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!

22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Whole and Healed Souls

Angus groaned as he managed to open his eyes, his vision blurry at first as he felt like literal shit. Since he still had feeling, it meant he wasn't dead. That was a good yet confusing sign. The survival hunter began to sit up, moaning as he rubbed his head. When he managed to get his surroundings, he could see that he was sitting in a hospital bed, covers and all. An IV was stuck in his arms, as they had the black veins on the skin still. No doubt his soul was becoming more unstable. He wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have much time left. Even so, he was still standing despite being fractured.

"Angus?" The oldest ego looked up, seeing his father coming over to his side with a soft smile. "How are you doing? How do you feel?"

"Hhhhhnnn…." Angus slowly breathed as he tried to find his voice. "D-Dad…?"

Henrik grew tears in his eyes as his smile spread across his face. "Thank god! We managed to get you here in time."

"W-where am I? What happened?" Angus asked.

"We're still in the Omitted-Verse. We managed to get you to one of the rooms on the upper levels and get you patched up. You've been out for so many hours now. Thankfully we've had enough resources for us to use." So Henrik and the others saved him. Guess he managed to escape death once more. Nega was right, he wasn't called the Survival Hunter for nothing. "Hang on, let me get the others." The doctor went to the door, opening it as the other Septiceye Egos practically fell in and immediately looked over at the one on the bed.

"Angel!" Bing was the first of them to go over to his boyfriend. "Thank goodness! You're alive!" He hugged him tightly as tears leaked from his eyes. Angus winced slightly from the sudden touch, but he welcomed it and hugged back.

"We did it! We saved you!" Chase was relieved as he looked at his brother.

"Glad to see you survived. We were worried, but you're still with us!" Jackie reassured with a smile.

"Thank goodness you finally managed to wake up." Marvin cried.

"S-Sun...flower… guys…" Angus could only whisper as he still felt his lungs were out of breath. The fracturing was a lot worse than he thought.

"Easy everyone, give him some space." Henrik warned, causing everyone to pull back.

"S-sorry…" Bing pulled away from Angus, but managed to hold his hand while looking at him with shining eyes. "I'm just glad I didn't lose you again…"

Angus returned the squeeze to Bing, managing a small grin as he looked at his Sunflower. "I can hardly believe I survived that…" He admitted. As he looked around the room, he nearly wanted to cry. Just the sheer sight of seeing his friends and family by his side was overwhelming him. He could see everyone here… but his smile fell when he realized there was one person missing. "W-Where's… Anti?"

The moment that name was heard, everyone in the room gasped before they fell silent. Their faces looked to the ground, as if they didn't want to say anything. This caused Angus to become fearful. "W-where i-is he?" He practically wanted to know, even if he may not like the answer.

"A-Angus…" Jackie bit his lip as he had regret in his voice. Angus turned his gaze to Henrik, eyes wide while his father figure had tears through his glasses.

"We… We did everything we could. But he lost so much essence at this point. His form is too unstable now."

Angus's heart grew heavy, as his eyes went wide. "H-He… Is he alive!?"

"J-just barely, darling." Marvin bit his lip.

"B-but I'm sure he'll make it!" Chase tried to be positive.

"Don't sugar coat the situation." Angus turned his head, seeing a certain Devil walking over to them. He wondered when the souls would show up but… where was Posi?

"Nega… be honest with me! How is Anti?!" Angus knew that Nega had a reputation of being truthful, no matter how bad it was to hear it. Even if the results for Anti weren't the best, he needed to know for certain.

The Devil looked over at Angus, his face was emotionless at first, like it usually is whenever he wasn't upset or making sarcastic remarks. A sigh soon escaped his lips as he looked over at Angus, red pupils glossing over with… wait, were those tears escaping Nega's eyes? Angus was caught off guard by what he saw. Nega hardly ever cried, only when he was really emotional. Which meant… "Angus he… He may not make it. He already has so little essence left. He doesn't look good at all. I don't know how long he has left. He may not even have an hour left at this point…"

Angus nearly felt his heart stop. His whole body seemed to lose all feeling when Nega told him that. No. It couldn't be true! Anti was going to… to… No! No, Anti HAD to be alive! He just had to be! "N-No…" He shook his head, Angus didn't want to believe it. He just had Anti in his arms not long ago, to save him from death. And yet he was just going to die anyway?! He wanted to refuse it, he didn't want to accept what was told. But as he looked over at Nega, a crushing sense of reality came down upon him.

Henrik went to his side, holding his shoulders as he looked down at his son. "You've done all you can Angus… but Anti couldn't fight anymore…"

Marvin began to sniffle as he could see how hurt Angus was. "W-we're so sorry, Angus… we tried to do all we could to help Henry. But… there wasn't much we could do."

"Y-You did what you could… bro…" Chase told him, tears coming to his eyes as he turned away, beginning to cry.

Angus fell back against the pillows behind him, as his body began to tremble. He looked at everyone else, hot liquid welled in his eyes as they cascaded down his cheeks. He could only stare off into space as all color in his skin drained. The other egos were having a hard time with the news themselves. Marvin sobbed and whimpered, holding himself as Jackie went to his side. He clung to his boyfriend, as they both needed each other for support. "W-we're so s-sorry, Angus…" Henrik sniffled. "H-Henry is doing all he can but… B-but…" He couldn't even finish that sentence. Chase went over, embracing Henrik as he soon felt the tears shed all together. The vlogger hiccupped as he knew they would be losing Anti.

"Angel… I'm so sorry…" Bing held onto Angus tightly, as the android was just as upset. He knew how much Anti meant to the Hunter, and losing him would mean that Angus would not be able to recover emotionally and psychologically. Angus could only lean into the hugs, but he was still stiff as his mind was blank. All of that work and destruction he caused… all of the blood he shed just for Anti... only for the child to end up dying regardless?! He couldn't accept that. How could he accept that?!

"Posi wanted to know how you were doing…" The Devil stated as he spoke to the Hunter. "H-He's in the room across where Anti is…"

So that was where Anti was… Henry was probably there as well. Angus looked over at Nega, as he listened to what he said. He looked back down at his chest, feeling how damaged his soul was. At least he still had one. He turned back to Nega, and thought back on Posi. He knew it was going to hurt, but Angus was sure that if there was a chance, Anti could survive. He knew the risks, but the only way to truly fix Anti… was to give them back. He sat up in his bed, reaching over to the pole of the I.V as his hand shook. Once he held the pole, he used it to support himself and placed a foot on the floor before the second one followed. Angus grunted, pain in his chest as it was straining his soul, but he didn't care. He found himself on his feet, as he held onto the I.V.

"A-Angus!" Henrik grasped as the Hunter got out of his bed.

"D-Dude, take it easy!" Chase told him.

"A-Angus! You shouldn't be moving!" Marvin warned him. "Your soul is still-"

"At least I have one…" Angus grunted, causing everyone to go silent while he kept his gaze downward. He proceeded to head to the door with the drip bag with him.

Henrik however, ran over and stood in front of him. "Angus, as your father, you need to get back in bed and rest!" He said sternly. "Let me change your bandages and check your medicine."

Angus glared up at Henrik, his sclera's turning black with green pupils as his fangs showed while he moved his lips. "I will not let Anti die! I won't let him become me!" The Hunter brushed past his father, who was slightly unnerved by what his son had said and how he looked. Angus limped as he made his way to the door, nearly falling against the frame as he got it open. All he could think about was his younger brother. He had to get to him. He didn't want what happened to him to be the same fate as Anti. He shook his head as he was not going to let it happen. Despite his limping, he trudged forward. Henrik went to the others as they watched Angus leave his room.

"We have to follow him!" Marvin declared. "He's not in a good enough condition to be wandering around!"

"Y-yeah, let's go Hen! Jackie, Bing! Come on!" Chase gestured as he was about to head out with them.

"No…" Nega stated as he stood in the doorway while looking at the other Egos. "Let him be."

"What?!" Henrik looked at the Devil. "Are you insane?! You want us to leave him alone in his state?!"

"He won't last long himself!" Bing stated. "We have to be there to make sure-"

"Angus can take care of himself!" Nega glared at everyone with his arms crossed. The Egos shut their mouths while he continued. "You all need to remember that he is not a child that needs your protection. He's the oldest out of all of you, and has seen things none of you could ever comprehend. The decisions he makes should be up to him, and he has to be the one to suffer those consequences. He's made mistakes, yes, but he doesn't want any of you to get hurt because of him. Because he cares so much about each and everyone of you and doesn't want you to go through what he went through. Besides," Nega turned around as he sighed before walking out. "He knows what he has to do." The others watched him go, as they stood in the room. As much as they wanted to be with Angus, they figured he would rather be alone and see the chimera.

Henry held onto the bedside where his son laid. He held onto Anti's hand while he stared at the ground in guilt. He was heartbroken, as his son was on death's door yet he was powerless to do anything. The one visible eye on his face was closed, and his breathing was slow and shallow. The chest was barely rising, one would think he wasn't breathing at all. Posi sniffled as he looked at his former host. The Angel felt like he failed as one of Anti's guardians, his protectors. He promised that both he and Angus would make it out alive, but with Angus's instability and the child on life support, he feared the outcome would be fleeting. "P-please Anti…" Posi pleaded as he began to cry. "I-if you can hear me… D-don't give up… Y-you still have so much to look forward to…" He didn't want the child to die, he was just getting used to life in the MindScape and was enjoying his newfound freedom. Now, it was all being taken away from him like before.

The door to the room opened, and at first neither of them heard it since they were lost in keeping an eye on Anti. The Angel sensed the new presence, and recognized it before he turned to see the hunter who had limped through the doorway. "A-Angus! You're awake!" Posi's eyes widened as he saw the look on Angus's face. The Hunter looked at the child, his eyes as blank as Henry's and the Angel. The moment he saw Anti on the bed, all Angus could see was himself. His broken, bleeding and bruised figure when his world was crumbling after he was being forgotten. It made him wonder, how long had Anti been suffering? No, that was a rhetorical question. He'd been suffering his whole existence, just like Angus… who was one of the main reasons for that.

Henry soon took notice of Angus standing there, and got up from his seat. "M-Mr. Irwin… I didn't think… I'd thought you'd be resting." Angus didn't respond to Henry, he was silent as he couldn't tear his eyes away from the child.

Nega followed behind, seeing Posi as his brother was emitting a somber tone. When he saw Henry's expression as he stared at Angus, he knew what the Hunter wanted. "Doc, could you give the three of us a moment alone with Anti?"

"W-What?!" Henry jumped at the request. "I-I can not leave my son! What if he wakes up and needs me?! I failed him so many times already I-"

"Please…" He could hear the begging and tears in Nega's voice. "Just… five minutes…" Henry looked at the negative side of the Core. He was surprised to hear him pleading. The doctor turned back to Angus, as he still remained silent. He could see how much he wanted to be there for Anti just as much as him. Giving a small nod, he slowly stepped outside to give the three some time with the chimera.

Posi sobbed as he ran over to the Devil, hugging him tightly. "Nega…!"

"I know…" Nega muttered quietly as he rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. He had to remain strong, all for the sake of his brother. The two looked back over, trying to get a read on Angus on what his take on the situation was.

Angus's breaths were coming out in shaky gasps. Everything was coming back to him all at once. He could remember the pain, traumas and fears he had been through. Being forgotten and nearly fading, taking Anti's soul, having amnesia in the MindScape, creating the Corruption, Sean and the bad timeline, the camping nightmares, it hit him like a freight train of several emotions. His legs carried him over to the bed, looking down at the chimera. The young child was slowly breathing, his skin much more glitched out to the point that his whole body was black and distorted, only the one side of his face remained to indicate he was still human. "A-Anti…"

He could remember the voices that were in his head. Mainly those of Sean and his past self.

"Looks like things didn't go as planned again, huh?"

"I said you were a failure."

"Was it all worth it? Did any of this make you happy?"

"You caused all of this, just because you wanted to survive. Because you couldn't let things go."

"You really believe I am the only one to blame for what happened to that timeline? Angus… we both were at fault for the destruction of the MindScape. You were going to kill me, you wanted to end me right then and there. I had to defend myself. You would have done the same if the roles were reversed."

"You couldn't have let everyone move on, you couldn't let Sean move on, or the community. You had to go against the plot, because you believed you were special."

"You could have talked to me yourself, Angus. You could have tried to reason with me, but you resorted to the irrational method of locking me up in my own mind and using the others to stop me. How could I NOT see you as a bad guy, even before that? Who else are you going to blame your failure on? The ones that you have wronged in this world?"

"Really? Because you seem to think that you were better than everyone, even Sean. You believed that because you were the victim, that because the creators and Sean did you wrong, that you had the right to go against the script and do things your own way?"

"Henrik tried to help you… they all stood up for you when I was not convinced. But you still lied to them all. You could have told them as well, about who you were, but you kept it secret. Even though you promised you would tell them, you never were able to. You did this all to yourself, Angus."

"You would have changed it? You would have rather died than let all of these people suffer? Come on, we both know that is a lie not even you can deny."

"You are just as much to blame as I was. But you just can't admit it. Oh, and by the way, using someone's soul without their consent and knowledge. That's a pretty dick move, don't you think?"

"In the end, we aren't so different after all, are we Angus Irwin, the hypocrite?"

Angus soon fell to his knees and buried his face into his arms. He wanted to cry, scream, beg, pray, punch, kick. He wanted to do so many actions to convey what he was feeling. Of course, he wasn't feeling one emotion, he was feeling so many. Eventually, he let it out in a howl that echoed in the room. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" It was loud, lungs nearly caved in as he began to pound his fists on the bed frame as he continued to wreck his throat. Posi winced as he clung to Nega, seeing the frustration as Angus cursed every time he hit his fist on the table, making it bleed. "Fuck! Fuck! Dammit! God fucking dammit! It should've been me! I should be the one laying here! Not you! Gaaaaah! F-Fucking damn it!" His knuckles began to turn bloody as he kept hitting the bed frame, his bones felt like they were breaking as he lost feeling in his hand.

"A-An-Angus…" Posi sniffled as he watched Angus go at it, taking his anger on the bed.

Angus slumped against the table as he looked at Anti, reaching a hand over to rest it on the child's. Crocodile-sized tears kept rolling down his face as his sclera's turned red this time.

"There isn't any use crying now…" Nega stated. "Those tears won't bring him back."
"N-Nega please…"
"No…" Angus stopped Posi. "He's right. There's only one way to save him." He gripped Anti's hand tightly while looking at the child.

Posi began to put the pieces together, gasping as he realized it. "W-wait, you don't mean-"
"What other choice do we have?!" Angus was starting to lose his voice. "He doesn't have any essence left! At this rate, he'll die!"

"But if we go back to him… you'll be vulnerable." Posi pointed out. "And with your soul as damaged as it is…" He didn't want to finish that sentence.

Angus knew the consequences, he knew he would most likely die. But so would Anti if nothing would be done. Anti already sacrificed himself once for Angus, and he would made sure Anti would live through this. "What do I have to do?"

Nega and Posi looked at one another, sensing how serious Angus was. Posi was still unsure about the idea, knowing how it would affect Angus. Nega on the other hand accepted it. It was the Hunter's choice, and it was the only way Anti would be alive. The Devil approached as he looked at his current host. "You'll have to connect your soul with Anti's. It won't be easy, but we can guide you through it."

Angus nodded, looking back at them. "Okay… tell me what to do."

Posi bit his lip as he saw how determined Angus was. There was no way he could convince him to turn back now. "Close your eyes… we'll do the rest."

"You sure?" Angus asked, wondering if it was that easy.

"Keep holding his hand and focus on Anti." Nega added. Angus followed his instructions, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He gripped Anti's hand tightly, letting Nega and Posi do the work. The two halves went to either side of Angus, as their bodies began to glow. The radiation from the Angel and Devil soon started to get it's effect on Angus, as his soul started to glow from within his chest. The same happened with Anti, as his torso began to glow. A strange feeling washed over him, but he welcomed it if it meant that his brother would be safe. He was not prepared for what he would have to go through.

---

Angus gasped as he suddenly felt his body jolt. When he opened his eyes, he was in a hallway, but everything looked foggy for some reason. He tried to gather his surroundings, wondering what had happened. Was he… in Anti's soul? This wasn't like before when Anti tried to reconnect the two souls to Angus. As he looked around the halls, his eyes went wide as he realized something. "Wait… this hallway leads to the apartments!" Why was he here though? And why was everything covered by this blanket of mist? Angus walked down the hallway, trying to figure out what this meant. He kept his wings around his frame as he tried to make sense of this. He walked down, unconsciously going to the same room where Henry and Anti shared an apartment.

As he got closer, he noticed that there were two figures next to the door of the complex. When he got close, he began to hear the voices. "...And Miss Emily told me that her and Uncle Henry are going to be throwing me a birthday party!" Angus jumped when he heard that. That voice… it sounded like Bing but… that couldn't be possible. As he walked ahead, he managed to get a good look at those two figures that were standing in front of the doorway of where the complex was.

The yellow and turquoise android was standing in front of a child with a dragon tail, as the two of them were having a conversation. "W-What… A-Anti?" Angus whispered as he stepped forward, staring intently as he watched the two of them interact.

"Really? I hope I can be there for it!" Anti looked smaller in this scene, the child smiled at the android with an excited expression before he calmed down. "Dad told me he has a surprise for me tomorrow actually, won't tell me what it is though." As Angus looked at his brother, he noticed that he wasn't glitched out like before. Come to think of it, BB was functioning as well.

"Anti looks… normal here?" Angus was confused. "But this is how he and BB looked in… the past…" Angus suddenly realized what was going on. The way everyone looked, the mist surrounding the area, this was a memory! Anti's memory. But… Why was he being shown this? He was supposed to go into Anti's soul to give Posi and Nega back to him. Why was he in the memory? All he did was listen as the two talked.

"I heard him talk to Miss Emily about trying to sneak you into the garden!" BB gave a sly smile towards Anti.

Anti's eyes went wide as he gasped. "He wants to do that?"

"Yeah! Won't that be cool, Anti?" BB asked.

The chimera began to cry happily as he nodded. "Y-yeah! I can't believe it! I've always wanted to go outside! And now… I'll finally be able to see it. I hope it's as beautiful as the books describe it!" Anti sounded more hopeful with each word he uttered.

"The garden… wait…" Angus's eyes slowly widened as he remembered what Henry told them back before he rescued Anti.

BB and Anti grinned as they looked at one another, but they were interrupted as a female with brown hair came into the hallway from the room across the apartment Anti lived in. "Bing, it's time for your lessons. Oh! Hi Anti!" Emily waved as she smiled at her nephew.

"Aunt Emily!" The child jumped as he saw the brunette.

"Sorry to take Bing away, but we have to check over his skills." Emily explained. "Would you like to come join us?"

"That's alright, I'll wait for Dad. He should be coming up soon." Anti reassured.

"Alright, but know that our door is always open." Emily reassured before turning to her own son. "Come on, Bing."

"Alright, Miss Emily." BB giggled as he turned back to his friend. "I'll see you later, Anti!" The android gave a quick hug before he went over to the room across from the complex where he went inside with Emily. Anti watched them go off, and no sooner had they left, someone approached. Angus watched as the doppelganger of his father walked towards the child, with a smile and shining blue eyes behind his square glasses.

"There's my favorite son!" Henry declared as he looked at the child.

Anti sighed as he looked at him. "Dad, I'm your only son."

"W-Well…" Henry looked down for a moment before looking back up with an embarrassed smile. "My point still stands!" He then looked back to the ground but still kept that beam. "Come on, Nathaniel made your favorite meal for dinner. After dinner, I need to run some tests."

"More tests?" Anti repeated.

"Don't worry, just a check up." Henry reassured. "And I'll be there with you all the way."

Anti remained quiet, but gave a slow nod. "Alright." He walked with Henry as the two of them headed into the apartment they shared. Angus just stared in awe, was this before Angus took Anti's soul? The fact that BB mentioned the garden, Angus decided to investigate the matter by running over and ramming right through the door. He needed to see why he was seeing these memories. What were they trying to show him?

When he went through the door, he thought he would be in the apartment. Instead, he was confused upon being in the wooden, forest smelling cabin he called his home. "W-Wha?" Angus raised a brow in confusion. Why was he back at his place? Did that mean the memory faded? No, the mist was still covering the area.

"Anti, are you okay?" Angus jumped as he heard the angelic voice of Posi nearby. Were they here? Was this what he had to do to get Anti healed? He went further to the bedroom, where he saw Posi and Nega, along with Anti. He was just about to speak, but his green eyes looked over to the bed, and was disturbed to see himself laying on the covers. If he was there… this had to have been another memory! But… When did this happen?! Was it before they went to Marvin's memory?

Anti sighed as he looked down to the ground. Nega noticed this as he asked. "Another nightmare?"

"I… I don't know…" Anti shook his head in confusion.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Posi suggested. "You know you can tell us anything."

The chimera held his arm as he squeezed it slightly. "I… don't know how to explain it." Angus listened, as his phantom stood in the doorway while he watched the memory play out. "I… I was in some sort of forest… It looked like Angus's woods. I walked around for a little bit, trying to find my way back to the cabin." As Angus heard this, he was confused. Anti didn't have the same memory of meeting Henry for the first time? He kept his ears open, trying to figure out what this was about. "Then… I saw someone. They were running through the trees, so I tried to follow them."

"A… figure?" Posi repeated.

"I thought it was Angus… but then when I met them at the edge of the cliff, I saw who they were. It was that… person. The one who I told Angus about that found me and ran away from me." Angus nearly wanted to vomit as he was reminded of his creator. The one who had caused him all of this pain and suffering: Sean. "But… he didn't run this time." Anti went on, as Angus felt his heart skip a beat while the story continued. "He started to approach me… with crazed blue eyes. I tried to run but when I turned around, the forest was gone. Instead, we were just on a floating piece of land. The sky became dark with stars and green eyes staring at us. The next thing I knew, he had a hand around my neck and looked at me. T-told me that… It was his fault."

Posi and Nega lost all color in their faces as Anti rubbed his neck, trying to keep himself steady as he shook. Angus was just as disturbed. That area was no doubt the place he took Sean to during their final battle. But, why would Anti have a nightmare about that? And was it only a nightmare, or was it Sean's doing?

"Did he hurt you?!" Posi questioned as panic rose in his voice.

"No… I don't think so. I woke up before the dream continued…" He reassured. "But… Why does he keep showing up? When I mentioned him to Angus, he got really upset. Is there… is there a reason why he was upset?"

Posi and Nega bit their lips, avoiding eye contact for a moment. Anti could see how much they didn't want to discuss the topic, Angus didn't blame them. Wait… now that Angus was watching this scene, was this where Nega and Posi told Anti about Sean?! The Devil looked at Posi, seeing how uncomfortable he was. He sighed as Nega nudged Posi. "Come on, Icy. He deserves to know…"

"You're right…" Posi kept his eyes downcast for a while as he said that. When he looked back at Anti, he became serious. "Anti… there's something you should know." Angus watched, listening as Nega and Posi explained everything in regards to the Bad Timeline and Bad End Sean. Anti had the reaction Angus expected, disbelief and horror. By the time they were done, both the souls looked exhausted. It wasn't easy to relieve those memories.

"A-Angus was… killed?" Anti stuttered as he looked at them for confirmation.

"Stabbed twice by Sean… it was in self-defense, well the first one was." Nega added. "Afterward, the Corruption transferred to Sean, and Angus and I… we…" The Devil trailed off as his ears and tail were down. His form shook as he felt himself having a relapse from that memory.

"Neggy…" Posi went to his side, holding him to comfort his brother.

"But… I don't understand… How can this world exist after what happened?" Anti asked.

"Somehow this world got reset, I don't know how… but everything seemed to have gotten a second chance. But the damage had already been done. The real Sean remained in the timeline, and the other Sean, Jack, is a separate being. In a way, Jack and Sean are like me and Nega… though not exactly." Posi added. "But it was horrible…"

"So… what happened to you?" Anti asked the Angel.

Posi felt the emotions rise in his being once more as he looked back at Anti. "Honestly, not a lot. But the main thing I do remember was someone reaching out and grabbing me. It felt scary, and all I saw was someone with half their… face… missing…" Posi's eyes widened as he stared at Anti. Angus was just as mortified as he put the pieces together.

"I...I… took you…" Anti's voice was in a whisper as guilt rose in it.

Nega and Posi realized how upset this was becoming on the child, as they tried to interject. "B-but I had to leave Sean when he was Corrupted! I probably would have phased out of existence otherwise. You probably saved me when you took me." Posi quickly reassured the child. "In fact, maybe you taking me saved me! And you even…"

"Besides, it's not like it was you that caused that timeline to fall. It was already dying out because of Sean." Nega added. "It wasn't a great experience, but we are the only ones who know about it…"

Anti stared over at Nega as he was still processing everything. "You mean… you two and Angus?"

"And… Sean. But according to Angus, he wants him to remember." Nega noted. "He's still bitter about what happened."

"I… can't blame him." Anti admitted as he sounded tired all of a sudden. He looked over at his brother who was sleeping on the bed. "I know what it's like, being betrayed by the people that created you. It's terrible, especially with a fate like that."

"He never got over it…" Posi added. "I don't think he ever will."

"No wonder he was worried when I told him about that man…" Anti noted.

"Though it doesn't seem Sean is interested in you. The guy was always just a spectator, I can't imagine he would go after anyone else. No reason to." Nega reassured. "That dream was probably just from stress. Not all dreams have meaning."

"Yeah…" Posi agreed with a small smile. "Maybe that was it." That wasn't enough to convince Anti or Angus. The chimera looked down, staring at his glitching hands, as they were the ones that grabbed hold of Posi during the destruction of that timeline. He didn't remember it, but if he had Posi, what was he going to do with him? Anti's glitching seemed to be getting worse as he bit his lip. "Anti…?" Posi noticed this, becoming increasingly worried.

"I…" Anti trailed off, as his skin was becoming pale. "I… need some fresh air."

"Anti…" Posi went to step over, only for the chimera to take a step back.

"I need to clear my head about this… process it all. I'll be in the treehouse where you guys found me. I'll be back before Angus wakes up." Anti didn't give them a chance to stop him, as the chimera was already making his way to the door and left.

Posi looked over at Nega as he still had guilt on his face. "Shouldn't we go after him?"

"Can't do that since we're still attached to Angus." Nega pointed out. "Besides, it's a lot to digest. Angus never got the hang of it either." The worst part was, the Devil wasn't wrong. Angus still had trouble grasping the concept himself. Part of him didn't even want to believe it at times, he wished he never had to learn about it. And yet, here he was. Now that he thought about it, was that why Anti asked him that question in the treehouse? The guilt moved throughout his body as he remembered how he lied about that question,

Angus decided that he didn't want to stay. There was no point in being reminded of this, according to him. He had to focus on finding Anti's soul and get Posi and Nega back into him. Anti may not have much time left. He walked over to the door, going out so he could get away from this memory. The moment he stepped out, he found himself inside the living room of the apartment where Henry and Anti lived. "What the… I'm back here?" What was going on? Why was he still in the memories? What else needed to be shown to him?

"Anti?!" The survival hunter jumped as he looked up, seeing Henry running around the apartment with a panicked expression on his face. "Anti?! Where are you?!" He called out within the location. Why was he upset? And where was Anti?

The door to the room opened, as Nathaniel and Cole ran in, going past Angus to be close to Anti's father. "Henry?" Nathaniel asked in worry.

"What's going on?" Cole questioned.

Henry was on the verge of tears as he looked over at the other Omitted Verse residents. "Is Anti with either of you two?!"

"N-No… he's not with either of us…" Cole answered, becoming just as concerned.

"Anti is gone! I left him alone in the apartment to make sure our exit was open, and when I came back, he wasn't in his room! I thought he was with you guys, but when I called BB or Emily, they said he wasn't with them!"

Upon hearing that, Angus's face paled as he realized what was going on. This was supposed to be the day where they were going to run away from the hospital with Anti! But the distraction failed, which meant that Anti was with… "The other doctors…" Angus's hands clenched into fists, as he knew where this was going.

"We need to find him!" Henry cried as he was growing desperate.

"We will, Henry." Nathaniel reassured his boyfriend. "Cole and I will go check with BB and Emily."

"Try the sub-labs, maybe the others brought Anti there for a surprise test." Cole suggested.

Henry nodded, as he ran past the two and out of the hallway. Angus could only stare as everyone went out of the room, leaving him alone for a moment. "Is this… when Anti lost his souls?" Angus questioned, though he already knew the answer. Why was Angus being shown these memories, he asked himself again. Could it be possible that when he went into Anti's soul, he somehow got access to his powerful memory? It was just like the other egos, but this time Angus nor Anti were hooked up to the machine. How could Angus be seeing Anti's memories without being attached to… now that Angus thought about it, this wasn't the first time he saw the chimera's memories and vice versa. Since the two of them shared the same soul… they were connected.

Angus didn't question it any further, as he ran out of the apartment to follow Henry. He needed to know what happened. He had to be there. Angus was sent into this memory for a reason, so maybe if he went through the events, he would find Anti. He tried to follow Henry, thinking he would have to go down the hallway. Instead, the moment he crossed through the frames, he found himself in an all-to familiar room.

The room had white, padded walls with stairs leading down to the center. On the floors were desks with many monitors and screens. The most noticeable feature about this room was the glass prison in the very middle, lights within the floor of that cell. As Angus looked over, he could see someone inside of the glass, pounding on it.

"Anti!" Henry called out, as Angus watched the doctor head towards the glass only for some of the guards to hold him in place. Part of the survival hunter wanted to go over there and get Anti out of that machine himself. But he knew better, for this was only a memory, and he could not change the events. On top of that, Angus felt his whole body going numb as he was frozen to the ground. Whether this was out of fear of the upcoming scenes or something was preventing him from doing so, it was hard to say. He was powerless as he watched the act play out.

"Dad!" Anti cried as his fist collided with the glass. "Let me out! I'm scared! I don't want any more tests!" He begged as the tears flowed out of his eyes, while his screams were increasing in volume.

Henry tried to get through, but the other scientists were keeping him at bay. "Stay down, Dr. Schneeplestien." Dr. Thomas approached, looking more human, but his horrible personality was still there. "We are preparing for the final test to determine if the Core can function."

"You can't! He's not ready!" Henry declared as he struggled to no avail.

"We've waited long enough!" Dr. Thomas grunted as his patience was no longer present. "We have spent years on this project and we need results now!"

"No! If you try to use the Core, there is a possibility his body will be torn apart!" Henry warned.

"Then let's hope the Core and the Vessel are compatible enough to ensure that doesn't happen." Dr. Thomas looked at a few of the others who were standing near the desks. He gave them a nod, and they began to push buttons, pull levers and stare either at the monitors or over at Anti. The lights outside of the box around the room began to grow dim, until the area was halfway in darkness. The barrier that held the chimera began to glow, as the lights beneath the surface of Anti's feet got brighter and brighter. The child kept whimpering, as he held himself. Electricity began to come up from the floor, surrounding Anti which caused him to cry out in pain. His body shook as the light show commenced. His chest began to glow a bright green, showing his soul was reacting to the test. His whole body started to produce green veins that spread on his skin like a spider web. For a moment, Anti's eyes turned pitch black before they became heterochronic with one blue socket and the other a green. The howls coming from the child increased, as the pain was becoming unbearable. Henry yelled, wanting to be with his son but the others kept him separated. Angus, on the other hand, could not stand to watch this any longer.

"No… No, no, NO! ANTI!" He broke free from his hold, running over in the hopes to at least attempt to get to Anti. Only to be blinded by the glowing blue and green lights that were being produced by the child inside of the box. Angus grunted, covering his eyes as he wondered if the nightmare was over yet. When he managed to open them, he was no longer in a contained room surrounded by metals and glass. Instead, he found himself in an all too familiar setting. "M-my forest?" Angus gasped, his eyes wide as he was inside of his home. But, it was different. The trees were ripped apart, the land had split and the sky was going dark. He wasn't sure why it was in this state, until he grunted in pain. "Aaaggghhh!" He fell to his knees, holding onto his chest as it began to radiate a sense of hurt. When he attempted to look down, he noticed something which sent a shiver down his spine.

Along his hands were black veins, looking like cracks on his porcelain skin. They grew, making him look like a chipped away figurine. The pain increased, as his chest felt like it was being crushed. He laid on the ground, body was incapable of moving as it lost any energy. Now he understood what was happening. This was the day his world fell apart from the MindScape. The day… when he died. Was this his memory now? Why was he here though, and why was the pain so real? He gritted his teeth as he began to feel the agony in him spread throughout his body. He was on his stomach as he tried to regain his breathing, but it became more painful with each breath he took.

"Fuck… it hurts worse… than before…" Angus winced as he started to become engulfed in a wave of familiarity. "Posi… Nega… Anti!" He called out, wanting for this nightmare to be over. Unfortunately, there was one more part that he had to get through, and it would be the worst one. He heaved as the tears gathered in his eyes, wondering how much longer he would have to endure this. His pupils soon caught sight of something that appeared in front of him. When he looked up, he could see a glowing green hole, like a portal.

'W-Wait… I remember this…' Angus came to a realization as he looked up to the portal, while his body subconsciously crawled over to it. 'I saw this appear before me… just before my world was fully destroyed.' He recalled the memory he told Anti, about his last moments as Angus Irwin. How he mentioned a star, but it wasn't a star at all! He was so distracted reliving that moment, he didn't realize that he had gotten up and walked right through this hole.

When he walked to the other side, he found himself in a dark world. Everywhere around him was pitch black, with no humans or any items. It looked like… "The Void…" Angus was all too familiar with this area, the place between worlds where those that were destroyed or forgotten go to. "G-ggghhh…" The pain increased once again, as he checked himself over. He still had the black lines, covering his body as he looked like a broken china doll. Even though he couldn't see it, his sclera's turned black once more, as oil tears oozed from him. He thought this was getting to the end, and he begged that this would be over. Through his pain, his ears caught the sound of whimpers. He jolted his head, looking forward and noticed a certain chimera who was crying, as his body was having a distinct glow to it. "A-Anti!" Angus shouted, calling for his brother, but there was no response. Did Anti not hear him? How could he not? He was right in front of him.

Angus grunted as he suddenly felt his arms moving upward, but he didn't make them do that motion. When he looked over, his eyes widened in horror as he saw a string attached to his wrist. It was a white string, which stood out on the peach and black skin, wrapped tightly around his hand. That wasn't the only one, he saw another around his other arm, one on each of his legs and even to his waist and neck. He looked like a marionette as he was finding himself going towards the child. What was happening? Why couldn't he control himself? "W-What the h- Ggghh! h-Hhh!" The pain was still present in him, as it coursed through him with every step he took. "N-nnnngggh!"

Not by his own will, he was walking straight towards Anti, as the child had a pulsating glow around him, blue and green to be exact. Every step he took, he was that much closer to Anti. The chimera lifted his ears, then his head as he saw Angus walking towards him. He gasped as he saw the broken survival hunter. "W-Who are you?" He asked, still showing signs of fear. Angus tried to speak, but it only came out in moans and pained whines. His arm moved without his permission, as it rose up and made his fingers reach out in a claw-like motion, as if he was going to grab something.

'W-Wait a minute…' If Angus wasn't colorless already, his whole face would have paled. 'No… No! This was when…' Despite Angus's agony, he attempted to kick and struggle, wanting to avoid this inevitable fate. "Gaaahhh! S-sta…" He couldn't even form a single word, even his vocal cords were unable to obey him.

Anti seemed like he wanted to move, but his body was just as stiff as a statue. "P-Please… don't come any closer!" He begged, as black tears pooled out of his eyes. Angus didn't want to see, he wanted to close his own lids because he didn't want to see what he was going to do next.

'No! Don't make me do this! Stop it!' He pleaded with anyone who was listening. He didn't want to keep going, his mental state was already strained enough. He didn't want to be reminded of his biggest regret! But he was forced to watch, and he was compelled to continue with his action.

"D-Don't hurt me! Don't- gaaaaakkk!" Anti gagged, blood trickling down his mouth as he and Angus slowly casted their eyes downward. Right inside of Anti's chest, was Angus's bloodied, cracked arm. A hole was created where Anti's soul was, the same one that he had when Angus first met him. The child shook, as he was also feeling pain radiate inside of him. Angus began to hyperventilate. For a split second, Angus could see himself where Anti was standing. Seeing his body, while his own hand had been replaced with a blue, dirty sleeve. When he saw the vision, all he could think about was his creator: Sean. He was in the same position that the Irish man was in a few years ago. The same action, the same consequences. "I-it… hurts…" Anti said in a horsed tone, as he looked back up at Angus while he cried from the torment he was feeling.

Angus tried pulling back, and he did, but he took something away. Within his hand he pulled out a red orb of light that slowly began to turn white. He felt the negative energy emitting from the half of the Core belonging to Anti. Another orb of bluish white came out of Anti's chest, bouncing away from the group and disappearing off to the Void. Angus still held onto the negative half, while Anti began to cough. His hole started glitching out, as the rest of his body became distorted. Half of his face blacked out, the blue and green aura around him turned to static. He looked broken, he looked lost, but most importantly, he was dying. "G-Give it… back… give… SXQgaHVydHMsIGdpdmUgaXQgYmFjawo=." He began speaking in that code, the same language he used when he was stressed.

Angus looked down at Anti, seeing the child back away and curling in pain. He whimpered and convulsed for a few minutes, as Angus was forced to watch before he glitched out and disappeared entirely. Angus was left by himself, broken as he still held the soul. All he could think about was what Anti had told him before he vanished. "It hurts, give it back…" His pupils shrank as he remembered those words, the same ones that were said by Anti when he freed him. He was forced to bring Nega to his chest, letting the soul absorb into his skin, becoming his own version of Anti.

When he got Nega, he was finally freed from his bonds, and even though he felt better on the inside for a moment… he was a complete mess. All he did once he was freed of the strings was fall to his knees, staring at the ground in an expressionless manner. "H-hhhh….A-Aaahhh… aaaaahhhhha…. H-Hhhhhhghhh…" Angus kept hyperventilating as he relieved the memory of when he took Anti's soul, when he damaged a child-his brother figure! When he lifted his head, he titled it and screamed into the emptiness of the void. It was all he could do as his mental state was completely shattered along with his emotions. He was stuck in a cycle of never ending pain as he believed that this was his punishment. He was reminded of everything that had happened, that had led him and everyone he cared and loved for to this moment. Was all… His. Fault.

After his voice went dry from the screams, he fell to the floor. Black ooze poured out of his sockets, as he felt the corruption of the Void and the anguish reminders of his past wrap him in a thick blanket of despair. For the first time in a long time, he felt truly and utterly alone physically, mentally and even emotionally. This unpleasant wake up call is what reminded him of how similar he was to Sean. And how he, as the first Ego of the YouTuber, is not a separate entity, but rather a broken and dusty mirror of a past life that the Irish man could not recognize anymore.

"Angus?" The survival hunter could hear the soft voice of his brother. But he dared not look up, as he was still wallowing in the torment of the past. He even resorted to rocking slightly on the ground as he believed that the manifestations of these powerful memories, in disguise of Anti, was about to end him. Personally, Angus would rather die right now if he could be spared the pain.

The chimera stood in front of his older brother, as Posi and Nega were by his side. The three saw the state Angus was in, realizing how impactful the memory of Angus's near death and Anti's stolen soul had affected him. "Angus…" Posi whispered, holding onto Nega as the Angel felt sympathetic towards his current host. Nega remained silent, as he remembered that day when he was taken away by Angus just to be used to stabilize his soul. He knew how devastating that memory was, hence why Angus didn't want to remember. Which was why he forgot, but now it all came rushing back to him. The Hunter couldn't face any of them, how could he? He was still reeling from seeing the pain he caused his little brother.

Anti took a step forward, kneeling down so he was at eye level with Angus. Even if he didn't look at him, the chimera still spoke. "When you stole my soul back then… It was when they were doing the final experiment on me. Testing my compatibility with my soul to see if I could go to other worlds. By taking Nega and having Posi leave me, it created a backlash in the Omitted Verse. Everything became a glitchy, distorted mess, just like me. That's what happened to everyone and why they look the way they do. The other scientists were so desperate to prove their research, to go into different realities, that they didn't care if I was ready or not."

Even though Anti explained this, Angus dared not look up. He listened, but was unable to do anything else. His mind was still reeling from the memory and his actions. "H-Hhhh… g-gaaah…" Angus only sobbed in a much harsher manner as he was painfully gasping for air.

Anti looked over at Posi and Nega, who kept their mouths shut. Their words alone would not be enough to snap Angus out of his state, it had to be up to Anti as his voice was the one Angus needed to hear. "Brother?" The child knelt close to Angus, who merely flinched as he used his wings to hug around his frame. "Angus… please look at me." Anti begged. Angus merely shook his head, he couldn't even speak as he felt he didn't deserve to towards Anti after what he realized his actions had done to his brother. The chimera resorted to reaching out to grab the Survival Hunter's face, forcing him to look right at him. "Angus…" Anti smiled, with tears coming out of his one eye. "I don't hate you for what you did."

Angus closed his eyes, shaking his head as he pulled away from Anti, but still looked at him as he began to cry. "How?! How can you not h-hate me!? I stole N-Nega from you, just to save myself! I-I caused you to become corrupted! I ruined not only you, but your family and the Omitted Verse! I-I'm the reason you're on your deathbed! How can you not blame me!?" Angus practically shouted as he asked these questions, wondering if this was the real Anti or just the manifestation from these memories.

The child kept his smile, giving him a warm and sympathetic one as he responded. "Because that day when you took my soul… you actually saved my life."

Angus paused in his self-pity, sniffling as he stared at Anti with green and black eyes. "W-What?" It was all he could ask at that point.

"That experiment would have torn me apart if it kept going. When you took Nega and freed Posi, you made that world stop and spared me of death. I couldn't be used anymore since everyone was frozen in time." Anti stated.

"B-but I… you were…" Angus tried to form a sentence together, only for Anti to keep going.

"It did hurt… for five years, all I felt was pain and agony. But it was a sure sign that I was still alive. Even though I was trapped, I still held onto hope that I would be freed. Then, you came and released me. I saw them in you… my soul. I tried to get them back, but found myself in your cabin. For a brief moment, I was happy that I was freed, but as I looked around and saw you… I was scared and… left…" Anti admitted as his tail went down.

Angus bit his lip, being reminded of how he looked before he took Anti's soul. The cracked skin, the strings on his limbs, no wonder Anti was terrified when he saw Angus after trying to take back Posi and Nega. "That's what I looked like to you… back then."

Anti nodded solemnly. "I thought you were going to hurt me again… so I ran fearing the worst."

Angus looked to the ground. "I… would have done the same." He admitted. "Did you want to kill me? Back at the treehouse?"

Anti whimpered as that memory came about. "I… did. I was upset to learn you took my soul, and I probably would have had Posi not interfere."

"Do you still want to kill me?"

"No… because now I understand you." Anti reassured him. "You're not the kind of Ego to steal someone's soul because you want to. Just like you aren't the kind of Ego to make someone suffer because you feel the need to."

"Tell that to Sean." Angus scoffed.

"Angus…" Anti reached over and held onto the older Ego. "Sean chose to attack you… but you chose to help me. Even though you didn't know me and could have disposed of me back then, you were willing to find a way to save me from death. Sure, you wanted to save yourself as well, but the more time I spent with you, the more I got to know and became comfortable around you." Anti's hand went over and began to wipe away the tears Angus had shed. "You always knew how to make me feel better. You took me into your home, you helped me with my nightmares, you gave me real food, talked with me, treated me like a person and introduced me to so many people and sights I could have only dreamed of! You, Angus Irwin, you gave me something that I always wanted for so long: A home! Freedom! A life to call my own!

"All the while, you were trying to make up for the mistakes you made. There were times you were willing to give up Posi and Nega to me, even though you were hurting just as much." Angus lightly winced, being reminded of the cracks which were still on his skin. "And even though we didn't always see eye to eye, you never hated me for what I did to you. To me, you're the most selfless, bravest and caring person I've ever met."

"A...Anti…" Angus sniffled as he listened to him. He thought all of that? He didn't hate Angus despite what happened? How could he be so kind? So forgiving?

Anti reached over and held onto Angus, rubbing his back as he gave him a hug with his arms and tail. "I'm lucky to call you my brother, Angus. And I'm thankful that I met you. You've made me feel human… like I actually belong." The tears kept coming out of Angus, but they weren't black tar, rather watery clear droplets that ran down his face. "It's okay Angus, I forgive you. So please… do us both a favor and forgive yourself. I'm not the only one who has suffered, you've been in as much pain as me. So I'm begging you, let it all go."

Angus shuddered as he tightly embraced Anti after listening to him. "Anti…" He sobbed into the chimera's shoulder, as his body was crying out all of his pain, traumas, fears and even guilt. He held it all in for so long, but now he had a reason to let it out. It just took some convincing from his little brother. But, surely it couldn't be this easy.

"Do you forgive yourself?" Anti asked, still holding onto him to make sure he was steady.

Even though Angus managed to give a small nod, his mind was telling him otherwise. "E-Even if you forgive me… is that enough? I-I mean… What about the others? Would they forgive me, after all I've put them through? I mean… Do I even deserve any of them? Did I ever deserve their love and friendship?"

Anti knew it wouldn't be that easy to convince him, but he wasn't going to give up. The chimera leaned over to kiss his forehead as his tail wagged. "If I can forgive you, so can they. They did all of this for you, Angus. Because they care for you. Do you really think that they would still stick with you after everything you've done because they don't like you? They are your family, and they have defended you for so long, even if they didn't know who you truly were in the beginning." Anti pointed out. "But if I can't convince you, then maybe you should hear it from them." He gestured over to the blackness, while Angus kept sniffling as he saw the images of five of the main Septiceye Egos appear. Each one smiling in their own way as they looked at the Survival Hunter.

"G-guys… H-hhh…" Angus wanted so badly to speak as he looked at them all, but he didn't know what to say. Instead, they went ahead with their speeches.

Chase Brody was the first one to step over, as he grinned at Angus. "You're the best brother figure I could've ever asked for, dude. You always motivated me and my videos, no matter how crazy the ideas may be. I've been dealing with loneliness ever since Stacy left. I thought having someone was better than being alone, even if they didn't treat you right. But you helped me to realize that I deserve to be surrounded by those that care for me because they want to! You made me realize I don't need her in my life anymore, and that I can move on and find someone better. And I know for a fact that Becky and Daniel would love to look up to you, as both a role model and an uncle. You're a pretty rad guy, Angus!"

"C-Chase…" Angus hiccupped as he heard the words from the vlogger.

Jackieboy man approached, as he smirked towards the Hunter. "You've always been strong, Angus. When you went to help me face my bullies in my memory, you didn't take shit from them even when they mocked you. You've been through a lot, bearing the burden of suffering and holding in your pain. But you shouldn't have to hide behind a mask like I did. You have to learn to be strong in your own way before you can make it in the world. That's what you taught me! You have the thickest skin out of everyone I know. Honestly, I would have loved to take you on as a sidekick. But you are definitely more of the hero in this scenario, and that's coming from me! You're the bravest person I know, Angus. Not even I can measure your courage."

"J-Jackie…" Angus giggled.

Marvin Magic stepped forward as he was next. "Darling, you may have made mistakes, but we forgave you long before all of this happened. No one expects you to be perfect right away. Finding out who you are takes time, and it can be a difficult road with many obstacles that stand in your way. But if you are lucky enough to have those stand by you in trying times, it makes it a little more bearable. It gets easier, little by little every day. The hardest part is doing it every day, but it becomes better the more you try. You tried to make up for your mistakes, to right your wrongs. And that's the best you can do. I had to experience that myself, and it made me better. So take my advice: You don't have to be perfect, just be the best version of you that you can be. That would be enough. So promise me that you will keep shining and dazzle everyone, like the star you were meant to be, you wonderful Hunter, you!" Marvin declared.

That made Angus laugh a bit as he stared at the Magician. "M-Marvin…"

Angus turned his eyes, seeing Henrik Von Schneeplestein going over as he had tears running down his face, yet he beamed over at the older Ego. "Meih Son, whether you are Anti or Angus, I will always be your father. I know I failed you many times in the past, but knowing you still care for me reminded me why I kept going. I would have risked facing my nightmares a thousand times and more if it meant I could have given you one night of rest. After I lost Joline and Emma, I didn't know what to do. I thought I failed as a doctor and a caretaker. Had you not walked into my life, I don't think I would even be here right now. You becoming my son was the best thing that has happened to me in so long. And I know that if Joline and Emma were here, they would have welcomed you as their son and brother. I know I am lucky to have considered you a part of my… our family."

"D-Dad…" Angus could feel the tears running down his face, but he didn't care.

The last person, the one that had been with Angus since the beginning, gave a soft expression as the Android spoke. "Angel… You have no idea how long I have waited for you. The day you left me, I had no idea what I would do next. I had begged that you would return to me. I still had hope that if you could have survived those adventures, you could have come back from death. So I waited… I knew it was foolish but I never gave up hope that I would see you again. And that night when you came to me in your true form, I had never smiled so wide like that. All of that waiting, all of those days I spent wallowing about you had finally paid off. I ran to you and held you, and if I could I would have never let you go! For over five years I kept blaming myself for not doing enough to save you. I believed I was the reason you died. I kept that guilt with me, even when you returned. But it only took the words from you to help lift a huge weight that had been suppressing me all this time. You helped me to move on from what I couldn't control. So please, my love, do the same for yourself. Stop hating yourself for what you had done and what you couldn't do. Instead, be blessed that you can be here with us again and make things right. You've been given a second chance, so make it count."

"S-Sun...Flower…" Angus finally found the strength within him to stand up, as his wings unfurled from behind. He looked over at Anti, to which the chimera gave a small nod towards him. Angus turned back to the other Egos, taking off with his wings as he dog piled and embraced every single one of them in a hug. "I LOVE YOU ALL!" He admitted as he cried happy tears for the first time in his new life.

"We love you too, darling." Marvin cried.

"We never stopped loving you." Henrik promised.

"Come here dude!" Chase hugged tightly.

"Cry it out, tough guy!" Jackie told him.

"You'll always be one of us." Bing reassured Angus. They all hugged onto the Survival Hunter, praising him as Angus felt a huge wave of relief and acceptance wash over him. Posi, Nega, and Anti watched from the sidelines, smiling as they hoped that this meant Angus had finally conquered his own fears and regret. They could see him hugging back, with both arms and wings. The three also noticed that genuine smile back onto Angus's face, as his sockets turned white once more with his forest eyes shining.

"Finally, give this guy a break." Nega smiled as he was proud of Angus.

"Do you think he's finally forgiven himself?" Anti asked his two souls.

Posi smiled as he giggled. "I think he's finally come to terms with it. You've really helped him, Anti."

"It was the least I could do for him." Anti stated as his tail wagged. He knew that the past couldn't be changed, but at least they could both learn from it and create a brighter future for themselves. Speaking of brightness, Angus gasped as the other Egos started to glow bright colors. He stepped back, looking down at his chest as it began to glow a green shade, just like Anti's. The four watched the forms of the other Egos evaporate into their retrospective colors before something appeared on the ground. A soul shard, a green one but it had two shades. One of them was a dark forest and the other had a bright neon shine to it.

"The soul shard!" Posi gasped. "The final one~!"

"Angus! You know what this means, right?!" Anti jumped as his smile had never been wider. "You can get the serum and stabilize your soul! You can be healed!" He began to jump in anticipation as the chimera was ecstatic. This journey through the Omitted Verse and painful memories hadn't been in vain. It all paid off in the end after all. "Hurry! Pick it up so you can head back!" Anti urged, knowing that once the soul shard was taken, Angus would go back to the real world.

The Hunter hesitated, looking at the shard for a moment. He turned back to the other three as he shook his head. "Angus? W-What's wrong?" Posi asked.

Angus sighed as he knew what must be done. "There's… still one thing I have to do."

"A-Angus… what do you mean?" Anti raised a brow.

Angus looked over at the Angel and Devil. Nega looked at Angus, seeing that expression as he knew what was going to happen. "I...I need to let Posi and Nega go. So they can be with you again." He told Anti.

"A-Angus… A-Are you sure?" Posi questioned.

"I am… it's the reason I came here." Angus stated.

Anti seemed just as shocked. "B-But Angus… your soul is still fractured and if Nega and Posi leave-"

"Anti…" Angus interrupted him as he had a distant look in his eyes. "Your condition is just as bad. If you don't take them now, you will die. But if they go back, you'll be healed. You deserve to take them back, Anti. After being away from them for far too long."

"B-But Angus…"

"You told me that I need to forgive myself for what I've done. And for the most part, I have. But the only way I will completely move on with a guilt-free conscience is to give you back what I took from you long ago. Knowing you will have your souls back and be able to live… that would be enough for me." Angus explained as he placed a hand over where his own soul was. "Besides, if I could survive death, I will be able to live long enough without them to stabilize me until I can get the serum. I'm not called the Survival Hunter for nothing." He winked at Anti and the others with that line as a brave smile was upon him.

"Besides, technically you said you would help Angus with getting the soul shards. You never did say you would wait until the serum was created." Nega added.

The glitch looked up at Angus, as he began to cry while staring in disbelief. "I...I don't know what to say… Angus…"

"We've both been suffering for so long. But that ends today. And it starts, with you taking Posi and Nega back. I know things will change from here on out… but we are going to make the most of it." Angus promised.

"It'll be alright, Anti." Posi promised as he placed a hand on Anti's shoulder with a smile.

"But… What about you two?" Anti asked as he looked back at Nega and Posi.

"I know we've been on a hell of a ride, no pun intended. But it has to come to a stop at some point." Nega stated. "It was fun, but we can't remain here either."

"I'll admit, I'm going to miss you two." Angus stated as he had a bit of sadness in his eyes. "It just felt like we were really getting to know each other."

"And if you guys go back to me… you might not be able to talk to us again." Anti added.

Posi hummed as he let that sink in. "That… may be true. But at least we'll be where we belong." He added with a grin. "And even if you won't be able to hear us or see us, that doesn't mean we aren't there. We'll always look after you two, no matter which body we're in!"

"You ain't gonna get rid of us that easily." Nega commented. "Besides, I want to see where you two will end up going once this is all over."

Angus let out a small chuckle at those remarks. Even if Posi and Nega wouldn't be their own beings after this, he would never forget the moments they shared and the advice they gave to him and Anti. He would always be grateful that he got to meet them. "Take care of him. He's going to need you both, now more than ever."

"We will, Angus. Are you ready, Anti?" Posi asked.

"I…" Anti was hesitant, looking between the three as everything was a bit overwhelming. He didn't think this would be how he would get his soul back. Even so, looking at the warm smiles of the trio made him remember that this was something he wanted for a long time. And if this is what would make them happy, who was he to go against their wish? "Yeah! I'm ready!" Anti finally agreed.

Angus grinned as he picked up the soul shard, holding it in his hands before he went to Anit. Kneeling down, he embraced him in a hug. Though the child was surprised, he welcomed it and let himself be held. "I promise… it'll be okay. We'll make it out together." Angus told him. "I love you, Anti. Never forget that." He wouldn't. Anti could never forget how much his big brother meant to him. And he wanted to continue to be by his side in the future.

"Ready, Posi?" Nega asked his own brother.

"Let's do this, Nega!" Posi cheered. The negative and positive halves surrounded the two Egos. Spreading their wings, they reached over and hugged the chimera. Red and blue auras glowing brightly, as their shine lit up the Void to the point they were blinded. It felt weird, but it didn't hurt. Anti welcomed this feeling, as did Angus.

---

The Survival Hunter found himself opening his eyes after that flash. It took him a while, but he managed to regain his surroundings. He saw the glitched out textures of the hospital room in the Omitted Verse. The beeping sounds of the heart machine pounded in his ears at a steady and healthy rhythm. What was most surprising, is the fact his soul felt lighter and though he could feel the cracks inside of him… he wasn't in pain. In fact, he didn't feel hurt at all. For the first time in so long, he felt whole in a strange way.

"Angus!" The door to the room flew open followed by the concerned tone of Henrik. When Angus looked over, he could see all of the Septic Egos piling in. He should have figured they would grow worried. He didn't know how long he had been out for, but he wondered if it was because he had been in the room for so long or the screams he kept yelling out that collected them here. Was he even screaming in the real world if he was in the Void?

"What happened? Are you okay?" Jackie was the first one to ask.

"Angus! Oh darling, is everything alright?" Marvin questioned in slight panic.

Angus stood up as he looked at his family, happy they came when he really needed them. "Yeah… I'm alright…" He then turned his attention to the bed, where Anti laid. All eyes went there, as many of the Egos gasped upon hearing the child groaning as his eyes fluttered. The pain in him was no longer present, in fact he didn't feel tingly on his glitched-out side anymore.

"A-Anti?" Chase gasped as he looked at the child.

"Woah… Anti! You look… I mean, holy heck!" Jackie couldn't even describe the words.

"W-what's going on? Angus, what ha-" He stopped talking as his hand went to his neck, rubbing the skin. "M-my voice… it's not distorted." He then raised his hands up to his face, blinking in surprise. "A-and I'm not glitchy…"

Angus looked over at the Magician as he gave a small smile. "Marv, can I borrow your compact mirror?"

"A-Ah!" Marvin nodded, as he always carried one for any occasion. He quickly handed it over to Angus, who opened it up. When he went back to Anti, he held up the mirror in front of the child, having the chimera look at his reflection. When Anti saw himself, he gasped in surprise. He was… whole! Half of his face was no longer corrupted, it was back to being the pale, freckled youth he was. He had two eyes now, a green and a blue one in black sockets. His neck was once again bandaged up, and the wound on it didn't even hurt anymore! The hole in his chest was also gone, and the speckles on his skin and clothes weren't there either! He looked like himself again, before he was corrupted. Though there was one new difference with him. Behind his back he sprouted digital wings of green and blue shades. It was unexpected, but he didn't care.

"Oh wow! Anti, you've got wings! Like Angus does!" Chase stated as he was marveled by the new look the chimera sprouted.

"Welcome back, Anti…" Angus breathed as he set the mirror down and hugged his brother, glad that he was going to be okay.

"Oh, Anti! You sweet darling, you look adorable!" Marvin squealed.

It was a bit overwhelming for Anti, as he expected. To the point he began to cry, but a grin was plastered on his face. "I-I'm back… I feel so much better, Angus! I'm healed!" Anti held onto Angus tightly as he was overjoyed. For the first time in five years, Anti no longer felt pain or anguish. He felt whole once more.

"But… wait… how did you fix Anti? He was literally on death's door." Jackie pointed out.

The two brothers departed from their hug before looking at the other Egos. "Angus had to give them back to me so I could regain my soul and essence." Anti explained.

"Give them back…?" Henrik repeated as his brain clicked. "Wait… Angus you mean-" His suspicions were confirmed when he didn't see Posi or Nega in the room.

The Survival Hunter sighed as he gave a nod. "I had to let them go. Giving Posi and Nega back to Anti was the only way to save him." He explained.

The others were shocked by the revelation, as they looked over at the two. "But… wait… if you don't have Posi and Nega…" Chase trailed off, as he knew what the consequences of that were.

"I know what it means…" Angus told them. "But I promised Anti I wasn't going to let him die. And there was no other way to save him."

"Angel…" Bing began as he had a supporting grin on his face. "You have such a kind heart, Angus. I am glad you were willing to make this sacrifice. You really have changed, back into the caring hunter I fell in love with."

Angus couldn't help but blush as he looked away in embarrassment. "B-Bing… not in front of the others."

"But, what about your soul?" Jackie questioned. "You're practically in danger without those two to protect you. And with the way your fracturing is getting-"

"You don't have to worry about that." Anti reassured, as he nudged Angus's arm. The Survival Hunter opened it, revealing the glowing green shard which lit up the room.

"I-Is that…" Henrik trailed off as his eyes went wide.

"It was a tough and exhausting road to get this… me and Anti managed to find our soul shard." Angus told them proudly.

"T-this means we can create the serum!" Henrik gasped. "Angus, you can be healed!"

"So, this means you'll stay this way? As the Survival Hunter?" Chase was ready to jump up and down in excitement as he wanted the news to be true.

Angus chuckled softly as he confirmed it. "It does, Chase."

"Oh Angel!" Bing ran over and held Angus close, embracing their lips together in a victory kiss. Angus didn't mind, he deserved it. Henrik happily cried as he took the shard, pocketing it as he knew what the first thing he would do once they got back to the MindScape.

Once Angus and Bing parted, Anti giggled as he saw how happy his brother was. "I kept my promise to you, Angus. So you better keep yours and come out of this alive."

"Trust me, Anti. I'm not going anywhere." Angus winked in confidence.

The door flew open once more, as Henry and the other remaining residents of the Omitted Verse came in. "What's going on? We saw you all rushing in here and-" Henry was cut off guard as he looked to the bed, seeing the chimera waving to him with a small yet joyful smile.

"H-Hi dad…"

Henry had hot liquid in his eyes as his knees wobbled to the point he wanted to fall down. But he grinned in ecstatic as he saw how healthy Anti looked. "My son!"

"A-Anti!" Nathaniel gasped in relief, seeing how better the chimera looked now.

"You look good as new now!" Cole shouted in glee.

"Oh Anti, you look just like when we all first met you." Emily beamed.

"So, does this mean the both of them are going to be okay?" Henry looked over at Henrik.

The MindScape doctor nodded in response. "Yes, both of them are going to be alright."

Anti was glad to be seeing his family again, and hopefully things for them would become smooth sailing from here on out. Though, there were still a few things that had to be brought up. "Wait a second…" Chase looked between the chimera and the other remaining residents of this world. "If Anti is all healed… Why are you guys still corrupted?"

Eyes went to different Egos and people, as they realized that the damage had not been undone despite Anti being given his soul back. "I… don't think giving Posi and Nega back to Anti is enough to justify the actions…" Nathaniel stated.

Angus gave a sigh, knowing he would have to explain. "I took Anti's soul when they were doing the final experiment on him. Using him to try and open up to the MindScape. By doing so, it caused a backlash that not only corrupted him, but everyone else and this place."

"In other words, giving Anti his soul back won't fix everyone else or this world…" Henrik added.

"But… what are you guys going to do?" Marvin asked as he looked at the four of the six remaining Omitted Verse residents. They couldn't stay this corrupted forever.

The three scientists and intern looked at each other, and though they seemed confused at first, they all had optimistic smiles. "Don't worry about us," Emily giggled. "We're scientists, we are known for achieving the impossible. If Anti can manage to be healed, so can we."

"I'm sure we can figure out a way to heal our souls, or at least transfer them into artificial ones." Henry stated. "Of course, that would take a lot of planning and experiment, but Anti wasn't created in a day!"

"And the Omitted Verse?" Jackie questioned.

"To be honest, we're not sure what the fate of this world will be." Nathaniel admitted. "But, whatever happens, happens. If we can save this world, it was meant to be. If it ends up fading, there is not much we can do."

"This might have been our home for a long time, but as long as I have my family, anywhere will feel like home to me!" Cole cheered.

Henrik chuckled at that response. "Well, we would be honored to welcome you all into the MindScape."

"Really? Is there room for us?" Henry questioned.

"I'm sure we can figure something out." Angus winked.

"You all will love it there!" Anti grinned as his eyes sparkled. "There's Angus's forest which lights up at night! Chase's neighborhood always has snow on the ground! Attitude City is huge and Jackie protects it! Marvin has a carnival that looks amazing with plenty of attractions and a performance! Henrik also has a hospital which is much nicer than here!" Anti kept listing the many attractions of the MindScape.

"Woah, woah. You already sold us, Anti." Cole chuckled at how excited he was.

"Sorry, I just can't wait to show you all!" Anti's tail wagged.

"Uh… That kind of begs the question, how do we get back?" Chase asked.

"Yes, we should focus on getting back to our world and figure out the rest from there." Henrik stated.

Anti smiled over at everyone as he stood up, no longer needing to lay down anymore. "I can handle this!" Everyone turned to the chimera, as he placed a hand on his chest with confidence. "I know what to do, leave it to me!"

"A-Anti…" Henry was a bit worried, since he wasn't sure if his son was ready to transport everyone to a new world so soon. But he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"We believe in you, darling~." Marvin reassured him.

"We know you can do it, Anti!" Jackie spoke up.

Angus nodded as he placed a hand on Anti's shoulder. "You can do it, Anti." The chimera smiled wider as the praise from his brother was all the confidence he needed.

"We better start packing then! There's so much I want to bring!" Cole stated in an excited manner.

"I better get all of BB's programming and blueprints! I'll have to fix him once we are there though. I doubt I can do much with him here." Emily noted.

"Don't worry, we'll help you all." Marvin reassured them.

"You all will be living in a new world, so it's only fair you would want to bring as much as you can." Bing stated.

Nathaniel smiled at the Ego. "You have no idea how grateful we are to you all."

"Well, let's start packing! It will be a long trip!" Henry suggested. Everyone began to head out of the room, one by one until only two Egos remained. Anti and Angus looked at one another, both grinning as they knew this journey would be coming to a close. The chimera reached out his hand and held Angus, staying by his side as he didn't want that to change.

"Let's go home… all of us…"

Angus nodded at Anti's request as he squeezed his hand gently. "Together."