Standing above the fault line, I feel sturdy, strong and tall. My foundations seem rugged, but I’ve been able to patch them with some help. No I can’t do it alone, I learned to accept that a long time ago. I stand stronger with help, my structure is secure and at peace when another set of hands is at work keeping it above ground.

Then the ground begins to shake. Without warning and without mercy. My structure begins to be engulfed, not quickly nor completely, but it falls into darkness at its pace. For a good amount of time, I can keep it afloat, out of the darkened depths. But the force of the crumbling ground is beginning to be too much. I should have reached out a hand then. 

Completely consumed by darkness, it’s something I’ve faced before. In fact I’ve claimed to be accustomed to it. I never feared the dark, call myself a night owl. Joke that I’m used to it, I’m even able to kid myself. 

While it is true, I never hated the darkness, but with my structure stuck in it for so long, I’m beginning to miss the warmth of light. 

You dont think I've changed. You're sure that it's a good thing. You're content with what is presented. You are happy, there is nothing to question nor fear.

What I want anymore, though

He soft yet uneven plane below anti’s body move with every breath he took. He could feel the small grains of sand sinking into each crevice of his clothes. The texture rubbing up against parts of his body. His distant mind tried to ignore the feel, and just go back to sleep.

A presence lingered around the demon’s still body, he could feel it watching, observing his movements, but at this point he didn’t care. He wasn’t conscious enough to sense the possible danger it could be causing him. He finally opened his eyes as his ears met the low rumbling sound of what seemed like a beast’s growl. He sat up quickly, looking around for the source, but found there to be nothing around him. The presence disappeared, and he was alone in this place.

Anti continued to search around, he was left in a vast open desert. There was a burning purple sun, but as he peer into it, a slit formed doen the middle and began to open. A golden eye emerged from the sun and looked down at the glitch, as if judging his actions.

Awake for only a few weeks and look at the damage you’ve caused.

Anti heard the familiar voice say from behind. He sighed heavily, turning to face them, though when he did, he found that the writer wasn’t standing before him. Pixel was instead above him, elevated by stone platform. Anti backed away to look up at them, the writer was risen about a head higher than Anti.

“Enjoying the view?” Anti teased. Though Pixel didn’t laugh. They didn’t smile, they just stared down at him with burning golden eyes. “Oh now ya don’t feel like talking?” Again, no response, no movement came from the writer. They just stood there. “Come on, Eclipse is more fun than this!”

Anti’s playful attitude soon washed away as that ominous presence slithered back. He looked around, the place was large and empty, there was nothing to be seen, yet he had the feeling of being watched still.

Like it here? Pixel asked. Because one more move and this is where you’ll be. Convince me not to leave you stuck here, and maybe I’ll be merciful.

Anti snickered. “Ooohh, wilttle Pixels getting angwy. Ooo I’m so scared,” He playfully blinked his eyes, giving off a baby face. “Whatever will I do! Pixel’s going to set me on a path! Make me reform and become better! Oh the horror.”

No. They corrected. You won’t get that. You’ll just be stuck here. No path. Just wandering.

Anti raised an eyebrow. “Ok so what’s the difference?”

Before they could answer, as if on queue a loud roar rang out through the desert. It was scratchy and almost serpent like, but there was a hint of a cry sprinkled in. needless to say, Anti had no idea what it was, nor where it came from, and that terrified him. “What the fuck?”

You’ll be vulnerable. That’s the difference.

Anti glared up at them, his head spinning around to catch any sign of whatever the heck that was. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him, because he kept seeing movement just out of the corner of his eyes. But there wasn’t anything there. “When’d you become such a psycho?”

The tower Pixel stood on lowered quickly, enough to put the writer just above eye level to Anti. They grabbed him under his chin, eye glowing bright with fury.

Since you used my friends as a human shield to get your powers back!

The ground around Anti rumbled from their booming voice. Anti felt himself stumble back as he was released.

You knew that if Dark threatened them, I would step in and stop him! You accounted for that, and tricked them into your manipulative scheme! Pixel took a deep breath, relaxing their body and pulling back their negative emotions. And now you expect me to hand your powers over to you? Like you deserve them after that stunt.

“You have to!” anti quickly regretted raising his voice to Pixel, they already proved to not be in the most pleasant of moods right now. “Please,” He said more calmly this time. “I feel so useless and pathetic without them. I need something to do!”

If you think having no powers makes you useless than maybe you should live without them for a while. The responded. Maybe you’ll see how Chase feels. Or Jackie, or Jamie or literally all of the people you live with!

Anti looked away, he knew he wasn’t going to get out of this one easily, and he knew that he only had more coming once Henrik and Jackie found out the whole story.

Here’s how this is going to play out between ups; I am going to hold onto this. They said, holding up the ring Dark had thrown. And you are going to go back to the cabin and when I decide you’ve made up for your actions, then you’ll get them back. And if you make one more mistake. It’s back to here for you, with no exit.

Anti looked around the barren wasteland of sand. On first glance it didn’t seem that bad,  but there was something off about the place, something he should be afraid of, but he had no idea what. So the glitch simply sighed. “Fine,” He muttered. “I’ll play your game.”

Pixel smiled, the rest of their platform sinking into the sand. Good.

The eye in the sky began to close and the sky turned back to a faded purple. Anti went to turn to Pixel again only to find they were gone. He blinked, and as his eyes opened, he found himself lying back in his bed at the cabin. He looked around, trying to find a sign of Pixel, but they were gone. He clenched his fists to try and glitch downstairs, but as expected it didn’t work.

The entity Darkiplier felt his broken body crashing with the ground. A familiar sensation yet new in a way. It was a different ground, a different place. The earth beneath him was hard and damp, and the air was cold, even to him. He looked up at the now shrunken figure flying in front of his face, mockingly waving at him with a little bell chime.

The creature fluttered away and his eyes landed on another creature standing above him was glaring down, their golden eyes burning with anger. Dark pushed himself up onto his elbows, glaring at them with dark eyes. “You broke your deal.”

And you believed Anti. They responded. Seems we’ve both made shortsighted mistakes.

Dark gave them a questioning look, his body creaking as he rose to his knees. “I told you not to interfere. Your little friends now,”

I think we’ve both mistaken who’s really in control here.

Pixel’s attitude was completely altered. They were very ,much not pleased. The anger with anti was obvious, but there was a bit of confidence there too, something that he didn’t know they had. “I will not hold back,” He grunted out, his body still strained. “I will find them and you will regret this.”

The writer crossed their arms over their chest, adjusting their black and silver mask. Or, you will take your own advice, and mind your damn business! The wind of the storm grew stronger, pushing Dark off his balance. He knelt down his hands, steadying himself on the ground.

Here’s how this is going to play out between us, you will take what I am willing to give, and you will leave me, Pixie and Eclipse alone! And if you even think about touching my friends again. Pixel bent down, lifting his chin to look directly into their golden eyes. You’ll receive a one way ticket to Realm 0 and I’ll sick the corruptions on you.

Dark’s eyes widened, felt felt a shiver go down his back, and he was suddenly grateful that no one, especially not Anti, was here to see him react this way. Nothing scared Dark, at least, nothing that he’d admit to.

Pixel released his jaw. We clear? They asked. Dark simply nodded and a smile grew on Pixel’s face. Happy to hear.

The scariest part to Dark was the fact that it seemed genuine. Pixel genuinely seemed please with his cooperation. And something about that sudden ease of change didn’t sit right.

Oh and Dark, I do hope to work with you in the future. Just please be a bit more patient okay? I’m a busy person and have so much planned. Never enough time, but you know that. Pixel snickers, smiling brightly as they wink at the entity, turning away into the woods and heading off away from Dark.

He doesn’t know how long he stays there, but Dark just remains kneeling on the ground, looking at the soil, thinking about what he’s just experienced. He suddenly hits a realization and sits up straight, looking at both of his hands. “Damn!” He curses, realizing they still had his ring which contained Anti’s powers.

Dark’s shell cracked in a quick anger fit but the figment took a breath and straightened himself up. “Very well,” He muttered. “I’m still strong enough without it. Anti is nothing more than a mere bug. I shall not bother with him any longer.”

To a planet of two suns

Her sister brightens the night

Every step the entity took, coming closer and closer to their destination, the writer could feel. Every crunch of leaves and twigs under their heavy boot was echoed loud and clear in their mind, and they had nothing to stop him. This day was coming, they’d known that for a while now. 

The whole structure rattled when the man reached the bottom of the ladder. One step up. Two steps. Three. So on and so on until there was the clicking sound of the bottom door being opening. The trap door swung up and for a moment the lights went out. Flickering back on, there he stood, feet away from the young writer as his aura began to stretch out through the small tree house. “”Hello Pixel,” The dark entity greeted. “Long time no see.”

Pixel sighed out heavily, shaking their head as they looked down at their notebook, closing it shut and taking it over to the bookcase. They paid hardly any mind to Dark, showing him no fear in his presence. “ You’ve overstepped your boundaries Darkiplier,” They told him. “You are not allowed in here so this better be good.” Finally the writer turned to face him, a glint of gold in their eye for a slight second, before it quickly disappeared, but Dark couldn’t miss it.

He smirked, holding his hands behind his back. “Oh I assure you, it is,” Dark looked about the small room, letting his eyes simply roam over each and every little knickknack and figurine the writer had out on display. He wandered over to their desk, pulling back one of the balls to their Newton's cradle before letting it fall and collide with the others. “You’ve broken our agreement. I agreed to help you, only if you kept your hand out of the septic’s business,” Dark gave a menacing smile, straightening his tie. “It seems you couldn’t keep your hands away.”

Pixel’s usually calm and smiling form turned a bit more grave and angered by the man coming in and shouting like he’d owned the place. “This isn’t your story Dark. These aren’t your egos. You’ll have to wait your turn before I get to you,” Pixel tilted their head, giving a mocking smile as they began to laugh playfully. “Aww, are you a little jealous? Are you angry that you aren’t as powerful in the realm? Well so sorry Darkipoo, you’ll have to wait your turn.”

Dark was clearly frustrated with his lack of progress with the writer. He wasn’t used to things not going his way, nor being as weak as he was. Pixel was right though, his power wasn’t as strong in this universe due to his lack of exposure, but he intended to change that. “I may not be powerful enough to control you,” As he spoke, a shadow slithered in from outside one of the opened windows, wrapping a small creature in its grasp. “But I was wise enough to catch your pet spying on me.”

The shadow advanced towards Dark, unwrapping above his hand as a small winged creature fell into Dark’s grasp. The once bright and glowing gold form of Pixie was now weakened, barely able to move at this point. Pixie lifted their head and looked towards the writer. It began to rise, trying to jump towards their partner, but Dark wrapped his hand around their body, squeezing tightly. A small ring of pain came from their parted lips and Pixel was laded with fury.

Their eyes now glowed a prominent gold color as they stood their ground against Dark’s actions. “Let Pixie go!” They demanded.

Dark let out a sinister chuckle. “Oh no no no. It’s not that simple,” He pulled the small creature closer to him, inspecting they thoroughly. “Tell you what, I will give you your pet back, but you have to abide to our original agreement. You put the story back to how it was, and you’ll given me that spotlight I so rightfully deserve,” Dark creaked his neck to the side once. “If not, I’ll crush your little pet between my fingers. Then the others next,” He smirked, his eyes looking up at Pixel. “And I don’t just mean the egos.”

Pixel thought for a long time, their eyes going towards their pen and notebook, but they knew Dark would be too fast if they made a move he didn’t like. They looked at the small winged creature, desperately beating on Dark’s hand to try and free themself, but it was clear Pixie had been badly injured. They looked up at the writer, shaking their head, telling them not to do it. In the bad of their mind, Pixel could even hear another voice, much like their own telling them to think it through, to not be emotionally driven, too late.

Before they even through for too long, the gold in their eyes died down and disappeared as the writer slowly nodded. “Give them back, and you’ll have your way.”

Dark smiled. “Excellent,” He opened his hand and let the weakened body of Pixie fall to the tree fort floors. Pixel was quick enough to dive and catch them, briskfully checking for in juries. 

I’ve done the math. I’ve double and triple checked my theory. It could work, but I’d only have one shot.

What is a hero but a threat to a villain? And a villain is a hero in their own eyes. What do we call someone who does the right thing, but in the wrong way?

A vigilante.

I still have what little is left of him. The small amount of body essence holds form, but not life nor death. I’ve decided to call him, as well as my other subjects, inbetweens.

What were to happen if I use a small amount of him to connect Jackie’s soul to his body. Vigilante was given form by Anti’s static, but he was created from a deep and dark side of Jackie. They’re the same person in a way. Would it work? I’ll have to run the numbers.

Life and Death.

Two opposites in the world. What is something that is two opposites at the same time? Conscious and unconscious. Mad and sane. Lost and found.

The soul of this ego is strong, he is somehow still able to hold on, even though it should be torn to pieces, gone and moving on, but it is still here. There must be something that’s keeping him here. There must be something I can use to pull him in. Something that connects to state between life and death.  Perhaps someone.