Soulscape (CosmoK13 edition)

by CosmoK13

This is a fanfiction based off of a Jacksepticeye fangame. It is the version I wished I could have seen. Basically, this is more or so where Anti, as Omi, and Angus team up to help save each other from their corrupted and fractured state. This is not at all the actual story of the game, this is my interpretation. Please support the official release and enjoy the story!

17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The lost Septiceye

Night soon fell across the land as Anti and Angus made it back to the cabin. Angus had not said a single word to Anti or anyone along the way. Once they were inside, Angus just sat at the edge of his bed. So many thoughts were running through his head, everything that had happened in regards to Bing's memories and the dreams Anti had. He wanted so badly to distract himself and get his mind off of… everything. But it was harder than he thought.

Posi and Nega looked over at Anti, as the three tried to give the survival hunter some space. Anti did explain to his two souls what happened, including the memories he saw before they went inside Bing. "And you didn't want to tell Angus right away because?"

"Nega!" Posi looked at the devil with crossed eyes.

"I wanted to, I really did. But what was I supposed to say? How could I tell Angus I saw his memories when he didn't?"

Posi hummed. "He does have a point."

Anti sighed. "I knew it would be upsetting for him… I should have said it earlier…"

"I don't think it would have mattered…" Nega admitted. "He would have been broken regardless…"

"I should have told him sooner…" Anti admitted.
"You didn't know that the memories wouldn't match." Posi told the chimera. "Nega is right, even if you did tell him and you two saw what was in Bing's mind, it would have had the same results." The three turned back, Angus's head was slumped down, staring at the floor. His hands clenched the frame of the bed, practically turning white. They could all see how tense he was, like he was about to blow up at any given moment.

Anti bit his lip, seeing his brother in such a state. "I… should go talk to him…" Anti stepped towards the bedroom, only to be stopped by Posi.

"Anti… don't…" The chimera pulled back, going forward as he went to Angus. Nega held onto Posi, knowing that this would be unavoidable. He went over to the bed, sitting down next to the survival hunter.

"Brother…?" Anti called to him. Angus didn't respond, he kept staring at the floor. "What's the matter?" Anti had his ears flat, as he bit his lip.

Angus let out a long sigh. "Haaahhh…" He then turned to Anti, his eyes void of any light. "It's nothing… Just a lot on my mind…" Even his voice sounded flat, no emotion whatsoever.

Posi and Nega looked over at one another, deciding they should go in and help out. "Is this about Bing's memory?" The devil asked. "I know you've been really quiet since we left the hospital."

Angus's hands slowly let go of the bed frame, but his fists were clenched. "It's more than just that…"

Anti looked down, knowing it was his fault. "Because of what I kept from you? I-I'm sorry that I kept it from you. I wanted to tell you, I did I just-"

"It's not just that…" Angus slightly twitched, running a hand through his hair as he spoke up. "I heard what you told him back there."

"Angus w-what-" Posi stuttered.

"Posi." The hunter turned to the angel, a gaze on his face as if to tell him to stop. Posi saw the look, jumping backwards. Nega pulled Posi away, looking between Angus and Anti.

"W-What did I say?" Anti asked, his memory of such events was still fuzzy.

When Angus spoke, it sounded like he would snap at any given second. Even his eyes were narrowed. "You talked in that code again… you said, 'You won't be the reason he dies again.'" The two guardian souls winced, surprised as they slowly turned to Anti. The chimera seemed just as shocked as well, but Angus was still explaining as he kept that glare on the child. "You two wouldn't have heard him, since you got separated from us. Not only that, you attacked him in that same mindset you've gone into since Chase's memory, even Jackie's and Marvin's."

"I-I had to!" Anti proclaimed. "They weren't there to protect you so I needed to do something! You would have died."

"So that makes it okay for you to forget that promise we made?! To put yourself at risk when your soul is in danger!? That was fucking stupid of you!"

"I'm sorry I disappointed you!" Anti shot back. "But I'm not sorry for saving your ass! 'Mourning Bing' had gotten so many hits on you, and if he got any more in, your soul would have broken! I know I used my essences, but I also can't help but go in that state! I can't control it! I never knew how!"

Angus gave a low growl as he responded. "You're only letting the corruption cling to you even more like, like a fucking infection!"

"You think I want to keep using it and draining what's left of my essence? Of course not! But here we are!" Anti stated, both him and the hunter were becoming increasingly upset with one another.

"What do you want from me, Anti?" Angus questioned.

"How about admitting to the fact that you are jealous of what I saw and what you couldn't see? That's what this is really about, isn't it?" Anti questioned.

"You think I'm jealous?" Angus's eyes were slowly turning black, his wings spread out with ruffled feathers. "Ha! How can I not be?! You saw my memories! You got to relive my life, that I wasn't able to see!" Now it was his teeth that he was baring, slightly sharper than usual. Posi yelped in fear, clinging to Nega as he was worried where this was going.

"I didn't ask to see them! And you saw my memories, so if anything, you should be happy! Now I know what you went through and I feel sympathy for you!"

"But they were still my memories to experience!"

Anti glared at Angus as his voice was rising in volume as well. "What are you so upset about? That I was going to see something personal?! I already knew you died! Why do you think we're here right now?! But I'm not complaining, because at least I'm still alive!"

"And how many close calls have we had where that wasn't the case?! Huh?!" Angus growled louder.

"Well, we seem to still be alive, so you tell me!" This caused the survival hunter to turn away, grunting as his body was shaking with agitation. "While we are being honest, how about you tell me what you want from me?!"

At this point, Angus finally snapped as he glared at Anti, with glowing green eyes. "How about you admit that you wanted to take back Posi and Nega at any given point!"

"A-Angus!" Posi gasped, his eyes wide as he looked over at the aggressive older ego.

"Admit it, Anti! You just wanted to wait for an opportunity to off me from the start!" Angus growled.

At first, the chimera didn't respond. He just looked at Angus with his eyes narrowed. In a whispering tone, he spoke up. "And what if that was the case?"

"Then maybe you'd be better off. You'd rather kill the person who took your soul, just so you could live."

"You mean like what you did to me back then?!" Anti questioned, becoming just as annoyed.

"Anti!" Posi gasped, looking at the chimera.

"DON'T… you fucking go there!" Angus warned, showing off his fangs.

"Oh, you want to act like it never happened? You want to pretend that it was just a bad dream? A mistake?!" Anti's perma-smile spread, mockingly to Angus. "Then explain to me why I am in this state! Because if I recall, it was a certain 'Survival Hunter' who reached out to take my soul, just to keep himself alive!"

"Then maybe you should've just taken them back when you had the fucking chance!" Angus snarled at him.

"You think I didn't want to take them back in that tree house where you found me?! I was ready to fight you for them at that point! Instead, I heard you out because I was told you had a side to the story. I realized how broken you were, just like me! I gave you the chance to return them to me and I still am! I am not like the ones that tortured and abused me! That's what you told me before, right?"

Angus grunted, looking away as he tried to keep his hands from shaking. "I'm surprised you're still trusting a thief at this point." He muttered.

"You aren't a thief, Angus. You really think I see you that way now?! After everything we've been through!?"

"Don't fucking lie to me!" Angus slowly advanced towards the chimera, despite how shorter he was than Anti, the gaze alone made up for how serious he looked. He then went over to Anti, grabbing his hand and placing it right on Angus's chest. "Go on! Do it! I dare you!"

Anti stared back at him with harshness. "I. Am not. Going to be the reason you die AGAIN! You think I want you to die?! I love you, Angus! I don't want you to go through any of that ever again!" Tears welled up in Anti's eyes as he spoke. "I don't want you or the others to suffer. I know what you all have been through, and if you die, they will be broken."

"How could you possibly know what will break them?!" Angus raised his voice. "You don't know them like I do! Because you are not an ego! You are not one of us, Anti!" Nega and Posi's eyes went wide, covering their mouths as they gasped. Anti just looked up at him, with a disbelief look in his eyes. The survival hunter knew what he said, and even though he would regret it later, right now he was beyond pissed. Angus turned away, scoffing as he put a couple of feet between him and Anti. He couldn't even look at the chimera at that moment.

The room fell silent as Anti was still reeled back by what Angus said. It hurt, but at the same time he wanted to believe that his brother didn't mean it. He stared at Angus's back, where his wings were. Biting his lip as he muttered something. "I'm not him, you know…"

Angus was able to hear it, turning his head to look back at Anti. "What was that?"

Anti stepped forward while looking Angus in the eyes. "Nega and Posi told me about Sean. How he-"
"ANTI!" Angus shouted, baring his fangs at him while his eye slightly twitched. "You are treading on thin fucking ice!" He spoke that line through gritted teeth.

The chimera still looked up at Angus, pity in his eyes. "I'm sorry about what your creator did to you. But you aren't the only one who has been betrayed by the people that made you!"

"You have NO idea how betrayal truly works! How it REALLY feels!" Angus declared, snarling in a wolf-like manner.

Anti looked at Angus, at first with no emotion in his eye. Even so, he protested back. "Everyone that created me, have either gotten left behind to suffer or were the ones that abused and tortured me. Everyone-" He went over, shoving Angus slightly on the chest to push him back. "Fucking expect for you! So don't tell me that killing you is the solution, because honestly, I would rather end up alone back in that cell than be the reason you end up dying again!"

Angus stumbled back from the shove. When he regained his balance, he looked at Anti and listened to what he said. His bangs began to cover his eyes, as the other three waited to see what would happen. What Angus would say and do. He managed to look back up at Anti, speaking slowly. "You know what, Anti...? You're right. But, don't you ever try to compare me to Sean in any way. Ever again!" With that warning, Angus headed to the door. He opened it and walked out, leaving Anti with Posi and Nega.

"Angus…" Posi muttered, feeling guilty that he and Nega didn't do more to stop the argument from happening.

"I'll go check on him… he won't get far." Nega promised, as he floated off out of the cabin to trail behind the survival hunter. This left the chimera with the angel alone.

"Why does he have to be so mean?!" Anti shouted.

Posi bit his lip as he looked at his former host with worry. "Anti… you know how protective Angus can be. You can't blame him…"

"That doesn't give him the right to call me out like that!" Anti pointed out. "I know I'm not an ego like the others… I was never born here but… I'm here now, doesn't that count?"

"Of course it does, Anti!" Posi stated. "You know Angus didn't mean that! He was just upset and when we get so angry, we say things we don't mean to the people we care about. But you don't know the other egos like Angus does. I know you are wanting to help them get through their pains, and I know they are grateful for that. But Angus is right, you don't know their whole story. Then again, I don't think even Angus does either."

Anti sighed, taking a seat on the bed again as he held his face. "I just don't understand… I thought he would be happy that people are caring about him and wanting to help him. Wasn't that why he died in the first place?"

"Well… it's more complicated than that." Posi admitted.

"I thought he would also be thankful that I don't hate him… I mean, I know he should expect it, but I really don't." Anti reached up to hold his chest, where the hole was. "So why…? Why is he trying to make me the bad guy?"

"Anti… That's not the case." Posi stated, in a very motherly tone, going over to hold him.

"Then what is it?" Anti asked. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Nothing!" Posi began to raise his voice, but tried his best not to come off as harsh. "Angus isn't trying to make you out as the bad guy! He's the one who has it in his head that he is being put in that role! Why do you think he wants to give Nega and I back to you so badly?!" Anti stared at his positive soul, looking at him with wide eyes. All the while, Posi kept going. "He's trying to make up for the wrongs that he did, not just to you, but to all the other egos here. That's why he's upset about seeing everyone's bad memories. Because when Angus had them under the 'Corruption', they were reminded of those flaws and faults." Posi looked down, the guilt still in his eyes. "I'll admit, I don't know what was going through his head during that time, since I was still with Jack. But I could sense how all of the egos became affected by reliving those experiences. Everyone has their problems, Anti. Even Angus."

Anti took in what Posi was saying. Realizing how much regret the survival hunter must have and has lived with all this time. "Posi… what is Angus afraid of?" Anti questioned, curious as to what Angus's true fear was.

The angel sighed as he held himself. "He has many of them, Anti. But his biggest one is being forgotten and dying all over again. He doesn't want to go through that trauma again. And I think… that is what we will face when we go into his soul." Anti gasped, hearing that. Though, based on what Angus went through, especially in the memory, it made sense. The chimera once again felt the sympathy rise in him. He was devastated upon seeing those memories himself, and they weren't even his. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Angus saw them. "But… if we are talking about his fears…" Posi went on. "I think he's also afraid of losing those he cares the most for. Even you." Posi smiled as he looked up at Anti.

"I thought he said I wasn't one of the egos." Anti retorted.

"You know he didn't mean that." Posi pointed out. "He was upset… I think this whole thing has gotten to him. He doesn't want anyone to experience what he did, hence why he's so protective of everyone, especially you." Again, Anti raised his head up as he listened to his angel. "You're the one he feels he screwed over the most. That's why he is so protective of you and wanting to give us back to you. I don't think he'll admit it, but if you die… it will destroy him."

"I-it would?" Anti gasped, hearing that.

"He cares about you so much, Anti… like a little brother." Posi smiled. "I know that tonight you saw the worst in him, but it was bound to happen. No one has ever really been there for him to face his own demons. He's the one that is chasing everyone else's demons away." Anti had to admit, Posi had a point. All this time, Angus was the one who had been comforting and taking care of Anti, even though it was the chimera's fault he ended up this way. He was just as damaged as the child, but he kept going with a brave face. And Anti has barely done enough to match up with what Angus did for him. Maybe that is why the survival hunter has become so agitated as of late. All of this negativity was really getting to him, like it did so many years ago.

"I… I didn't want to lash out. I'm so sorry…" Anti whimpered.

"Anti, this wasn't your fault-"

"But I egged him on…" Anti cut off Posi. "I could have just taken the hit and walked away but I was the one that drove him off. Posi, I have to apologize. At the very least, I want to be there for Angus. He hasn't had anyone face his demons before… but that can change now."

The angel smiled, looking at his former host to see how supportive he was of Anti's decision. He really hadn't changed, even after those years without him and Nega. "I think Angus is still nearby, I can sense him and I'm not pulled to him."

Anti nodded, heading out of the cabin with Posi by his side. The two began to search, looking for the survival hunter. It was as Posi stated, he couldn't have gotten too far. Anti and the angel searched around, going into the woods to locate Angus. They didn't have to search for long though, as they could hear a growl of frustration nearby. The glitch and angel looked at one another, then followed the noise. The two eventually came to a clearing, where they could see Angus Irwin. His sclera's were black once again, as he began to slice at a tree using his machete. Every time that he ended up hitting the wood, he felt a holt in his body, as if it pained him just to keep his weapon summoned. For a while, Anti and Posi just watched, wondering what was going to happen. Anti wanted to go over, to try and calm Angus down before he hurt himself. However, the angel kept a hold of the child, advising against it.

After a couple of swings and going halfway into the tree, Angus panted as he was growing tired. All of that pent up energy was running out, leaving him alone, at least, with a certain devil behind him. "Geez, you really have grown emotional over the years."

"Go. Away!" Angus snapped, not even turning to face Nega.

"Did you forget that me and Posi are still attached to you, despite the connection being severed? Besides, I think it would be best if we could talk." Nega pointed out, keeping his arms crossed.

Angus turned, glaring at the devil. He held out his hand, ready to summon his weapon once more. Just as it began to manifest, Angus winced as another painful jolt crossed his body. "Gggh-!" He started to cough, some blood hacking from his mouth which caused the two spectators to gasp silently. Angus managed to wipe the blood away, trying to be tough but Nega could see right through the act.

"Look at you, you can't even summon your weapon at this point. You're in just as bad a state as Anti is right now."

"F-fuck off…" Angus grunted.

Nega glared at the survival hunter, becoming serious. "Look, I know you didn't want to start any fights. I don't know if it's the stress or something more, so how about you tell me one on one?"

"You think talking is gonna do anything at this point?!" Angus growled lowly.

"Well I'm not gonna stop bothering you until you speak up. And I'm still stuck with you so…" Nega shrugged, as he leaned against the tree and raised a brow. The older ego grunted, turning back on the devil as he began to speak.

"What do you expect me to say?! Do you want me to admit that I'm jealous of Anti?!"

"Are you?" Nega questioned, as he raised a brow. He was the one out of the two with the calmest tone right now.

Angus's eye twitched as he looked at the devil. "You know what… I am! I'm jealous of the fact that Jack and his community put so much attention and effort onto him instead of him! I'm upset with the very fact that it was his face that I had to use for so long, because no one knew mine!" As Angus spoke, tears began to well up in his eyes. Anti started to shed some as well, but he remained where he was. "And I'm also upset by the fact that it was Anti who saw my memories! My death! Not me! Those memories that I should have been able to see! The very ones that caused me to remember who I was! Why…?" Angus's aggressive expression dropped, replaced with a quivering lip as his eyes wavered. "Why could he see my memories but not me? Why was it he was able to relieve the life I had, but I wasn't able to? I…" The hunter fell against the tree trunk, his back against the bark as he drew his legs to his chest. "Am I… Am I that broken?" Angus's head fell onto his knees, as he let the tears pool out. Anti and Posi heard this from where they were. As much as Anti should have felt offended by the first part, he understood how Angus truly felt. What was going through his mind and his soul.

Nega watched the hunter break down, as he moved over to sit next to him. "Damn… you're just the same as always."

Angus sniffled, looking back up at the negative half. "W-what?"

"I mean… running away from the problem instead of facing it. Somehow, blaming the people around you for the faults of the situation rather than owning up to your own mistakes. I mean, first, you blame Sean for killing you even though it was self-defense. Then you blame Anti for not telling you what he saw, even though he knew it would destroy you. You have a hard time trying to admit your own faults, unless you are breaking down."

Angus sat there, sniffling more as he wiped the tears from his eyes. As snarky and sarcastic as Nega could be, he was always one for telling the truth. "When did you tell him?" Angus asked, in a very low tone. "About Sean?"

Nega huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was shortly before you woke up. Anti woke up from the same dream, being reminded of his dad and missing his home. He said he wanted fresh air, but me and Posi wanted him to stay. I kind of let it slip that I experienced death before, and he got curious. Posi and I were forced to tell him about Sean and the timeline that happened…" Angus didn't respond, he just listened. After hearing about the bad end, Anti probably needed that fresh air more than ever.

"I'm surprised he didn't mention it back at the tree house…" Angus noted.

"I think he did… at least, hinting at it when he asked you that question." Nega pointed out. Angus nodded, being reminded of that one thing Anti asked him… in regards to having the ability to see the alternate timelines. If only he could go back and tell him the truth. "You know… it's so weird. A few years ago you were willing to do whatever it took to get revenge on Sean for betraying you. Even going as far as to control and corrupt everyone else. But yet… when it comes to Anti, you seem to want to draw the line? Why? What makes him so special that you would rather he makes you suffer, rather than you be the one to hurt him?"

Angus practically glared at Nega as he uttered his response. "...Do you honestly fucking think… that I want a kid's blood on my hands? You really believe that I would rather sacrifice him just to keep myself alive?! I never asked for that fate!"

"Neither did he! But here we are!" Nega rolled his eyes. "You two were doing so well, so why did you have to say all of those things? Anti feels just as guilty for keeping it from you, but you kept certain things from him as well."

"I already know how I've fucked up. You didn't need to fucking remind me of how my actions have basically fucked up everyone else's lives! More than ONCE! Haaaahhhh.." Angus let out a sigh, mixed with a growl.

Nega rolled his eyes. "You are the one that can not keep things in the past."

"Alright, alright." Angus ran a hand through his hair once again, out of frustration. "I get it already, just…"

"Just what?" Nega crossed his arms as he looked directly at Angus. "Why don't you tell me what you are really afraid of, Angus Irwin?" The survival hunter flinched at that question. As he felt bile beginning to rise in his throat. His eyes went back to looking at the ground, as he was silent once again. "Are you really scared of dying again? Or is it something more? After all... who says that a person can't have more than one fear?" Nega pressed on, wanting for Angus to speak up.

"Hhhhhh.." Angus groaned as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "...I don't want to fail him."

"Fail who?"

"Anti…" Angus answered. "I don't want him to fade away because of me. I already caused him enough pain and suffering… if he dies I…" The tears once again remained fresh in Angus's eyes. "I will never forgive myself…" His voice cracked with those five words. Anti and Posi watched, as the chimera held onto the tree and listened. The angel was right, losing Anti would be too much for Angus.

Nega gave a small smirk, as he knew he was right. "You really care about that Glitch, don't ya? Only knowing him for a few days and yet you've grown far more attached to him than you have everyone else combined in the five years you've been with them." Once again, Nega wasn't wrong. Angus just sat there, nodding to confirm it. The devil chuckled before giving a sigh. "So, have you gotten it all out of your system?" Angus merely gave a shrug, as he wasn't certain. "You're gonna have to face him eventually…" Nega reminded the survival hunter.

"I-I know that but…" Angus bit his lip as he tried to explain it better. "I just… I don't know how to tell him. I don't want him to feel any more guilty than he already feels. I just hate the fact that he's risking his own being j-just to try and help me out. The person that put him in this situation to begin with."

Nega smirked as he looked at the older ego. "Looks like that is something you two have in common… But you know what I think?" Nega pointed at Angus. "I think you're trying to compensate for what happened to you on that day. You never really talk about that."

"How can I? It's like admitting a horrible truth, to both me and Anti! It's not like I wanted to keep it from him but… that is actually one memory I don't want to revisit."

"Angus… don't you think Anti should have the right to know what happened that led up to the events where he got his soul taken? I think you owe him that much, at least."

"Will he even want to listen to me? Hell, I'd rather forget that day, because I don't want to imagine what he'll say or do afterwards!"

"Pretty sure it's too late for that, considering he did see parts of it already." Nega pointed out.

"Still…" Angus once again had tears in his eyes as his lip quivered. "How can I basically tell him that the reason why he's like this is because...I was trying to save myself from death..?"

Nega went over to Angus, placing a hand on his shoulder for the hunter to look up at him. When they locked eyes, Nega began to speak in a serious tone. "Angus... Anti has suffered for all of his life. What you did to him is nothing compared to what They put him through. You saw the memories, you know what Anti's life was like. You'd really think that if he hated you, he would have warmed up to you so easily after you tried to help him? He's not stupid, Angus. He knows about death, but he doesn't know what it's like. I think that if you told him... really explained what you do remember that day... maybe he would really see things through your perspective. If you truly care about Anti, then you will need to tell him the truth! Let him know why he is like this and show him how much you want to fix what you did."

Angus closed his eyes and felt his chest tighten slightly before giving a sigh. "It's not going to be easy. You and I both know that."

"The truth is never easy, especially when death is involved. But that is part of life. And if he's going to be staying here…" Nega paused, raising a brow at Angus. "You do want him to still live here, don't you?"

"Of course I do." Angus stated sincerely. "I can't let him go back to the 'life' he had under those bastards… He deserves so much better than that, along with the rest of his family. He would want them to come here and live with him in the Mindscape. I know that the truth I'm going to tell him, about my death, is going to be fucking hard then...There's no reason to hide it from him. If he already knows the concept of death, he'll have to be told how it works. Regardless. He's still a kid, but...God..."

Nega looked down as he bit his lip. "It... wouldn't be the first time he experienced death..." He whispered so that Angus nor the others could hear him. Anti was speechless though, as he heard Angus's words. The survival hunter truly did care for the child, and was willing to do anything to keep him safe. Posi was right… how could he doubt him otherwise?

Angus glanced back at the devil, looking at him with concern before giving a long, exaggerated sigh. He shook himself and stood up. "Come on… let's head back." Angus told the devil, who nodded in agreement. Anti and Posi looked at one another, knowing that they should head back as well to meet up with the survival hunter. The chimera and angel turned around, ready to head back the way they came. Anti's ears twitched as he heard a slight gasp coming from the clearing. When he turned around, he could see Angus on his knees, clutching onto his chest.

"Hey, take it easy!" Nega urged, as he knelt by the hunter's side to look him over.

"Angus!" Posi shouted, jumping from the bushes and running over to the others. Anti soon followed, wanting to make sure his brother was alright. Angus kept gasping, as he clutched his chest while tears formed in his eyes once more. "Nega, what's wrong with him?!" Posi wanted to know.

"He just started to convulse!" Nega was just as panicked, looking as Angus collapsed on the floor. Anti had a terrible feeling he knew what this was. He didn't like where this was going, and he knew he had to do what he could to help Angus. The chimera raised up his tail, using it to grab hold of Angus's stomach as he lifted him up with his arms. Using what strength the younger ego had, Anti dragged Angus back to the cabin to get a better look. Thankfully they weren't too far away from the cabin, so it didn't take too long for Anti to get him back. It was a lot of work, but eventually he made it through the door and set Angus on the couch.

"Nega… I don't like this…" Posi whined, as he saw Angus panting heavily and shallow. The devil didn't say anything, as he went over and started to take off Angus's vest. Once that was off, he lifted the shirt to check on the cracks, believing that to be the cause of pain. Sure enough, they could see the web of lines stretching farther along Angus's chest, nearly reaching his side and up his neck. They were much thicker, and the hole was becoming wider. Posi felt like he wanted to puke when he saw the cracks. Nega didn't blame him, he just stared wide eyed as the infection was spreading quickly.

"Gaaaah! Grrrrrrhhh!" Angus kept grunting, the pain increasing as he felt his soul losing it's form.

"Nega! Posi! What can we do?!" Anti asked, practically begging for a solution.

"His soul has been exposed for so long… and with these powerful emotions that's making him unstable…" Nega trailed off, listing the factors as to what was the problem. Anti bit his lip, he knew that without his two souls to keep Angus supported, his own was becoming more exposed and would eventually fracture. Though they were still attached to Angus in a way, the connection isn't as strong to keep him protected. The chimera's mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do. If he could somehow reconnect Posi and Nega to Angus, it would at least slow down the spread but… to do that Anti would…

"We have to do something!" Posi cried out. "If we don't he could very well remain in pain!"

"But what can we do?! We don't have the Doc on hand and we can't take him to the hospital!" Nega pointed out.

Anti looked at Angus, the pain written on his face and the rest of his body. He knew what had to be done, and though it was risky, he would suffer the repercussions if it meant saving his brother. The chimera went over, placing his hands gently on the hole where the lines formed from. "A-Anti?! What are you-" Posi was cut off, as the chimera closed his eyes. He did this before, taking Posi and Nega away from Angus. If he could do this in reverse, then it should work. Anti took a few deep breaths, focusing on what essence he had left as he could see the image of Angus's cracked soul. It was in a worse state than he remembered, as some of the pieces were already floating off away from the core.

Attached to the soul he could see two, white lines. One leading to either of the Anti souls. They were both thin and far away from Angus, but the connection was still there thankfully. Using his hands, Anti reached out until he had hold of both the lines. He then concentrated, focusing his essences into the strings. His skin lit up with blue and green glitches, as they transferred from his hands to the lines. The chimera gasped, clutching the cables as he poured every ounce of strength he could muster into them, helping them to become thicker and much closer to Angus. Anti soon fell to his knees, his power draining much too quickly.

"Anti! Stop!" He could hear Posi's voice calling to him right before he felt himself being tugged away from that space. The younger ego fell to the floor, holding himself as Posi was right by his side, checking over him.

Angus on the other hand slowly opened his eyes and began to sit up. He winced a bit, holding onto his chest which soon subsided in pain. The lines and marks were still there, but they were no longer spreading, which meant that the fracturing had ceased… for now. "I… I feel better?" Angus was confused, he didn't understand how he was able to heal so quickly. Until his forest eyes looked down to the ground, seeing the child laying there holding onto himself. "ANTI!" Angus shouted at the top of his lungs, the fear rushing into him again. He quickly knelt down, holding onto Anti's head and body. "Anti! Come on, wake up!" He begged.

The chimera opened his one eye, looking up at the survival hunter. "An...gus?" A smile spread on Anti's face as he saw how much more color was in Angus's face. "Are you… feeling better?" He asked in a soft tone.

"Me?! What about you?! What did you-" Angus was cut off as he looked up at Posi and Nega, who were having a glowing aura surrounding them. The positive and negative half of the souls looked at one another, then at Angus. "P-Posi? N-Nega?"

"Anti…" The devil looked at his former host, as his eyes were wide.

"T-the connection… It's much stronger now." Posi stated, holding himself.

Angus's pupils shrunk, as he looked between the two souls and back at his little brother. "Anti… you…"

"It was… the only way I could… keep your soul stable." Anti explained with a smile. "I wasn't able to fully reconnect them like before… but hopefully the connection will last until we get the final soul shard…"

"Anti…" Angus muttered.

"I did have to use my essence though… should have warned you but… didn't want to worry you either…" Anti moaned as his eye was half-lidded.

"Y-You did that… for me?" Angus felt like he was on the verge of tears once more. Anti was going to sacrifice his essence just for Angus?! Even after everything he said to the chimera?!

"I know you would hate it if I died for you… but at the same time… I don't want you to die either." Anti panted, as the effects of losing his essence was finally catching up to him. Angus could see how tired Anti was, and knew he needed to help him. He picked Anti up, carrying him to the bedroom and laid him on the mattress as comfortably as he could. Angus sat next to him, looking the child over. "I'm sorry… I just didn't want you to… didn't want you to…"

"Hey, hey…" Angus held onto his cheek to look Anti in the eyes. "Don't force yourself to talk. You took up a lot of energy… you have to rest."

"Aren't you mad at me?" Anti asked.

Angus shook his head. "You're the one that should be mad at me. I said such awful things to you… but I didn't mean them Anti. I swear."

"I know…" Anti reassured. "Posi and I heard what you and Nega said in the clearing… You don't have to protect me Angus. I want to be the one to take care of you as well… you deserve that."

"Anti…" Angus felt the bile rise in his throat again, but for different reasons. Even with the argument he made and how he lashed out at him, Anti was still willing to sacrifice himself just for Angus? He still cared for him? How could Anti be so forgiving? "I...I'm sorry…"

The child smiled, holding on to Angus's hand as he looked at him. "I accept your apology…" Angus grinned, leaning down as he hugged Anti. He was glad that their first fight was able to end so quickly. Posi and Nega were also pleased, even though Anti appeared weaker now, at least he and Angus were still alright. Anti held onto Angus, nuzzling into the embrace. "Did you want to know about the memories I saw?" He asked.

Angus pulled back, looking at him with a raised brow. "You don't have to-"

"You should know… I want to tell you what I saw." Anti said. "I can recall it all for you." He promised.

Angus looked at him, he wanted Anti to get more sleep since he was worried for the child. Even so, part of him was curious to know what he saw. "Just… take your time. And if you want to leave out some details, you can." Angus promised.

Anti nodded. "Well, the first memory I saw was when you first met Bing. You found him in your forest, and he spoke differently. More like uh…"

"A robot?" Angus finished, which made Anti nod. "Yeah, he was more articulate with his vocabulary back then. Once he settled down with me… he became more relaxed with how he talked." The hunter chuckled.

"The two of you looked really happy together. You walked hand in hand to your cabin as you offered Bing a place to stay there. Then I followed you and peaked inside the window." Anti went on.

"What did you see then?" Posi questioned, wondering where the story was going.

"I saw Bing on top of Angus, Angus was pretty sweaty though." Anti explained. When he said that, Angus, Posi and Nega's faces were flushed crimson as they stared at the child.

"A-Anti… what exactly happened between the two?" Posi questioned, looking over at Angus as he looked ready to scold the older ego.

"Well, Bing was on Angus's back as Angus was using one of his arms to move his body up and down on the floor. Bing asked if he was okay to go a few more rounds, and Angus said yes."

"On the floor…?" Angus repeated, as he settled down with a sigh. "You mean I was doing pushups with Bing on my back."

"Yeah! You really liked to push yourself back then!" Anti noted with a smile. Posi still had a glare over at Angus, but Nega was able to lightly shove the angel so that he grew distracted. Anti went on. "Afterwards, I saw Bing in the kitchen. He was making some sort of cake out of lemons I believe?"

"A lemon cake." Angus corrected. "Those were always his favorite."

Anti smiled as he saw the look in Angus's eyes. "He was making one to celebrate you going into a few new games. Minecraft and Skyrim I believe they were called?"

Angus raised a brow as he listened, rubbing his chin. "Now that you mention it, I was in an episode of both games before that Vampire Deer Episode of my 'Survival Hunter' series." Angus realized, as he remembered that in Bing's memories, Angus seemed like he wanted to go into other games, even though in chronological order, he did just that before the final episode of his playlist. "I guess that should have been a sure sign that something was amiss…" He noted in a somber tone. Then he looked back up at Anti before asking; "Did you see me surviving those new areas?"

Anti shook his head. "No… but I did see you reuniting with Bing after being gone for a month. You were in a field of yellow flowers, as he ran up to you. You picked him up and twirled him around, before he kissed you and you both fell."

Angus chuckled. "Yeah… I remember that bit. I think that was the longest I've been away from him before…" He trailed off, as the most painful memory came back to his mind. Anti could see what he was thinking, and knew right away what he meant.

The chimera kept going, trying to change the subject. "I… did see the scene where you were on that Vampire Deer island with Bing. After burning the whole place down… actually he mentioned that you weren't allowed in the kitchen because you also burnt the cabin down at one point. You did the same in that one Minecraft map as well."

Angus laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "What can I say? Me and fire have a relationship."

"Yeah, a destructive one!" Nega commented. "Thank goodness you didn't realize my powers when you had me. The whole Mindscape probably would have burnt down."

"I'm not THAT bad!" Angus protested. Anti lightly giggled, seeing him and Nega argue was slightly funny. The survival hunter looked back at Anti and urged him to continue. "So… you did see that memory?"

"Yeah, it played out differently though. There was the same earthquake but… it wasn't the first one."

"Not the first?" Posi questioned.

"There was one right before I saw you and Bing embracing one another outside. And a second one just as you two were about to head inside the cabin to talk about your adventures. They happened a few times. At first you believed it was a sign that the Mindscape was expanding, but… that wasn't the case." Anti looked down.

"You knew it was the early signs, didn't you?" Angus questioned.

"I didn't know what it meant right away, but it wasn't any good." Anti answered, his smile turning into a frown as he looked to the bed. "When I followed… the world was dying. The grass lost its color, the trees were losing their leaves and… parts of your world were floating off into the void. Bing was running to your cabin, he was trying to find you. You were under some debri and beams from the house. When he pulled you out you were… you had the same lines on you like you do now." Angus gasped, his hand going over to the soul where the cracks were forming and the hole was. How history had a cruel way of repeating itself. Angus gave Anti a look, indicating he could go on. "B-Bing… tried to get you out of the world. To get to a new area that wasn't being infected. You were getting worse by the minute. He used a giant tree as a bridge to get you across but… another earthquake happened." Anti shuddered as he was reminded of the events that transpired.

Even so, he pressed on. "B-Bing was about to fall but you c-caught him. Then you pulled him back up… and started to crawl on the log. Bing managed to get off but… another quake happened and it caused the land behind you to crumble… You told Bing how much you loved him and then… the log and you… you…" Anti couldn't even continue, he'd rather not now that they both knew what happened.

Angus looked away, trying to keep the tears inside but some managed to escape. "I do remember falling… but not into the void." He admitted. "I'll admit, my memory of my death is foggy in some spots."

Anti looked up at his older brother with curiosity. "What… Do you remember?"

Angus rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Honestly, not a whole lot. I remember being alone, watching my world crumble around me as the pain was increasing. I felt like I was going to fall apart. Then… I saw this bright light, like a star. It was green and… I reached out for it. The next thing I knew, I was grabbing something and stuffing it into my own soul. Like I knew it would help stabilize me."

"I think we all know what happened next…" Nega noted, which made everyone go silent. They all knew what occurred afterwards.

"Is… that all you remember?" Anti asked, looking back at Angus.

"More or less. Everything else is pretty fuzzy." The survival hunter admitted. "Still, I do remember those events… when I met Bing and the times we spent together. Those are the memories I wouldn't mind reliving." He gave a small smile, as if to reassure the chimera.

Anti nodded, his eye was still half closed as he was having a hard time keeping it open. It was even more evident when the child began to yawn. Angus chuckled as he began to ruffle Anti's hair. "I think you should get some rest. You used up some essence and you need to recover."

"O...kay…" Anti didn't object, nuzzling into the pillows as they helped increase his tiredness. Angus brought up the blanket, raising it up and covering the child. "Angus…"

"Yeah Anti?"

"You aren't… anything like Sean…" That was all Anti said before he fully closed his eye. His tail curled around the frame. Angus still smiled at him, that did make him feel better. Even though at the moment, he still felt terrible for how he acted and what he said. Still, Anti didn't seem to hold it against him, but Angus would remember it all. The survival hunter stood up from the bed, heading out the door. He decided to get some fresh air and wanted Anti to just sleep. Once he was outside, Angus let out a long sigh yet again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"Angel!" Angus jumped as he looked over from the porch, seeing a figure in yellow approaching with another undead ego in tow.

"B-Bing?!" Angus was surprised, seeing his Sunflower and Robbie approaching.

"Sorry for coming out so late. But I didn't get a chance to talk to you after you came back from getting the soul shard." The android explained as he walked up the steps to be close to his boyfriend. The bright ego held a warm smile on his face as he looked up at the survival hunter. "So… how did it go? Did you find the memory you needed?" Angus looked at him for a long while, all he could think about were those fake memories the five of them saw when they went into Bing's soul.

"Actually… could we talk?" He suggested. Bing blinked as he seemed confused, but he was also willing. Him and Angus sat on the front porch while Robbie was playing in the nearby flower fields. As long as the zombie was in their line of sight, it was alright.

"Was it… not good?" Bing asked as they sat down together.

"Well… not exactly. It took me a while to get my head around it so…" Angus sighed. As much as it would pain him to explain it to Bing, he knew it was something he had to get off his chest. So, he went on to explain it all. What he saw inside of Bing and what Anti saw of Angus's own memories. Robbie was none the wiser as he was focused on making flower crowns in the field. Bing took in the information, and he was just as surprised as Angus was the first time around.

"So… that's what you saw?" Bing asked, still trying to process everything.

The survival hunter looked up at the sky, seeing the many colors dancing around with the stars. "I knew it was off the first memory I saw, and that feeling only increased the further we went along. In the beginning, I thought it was just me being paranoid but… after the fight with your 'Manifestation' and what Anti told me, my feelings were justifiable. I just wish that wasn't the case." Angus hunched over, his eyes making contact with the ground now.

Bing looked at his boyfriend with concern, scooting closer to him as he was afraid to be too far from the older ego. "The memories that I… delete tend to have a habit of re-coding themselves. It's to help make them slightly more bearable so when I do want to revive them… it won't affect my emotional functions. I should have told you before but… I didn't think it would…" Bing trailed off, his consciousness growing guilty. "I should have told you."

"You didn't know. Personally, I would have done the same in wanting to delete a memory like that." Angus admits. He could never be upset with Bing, or anyone else. It wasn't anyone's fault. He knew that now. "It did catch me off guard… but it's all in the past now."

"But you can't just move on from it." Bing stated. The android reached over, placing his hand on top of Angus as the two looked one another in the eyes. "Angus… I want nothing more than to see you get better so we can start all over and have you back with us. But you shouldn't be scared about the past either. I know it's not easy to go back to, especially with how traumatizing it was for you. But it happened, and I think you should face the past that way it will be easier to move on with our lives. You owe yourself that much at least."

Angus listened to what Bing was saying, and he was right. Even though he didn't want to go through that experience again, he knew the only way to move on was to face those fears. He didn't have to overcome them, but if he could accept the past, that would be enough closure for him. He wanted to be able to move on with Bing, the other egos, and even Anti. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was inevitable. After all, they needed one more soul shard before the serum was completed: Angus's soul shard.

The survival hunter looked up at Bing, giving a small smile as his eyes tried to hold on to what little light was in there. "I know… It's going to hurt, but I will face it eventually. I'm scared of what I will see." He finally admits, his lip quivered as he attempted to hold back the tears. "I know what I will see but… hearing about it and actually witnessing it are two separate experiences…"

"Angel… look at me." Bing begged, as he cupped his boyfriend's face to look him directly in the eyes. "I know it will be hard, but I am going to be with you every step of the way. I'm going into that memory with you!"

Upon hearing that, Angus's eyes went wide as he blinked a few times. "B-Bing…?"

"You were the one that saw my memories and suffered because of it. So I want to make that up by helping you face yours. Henrik said I can go inside, and everyone else is gonna be there. We're gonna help you face this Angus, no matter what."

Those words were something Angus didn't realize he needed to hear, until they were spoken out of his Sunflower's mouth. The hunter just grinned, smiling ear to ear as he let the tears fall down. He leaned forward, hugging Bing as he couldn't help but let all the emotions out. "Sunflower…"

"This time… I'll make sure that nothing will happen to you. I'm not gonna lose you again." Bing swore to himself and Angus. It was a promise that Angus was determined to keep as well.

Robbie smiled as he finished making a flower crown, placing it on his head which fit pretty well. The zombie giggled, reaching for more flowers to make another. His dull eyes however took notice of something near the cabin, which made him tilt his head. A figure with a large tail climbed out of the window and started to head out into the woods. "Huh?" Robbie became curious, so he set the flowers down and began to follow the figure.

Bing and Angus looked over, seeing the zombie walking off into the woods. "R-Robbie?!" Angus called out, but the child did not hear him.

"Oh no! Where's he going now?" Bing wondered.

"Come on, let's follow him!" Angus suggested, as he and Bing got up and began to head into the woods.

The young chimera walked through the trees, looking around as his ears twitched. He was only sleeping a moment ago when he thought he heard what sounded like a cry coming from within this dark forest. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but for some reason that voice sounded familiar. Even so, Anti decided to check it out. He wasn't feeling as tired anymore, and even though he wanted to get Angus, he could also hear Bing outside and didn't want to disturb them. So he was all by himself. He kept his ears up to try and listen to what he was looking for.

The sound of the cries were hushed out by the cawing of birds. Anti jumped at the noises of the feathered beasts, but he figured it was worth checking out. So the young ego ran further, until he found himself near the very edge of the Mindscape. Where the world just ended, and beyond that was only void. His eyes caught sight of a group of Crows, pecking and clawing at something near a couple of rocks.

Anti stepped closer, trying to see what it was that they were trying to grab at. Upon closer inspection, he could see that it was a small creature with a black, spherical body and a tail. It also had a green pupil, and was cowering under the rocks for protection. Anti wasn't able to recognize the creature at first, but when he kept looking directly at it, he was reminded of the strange eyeballs that followed Angus around during the memories.

"H-Hunter?!" Anti gasped. He couldn't believe it, it was that eyeball alright! The colors matched and the crying noises were the same voice. So he was out here?! The chimera noticed one of the Crows using its beak to grab at Hunter's tail. The chimera had no choice, growling as he ran over to the edge of the land. He began to swat at the birds with his long fingers, shooing them away as he protected Hunter. He was not going to let the eyeball become bird food on his watch. Anti was not aware that he was much closer to the edge, and the weight of him was making the earth underneath begin to crumble.

Robbie followed the noises of both the Crows and Anti, hearing the cawing and the hissing as he was seeing the scene play out. When he stopped, Bing and Angus managed to catch up to him. "Biiiird freeeens!" Robbie giggled as he was focused on the animals first. Then he tilted his head slightly as he saw the feral chimera. "Annniee!" He practically screeched, which caught the attention of the other egos.

"Robbie!" Bing called out as he looked over, making sure the zombie was safe before he noticed what was going on. "Wait… Anti?! What's he doing?!" The younger ego held something in his hands, using his tail to finally swat at the Crows and leave him alone. Angus wasn't sure what was going on either, but when his pupils noticed cracks were forming in the ground near Anti. Angus's heart nearly sunk, his jaw dropped as the edge of the Mindscape was becoming weaker. No! Anti was going to fall! At the moment, all Angus could see was himself, sitting on top of a log as he was trying to smile through the pain.

"No… Not again… Anti!" Angus shouted. The chimera looked at the eyeball, hoping he was okay. He soon began to notice that the ground felt uneven. As he looked below, the dirt began to fall apart beneath him, as he suddenly felt gravity pulling him down. The Hunter screamed at the top of his lungs, breaking away from Robbie and Bing. He spread his wings wide, using the momentum to fly towards the glitch. He flew at almost lightning speed, grabbing Anti's shirt collar with his teeth. "Mnnph!" He grunted, flapping his wings as he pulled the chimera away from the edge. Propelling himself until they were back on solid ground. The other egos watched, as Angus picked up Anti and settled him on the ground, before embracing him in a tight hug as he shook. The survival hunter was panting as he held onto the chimera, he could hardly speak as a result. Even so, he was thankful Anti was still alive.

Bing looked over at the two, going over but kept Robbie behind so that way he wouldn't get hurt either. "Are you two alright?!" He called out.

Anti didn't know what to say, it all happened so fast. All he knew was that Angus was holding onto him… a bit too tightly for his comfort. Even so, he didn't object as Angus pulled away to look at him with teary eyes. "Anti…" There was a crack in his voice, he was trying so hard to keep himself together.

"A-Angus?" Anti could only look at the ego that risked his life. He didn't know what to say… Angus saved him!

"Are you alright?!" Angus asked, holding onto his shoulders.

"Y-yeah…" Anti reassured. "I-I… Y-You… you saved me…" That was all he could say.

"Hhh-! Of course I d-did! I had to! You could've- Y-You were-! I…" His words failed, as he let the tears fall out.

Anti smiled, he held onto Angus and looked at the older ego. "I'm alright, Brother. I swear." He promised, embracing him once more. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"I just wanted to protect you…" Angus tried to reason. "I just… I know I was harsh on you earlier, but I just want to make sure you and everyone else are safe."

"But what about you?" Anti questioned as his voice raised. This caught the survival hunter off guard as he looked at the chimera. "Angus… you are just as important to us as we are to you! I know that this has taken a toll on you, that's why you lashed out at me. But you shouldn't be brave and hide it either. I want you to be honest with everyone, Angus. With me. I want to help you just as much as you've helped me. You deserve that… You need it."

Angus listened as hot tears kept running down his cheeks. He should have known Anti would have caught onto him eventually, Angus was never good at hiding his emotions for long. The survival hunter soon felt the weight of the two familiar egos by his side. "Angieee…" He could hear Robbie's voice call to him.

"Angel…" Bing's arms wrapped around his boyfriend, giving him comfort. Angus looked around, seeing the three holding him in a protective manner. A feeling he always longed for deep down, and now he felt much more complete as he felt the loving hug.

"I'm sorry Anti… Robbie… Sunflower… I promise I'll get better and be more open from now on." Angus promised.

"One thing at a time, Angel." Bing pointed out. "Let's get you better physically first." Angus nodded, that was simple enough. The android looked over at the chimera, as he raised a brow. "What were you doing out here, Anti?"

"I heard something from the woods and went to investigate." He then held out his hands, uncupping them to reveal a small creature in his palms. "I found this little guy being pecked at by birds, so I tried to save him."

Angus's eyes went wide as he stared at the eyeball. "N-No way… Hunter?!"

"Angus! It's your Septiceye!" Bing was just as surprised, seeing the shriveled up eyeball. The chimera gave his brother the creature, as he held him in his gloved hands. His body was very dry, looking like a prune. His tongue was still sticking out, panting heavily as he was having a hard time keeping his eye open. "Oh dear, he doesn't look too good!"

"W-what happened to him?!" Angus wondered, not taking his gaze away from his Septiceye.

"A-After you were gone… I tried taking care of him…" Bing began to explain. "But he always came back here… waiting for you."

Angus shook his head, looking at his buddy as he cradled him. "God, I can only imagine how long he's been waiting for me to come back…"

"If he looks like this, he may not be stable." Bing pointed out. "We need to get him to Henrik right away!"

Angus stood up, knowing how quick they would have to be. "Come on!" The survival hunter urged, as he led everyone out of the forest. Bing, Anti and Robbie followed behind. They went out of Angus's woods, running through Chase's neighborhood and to Attitude City's Central station, heading for the hospital.

Meanwhile, Henrik was in his lab once more, checking over the shards for the serum. "Alright… everything seems in place."

"The serum seems to be stable so far," Nurse stated as she floated by his side. "May I suggest that we take a break now? You have been working on this for six hours straight."

"Ah… yes, I suppose with how everything is going, five minutes may not hurt. I better go get some coffee anyways." Henrik began to stand up from his desk, stretching his back.

"Doctor, that will be your fifth pot today." Nurse reminded him.

"Who are you, my mother?" Henrik raised a brow. She rolled her eye, sitting on his shoulder as Henrik walked out of the Soul Clinic, turning around a few corners as they were heading down to the main entrance. That was where they could hear a commotion of distressed voices.

"What is that?" Nurse questioned, as they went to investigate the situation.

Angus was leaning over the counter to stare at Shawn, with Robbie, Anti and Bing behind him. "Please Shawn, you have to get Henrik here now!" The survival hunter begged.

"Easy Mr. Irwin, I will contact him right away." Shawn reassured, reaching for the phone as he began to punch in the numbers.

"Angus?" Henrik walked over, seeing his son in such a state. "What is going on?" He questioned, becoming worried as he wondered if something was wrong with Anti. Or worse, the older ego.

"Dad!" Angus ran over, relieved as he saw the doctor. "I don't have enough time to explain this, but you won't believe who Anti found!" He held out his hand, showing the doctor the dried out Septiceye.

The doctor gasped as he looked into his son's hands. "Angus… is that…?"

Nurse looked over at the eyeball and examined him. "Doctor, we must get him to the Septiceye Lab right away!" Henrik nodded, gently taking the creature from his son and began to run off to the other end of the hospital. Angus and the other egos followed behind, but were forced to be in the waiting room as Henrik and Nurse got into the lab and did tests. Angus was pacing back and forth as he waited for the results, hoping they were good. Bing could see how tense he was, and he did his best to calm him down.

"He'll be alright, Angus." He rubbed his boyfriend's back. "Just take it easy… if he managed to live this long, then he should be able to make it."

Angus sighed heavily as he sat back. "I know… I'm just worried…"

"I'm here for you… for him." Bing smiled as he kissed his cheek while holding his hands. Angus did smile back, showing he was trying to relax.

"Thanks, Sunflower."

Anti and Robbie sat down together, as they watched the two interact. The zombie began to whine a bit, hating the stress that was surrounding this room. Anti could sense it, so he hugged the ego for comfort. Robbie welcomed it, and held him in a warm embrace. "Thaaaaank Annniee…."

"It's okay, Robbie…" Anti smiled at him. "I'm worried about that creature as well."

"Hunttty?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah… I don't really know a lot about what he is, but I hope he makes it." Anti admitted.

Angus and Bing heard what the chimera said and figured, to take their minds off of their fears, they would explain. "Hunter is a Septiceye." Bing began to explain.

"Septic...eye?" Anti repeated.

"They're little eyeballs that are like an ego's partner. They are created from a part of our soul, and manifest out of us." Angus explained.

"Do all of you egos have one?" Anti questioned.

"Yeah, and each one suits the ego's personality and traits. You know Nurse, who is Henrik's septiceye. Bing has Gadget, Robbie has Chomper, Marvin has Mystique, Jackie has Sidekick, you get the idea. And the one from me is Hunter."

"Do you guys pick out their names or do they come up with them?" Anti questioned.

Angus let out a small chuckle at that. "Sometimes it's either… All egos have one, the canon's and fan made ones. In fact… I bet you can get your own!"

Anti's eye lit up at what he said. "Y-you think so?"

"Why not? You are one of us." Angus pointed out. Once again, that smile found its way on the chimea, as he and Angus were once again on common ground. The four perked up as the doors to the lab opened, revealing Henrik as he came out.

"Dad!" Angus was the first one to rush over to the doctor. "How is he?!"

"It's a miracle that he lasted this long." Henrik began. "He should have ceased out of existence when Angus was gone."

"Why is that?" Anti questioned. Henrik looked at the chimera, only to realize he probably didn't understand the concept of Septiceyes, so he would have to explain.

"When a Septiceye is created, they rely on their masters to fuel them. In order for a Septiceye to live, they live off of the essence of their masters. If Angus was gone this whole time and he couldn't give Hunter any essence, he should have gone out a long time ago. So the fact that he remained alive even years later… it is baffling."

"So… he is alive?" Angus questioned, wanting that specific answer.

Henrik gave a grin over to his son. "He dried out and lost consciousness on the way here. Fortunately, Nurse donated some of her essence to him to keep him alive. It isn't the same as yours, but it should at least stabilize him. We placed him in a gel container to help with his skin to rejuvenate him."

"Is there any way that he can recover faster?" Bing questioned.

"Well, the best way would be for Angus to give his soul essence to recover. But… with how your soul is right now, I would highly advise against it." Angus's eyes widened at the statement. His hand went over to his chest, feeling the damage of his soul as it was starting to affect his body. Even if he tried to give some of his essence to Hunter, he wasn't sure if it would affect him with how damaged his soul was at the moment.

Henrik saw how upset his son was from the news, so he tried to change the subject. "Where did you find him?" He questioned.

"It was actually Anti who found Hunter." Bing explained. "He saw him being pecked at by some Crows and defended him." Henrik looked over at the chimera to confirm this.

Anti nodded at the doctor, as Henrik smiled. "It was a good thing you got there when you did." Anti smiled at the compliment. He looked over at Angus, reaching over at his hand and giving it a light squeeze. The survival hunter looked over at his brother and grinned. He was happy he had so many people to help him get through this, Anti especially.

"He'll be alright, Angus." Anti reassured him. "Once your soul is healed, then you can give your essence to Hunter and he will get better."

Henrik nodded in agreement with him. "For now, we'll keep a close eye on him and do all we can to keep him stable."

"Thank you, Dad." Angus told the doctor. "At least we only need one more soul shard to complete the serum."

"Yes… the last one will have to come from you, Angus. Since it will be the only way for the serum to bind to your soul correctly."

"Will it be safe to go into his soul?" Anti asked, not sure how well the machine will be under Angus's current condition.

Henrik smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry, Angus's condition should not hurt him any further. Still, it would be best for all of us to go into the memory." The survival hunter knew why he would believe that, since all of them had a clear idea of what that memory would be. Henrik placed a hand on Angus's shoulder. "No matter what happens in that memory, we will be right by your side for the whole thing. You won't go through it alone." He promised.

Bing interjected. "Count me in as well! I already promised, after all."

Anti nodded as he was by his side. "Me too!"

Angus looked at everyone, nodding and smiling at them. "Just one more shard… I can handle it. I already know what to expect, so I think I'm prepared."

"Even so, you better get some rest. We will head in first thing in the morning. I've already called everyone else, and they will meet us here." Henrik informed his son.

"Sure… but first I think me and Anti are gonna get some food." The survival hunter stated. "I'm starting to get hungry."

"Me too… could we have some fish and chips again?" Anti questioned as he looked up at his brother.

Angus was about to respond, only for Bing to speak up. "Hey, I have an idea! How about you and Anti come with me and Robbie, and the four of us can have dinner together at my place?"

Anti was caught off guard, as he looked at the android. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! It's the least I can do for you two after going into my memory! And it will be a celebration for completing the serum. Besides, I went shopping and it has been a while." He mostly looked at Angus as he said that last line.

The older ego blushed as he heard what his Sunflower said. "I think that would be a great idea. What did you have in mind for dinner?"

"Steak and mashed potatoes! Your favorite!" Bing smiled wide at that, which made Angus blush even more.

"Only if Anti is okay with that." Angus looked at the chimera for confirmation. The chimera smiled, nodding as he was excited about the idea. "Guess it's settled." Angus noted as he looked over at the others.

"Yaaaaaaaayyyy!" Robbie squealed, as he seemed just as pleased. Anti giggled at the squeal from the zombie.

"Alright, it's decided! Let's get going!" Bing stated, as he headed out of the doors. Angus, Robbie and Anti following behind.

"Make sure to get plenty of rest!" Henrik called out.

Angus looked back before he went through the door. "I will… you get some sleep too, Dad. You did promise me, remember?"

Henrik scratched his cheek and nervously laughed. "Alright, me son." Angus smiled, heading out to the doors.

---

Bing's house was more lively than usual. The android was in the kitchen making the final preparations for the dinner. Angus was there with him, helping and preparing the meal. Robbie and Anti were in the living room, distracting themselves with activities such as board games, cards and drawings. Robbie suggested video games, but Anti's unstable soul would cause the screen to glitch the closer he got to the television. Anti and Robbie were trying their hand at play cards, as the chimera laid down an uno card. "Okay Robbie, draw four!" Anti declared.

Robbie resorted by setting down a Pikachu card and smirked. "Thunder shack!" Anti giggled as he was the one that drew two cards but discarded two in his hands.

Angus watched them from the kitchen, raising a brow. "What are they even playing?" He questioned.

"At least they are entertaining themselves…" Bing reassured, stirring the flakes into the pot. He had on a pink apron over him as he was slaving over a hot stove, not that he seemed to mind. "Alright! The potatoes are almost done! We just have to wait on the steaks, which should be ready in twenty minutes."

Angus glanced at Bing, smiling as he blushed. His whole face was red ever since they came here. "Okay, Sunflower. Need any more help?"

Bing wiped his hands on his apron and looked up. "The table still needs to be set up." He stated. Angus didn't wait another minute, as he went to grab the plates, silverware and glasses. He and Bing then helped get the table prepared. Now and again, Bing would catch a glance over at the living room, where Anti and Robbie were having a blast at the card game.

"Annnieee gooood aaaaat caaarrrdds." Robbie commented with a bright smile. Anti giggled as his tail wagged.

"They seem to have gotten along really well… Anti is such a kind soul." Bing commented.

Angus looked over at his boyfriend, biting his lip as he looked at him. "How much of his past do you know?"

"Not a lot," Bing admitted. "Just that he was treated poorly where he was from. I can't imagine what it was like for him to live in such conditions."

"Makes me wish I could have gotten him out of there sooner…" Angus admitted. "I want Anti to feel at home here, since we plan on keeping him here. He deserves to be happy and free, and he can only do that here."

Bing nodded at those comments. "Well, everyone seems to have taken a liking to him. You especially. I think having him around will be a great idea! It was a good thing you brought him here, this might be the happiest he's ever been. And it's affected you as well."

Angus jumped at that as he raised a brow. "Huh?"

Bing giggled. "You seem far more peppy and energetic. I dunno if it's because you are you again or if it's Anti but… something is different. And I think it's something you've needed."

Angus smiled once more, as his eyes softened. "Yeah… I needed this." He admits. Their thoughts were cut off as they heard coughing in the living room. They looked over to see Anti covering his mouth as he held onto the table.

"Anniee?" Robbie looked at him with concern.

"Anti? You okay?" Angus winced as he heard that coughing, panicking as he remembered that Anti gave up more of his essence not too long ago. It was probably affecting him physically right now.

"S-sorry…" Anti apologize, speaking as best he could while keeping his voice low. "Must have laughed too hard… Um, Bing, where is the bathroom?"

"Upstairs, first door to the left. Do you need help finding it?" Bing asked.

Anti shook his head. "I'll be alright. I'll be down soon." He promised, heading up the steps. Angus grew worried as he looked at the two guardian souls.

"I'll go talk to him." Posi promised, heading out and leaving Angus and Nega downstairs. The two were still worried, as they looked up at the stairs. Anti was standing over the sink, heaving a bit as he felt like vomiting, but nothing was coming out. He just kept coughing, gripping with his hands until his knuckles turned white. He closed the door, making sure no one would walk in and see him in such a state. Posi was standing behind him, not taking his eyes off of the chimera as he wanted to make sure he would get better. "A-Anti?" He comforted his former host by putting his wing around him, which Anti was able to feel.

"S-sorry Posi… I...I just need a moment." He reassured, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the bathroom.

"Don't push yourself…" Posi stated as he sat next to him. "Take your time."

"Sorry…" Anti muttered.

"Don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. Will you be alright?"

"Yeah… just need a minute." He promised. The chimera looked back up, seeing his glitching reflection in the mirror. It had gotten worse in just a few hours, and he wasn't sure how much more his body could take. Anti's hands went over to where his soul was, the hole in his chest was getting bigger. It hurt just thinking about it. He sighed as he looked back over at the angel. "Posi… can you promise me something?"

"W-what is it, Anti?" Posi asked, growing nervous once more.

"C-Can you promise me that i-if anything happens to me… i-if I end up fading… will you and Nega stay… with Angus?" The angel gasped, as he was shocked by the notion. He was about to speak, but Anti wasn't done. "I… I'm scared for what we will see in Angus's memory. I know I saw it but… I'm worried I'll go into that feral state again and… I don't know how much longer I have."

"Anti…"

"I can feel my own strength fading, and if anything happens, I may not be able to control it. You and Nega have a better connection to Angus now… it's thin, but you can reconnect it."

"Anti…!"
"E-Even if that means he'll be 'Anti' again, he'll at least be alive. And if I'm gone, you two won't have anywhere else to go. I don't want you guys or him to die! At the very least, you guys will-"

"ANTI!" Posi shouted as the tears began to flow down his cheeks. "That won't happen! The serum will work on Angus, and once it does, we'll come back to you. You won't fade, he won't die, you two won't go through that again! Nega and I won't let it happen, and neither will everyone else." His voice began to crack as he spoke.

"You can't promise something that big, Posi." He was the one that sounded like he gave up hope. "Please Posi, at least just promise me that if it does happen, you and Nega will stay with Angus."

"It won't!"
"Posi… promise me…" Anti was begging at this point. "It'll make me feel better if you do. That's all I'm asking."

The angel looked over at the chimera, sighing as he looked down. "A-Anti I…" He paused, seeing how desperate he was. That single eye showed how much he wanted to hear those words.

He began to feel guilty but at the same time, he kept begging. "I know you want to save both of us, but… I dunno. Maybe it's just me, but I have a bad feeling something will go down once we go into Angus's memory. I just… want to make sure that if it fails, at least one of us can make it out alive. And it should be him."

Posi bit his lip as his eyes began to tear up. He sighed as he tried to keep his powers under control. "O-Okay… b-but only if that d-does happen…"

Anti went over to the angel, rubbing his back as he frowned. "Please don't cry, Posi." He begged. The angel just whimpered more, looking up at him. Even so, Anti tried to be comforting. "You're a great guardian, Posi. You and Nega, for both me and Angus. I know I didn't get to know you guys before… and whatever happens next, whether I fade or survive, I want you to know that I'm grateful to have met you two. And these last few days have been the best experience I've had since my creation. I'm never going to forget the people I've met or the journey I've been on."

Posi sniffled, but he managed a smile. "Anti… you are special to all of us. Remember that." The chimera nodded, sitting down with the positive half of his soul and having the silence fall on them. They were trying to calm down, controlling their emotions. Even though they were scared of the future, they would have to face it sooner or later. Unbeknownst to them, someone was listening in. And a faint sound of footsteps could be heard receding from the door.

Angus walked down the steps, as his head hung low. Bing was placing the food on the table, as Robbie was by the android to help. He heard his boyfriend coming down, turning over to smile. "Oh! There you are Angus! Dinner is ready, so you can set up a plate."

"Y-yeah… I-I'll make one in a bit, Sunflower…" Angus said in a low tone.

"You okay, Angus?" Bing asked, becoming worried.

"Yeah just… need to step outside for a minute." He said, heading out the door and out of the house.

Bing was still concerned, but he focused on the food. "Robbie, can you tell Anti it's time to eat?" The zombie nodded, heading up the stairs to get the chimera.

When Angus stepped outside, he unfurled his wings and headed up to the roof. He needed to be alone, looking up at the sky in the hopes to clear his mind. It wasn't enough, with his eyes on the stars he could think back to the bathroom and what he heard. He glanced down at the one side of his chest, where the soul lived. Placing his hand over his chest, he let out a long sigh. "Haaaaaahh… F-fuck…"

Of course, he was never alone. Especially when Nega joined him and sat down. He could sense how upset the survival hunter was, and he knew why. Since Posi wasn't here, he knew he would have to be the one to make the situation suck less. "It won't be that bad, I'm sure." He began, looking over at Angus to see if he was getting a reaction. The survival hunter just kept looking up, his eyes narrowed as the devil kept talking. "You're the one that wanted to see more of your memories. And with everyone else there, you and Anti will-"

Nega got cut off as Angus growled. "Don't you get it?!" He shouted while standing up to be face to face with the devil. "I fucked up! No matter how hard I try to fix things, I'm reminded that I'm the cause of so much suffering for so many people! And now I-I just- Gahhh!" He turned his back on Nega, using his wings to shield himself as he was becoming an emotional wreck. "Just-Just forget it… It doesn't matter anymore."

Nega was taken aback by his words, knowing how livid Angus was with everything. But Angus needed to be strong now more than ever. He let him down so many times before, but not this moment. He reached over, grabbing Angus by the shoulder and forcing him to look at him. "Now you listen to me, Angus Irwin! You've been through hell and back just to defy death and survive! To show that no matter what happens, you have managed to come out and stand tall! Despite all of those past hardships, you were able to learn from them and grow as a person. Now here you are fixing up for those said mistakes not just from the Corruption you caused, but for giving back what you took from someone else long ago! If that isn't character growth and development, I don't know what is. But you've got to stop doubting and putting yourself down! Believe in yourself, stick with your gut and what you fight for! You know who you are and where you came from, as long as you've got that you can take on any challenge. You're the Survival Hunter for a reason! And when the time comes when me and Posi have to go back to Anti... even if we won't be with you spiritually anymore... Well, I hope that through his eyes, I'll be able to watch over you, and see that greatness you will achieve down the road ahead..." He looked up to the sky, daydreaming about the future and the possibilities it would hold for Angus, Anti and everyone else.

Angus winced the moment he was grabbed, but all he could do was listen to what Nega had to say. He was trembling, every word hit him like a ton of bricks, and yet he took it all in. The devil looked back at him, his red eyes sparkling while giving Angus a smile. What could the survival hunter say after that? He could only shake. "It will be a long process, even after this is over." Nega continued. "But you don't just get up, brush it off and walk away. Recovery takes time, attention and many resources. But even when it is said and done, you will not be alone. Not now, not ever again." The devil reached over and held out his hand to Angus. "Come on! That steak is gonna grow cold if we don't get back."

Despite himself shuddering, Angus took hold of the hand and the two settled down back onto the porch. Taking a deep breath, Angus went over to the door. He turned back over to Nega, giving the devil that was watching him a smile. The first, genuine smile he'd shown after so long. Nega nodded, glad that he was able to get through to him for the first time. It wasn't over yet, and he prayed that confidence would still be with him.

When he walked inside, Anti and Robbie were already at the table eating. Bing was finishing dishing up a plate for himself when he looked over to see his Angel walking in. "Ah! Welcome back! I put your plate and milk on the table!"

"Thanks love." Angus hurried over, taking a seat next to Bing. They ate together, almost like a big family. The survival hunter seemed much calmer, and Anti looked better as well. At the moment, he liked how everything was.

"How's the food, Anti?" Bing asked.

"Iz guud." Anti answered with a mouthful of potatoes.

Bing giggled as he looked over at Angus. "He has clearly been living with you."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He stated proudly.

"Speaking of which, the TV should be set up after dinner."

Angus raised his brow. "TV?"

"Anti was asking about the videos you were in during the Survival Hunter series. I figured we could watch it together after dinner. If that's okay with you." Bing smiled. Angus was speechless when he heard that, he looked between Anti and Bing, smiling as he tried to hold back the tears while nodding.

"I can't wait to see them!" Anti grinned, all the while he was trying to finish up his dinner so he could see the videos faster.

"Popcooooorn?" Robbie suggested.

"Yes Robbie, I'll make some popcorn." Bing reassured. The zombie squealed in agreement. In the end, Angus could feel a couple of the tears escaping him, but he allowed it since they were happy tears.

Angus and Anti helped clean up the kitchen while Bing was setting up the files for the videos. He got the snacks ready and once the two egos walked into the living room, everything was ready. The four egos watched the Survival Hunter marathon. It was like an educational journey, with hints of comedy. There were certain parts that Bing and Angus had to cover the younger ego's ears since there were some swears and sexual innuendos. "Geez… I really said all of that? It really has been a while!" Angus admitted. "I don't even remember half of the stuff I said."

"Well, I think it's a testament to how far you've come!" Bing smiled at him. "Though for future reference, if you ever make another episode, please try to keep the sexual innuendos down."

"F-fair…" He chuckled.

The marathon came to an end, Bing and Angus were picking up as Robbie and Anti were sleeping on the couch, huddled together. Angus couldn't help but smile, seeing how close the two had gotten. "Should we let them sleep here? I don't think they want to be apart." Bing questioned, looking over at the couch.

"Yeah, let's head upstairs. Some sleep is in order." He stated, setting the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher. Once that was done, Bing reached out and held Angus's face to look him in the eyes. "What?" He questioned.

"I'm just holding the whole world in my hands." Bing smiled.

"God, you can be cheesy sometimes…" Angus snickered, getting out of the hold. "Man… I still can't believe how long it's been. I still remember when you first confessed to me…"

"Honestly, I was overheating just thinking about it." Bing admitted. "I could hardly get the words out of my mouth. I didn't think you would accept my feelings either… It was a huge surprise to me. But I am glad you felt the same way. And said it first… saved me a lot of trouble."

"It was true, I meant every word from the bottom of my heart." Angus reassured. "That was one memory I will never forget." It was true, he may have some fuzzy details about his memories, but that moment when he and Bing became official was not one of them. Bing held Angus's hand as he walked with him up the stairs and to the bedroom. Bing smiled as he led Angus to the bed, where the survival hunter and him laid on the mattress. The android taking comfort in his boyfriend's chest. "I missed this…" Angus admits.

"So did I…" Bing agreed. The two closed their eyes, letting sleep begin to take them. It was far from over, but at least it was almost done. Even if things won't work out as planned, at the very least he would be happy so long as he stayed by his Sunflower's side. As well as everyone else's. That was what Angus thought as his mind became empty. Never again would he leave anyone. And never again, would he let the ones he loved suffer.