, raced in with a white fox right behind him to hand the individual some papers. “Oh thanks, kid.”

    Fundy smiled brightly as Big Q looked back at them. “There’s this little group that’s been causing trouble for me for a while now and—”

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CHANNEL 2

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    “Well I didn’t suspect this would happen!” The Director spat at Google.

    “Well maybe you should have stopped at making the first one!” Google spat in return.

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    Outside the bubbles, as the light and rubble cleared enough for the heroes that hadn’t been snatched up by the bubbles, were standing in the ruins of the gazebo. Each of the bubbles was at least the size of a house, the biggest were the size of a five-story building.

    “The fuck was that?” Silver shouted. He was standing with J.J and Jackie.

    “Silver!” Oliver was running over to them with Mini’s drive. “I can’t contact Bing!”

    “You okay?” Silver asked, flying over. Mini came out of his drive and looked around frantically.

    “Yes but Bing is off our network, along with the other Googles,” Oliver told them.

    “That’s probably because none of ‘em [1] have any type of service or connection.” Someone was calling down to them from the top of the ruins of the gazebo. He was in a white hoodie and was looking down at them.

    “Great,” Jackie spat as he braced for a fight. Two other people emerged from seemingly nowhere, someone with a red and white cameo mask, and a woman who had roses physically growing out of her hair. “We’re busy.”

    “Name’s Punz,” the man in a white hoodie gestured to himself. “These are Ponk and Hannah.”

    “We’re fookin’ [2] busy,” Jackie spat. “What part ‘a that didn’t yeh Servers fooks get?” [3]

    Punz sighed and rolled his eyes, “Well normally I don’t care what you chumps do, unless I’m paid to care. But my paycheck just got sucked into one of those bubbles and I want to get him back out.”

    “Who, Dream?” Silver asked. “How long has he been here?”

    Punz sighed. “Some of us happened to be in the area. Most of us are still in the Serve though. But Dream and the others who were nearby during the ceremony got grabbed.”

    “How many?” Silver asked, looking at the bubbles.

    “About half of us, if you include Techno and Phil, and Dream does,” Punz told him. “Okay, look, I don’t care about your team, the issue is that Dream pays me, and I like having a job so I’m going to drag him back out so he can keep wiring me money. Besides, my brother’s in there.”

    “Okay so we’ll start tryin’ ta pop those fookers,” [4] Jackie decided, Silver flew up to try and get inside the closest bubble but it just bounced him back.

    “Ponk,” Punz called out.

    “I’m no Skeppy,” Ponk said, a book appearing in hand, “but I can make do. ‘Sides [5] , Foolish is in there somewhere.”

    J.J walked over to Ponk to look at the book, his pocket watch in hand as he anchored himself in a spot to start turning back time if he needed it.

    The mute hero was signing to Ponk as the mage was starting to cast spells. “ Hmmmm~ That one?” Ponk asked and J.J nodded.

    “Who’d you find?” Punz asked, looking at the bubble.

    “Don’t know, but there are four people in there,” Ponk said. “It’s not the smallest but it’s already weakening.”

    Oliver seemed to realize something. “Wait, Host gave me something right before the wedding.”

    “So he did think somethin’ [6] was happenin’ [7] ,” Jackie frowned.

    The yellow android pulled out a box and opened it to see a note and the blue solid state drive that they had seen a couple months ago helping to power a generator with Logan’s soul inside.

    On the note read:

Replace Bing’s drive with this. The bubbles are little small realities. Target weaker ones to make the stronger bubbles pop.

    “That’s not good,” Oliver told them, his voice sounding rattled. “Why would Bing need his drive replaced?”

    “What does his drive do?” Silver asked.

    “Bing’s central drive is like a human brain, it can’t just be switched out and I don’t know what’s in this thing.”

    “So let’s find Bing and figure out what’s wrong,” Silver told him.

    “Okay,” Ponk spoke up. “I think I can get it open but I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get in there.

    Hannah circles her hand and the ground turned into a massive rose as Ponk and J.J opened up the bubble. It didn’t pop, but it was open just long enough for them to jump in.

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CHANNEL 2

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    It was a dark, neon-lit city that looked like Egoton. But the group appeared in some official-looking military room.

    Google was arguing with the Director with Red and Green right behind him.

    “Oliver?” Green gasped in surprise. “You’re alive?”

    Google rushed over to Mini and forced a power down and stowed his drive away.

    “Where’s Bing?” Oliver asked.

    “This cretin factory reset Bing!” Google glared at the Director.

    Oliver looked at them in horror.

    “What?” Oliver took a step back.

    “Yeh [8] what?!” Jackie spat in an absolute fury. “He was a person! Yeh [8] killed him.”

    “He was a faulty computer program who wasn’t even doing his job,” the General snapped.

    Google hit his limit and shot the Director right between the eyes. All the organic beings in the room startled and yelled in surprise.

    “What did you do?” Silver stared at him in horror.

    “That was for what he did to Bing!” Google snarled.

    Oliver pulled out the drive he’d been given from the Host, “The Host gave me this, he told me to replace Bing’s drive with it.”

    “Why? What’s on it?” Google demanded.

    “I don’t know, but if Bing’s already been reset then it couldn’t harm him anymore than the humans already have.” Oliver was desperate, frantic.

    “Let’s just find him,” Silver said, glancing down at the Director and he realized he wasn’t sure if the man was real or not.

    Fortunately, the group didn’t have to go far because Bing came to them. Or at least what was left of him. It was Bing as he normally looked, minus the dark sunglasses, his eyes a glowing, angry orange. His usual stance was far more upright and tense, and any humor was gone.

    “Bing?” Oliver whispered fearfully.

    “Memesis Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta,” Bing said in a fully robotic tone, his usual way of speaking was also gone, “you will submit yourself for a factory reset or be terminated.”

    Silver looked around the room, it was too enclosed, there were too many people. When the Google androids didn’t do what Bing wanted he moved to attack them, Google moving in front of Oliver to protect him.

    Jackie tried to race in to help and was barely fast enough to avoid getting his leg crushed by the malevolent android.

    Silver was trying to keep Bing off of Jackie or anyone else more breakable but he realized something with grim certainty: Bing was going to start killing people.

    Silver flew back to get some distance and speed and then snapped forward in an instant the bubble popped and they were back on the ground where they had all started. Bing’s mechanical body arced and jolted as Silver held the mangled and destroyed remains of Bing’s central drive in his hand.

    “No!” Google shouted in horror, everyone just staring at Silver in horror. The android raced forward, aiming to crush Silver’s neck in his hands but Silver flew out of the way.

    “We have a replacement drive,” Silver reminded him. “I wouldn’t have done that if we didn’t have that drive.”

    “I don’t know what’s on that!” Google roared, pulling out lazers and trying to murder Silver.

    Oliver came behind Google and began looking Bing over, a look of panic and fear on his face.

    “He was still physically there, if that drive doesn’t contain his personality there’s no way to rebuild him,” Google snarled. 

    “The rest of his core is intact,” Oliver announced, “we just need to fix some wires.”

    Google stopped and looked back at Oliver, trying to not look at Bing’s remains. “Fine, try it.”

    Then the android glared at Silver, “If this doesn’t work, Silver, I will destroy every atom of your body.”

    “Right,” Silver told him but still kept his distance.

    “The only thing this world had going for it was that Bing loved it,” Google told him as he knelt down next to Oliver who was frantically trying to repair the frayed wires and crushed metal.

    Google pulled out the drive and just stared at it. His nanites helped to print and construct materials.

    Jackie raced over to Silver, keeping an eye on Google. “We need ta [9] find Logic,” Jackie told Silver, “maybe if we do he can help—”

    At that moment, there was a little sound and Bing’s little orange accent lights came online and everyone braced for another attack but after a couple more minutes, Bing got up and looked around.

    “Googs? What are— Where am I?” Bing looked confused, his voice back to normal, before he looked alarmed as he checked the day’s date. “The drive?”

    Google began to fret over Oliver, “Do you have any faulty programs? Glitches? Did that drive have any malware attached to it?”

    “I’m running a diagnostic right now, dude,” Bing told him. “Give me a minute.”

    “So what was the deal with that drive, thought Logic would have broken that thing?” Silver asked.

    “Dunno,” [10] Bing shrugged. “Host had me use that drive that Spade trapped Lo in, said I would need ta [9] make a backup of myself an’ [11] that it had enough room. Guess he was right. Might need ta [9] be filled on everything that happened for the past couple ‘a [12] months.”

    Ponk and J.J tore open another bubble, a rumbling shock rippled out towards the other bubbles.

    “Show time!” Punz called out.

    “Bing is staying with me,” Google ordered. “And if you can find Logic I want him here too.”

    “Yeah, havin’ [13] all the brainiacs together is prolly [14] fer [15] the best,” Jackie agreed.

    “Let’s go!” Punz said and Hannah began to construct another rose to jettison them up, making Silver and Jackie race after them as they jumped into another bubble.

Chapter Text

    As the shock wave rippled out, all the bubbles felt it. But only a couple were jolted from their haze. Dark in his bubble was mentally ripped out of the sitcom haze he was trapped in. Dream in his bubble froze and was almost tagged with an arrow in the back as he came to. Ranboo let out a warbled hiss. Thomas stopped mid-conversation with Logan and Nico. And both Karl and Nate collapsed and held their heads right before the group showed up in their bubble.

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CHANNEL 12

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    Ranboo hissed and made little vwoop sounds as he felt like someone was trying to drive a spike through his head.

    “Bossman?” Tubbo looked over from where he and Tommy were trying to build “the worst scarecrow ever” and Michael looked at him in concerned confusion. Ghostbur looked over from where he was with Tommy and Tubbo.

    “I . . . we need . . . where’s Techno?” Ranboo looked around in distress. He’d been at a wedding and Techno had come to his rescue.

    “Who’s Techno?” Tubbo asked in confusion before he blinked and looked around in disorientation. “Techno? Why . . .”

    Tommy blinked, the haze lifting as he looked around. “The [BLEEP] [1] are we?”

    “Did somethin’ just [BLEEP] censor you?” [2] Tubbo gasped. “No! [BLEEP]! [BLEEP]! Bloody [BLEEP] [BLEEP]! ” [3]

    “Hah!” Tubbo looked around, trying to find a camera. “Got that one out, you American [BLEEP]! [4] ”

    Shroud and Michael started giggling and Tommy looked down at Shroud in confusion.

    “ Umm, is that thing mine?” Tommy said as he walked over and Shroud held up his hands. He suddenly started looking more spider-like. He had two extra sets of arms and then he blinked and had eight eyes.

    “Awww,” Tommy smiled fondly. “Imma [5] call you: Shroud. Shroud Innit.”

    Shroud hung onto Tommy with inhuman strength as Tommy looked around, trying to find an exit but none of the doors actually worked and any “people” besides their little family had mysteriously disappeared. “We need ta [6] get outta [7] here.”

    “Now, hold up,” Tubbo’s brain began turning. “Let’s think about this.”

    “Think about what?” Tommy scoffed. “This is obviously Dream trying to control us again. You green teletubby [BLEEP] [1] ! ”

    “Yeah, but if it’s him, he’s done nothin’ [8] ta [6] us,” Tubbo said and pulled a soda out of the mini fridge under the counter. He tapped the can a couple times before opening it. The can sounded like a soda can, the contents even tasted like the real thing. “We have free food, a roof o’er [9] our heads. How’s this any worse than what we had before?”

    “Because it’s Dream,” Tommy spat. “Have you forgotten what he did ta [6] us? We need ta [6] escape while we have the chance.”

    “We don’t need ta [6] do anything,” Tubbo told him firmly and picked Nichael up.

    “It’s Dream!” Tommy yelled.

    “Who cares?!” Tubbo shouted at them. “I don’t care if it’s Dream or the [BLEEP] [10] space wizards who put us here. We’re safe.”

    “ Umm, maybe,” Ghostbur started, starting to float a bit and regain his ghostly pallor.

    Ranboo was letting out nervous hisses as he approached cautiously. “Hey guys, maybe—”

    “Ranboo, let’s go!” Tommy grabbed one of the slender teen’s arms and yanked him over.

    “No!” Tubbo grabbed Ranboo’s other arm, yanking him back the other way.

    “Guys, stop!” Ranboo yelled out and both the teens dropped his arms. “My head hurts.”

    Tubbo inched closer and when Ranboo crouched down the shorter man lightly rested his forehead against Ranboo, their adopted son between them. Ranboo let out a sigh as his headache began to clear.

    “Boo?” Tubbo urged gently, almost as quiet as a whisper, waiting until Ranboo opened his eyes to speak again. “Boo, we’re safe here.”

    “Come on, Ranboo, we gotta [11] get out ‘a [12] here,” Tommy urged but when he went to grab him again the lanky teen uncoiled himself and stood up.

    “I can’t leave Tubbo,” Ranboo decided.

    Tubbo let out a hitched sigh of relief and Tommy had a look of betrayal on his face.

    A look that quickly turned into anger.

    “Fine! I’ll figure out what’s goin’ [13] on here without yeh [14] !” Tommy spat and pulled away with Shroud.

    “Tommy, wait,” Ghostbur called out as he followed them.

    Tommy reared back to slam his body weight against the front door of the Bee ‘n Boo, prepared to destroy it, but right as his shoulder came into contact he felt something open and he and Shroud and Ghostbur were pulled somewhere else.

    The door, closing behind them.

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CHANNEL 6

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    Tommy fell sideways into a bank of snow, his and Shroud’s clothing turning from casual late summer wear into heavy fur-lined jackets and overcoats. The clothing was reminiscent of something from the early 1700’s.

    Tommy quickly realized it was freezing cold.

    Shroud began crying in fear and shock.

    “Hey, buddy,” Tommy brought Shroud to his chest, wrapping his coat around him. So that Shroud was double layered.

    “He okay?” Ghostbur asked in concern as he floated over.

    “Yeah,” Tommy glared around, finding that Tubbo and Ranboo were nowhere to be seen. “He’s fine.”

    The two looked over to see a well-worn trail cutting towards a town. They followed it to find a city that was nearly completely empty and as they walked in further they could hear a commotion in the distance.

    The noise led them to a massive throng of people around an altar of black stone, raised high above the throng. Tommy shoved his way closer, which got him a fair bit of dirty looks as he got as close to the front as the crowd let him. When he couldn’t get any closer but was close enough to see figures behind a dark, almost sheer curtain he turned to look at the people next to him.

    “What’s goin’ [13] on?” Tommy demanded.

    “The Emperor’s prince is about to be born,” one woman said in excitement. “Her lady will grace us with her presence.”

    “Sara Jane’s baby, given to the Goddess for this most joyous occasion,” another woman looked like she was about to start chanting and singing and Tommy did not want to be here for it.

    But then one of the figures behind the curtain got closer and the crowd began to get excited.

    Tommy began to recognize the silhouette, or more importantly the dark wings behind the figure right before Philza emerged from the curtain.

    “Hello everybody!” Phil called out as he parted the curtains. Instead of his green ensemble he was in frosty blues and perfectly whole and healthy wings fluttered out behind him. They twitched and gestured as Phil moved.

    Techno was right behind him, but he looked more human and his mask was a large bone white boar skull. He was in a matching blue uniform and his red cape was much shorter.

    The crowd went insane, cheering and calling out for Phil.

    Philza motioned for the crowd to calm down and once it was quiet enough he used a horn to amplify his voice. “I would like ta thank everyone fer comin’ ta this most joyous occasion and fer the Borris family fer their most gracious gift. But my Lady an’ I would like yeh all to meet the newest member ‘a the royal family.” [16]

    The talking began to surge back up before Phil took a knee, as a dark shadow of a woman expanded behind the curtains. She was huge and her face was further veiled by darkness.

    “Mum?” Tommy froze in recognition. Ghostbur’s eyes wide and sad beside him.

    The crowd rushed to kneel, even Ghostbur who seemed to be trying to follow the social cues around him.

    But Tommy didn’t, he and Techno were the only people in attendance that didn’t take a knee. Tommy could feel Techno staring at him.

    The silhouette erupted into smoke and Phil searched up to reach up to the altar where something had been set down on top of it. It was a squirming baby wrapped up in a yellow blanket.

    “I am proud to announce the birth ‘a [12] my son: Imperial Prince Wilbur!” Phil held the bundled up baby boy up where the crowd could see him.

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Channel 2

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    “Quiet on set!” Marc called out before a ripple washed over him and he froze looking around.

    “Marc?” Ethan looked at him in confusion. “You okay?”

    “Yeah, just we’ll run the scene from top,” Marc ordered through gritted teeth, his eyes looking around as he realized that the world around him was not as big as it should be.

Chapter Text

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Channel 2

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    The instant Dark mentally came back to himself he pulled everyone back into the Manor. But he also found that Anti and Henrik were within the same bubble as well and grabbed them as well.

    The instant he started explaining things everyone started waking up.

    “Who knows how long we’ll be here,” Dark finished.

    “At least ve’re avake,” [1] Henrik decided from where he was standing with Chase.

    Illinois, who had only been away for the past couple of minutes, was trying to remember where he’d been before this before remembering he’d been at his wedding and flying into an immediate panic.

    “Eric!” Illinois realized with horror.

    He got up and raced through the front door, he planned on running all the way to the park but the instant his feet were outside the door he was already reaching the chain link fence to Eric’s backyard.

    But Illinois was not deterred, he was getting his fiancé back if it was the last thing he did. Illinois practically vaulted himself over the chain link fence.

    “Eric, dulcito [2] ,” Illinois called up outside his window before thinking: “screw it!” and used his lock picks to break in and start creeping towards Eric’s room. He’d save punching this fake Derek until he was sure Eric was safe.

    Just because he wasn’t real, and more importantly dead, that didn’t mean he could cause Eric a lot of pain.

    Eric was asleep when Illinois walked up to his bed and shook him away.

    “Dulcito, [2] we’re going home.”

    Eric screamed in surprise, and Illinois held his hands up.

    “It’s me, it’s me,” Illinois said, already starting to cry in relief. “We need to get home, we got dragged in and . . . please forgive me.”

    Eric flinched before letting out a quiet gasp, “Illy?”

    He practically threw himself into Illinois’s arms, starting to sob profusely as Illinois held him.

    “I’m so sorry, I should have rescheduled the wedding, it should have been the happiest day of your life,” Illinois apologized.

    “I wanna go home,” Eric told him, and went to move before he felt a sharp pain stab through his legs, mostly from stress, mostly from not having his actual good prosthetics all day and having to make do with bad ones.

    “Eric?” Illinois asked in distress.

    “My legs,” Eric sobbed in pain.

    “I got you,” Illinois promised, picking him up in his arms.

    Eric clung tightly to Illinois’s shirt, and then coiled up when a pounding came from the other side of the door.

    The timid young man let out a terrified whimper.

    “Eric what’s going on in there?” Derek yelled, trying to break down the door. “Who’s voice is that? Open this door!”

    “Shit,” Illinois hissed, prepared to fight Derek.

    “Illinois should start walking, quickly before Derek can enter,” the Host spoke up.

    Illinois and Eric startled but out of reflex, Illinois began to start walking. He took two steps and suddenly he wasn’t in Eric’s home, he was running into his own. And the whiplash just about made him go unconscious. If he hadn’t been aware he was in a sitcom from hell, he wouldn’t have felt a thing.

    “What was that? ” Illinois looked around wildly. They were walking into the living room of the Manor.

    “The Host used a screen wipe,” the Host smiled.

    “This whole place is a shithole,” Illinois snarled as he rushed to carefully set Eric down on the comfiest-looking couch. “The laugh tracks were already giving me a migraine, thanks for stopping them.”

    “The Host was not a fan of them either,” the Host agreed.

    The instant he realized they were back in the house, Dark checked them over briefly when they came over and then Illinois set Eric on the couch and the two of them almost immediately fell asleep, wrapped up together. Dark stretched a blanket over them and then walked into the kitchen.

    Mostly to collect his thoughts and figure out some kind of plan of attack. If it was just himself, Dark would worm his way out and hunt the Actor down. But he wasn’t alone. There was Lunky and Eric to consider, along with the triplets. All of them had no hope of standing against the Actor on their own. He couldn’t see what was out there, and didn’t want to take his chances.

    “How yeh holdin’ up?” [3] Chase asked.

    Dark was sitting at the large dinner table, he had a coffee in front of him. He wasn’t sure where or when he’d gotten the coffee from but he had it.

    The sooner he was out of here, the better. He didn’t like how easily it was for the anomaly to pull him around.

    “I’d think you’d want out as soon as possible,” Dark told him.

    “Well nothin’s [4] happened yet,” Chase told him and walked over. “Sides, [5] at this point we should prolly [6] stick together.”

    “You can do that perfectly fine in any other room,” Dark told him, trying to sound uncaring but he could still remember waking up with Chase in the morning.

    “Yeah, but I was worried about yeh,” Chase told him, not taking a seat yet and just leaning against the table. “Sides, [5] Bim was growlin’ [7] at me, so I decided ta [8] give him his space.”

    “I’m fine,” Dark told him sharply.

    “Kay,” [9] Chase agreed, not wanting to push him. The two of them were quiet for a bit.

    “What do you want?” Dark growled.

    “I told yeh [10] ,” Chase started.

    “No, you’ve given me some thinly veiled plot,” Dark glared, “but not what you actually want. Is it the triplets? Is it boredom? Everyone wants something.”

    “What if I just want you? Have yeh [10] thought about that?” Chase asked.

    “Don’t play with me, Brody,” Dark scoffed angrily. “What do you want?”

    Something in Chase just snapped, something that was always compelling him to take care of Dark. “I’m not fookin’ jokin’. I actually wanna be with yeh. Yeh frustratin’, self-absorbed piece ‘a shite. If I was gonna lead yeh on, I’d be actin’ like Wilf.” [11]

    Dark’s jaws clicked shut and he glared at Chase.

    Sighing, Dark tried to tune out the anomaly, which was whispering to him. The most tempting of whispers. To just push everyone else out and the anomaly could give Dark what he wanted. Could give him the power he wanted. Could give him a version of Wilford that would never look away from him. Children who would always need him.

    It was so tempting, but Dark knew better. The anomaly couldn’t give him that infinitely. It would falter, it just wanted a living battery to feed off of.

    “Dark?” Chase whispered, taking a seat next to the Entity. His tone gentler as his anger was fading.

    “I can open a portal to let you through, but I don’t know how long I can keep it open,” Dark told him. “I also don’t know what’s out there. We’ll have to be careful. We need to make sure the weaker spawnlings do not go out first.”

    “Sounds good ta [8] me, but heads up, Illinois isn’t goin’ [12] anywhere without yah [10] ,” Chase chuckled. “Kid’s a little needy when it comes ta [8] yah [10] .”

    “Illinois has Eric now, he doesn’t need me,” Dark corrected. “I was safe in here, he was a child again. Once we go back out I have to prepare his territory, I have all these arrangements to make and—”

    “Dark, Dark,” Chase urged. “Listen ta yerself. Yer Illinois’s dad.” [13]

    “ Wilford is his father,” Dark reinforced.

    “Bubbles didn’t raise him, you did,” Chase reminded sharply. “Wilf went off an’ [14] did whate’er [15] the hell he wanted. You made sure the kids were safe. Granted he didn’t have a choice sometimes but the point stands.”

    “I can’t have children,” Dark said, but it was his blue soul that put the words there. “I’m not allowed near them. Demons don’t feel things like love or joy, they just exist.”

    “We both know that’s not true,” Chase told him, desperately trying to get through to him. “Yeh [10] adore those kids. E’eryone [16] in this whole fookin’ [17] town knows that.”

    Dark went quiet, hanging his head, he didn’t have a firm rebuttal for that. “I . . . I’m not . . .”

    “Those kids are yers [18] as much as they are his. Our boys an’ [14] Tempus are just as much yers [18] as they are mine,” Chase told him. “Yeh can have ‘em an’ see ‘em just ‘cause yeh want ta. Not because yeh need ta pay fer ‘em.” [19]

    Chase mentally froze because that last part had just slipped out, he’d never considered . . . He mentally thought about Memento and Mori and how the two of them would show him knives and things Dark had just given them. Of Illinois and his adventurers and power within the city. Or Bim and how Dark just let him literally eat people. “Dark yeh know yeh don’t have ta buy yer own kids’ attention, right? They fookin’ love yeh.” [20]

    Dark made a disbelieving scoff.

    “Dark, they compete fer yer attention whene’er yer in the room,” [21] Chase told him. “Why do yeh [10] think Bim an’ [14] Illinois are fightin’ [22] all the time?”

    “Siblings just do that,” Dark dismissed.

    Chase looked up, “Oh my how are yeh [10] this fookin’ [17] dense? Dark, yer [23] lucky yer [23] cute.”

    A slightly darker grey blush briefly spread across Dark’s cheeks, he looked away from Chase for a second.

    “If that’s how yeh [10] think siblings are supposed ta [8] act, did Damien an’ [14] Celine participated in death matches or somethin’ [24] ?” Chase commented, trying to lighten the mood.

    “Something to that effect,” Dark admitted. “Celine was always the favorite because she was able to perform magic. Their father was very harsh with Damien because he was a null. If he hadn’t died the way he did, he would have surely become a demon.”

    “Yer [25] old man was a fooker [26] ,” Chase told him. “Maybe I should have Host use the anomaly ta [8] brin’ [27] him back so I can kick him in the dick.”

    “Only if I can kill him for keeping me prisoner in his house for decades,” Dark promised.

    Chase smiled, before really looking at Dark. “I was serious early.”

    “About which topic?” Dark asked.

    “I’m exactly where I want ta [8] be,” Chase promised, finally saying when he’d been trying to remember to tell the Entity for months now. “There’s no one else I want ta [8] be with.”

    “You’ll get bored,” Dark told him.

    “Yeh [10] managed ta [8] keep stuff interestin’ [28] in all the years I’ve known yeh [10] ,” Chase smiled.

    “You’re human,” Dark reminded.

    “Depends on who yeh [10] ask these days, don’t think I’ve got many ‘a [29] those years left,” Chase confessed. “Henz an’ Marv prolly don’t either. ‘Sides, if someone does manage ta kill me, I’ll make sure my ghost comes back an’ haunts yeh. I’ll bang some pots an’ shite. Make sure yeh know it’s me.” [30]

    Dark’s brow furrowed, he was still looking for something. Then, “You’re with the heroes, if you wanted to be with me, you wouldn’t have turned me down when I asked.”

    “That wasn’t me turnin’ yeh down, that was me sayin’ no ta bein’ yer hired gun,” [31] Chase told him in exasperation. “I don’t mind the dates, but I’m not killin’ fer yeh.” [32]

    Dark wasn’t looking at him, Chase inched a little closer.

    “Here, I’ll use my regular equipment, we can make it look howe’er realistic an’ fancy yeh want, an’ I’m there. But I’m not killin’ on yer order. Defending yeh or the kids is one thing. But becomin’ yer private hitman is off the table.” [33]

    “That sounds reasonable,” Dark told him.

    Chase just about had the urge to lean in all the way and kiss him. But he felt it was all going too fast. This was still so new. So he didn’t.

    Instead, Wil broke the silence.

    “Awww,” Wilford suddenly appeared next to them, smiling and wrapping his arms around the two of them. “Look at the two of you.”

    “Don’t push yer [25] luck, Bubbles,” Chase snapped at him.

    Wilford just hugged them tighter, pressing his face closer to Chase’s until the marksman pushed Wil away and kicked him in the shins, cursing at him as he did so. Dark rolled his eyes as he watched them.

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    Outside the bubbles, the heroes were busy popping the next one they’d jumped into. Freeing Nate, Mare, Marvin, and Quackity among the other heroes, villains, and civilians they’d pulled free.

    Phantom was a bit disoriented and started looking around, trying to find an easy escape.

    “I had awesome power, this better be worth it,” Quackity rolled his eyes as he looked around. “Where’s Dream?”

    “Still in one of the bubbles,” Punz answered.

    Quackity stared at Punz for a little bit before smiling, “Hey Punz, how much would I have to pay you to have us just leave Dream in there?”

    “Twice what you pay Purpled,” Punz told him, checking his guns.

    “Fuck!” Quackity hissed, kicking some rubble. “Come on, dude!”

    Another rumble passed through the area as one of the bubbles began to ripple violently and two tendrils snapped out of it, one shot out like lightning and attached itself to the bubble Dark was in while the other snatched up Phantom and pulled him in.

    When the first tendril latched on it dragged Dark away from Chase and Wil and before anyone had any time to think it yanked him in and Dark’s bubble popped. The bubble started rapidly growing in size, and it yanked the smallest bubble into it and consumed it. It stopped swelling when it was twice its former size.

    “The fuck was that?” Illinois shouted from where he’d dropped to the ground, looking around wildly. “Was that the Actor?”

    “No, the Actor does not have the anomaly,” the Host said as he began inspecting the area with his own aura. “That bubble contains Techno and Phil and with the absence of other stories, the anomaly is desperately trying to keep what it does have. Its hold is weakening. Which means the Host will not be able to keep the Actor at bay for much longer.”

    “Do you know who are in the other bubbles?” Ponk asked. “Be really nice to have fucking Skeppy right now.”

    “I’m right here,” Marvin shot at him.

    “I give you one of these books and Skeppy will kill me,” Ponk told him.

    “Hey, wait a second, is that one ‘a [29] the,” Marvin recognized the spell book he had as one of the cursed tomnes he’d been trying to get from the Server for months now.

    Ponk held the book to their chest, backing up, “Uh . . .”

    Sam shouldered his way in-between, shoving Marvin back as he summoned his trident. “We don’t have time to wait around.”

    Ponk just stared up at Sam, leaning into him before they looked back at the Host. “So who’s where? Where’s Skeppy and Bad?”

    “That one,” the Host gestured to the bubble higher up, “however it needs to be loosened by another two bubbles before it pops. There are too many powerful demons in there powering it.”

    “Okay,” Ponk sighed in frustration.

    “Techno, Philza, Big Man, and Ghostbur,” the Host pointed with his aura to the largest bubble that Dark and Phantom had been dragged into.

    He continued to the farthest one, “That one has the Actor and all of Silver’s friends.”

    “Fucker,” Silver spat, trying to fly towards that bubble at top speed but bounced off. “Give me my friends back!”

    “And the last one’s got the Sides in it?” Bing asked from where the Google androids were encircled around him.

    “That’s the strongest one,” Nate grumbled in frustration. “Why’s he in that one?”

    “Because the entire legate is in there, it is likely it will be one of the last to pop for that reason. On its own it’s indefinitely sustainable.”

    “Shit, he’s like a living battery,” Nate hissed.

    “I’m going in,” Illinois decided, looking at the bubble Dark was in.

    “Stay here with Explosion Boy,” Chase told Illinois, gesturing to Eric.

    “My dad’s—” Illinois started to shout.

    “Let us handle it, we can’t have all ‘a [29] our magically powerful people in one easy ta [8] capture area, stay with yer [25] fiancé,” Chase told him. “I’ll make sure nothin’ [34] happens ta [8] him.”

    “If I see there are any problems, I’m going in,” Illinois told him.

    “Fine, that’s fine,” Chase told him, then he looked back at Jackie. “Jackie, come on.”

    The Host lowered the bubble Dark had been dragged into and then ripped a hole in the bubble long enough for Jackie and Chase to go in.

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Channel 6

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    Jackie and Chase walked in and a wave passed over them as their outfits changed. Snow buffeted them as they stood in thick warming fur coats and wool clothes.

    Jackie was still in his mask but their clothes colors had changed to deep purples and dark reds

    “Let’s go,” Chase yelled over the snow as they followed the road and hoped it would lead to a town.

Chapter Text

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Channel 6

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    Tommy found himself at the foot of the long, tall black stone staircase. Philza was looking down at him.

    When he set his foot on the first step, Techno drew his sword and stepped in front of Phil. “I don’t think so.”

    “Phil!” Tommy yelled up. “Yer [1] both in some kinda [2] illusion. Wake up.”

    About five guards appeared from almost nowhere and aimed their arrows at him, Tommy recognized the pink of Niki’s hair among them. Techno took two steps down from the altar.

    “Take ‘em ta the holdin’ room,” [3] Phil ordered, spreading his wings and he held the baby close to him as he flew off.

    “Let’s go,” Techno ordered as he walked down the steps, Tommy found himself at the dangerous end of Techno’s sword. “Come on.”

    Tommy held his hands up and turned, which resulted in Techno pushing Tommy forward.

    “Don’t fuckin’ [4] shove me!” Tommy shouted, but Techno and Niki lead them to the palace.

    Tommy sat down in some uncomfortable chair as Techno and Niki stared at him. Ghostbur looked at Niki nervously.

    “H-Hey,” Ghostbur smiled at Niki.

    “Stay back,” Niki told him, bow and arrow pointed down, but not notched or ready to fire yet.

    “The two of you are waiting until the old man gets back,” Techno told him.

    “Techno, come on, man, you have ta [5] know this is Dream’s doin’ [6] ,” Tommy groaned.

    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you’re not careful you will get yourself shot,” Techno warned.

    The heavy doors of the room were pushed open and Phil walked in. The lack of snow or distance gave Tommy a good look at the man. Little things about Philza were different. His eye color for one. The Phil that Tommy had always known had blue eyes but now he had more of blue-green color. He was maybe an inch or two taller. Not any taller than the other people in the room but it was noticeable enough to Tommy. His blond hair had a slightly dustier tint to it.

    Phil paused when he looked at Tommy. “Stand down.”

    Niki took her arrow away from her bow, “If you’re sure.”

    “Yeah, wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had a visitor like this,” Phil told them. “You two are from the future aren’tcha [7] ?”

    “Uh, yeah?” Tommy said. “We’re in an illusion. It’s Dream, he’s done somethin’ [8] .”

    Philza just started staring at Ghostbur as a look of realization dawned on him. “I . . . Wilbur?”

    “My name is Ghostbur,” Ghostbur corrected nervously, ducking behind Tommy a bit.

    Niki seemed to recoil and Techno began slowly coming back to himself, clutching his head as he began grunting in pain and his knees crashed to the ground.

    “Techno!” Phil rushed over.

    “They’re too loud,” Techno grunted.

    Tommy began stomping over, “What’s that green bastard doin’ ta yeh?” [9]

    Phil used a wing to knock Tommy away before Techno was able to stab Tommy with a sword, his eyes a blood red and a frenzied look in his eyes.

    “Tech, Tech, follow my voice, yeh [10] don’t need ta [5] fight here,” Phil told Techno as the warrior thrashed his head back and forth.

    Niki inched closer and passed Phil a vial, he placed it under Techno’s nose and he began calming down.

    “Thanks,” Phil said and inched closer. “Techno, yeh [10] need me ta [5] clear the room?”

    “No, I,” Techno paused, swallowing. “I’ve got it.”

    “What did that fucker do ta [5] you?” Tommy demanded. “It’s bad enough he’s got us trapped in here.”

    “Dream’s not powerful enough for that,” Techno had a slight chuckle to his voice as he stood up.

    “We still need ta [5] get out,” Tommy reminded him. “Tubbo an’ [11] Ranboo are still trapped.”

    Philza sighed, rather dramatically before he held his hand up and magic covered his hand before there was what felt like an earthquake and then a crash of some kind. Tommy, Shroud, and Ghostbur’s outfits changed into something that matched Phil and Techno’s. Tommy realized he was wearing a circlet, perched on his head and when he went to take it off to look at it he saw that it was studded with green and blue stones, and etched with perfect craftsmanship.

    Tommy immediately rushed to the nearest window and saw at the foot of the palace, right outside the ground, an inn. And Tubbo stumbled out of it, looking around wildly. He was in an outfit that almost matched Tommy’s, but without the circlet and he was wearing thick gloves.

    Ranboo followed after him, he was wearing a long purple cloak. But behind him, Michael was peeking his head out from behind Ranboo’s cloak.

    Tommy immediately raced out of the palace, shoulding past guards and palace servants as he tried to get to Tubbo.

    “Tubbo!” Tommy raced over but Tubbo glared at him, his false eye’s iris glowed with its radioactive symbol right before he punched Tommy in the gut.

    “The fuck!” Tommy shouted angrily.

    “I was safe!” Tubbo shouted in a fury. “Me an’ [11] Ranboo an’ [11] Michael were safe. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

    “I didn’t do anythin’ [12] ,” Tommy shouted back in anger.

    “T-Tubbo,” Ranboo warned, and tried to hide Michael in his cloak.

    Tubbo stopped and looked past Tommy to see, to his horror, that Techno was watching them as Michael peeked his head around Ranboo’s cape, holding his larger hand in his much smaller one.

    Techno’s eyes narrowed and Tubbo moved, scooping Michael up and glaring at Techno.

    “Stay back!” Tubbo ordered Techno with an angry snarl. “Get away!”

    Techno looked between the three of them, Michael just staring at Techno with huge, wide dark eyes, the gears clearly starting to turn in his head.

    The warrior took a step forward and Ranboo took a step forward. “Techno! Techno! Wait please, don’t hurt them.”

    “Are you with them?” Techno demanded.

    “I, uh,” Ranboo clearly had a look of panic on his face. “Yeah, but look I just want you to know—”

    “I don’t care what you spend your time with but did it have to be with the government?” Techno spat at Ranboo.

    “He’s my husband, of course I spend time with him,” Ranboo told him.

    “Ehhh!” Techno sputtered. “When did you get married?!”

    “Almost a year ago?” Ranboo asked.

    “A year? Why am I just learning now?” Techno told him. “I’m like your mentor, I should have been the first person you told.”

    “You don’t like Tubbo,” Ranboo reminded.

    “Because he and Quackity tried to kill me with axes, why would I like the guy?” Techno snapped.

    “Well, yeah, that makes sense,” Ranboo admitted.

    “Take the kid, we’ll go inside to Phil,” Techno jabbed his thumb at the palace. “And don’t worry, not killin’ [13] the kid. He’s Ranboo’s too after all, right?”

    “Yeah,” Ranboo answered.

    “Good,” Techno told him but Tubbo still glared at Techno suspiciously. He followed at the back of the group, always braced to dump Michael into Tommy’s arms and pull out the first weapon he could get his hands on.

    He only marginally calmed down when he saw Phil and Techno started complaining to Phil about Ranboo, and then balked when he found out Philza was already aware of the boy.

    The little meet-up was interrupted when Jack Manifold raced in, in uniform after getting pulled in from the bubble Tubbo and Ranboo had been trapped in.

    “Emperor! Enemy soldiers were spotted at the gate!” Jack yelled, the trio of teens and Niki stared at Phil in surprise.

    “Where from?” Phil called out.

    “From the Errin Empire,” Jack reported. “They were dressed like they were in the royal guard. We were able to apprehend them.”

    “Shit,” Phil spat. “I want three guards in front ‘a [14] the nursery. Ranboo, take Michael an’ [11] go with them. Niki, make sure no one gets in.”

    “O-Okay,” Ranboo stammered nervously, grabbing Michael, and standing in front of Tommy expectantly. It took Tommy a bit to realize he was quietly asking Tommy to take Shroud. Tommy nodded and passed him over, Shroud became very upset to leave Tommy’s arms.

    “On it!” Niki pushed Ranboo after the soldiers the instant he had both young boys in his arms.

    “Tommy, Tubbo, behind me,” Philza ordered.

    “Hold up, why are you the Emperor, yer [1] an anarchist?” Tubbo asked.

    “We’ll talk about it later,” Techno interrupted as Puffy, Jack, and a couple soldiers dragged Chase and Jackie in.

    “That’s new,” Techno hummed.

    “We spotted an enemy force, we think it’s Lord Phantom,” Puffy announced.

    Jackie turned to look out the window, seeing a wall of darkness in the sky, coming for them. “Storm’s comin’ [15] in,” Jackie commented.

    “That’s the Entity,” Phil corrected.

    “What? Dark?” Chase perked up, starting to try and twist himself out of the rope tying his wrists behind his back.

    Puffy kicked him down, so that he was face-down on the ground and placed a foot on his wrists. “Not so fast, buddy.”

    “Puffy, let him up,” Phil ordered, “cut ‘em [16] both from their bonds.”

    “You sure?” Puffy asked, taking her foot off.

    “Yes,” Phil ruffled out his wings. “Battle stations! Average, can you talk Ent down?”

    “I think so?” Chase said, rubbing at his wrists as he wisely kept his distance from Phil. “I just need ta [5] reach him, I didn’t forget so I imagine he’s still good too.”

    The storm reached them and Phil started to hear the screams.

    “How’d they sneak up that quickly?!” Jack yelled.

    “Because none ‘a [14] this is real,” Phil told him.

    The door was thrown open and Phantom was standing there in royal purple. “Phil, Techno, long time no see. It’s just like old times.”

    “So yer [1] awake, then,” Phil sighed.

    “Where’s Dark?” Chase demanded.

    Phantom motioned with his head back, “Dealing with the town.”

    “Then move outta [17] the fookin’ [4] way,” Chase snarled.

    “ Aww, he’s having fun out there,” Phantom smiled.

    “Here I’d hoped he wouldn’t work with yeh [10] again, yeh [10] always have been a shite [18] friend,” Phil glared at him.

    “ Ehh, we were both standing on the cliff, and he wanted to blow off some steam,” Phantom shrugged. “You know empaths, they get a little needy when they’re emotional so I just let him go off.”

    “Fook [19] off,” Chase spat at him. “Jackie!”

    Jackie grabbed Chase and they blitzed past Phantom, who rolled his eyes.

    “Don’t blame me when he starts getting snippy,” Phantom scoffed, bracing as he smiled at Phil and Techno. “Let’s tango, boys.”

    As Phantom braced for a fight, Chase raced out into the storm.

    “Dark!” Chase screamed over the whirlwind of snow. Chase was racing towards the darkest part of the storm. “Dark!”

    The darkness seemed to evaporate and Dark had some soldier by the throat, when he looked at Chase he paused. “Chase?”

    “There yeh [10] are,” Chase felt relief, walking over, a rumbling passing through the bubble as it began weakening from outside attacks. “We’re goin’ home. Yer okay. I’m takin’ yeh home an’ yeh can relax.” [20]

    Dark blinked in disorientation, he felt drained. Phantom must have snagged some of his aura when he wasn’t looking, or the anomaly was taking more from him than he realized. “Yeah, I think that’s for the best.”

    Chase was almost within arms reach and Dark realized his body needed a nap because it was getting harder to focus on things.

    “Hey, yeh [10] look tired,” Chase smiled as Jackie noticed something shooting towards them, but because of the coloration of the smoke he thought it a part of Dark’s aura.

    At least until it hit Chase.

    Something stabbed Chase right through the heart and the marksman knew he should be dead. But he felt something in his very soul snap. Dark flinched, his eyes widening in horror.

    Chase knew should be dead, the human heart was a fragile organ, but as he was tossed to the side, he felt weak and was losing blood but his heart was too stubborn to stop beating and blood was still coming from somewhere. As his soul cracked in two before snapping back together, good as new.

    “Hey, Dames,” Marc spat as he grabbed Dark and pulled him closer. “Let’s try this again.”

    “How dare you? What did you do?” Dark spat at Marc as he looked at Chase in horror. He was only slightly calmed when he saw Chase starting to try and pick himself up, glaring murderously at Marc. But the Actor burst into smoke and ripped a portal open, dragging Dark with him.

    When the portal snapped closed, it destroyed the bubble with it. Barely a second’s warning as it shattered and violently dropped all its inhabitants onto the floor.

    The bubble the Actor disappeared into snagged the Sanders bubble and seemed to violently tear it in half as it pulled it inside.

    Phil screamed in agony as his bad wing returned and reminded the avian demon that he’d been grounded for years now.

    “Phil!” Techno rushed over to him in concern.

    Chase looked around, becoming furious when he couldn’t see Dark. “Fooker! That fooker! I’m gonna kill him.” [21]

    “Average stop movin’ [22] !” Jackie yelled and raced over. “Henrik! Chase needs attention, now!”

    “Let me go!” Chase snapped at Jackie who was looking at him like Chase had flesh hanging off his bones. “I’m fine.”

    “Yeh [10] were stabbed in the fookin’ [4] heart! Stop movin’ [22] !” Jackie yelled and that made people stare at Chase and Henrik who was at a brisk walk was now suddenly racing over as fast as he could. Marvin followed suit.

    “Average! Lay down now!” Henrik yelled, forcing the marksman to a halt.

    While the chaos of trying to get medical care and everyone just tried to figure out what was going on, Techno took a look around as Phil seemed to regain his strength and stood up.

    “You okay?” Techno looked around as Ranboo was starting to get frantic.

    “Where’s Tubbo?” Ranboo asked, an acute sense of panic growing within him. He scooped Michael and Shroud into his arms.

    “He was right next ta [5] me, did that fucker grab him?” Tommy yelled as he looked around, his eyes locking onto Quackity who was just staring at Ranboo. Or more importantly, at Michael and Shroud, who were both crying. The screams only made Tommy even more agitated.

    “What do you mean he’s just gone!” Ranboo yeled.

    “Okay, give ‘em [16] here,” Philza swept in and just scooped the two toddlers into his arms, his aura soothing them and they stopped crying.

    Techno took out his axe and walked closer to the remaining bubble that hadn’t been consumed by the Actor’s. His other hand summoned something that looked like a fishing pole with a small hand-sized grappling hook on the end of it and reeled it back before aiming it at the bubble and dragging it closer to him.

    “Hey, let’s think about this,” Quackity urged.

    But Techno slammed his axe into the bubble the instant he could and it cracked before shattering. Antfrost, George, Skeppy, and Bad all dropped to the ground but Dream rolled into a kneeling position and looked around. He almost stabbed Techno but the warrior easily used his weapons to deflect the blow.

    “Hey man, chill out for five seconds, okay?” Techno chuckled.

    Dream got up and looked around. He helped pull George up to his feet.

    “Thanks, Techno,” Dream told him.

    “That clear the books?” Techno smiled.

    “Fuck no,” Dream chuckled. “You did that on your own, I didn’t ask you to do anything.”

    “ Ehh, it was worth a shot,” Techno shrugged, a smile still on his face.

    Skeppy looked up from where he’d been laying on the ground next to Bad and when he looked up at Ponk he surged up.

    “Give it,” Skeppy took the tome from Ponk, and checked it over. His eyes began to glow blue as parts of his skin began to crystallize. Magic fluttered around him. “Thank you, Ponk.”

    “I was doing my best,” Ponk told him, emphatically throwing their arms up. “Took you long enough.”

    “I was a bit busy,” Skeppy shot back.

    Chase, once Henrik deemed him impossibly still alive and despite the blood he wasn’t dying, he looked up at the final bubble. Illinois gave Eric a kiss before he walked over to Chase.

    “Actor’s up there?” Illinois glared at it.

    “Yeah,” Chase said. “Fooker’s [23] a demon so snappin’ [24] his neck’s so isn’t a crime.”

    “Not a punishable one, and he’d only come back to life in a week,” Illinois agreed.

    “Hey, the two of you are not going alone,” Silver said, in the middle of orchestrating ways to get people home. Dream ordering most of the Server group back home. Silver and Jackie quickly agreed to go with Chase and Illinois.

    Philza was staring at Shroud before smiling at him. “I’ll take these two back home.”

    “Deal,” Ranboo said without thinking, racing over to Chase. “Is Bomble okay in there?”

    “We don’t know, but we’ll get him back home, the Sides seem to be in there as well,” Silver told him.

    “No, I’m coming with,” Ranboo insisted. “I can open up a portal right into the bubble.”

    “Count me in too,” Tommy rushed over.

    “Absolutely not,” Silver told him.

    “Let me rephrase that,” Tommy told Silver in his usual loud volume. “I am goin’ [25] in there. With or without yer [26] fuckin’ [4] permission.”

    Silver sighed in frustration. “You two don’t take chances, and if you see Bomble, you two need to bail immediately.”

    “Deal,” Ranboo spoke over Tommy and his eyes turned purple as he opened up a portal right over the group and took them right into the bubble.

Chapter Text

    When Ranboo’s portal opened up they were in some theater house, and the first thing that the group saw was Logan and Janus over Thomas’s unconscious body. Remus and Joan nearby.

    “Logic!” Jackie raced over.

    Logan started, almost hitting Jackie with one of his batons before the speedster jumped out of the way and Logan realized who it was. The logical Side visibly sagged in relief.

    “Oh, good,” Logan commented, “you are all doing well.”

    “Fookin’ [1] relative,” Chase spat angrily, he wasn’t sure if it was being near Logan, or if he was just becoming more and more agitated the longer he spent without knowing if Dark was okay but his skin felt like it was trying to actively climb off of him as he got closer to the Sides.

    “You three okay?” Silver flew over.

    “No,” Logan admitted. “I do not know where the other Core Sides are, we lost sight of everyone else when we came here, and he won’t wake up. It is my estimation that something happened to the Core Sides and the shock knocked him out.”

    “It must’a [2] been the Actor, he’s been doin’ [3] weird stuff all day,” Jackie reported.

    “Then the other Sides must be located before he can do any harm to them,” Logan decided.

    “Go, I’ve got this,” Janus told Logan, summoning his staff and using his magic to pick Thomas up.

    “We’ll keep him out of the line of fire,” Joan promised.

    “Don’t take any unnecessary risks, not even for yourself,” Logan told them, looking straight into Joan’s eyes.

    “Same goes for you, A.I Asimov,” Joan told him and he ran off with Janus and Remus. It left Logan with the others.

    The logical Sides looked at the minors. “Unacceptable, what are you two doing here?”

    “The bastard took Bomble an’ [4] we weren’t just gonna [5] sit around with our heads up our arses [6] , now were we?” Tommy glared at him as Ranboo looked around nervously.

    “If splitting up weren’t terrible of an idea, I would demand it immediately,” Logan told him.

    “Hey, Lo,” Jackie called out and a good sized green mechanical sphere flew out of Jackie’s suit. The large camera on the front shuttered open and closed before flying over to Logan.

    “We can use him to scout the place out,” Jackie offered, motioning to SAM. “Figured he could keep takin’ [7] pictures in here.”

    “Good idea,” Logan told him, and connected to the orb, sending it around to look for any traces of a disturbance. The only nearby doors were the ones that lead to the main stage.

    A set of double doors that Chase was already moving towards. Once he reached them, the marksman could hear faint mumbling from inside the auditorium. He began to creep in, Sam moving in slowly with him, but the instant Chase saw who was on the stage, all subtlety flew out the window.

    “I don’t why you insist on throwing these tantrums,” Marc spat as he stood on the stage with Dark. “I’m giving you a leading role and still you want more?”

    “Let go of me,” Dark spat, trying to twist himself free from the smoke that Marc was trapping him in, and trying to stab him at the same time. “I won’t be your villain.”

    “Come on Dames, you’ve burned down an orphanage,” Marc chuckled as he threw Dark to the side. “Let’s not pretend. Besides, the bubbles you made were weak, they fell apart the instant someone poked at them. So give me the anomaly and I’ll make everything so much nicer.”

    “I don’t have it,” Dark told him.

    Marc glared at him furiously before he slapped Dark across the face, his claws out and so he left deep gashes in his face.

    Dark became equally furious but when he moved to retaliate, Marc elbowed him sharply in the gut and his body dropped.

    The Entity coughed up black, inky blood, the body he was inhabiting was screaming in pain. His souls screamed in rage. He wasn’t running out of aura but the body he was in was starting to reach its limit.

    “Dames, we play the scene after we set the stage, so give me—” Marc snapped before he was pegged in the back by one of Chase’s TASER rounds. Ripping a scream from his lungs.

    Jackie quickly raced in and snagged Dark, snatching him away and back to the group. Illinois almost immediately pulled Dark out of Jackie’s arms.

    “Pass him ta [8] me,” Chase ordered.

    “You need your hands to fight, I don’t,” Illinois spat at him, aura and magic coiling around him, ready to strike out like a whip.

    As Logan entered the room after them, the logical Side looked around and saw one of the nearby pillars and froze in horror. He raced towards it. “Morality!”

    The pillar was just a giant stasis tube where Patton was floating inside, unconscious and energy coursing around it. Logan looked around with SAM to see that the other three pillars contained the two other missing Sides, and Tubbo.

    Logan felt rage come over him and Ranboo’s eyes tracked around the room as he portaled over to the other side and was at Tubbo’s pillar, the young boy’s radioactive iris symbol glowing faintly as his eyes were half closed in his torpor state.

    “No! No!” Ranboo scratched at the pillar and started opening up a portal to pull Tubbo out.

    “Get away from there!” The Actor threw a spear of black smoky aura at Ranboo and knocked him to the side, his aura pinning him down. “I’m not done with the brat yet.”

    “Let go ‘a [9] him,” Tommy spat, Logan had to use nanites to pull Tommy out of the way.

    “I am using them,” Marc scoffed. “They weren’t doing much good in their own stories so I pulled them into mine. Just give me the real anomaly, Dames, quit playing around. We can quit wasting our time with these garbage stories and do something better. Something airtight that isn’t subject to such impermanent and sudden change.”

    “Stay away from him, yeh fookin shitestain!” [10] Chase shouted. “An’ yer gonna give e’eryone else back too.” [11]

    Marc just stared at Chase in confusion before he held a finger up and pulled a couple papers out of nowhere, skimming through them for a very specific character description. “Who the fuck are you again?”

    “Wait!” Actor paused before laughing. “Wait! Shit! When did that change? That’s right Ink said that kid had changed my script again for the thousandth time.” The last two words had been spat out bitterly despite his suddenly humored mood.

    Then Actor smiled at Chase, the marksman keeping himself in-between Marc and Dark. “Well, well, like sister, like brother. Ruining one man’s life isn’t enough for you, so you grab for another? Thought Wil was supposed to be the whore of the relationship.”

    “Shut the fook [12] up!” Chase took out one of his guns and just shot at him in a fury, he didn’t miss the way Dark flinched at Marc’s words, and felt even more fury boil inside his soul. The demon turned into smoke and the round went right through him, jumping down from the stage.

    “You just into trigger happy gunmen or something?” Actor smiled. “Because you’re now two for two, at least, if you don’t include that French sword thrower I know you were fucking in university.”

    “What part ‘a[9] “shut the fook[12] up” didn’t yeh[13] hear?” Chase demanded angrily.

    “Oh, I know the perfect place to put you in my story, it’ll be perfect,” Marc said, his tone laced with threat and promise all in the same breath. “Illinois, bring him over.”

    “No!” Illinois took a step back, he could tell that Dark was starting to nod off, his body dropping off into exhaustion and the last thing Illinois wanted was for this lunatic to put his hands on him again.

    The denial seemed to actually make Marc angry, “Illinois. Junior. Get over here and give him to me.”

    “I’m not your fucking kid, I’ll take your head off before I let you touch him,” Illinois couldn’t see Logan or the minors, but he didn’t know if Marc had done something to them or if they’d slipped off to carry out some kind of plan.

    “Let’s not waste our time,” Marc stepped forward, he snapped his fingers and the room flickered back to the wedding gazebo. “Give him to me, we can go back to the wedding, make it look amazing, and then we can start this story off right. Come on, I don’t want to hurt you if I don’t have to.”

    “Illinois is right to be suspicious of the Actor’s claims,” the Host announced from the stage. He had appeared there and spotlights snapped to look at him as the room darkened just a little bit. Dark roused a bit at the blind seer’s voice and he began weakly struggling a bit in Illinois’s arm.

    “No, no, get away from him,” Dark whimpered, trying to open up a portal to drop the Host into but the Host was able to dispel it. “Not again.”

    “You again,” Marc sneered. “Thought we agreed that you were going to be heard and not seen?”

    “The Host agreed to no such terms, the Actor is insane and imagined words the Host never said,” the blind seer snapped. “The Host is a part of this story, just as much as the Actor or the Entity is.”

    “An oversight, and a waste,” the Actor told him firmly.

    “If the Actor minds,” the Host snapped. “He should stop digging his own grave and listen to the Host, before his time runs out.”

    “Your monologue needs work, kid,” the Actor chuckled, but motioned for the Host to carry on.

    “The Host would like the Actor to know that he will never successfully get any of the Entity’s children on his side,” the Host warned. “Even if he was a half-decent uncle, his track record speaks for itself. There is no one in the Actor’s family that he hasn’t harmed? A wife pushed away and sacrificed? A brother-in-law strangled to death? A brother the Actor helped drive insane? And a son, cast aside because the Actor was careless.” At the last one the Host smiled and gestured to himself.

    Marc’s eyes narrowed, he looked confused. “What?”

    The Host’s smile became a little more smug, and Illinois realized something that he only could have realized after meeting the Actor. Host and Actor had the exact same sharp, toothy grin. “Illinois is not the Actor’s child, he has no claim to Illinois, and even if they were related, it is abundantly clear that the adventurer wants nothing to do with him.”

    Host’s aura coiled around him. “Jackie saved the Author from the Actor when he was thrown forward, the homes he had been in would have paled in comparison to the Actor’s sloppy and neglectful parenting. Had the Actor been subtle, had he known who his biological child was and tried to manipulate him, he might have been successful. Instead, he was careless and his son died.”

    “Oh fuck,” Actor sighed overdramtically. “That makes sense.”

    “The first mistake the Actor made, while the Host has existed, was targeting the Entity,” the Host warned.

    There was a sudden explosion from one of the pillars and everyone turned to look at it. The Host finally was successful in distracting the Actor from what everyone else had been doing.

    “No,” Marc realized before glaring at the Host. “What did you do?”

    The Host smiled, “Well, the Actor insisted all the Host was good at doing was talking, and he was not wrong.”

    Logan, who had been invisible suddenly surged out of the wiring of the system. Skeppy, Ponk, and Marvin had been invisible and working in the background to help Logan and the two minors work the four heroes free. The first one they were able to free was Roman who was immediately grabbed by Logan and passed off to Janus who was racing to bring Roman over to Thomas.

    The illusion of the theater house began breaking down, looking half like the destroyed wedding scene, and the theater house. Marc looked over at Logan in a wild fury before he burst into smoke and as Ranboo was trying to get Tubbo out. The teen was kicked to the side.

    “Hey!” Ranboo shouted in distress as the Actor embedded his aura into Tubbo’s pillar as Patton and Virgil were both dropped out of their stasis tanks.

    “I don’t think so, I have worked too hard for all of this to go down the drain,” Marc spat at him. “If you all get the other ones, I get this one.”

    “Give him back!” Tommy shouted.

    “Drop the kid before you get dropped.”

    Ranboo turned at the sound of that voice and saw someone he didn’t expect. It was Eret who was standing with Puffy and Foolish. He’d rushed to the scene when Quackity and Foolish had reported that Tubbo had gone missing.

    “Who the hell are you?” Marc asked

    Eret flipped her hair, they adjusted their sunglasses and gestured to herself, “Eret’s the name. An’ [4] my dear, you are going to release Tubbo or my boot will be the last thing you see.”

    “I don’t think so,” Marc said, noticing the guy in a white hoodie with a sniper rifle trained on him. He started summoning up aura to rip a portal open. “This kid’s got more aura than half of you combined. He’s no anomaly, but he’s powerful enough to do what I want.”

    “Wrong answer,” Eret summoned a sword, Sam creeping closer with a trident in his hands. “You see Tubbo might be staying with the heroes, but we all are rather attached to him.”

    “Well too bad,” Marc said smugly, “you two-bit villains couldn’t beat me if you tried.”

    Punz released an arrow, Virgil had made his way over to him and laced the arrow with his magic. It phased through Marc and hit the stasis pillar.

    “Hah!” Marc gloated. “You can’t hit shit! You villains are nothing compared to me!”

    A bubbling started forming as Virgil’s magic infected the magic of the stasis pillar, Tubbo starting to have a nightmare as the liquid inside looked like it was bubbling.

    “You haven’t heard, asshole?” Virgil grinned weakly. “Everyone loves the villain.”

    The pillar cracked and Ranboo raced in, immediately teleporting Tubbo away behind the rest of the Server members, scoping him ever so gently into his arms. He made little hissing and vwooping noises of distress. “Tubbs ‽ ”

    “Hghnnn,” Tubbo groaned, mumbling. “Put me down, you fuckin’ [1] giraffe.”

    Ranboo let out a relieved laugh as he gently touched his forehead to the side of Tubbo’s head. “Let’s go home, Bo.”

    “Tub-man,” Quackity raced over. “You hurt?”

    “Oh my goodness, Ranboo, gimme [14] ,” Puffy demanded, racing over and setting her forehead against Tubbo’s. “Gimme.” [14]

    Tubbo made little groans of complaint as people fused over him.

    Foolish and Sam pulled out their tridents and forced a defensive wall in front of the pair. They let Tommy through with barely a nod in his direction.

    “You okay?” Eret asked.

    Tubbo nodded.

    Eret turned to Ranboo, “Make sure he actually gets some rest, the poor thing takes after Sam too much.”

    “I will,” Ranboo stood up as his eyes turned purple and he opened up one of his portals and left for the attic room in the Bee ‘n Boo. He immediately set him down on the bed to let him rest.

    As Actor was preoccupied with Tubbo getting away, Host opened up a portal to bring Illinois, Chase, and Dark to stand behind him.

    “Illinois should move the Entity closer to the Host, the Entity can feed off of his aura long enough to revive himself,” the Host ordered, taking a step back.

    Illinois nodded, “He’s not going to fracture again, right?”

    “No, the Entity’s soul is tired, but not drained,” the Host told him, his aura sinking into the Entity. Dark was trying to open up a portal to take Illinois and Host away.

    “아빠 [15] come on, we’re trying to help,” Illinois had to move in to disrupt the portal several times. Dark was slowly getting stronger and Illinois doubted if he couldn’t convince Dark to calm down, that he’d hurt himself.

    Marc took one angry step towards Illinois and Dark, opening his mouth to say something, but Silver flew forward and punched Marc in the face. “I think you’ve been talking long enough.”

    Jackie sped in to force the Actor back against the wall as Dark ripped a portal open and he alone slipped inside of it. The Entity emerged from Jackie’s shadow as he surged up and pulled something out of the Void with him. The Entity moving quickly and without mercy or hesitation.

    Dark smiled at Marc as a soul splitter embedded in Marc’s chest. “That’s for what you did to Average.”

    Then Dark forced more aura into him and Marc’s soul violently discorporated. The demon had drawn in too much aura for Dark to snap his soul in half quite so easily.

    But he was gone and Dark just stood there, the body he was in burning and a sense of triumph slowly bubbling up inside of him.

Chapter Text

    As the illusions fell, everyone was in agreement that the wedding ceremony could take a break for a day or three.

    Three days after the fiasco that was the first attempt, they set up the wedding and tried again, this time without interruption.

    Eric this time was carried to the altar by Illinois because he was still recovering, and he got to sit as Illinois knelt next to him.

    Jackie was able to get through the ceremony. Eric and Illinois were able to get through their vows, with Eric being a sobbing and stammering wreck because of his nerves and happy emotions.

    Rings were exchanged and the scene moved on to the reception. During the much calmer ceremony that extended from the gazebo to the building that everyone had been in before the ceremony. It had been a two-floor small convention hall for small parties.

    Silver had been talking with Illinois when he noticed Dream standing on the second floor so after his conversation with Illinois reached a lull, he excused himself and slipped away to float over to Dream.

    “Hey, didn’t know you were invited,” Silver commented dryly.

    “Well,” Dream said as he leaned against the balcony, looking down at the rest of the party. “Just wanted to check on Tubbo, but he’s not here, it’s just Tommy.”

    “I really don’t think you should be here,” Silver commented, trying to give Dream a chance to leave on his own before he kicked him out. “You should get out of here before I dump you on your ass five miles away.”

    “I got it, I got it,” Dream shrugged, holding his hands up in surrender. “Just wanted to check on the kids.”

    “They were trying to get away from you,” Silver reminded. “Why do you care so much about them? You have dozens of other demons to work with, leave those three alone.”

    “Oh Tommy, yeah Tommy can go fuck off and do whatever he wants,” Dream dismissed. “Kid’s a sour grape, the less I see him, the better. But you know Tubbo’s been through a lot and Ranboo’s a bit forgetful, so I worry about them a lot.”

    “I’m sure you do,” Silver scoffed. “You probably put them through a lot of shit.”

    “Me?” Dream gestured to himself. “Oh no, not me personally. Wilbur, and Techno, and Schlatt did that. I was merely a bystander. I’ve done nothing.”

    “Yeah, I bet,” Silver commented dryly. “Which is why Tubbo took them away from you.”

    “Yeah, well Tubbo’s naturally a little paranoid, not that I blame the kid,” Dream shrugged. “But if I hadn’t let him go, Puffy and Eret would have had my throat.”

    “Well, that makes me never want to leave you with him again,” Silver informed.

    “It’s not my fault if—” Dream started before a void portal opened and he was dumped out and thrown all the way across the city from the party. Dark’s aura cutting into him a little bit going in and out of the portal.

    “Why was I not told he was here sooner?” Dark demanded as he came out of a portal next to Silver, looking furious.

    “I was going to kick him out, I was just trying to figure out what he wanted,” Silver shot back.

    “You were taking your sweet time,” Dark snapped. “He was in the same building as the Host.”

    “I was going to take care of him,” Silver insisted.

    “You were going to let him monologue for a couple minutes and then leave me to take care of him,” Dark straightened his suit out with his aura.

    Silver rolled his eyes, “Yeah, anyways, you feeling any better? You looked really out of it when your family took you away.”

    “I’m fine, I don’t need your pity,” Dark scoffed.

    “It’s not pity, he was torturing you in there,” Silver reminded.

    “I’m sure you relish in my defeat,” Dark glared at him.

    “Once again, he was very clearly torturing you,” Silver gestured with his hands. Why would I enjoy that?”

    “E’erythin’ [1] okay?” Chase demanded as he came up with the rest of the Septics right behind him. “Was that Dream?”

    “Yeah, I was trying to figure out what he wanted before Dark kicked him out,” Silver answered.

    “He have time ta do anythin’?” [2] Jackie asked.

    “Not that I know of, but I’ll check with Logic,” Silver flew off, leaving to go and find the logical Side.

    It left Dark alone with the Septics, Chase walked over to him, a ticked his head down to the bulk of the party. “Why don’t yeh head down ta the others, I gotta talk ta ‘em.” [3]

    Dark rolled his eyes dismissively, and disappeared into a portal where Wilford was talking to Illinois and wrapped his arm around Dark the instant he saw him.

    “Fook [4] that guy,” Chase scoffed at he looked at Wilford, who smiled and waved at him. Chase rolled his eyes but he smiled back. “Fooker.” [5]

    Jackie was looking at his communicator, “Gotta [6] cut the party short, fellas, Anti’s causin’ [7] problems again, an’ [8] I think he picked up Remus on his way out.”

    Henrik sighed in frustration, “I shall head on over to ze [9] hospital zen [10] .”

    “Yeah, that’s fer [11] the best,” Jackie agreed.

    “Headin’ [12] out?” Chase asked the Septics, leaning against the railing of the balcony, jumping up to sit on the banister.

    “Yeah, just ‘cause [13] Dark’s busy doesn’t mean the rest ‘a [14] the city is,” Jackie grinned, “come on, we’ll pick up lunch on the way out.”

    “Yeh comin’?” [15] Marvin asked Chase.

    “Nah,” Chase smiled, picking himself up to sit on the rail. “Think I’ll stay an’ [8] help clean up.”

    “Yeh [16] sure, heard the father ‘a [14] groom’s a real taskmaster?” Jackie asked in concern.

    “Yeah, I’ll be alright,” Chase shrugged. “He’s not so bad once yeh [16] get ta [17] know him.”

    “I do know him, an’ [8] he’s an absolute bastard,” Jackie chuckled. “Make sure when yeh fall, yeh don’t hit yer head on the way down.” [18]

    “I got it,” Chase smiled. “Seriously though, if yeh [16] guys e’er [19] need help though, call me. Unless I’m already there, then I can’t help yeh [16] .”

    “Yeh [16] wouldn’t last a second,” Jackie told him.

    “Maybe on my own,” Chase promised, and then he pitched himself over the edge of the railing and flipped to land himself down on the first floor in a perfect landing. As he fell, Dark’s magic and aura coiled around Chase and he lost his mask and his vest had a paisley print to it, the design had little clubs symbols in the pattern.

    “Yeah, saw that was comin’ [20] ,” Marvin sighed, bowing his head a bit before summoning up his magic and racing off to go and take care of one of the recent alerts, J.J following after him.

    Jackie, however, took a couple steps before looking back at his old friend. Chase was looking back at him, and smiled back at him.

    The Septics left the party, taking Tommy and Ethan with them when they left, and after that the party started to wind down. Eric and Illinois leaving for their vacation, and the heroes slowly filed out and Chase stayed with Dark, occasionally throwing Wilford annoyed eye rolls.

    A physical distance between Dark and Chase, but less of an emotional one than there had ever been before.