#corrupted!jbm

“Can't ͏y̨o̕ú see͡? ҉Look͝ h̴ơw ̕p̷o̶werf̷ul I̶ ͡a͏m!́” His manic, glitchy giggles nearly brought tears to the superhero’s terrified face. The magician held his arms out and summoned green flames and static. 

“Marvin, please! You aren’t this...monster! I know you’re in there somewhere. Just come with me, we can get this figured out. Schneep and I can do something. Please!”

The magician tilted his head at an unnatural angle, revealing glowing strings tightly knotted around his neck. 

“ G̵o̢ ͏w͢i̕t́h͘ yǫu͏?͟”  His expression was unreadable, but the hero could just barely hear the hesitation in his voice. He could almost hear Marvin.

“Yes, come with me! We can work together, we can fix you and get rid of Anti. Please! He’s corrupting you!”

Marvin said nothing.

Jackieboy approached him as he landed a few feet away, a woeful smile on his face. He paused as the magician’s shoulders shook, but reached out to embrace him.

“I know, let’s just get you home.”

It was when he was just about to touch the other’s shoulders that he realized- Marvin wasn’t crying.

He was laughing.

The soft chuckles quickly morphed into cackling, glitching laughter. His uncontrollable mirth caused his dead eyes to light with vile embers.

Jackieboy found himself restrained to a nearby wall, familiar green strings holding him in place.

“ ͘O͡h, J͏ąc͘k͞i͝ebo͠y̢..̵..” His laughter settled into occasional chuckles that broke his warped speech.

“ ͘I'̧m ̕h͝appy ͞ļi͝k̛e ͏ţhis̵. ̴He͠ ̸g̸av͘e͢ ͝m͘e ͝a p̵urp͢os̕e̷.̷ Hę ͢g҉a͜ve̸ ̛me ̛a ͠name,͘ po͘wer, ̕h̛ap͟pin҉e̢s̷s..́.”

He smiled in a way that was too reminiscent of the magician Jackieboy knew.

“ ̧Don͟'t҉ y͞ou̴ w҉an҉ţ ͠m̡e ͏t͡o ̵b̕e ha͞p͢p̛y?̧” Marvin paused, turning to face the hero with apprehension, “ F̀ri̸en̷d҉s͝ ͜s̷hould w҉a̶nt f͘rięn͝ds to͟ be ̸hap̸p͜y.́ Th̴at̛'s ̕what҉ re̷a̢l͟ ͘fr̷i̢e҉nds ̀want͘,̕ ri̛ght҉?̸ You͏'r̸e ͝still̸ ͞m̕ỳ ͢f҉r͜iend, r͡ight̶?” 

The magician snapped his fingers and a cloth bound itself around the hero’s mouth. He began to pace back and forth in front of the constricted superhero.

“ Of͢ ͠c͞o͜u̶rs̶e ̛wè'̀r͟e f͡r͘iend̨s̀!̡ We hav͠e t͞o b̡e! ̡Yo͡u ͟s͠a̶id̴ s͘o̧,̢ ̢w͞e'd͢ ̶be̢ ̷be̛st͏ f͢ri͝eņd̀s fơr͠ev҉e͡r,̴ br͘o̡t͏hers̨ e͢v́e̵n̢!̴ ̧” His voice fluctuated like a radio caught between stations, highlighting words invariably. 

Jackieboy watched his brother’s frantic movements, struggling against the magical bonds in vain. 

“ ̸B̵ut,” Marvin sounded genuinely sad, “ You ḑo̶n't͞ ͘w͘ant ͏me ̶to͘ ̵b̨e ͞h͠a̴p̢p͢y̡.̸” Ánt̶i s̢ái͞d̀ y̧o̡ù ̨wo̕uld҉n'̢t҉ wa͜nt͞ ̸m͠e͝ t̴o͞ ͜be͡ ̧ha͟pṕy͘.̀ H͘e͏ ͠w͘a҉s r͡i̕g͢h҉t.͜ ͢Ańti͡'s ̀a̡lw̡ays̡ right̶.͏..̀.

The magician tightened fingers in his unruly locks, eyes brimming with septic tears.

“ But͟ ̡I҉ ͜ẁan̶t̢ ̨to̶ ha̴v͡e͘ ͢m͡y ͜be̶s̡t f͘rie̵nd̴. ́I w͠ant͢ my b͢est͝ ͞fri͞en͢d ͢to b̶e hap̛py͏ I̛'̛m h͡a̛ppy̕.” 

Marvin gazed up at the hero with utter pain. “ Why̷ ̕can't̸ ̛yo͞u b̡e̸ ̧ḩa͢p̸py͡ ҉f͝or̸ ̛me?҉ “ He wept into his tattered cape.

Even in the other’s corrupted state, the sight brought tears to Jackieboy’s eyes.

Marvin sniffled and sobbed, “ ̴I͡ w̶ant̶..́.to͏ h̵av͟e͡ m͘y͢ b,͢ b̷e̴st ͠fr͞iend.́ I w,͘ w͞a͡n͡t ͟my̧ b̢,͞ be͝s̢t͟ f̨ri͜e̕n͠d ҉t͏o̕ ̴b͜e̸ ̀h͞app͏y..͜.I̴'m ͢h̨a̧p͝py̷.͠”

The magician stopped and gasped suddenly, an idea striking him as he furiously wiped away the remnants of his sorrow.

“ A͜n̵ti s̨a̷id̷ I c͞a̡n h҉ave ͞a͡ ͟p͏upp̨et o̴f̵ ̡m̡y͟ ͜ow͝n͡....͘he sa͜i̧d͢ ̴I ͜c̡a̡n hav̕e ǫn͢e̡ ҉toy̸...͜on̨e s͠p͢ecia̷l ͘pl̴a͜y̡ ͢thin̷g.̷.͡.̢.͜ “

Realization dawning on the superhero, he began to struggle again. 

The magician paid his futility no mind, his black eyes glowing again as he crept closer.

“ You can b͞e ͡my̵ pùp̵pe̷t.͢.̷.͠y͠ou͢ ̀ćan st̴i҉l̴l ̡be ̵my̧ be̸st̛ fr̕i͢en͝ḑ.͟.̷..͟.wi͠th me...̨..̢w̶it́h ̵Ant͠i!” He clapped and cheered giddily, grin wide and manic once more.

“ A͞nt͏i's̡ go̶in̵g͢ to ̡b͠e͜ şo ha͏p͠py! ̢He's ̨g̨o͠i͘n҉g҉ ͢to͞ ̡be̡ h͞a͘p͜p͏y ̵I ̸have͟ a ͘s͡p͡e̸c͠ia͞l p̨l͜ay̴t͡ḩin͟g! I̶ h̵a͢ve̢ a͏ best͠ frie͠nd̢!” The magician spun and danced, skipping a crazed dance.

Jackieboy vainly sobbed and tugged at the ever-tightening bonds, watching his brother slip further into his corruption.

Marvin bowed in front of the hero, then straightened to meet his eyes.

“ A̴w, d͟on't c̛r̛y!” He brushed away the tears with a buzzing hand, eyes almost sympathetic. “ ̧Thi҉s҉ wo̸n҉'t hurt̛ a͘t̀ a̸l͡l͢!̡”

He paused. “͠I̷t w͘on͜'t҉ h̷u̶ŕt̨...̨t͟o͘o much͘.͘ Bu͘t̷ jưst ̕th͏in̛k҉,̀ ̨we͘'̵l̀l̨ be ͞b͞est́ frie͏n̛ds̕ a̸ga̶i̷ǹ! ͏And, ͝an͢d you͠'l̛l̕ be my ͟sp̨ec҉įal!” That sent another thrill down Marvin’s spine, and he couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping.

He summoned a green wisp of electricity with a slight wave of his hand, holding it in front of the hero’s frightened gaze.

“ ̛Ju͞s͝t̶ h̨o̡ld͢ st͏i҉l̕ĺ, sp̴e͠c̕i̧a̵l! Wa͝tch ̸my͝ pre͘tt̨y̸ lig͘h̀tś!” 

Jackieboy tried to resist, he really did. He shut his eyes against the onslaught of electric lights trying to burn into his retinas. 

A searing pain in his left hand, however, made him cry out. His eyes opened against his will and he found himself staring directly into Marvin’s soulless ones.

“ I̴ t͞o̵l̨d you҉,̨ ̴y̶oú ̴h͟av̵e͡ ̨t̵o̕ watc̢h͜ t̸he ҉ṕręt́t̛y li͠g͞h̢t͜s҉.̸ ̸I͞f y͏o̵ư d́on't,̀ ̀I̴'̸l̕l͞ ͢h̕a͜v̧e ̶t͘o̡ ma͞ḱe͡ y̢ou͟. I dǫn'͠t ̕w̡a͟n̡t́ t҉o͟ ̡hurt y̷o̴u͠.” 

Jackieboy looked over at his hand, gaping at the amount of electricity dancing around it from Marvin’s grasp.

“ ̛Anti̴ ̛s͡howe̸d̷ me͝ ͢a ̛m̴ag̡i̷c̨ t̛rick͞, ͟w̸he̶r҉e̴ ̴I̵ ̢can ͝coņnec̢t̡ to y̷o҉ur nęr͟ves̵ w͏ith͡ e̡l͝ectri̶c͟it̷y.̧ ̀Eve̸n if̸ yo̕u ͠d̸on͢'̴t̢ ̴loo̡k at͜ ̡th͟ę ͜l͠ig͠ht͝s, ͠I c͝a͞n ma͏k͡e y̴ou ̶l̕o̡o̸k̡. ̡I͝t's҉ a coo̕l t͏ri҉c̶k͠!”

He sighed and his gaze softened again, “ ̨Bu̧t ̀i͏t ́h̷ur̷t͏s̶,̴ ąn͢d͏ Í don̢'t w̧ant ͘t͡o hu͟r̛t ̢y̛où. So jus͡t͡ ͜look ̴at t̢he ̷l̢i̵gh̨t͞s, ̸ók? ̵P͝le͝a̡s͡è.͏” 

Jackieboy tried to shut his eyes again, but found that he couldn’t. It felt as though something was forcibly holding them open.

“ Doǹ'̧t ̵you͢ ͢w͘a͜n͢ţ ̀to ̶b̨e ̸hap̢p̕y̸ ͟wi͏th́ m͜e? Y͝ou̷ c̀an ̷be my ̷s̡pe͘c̛ial͜. ͡M̸y ͡b̡eşt̢ fri͟end͘.” Marvin held out his free hand, a green wisp of magic twirling in his palm. “ J̴úst̢ ͏lo̢o̴k a̶t ͟my ̛p͘r͝e͜t̴ty̷ l͞igh̸t͏s”

Jackieboy stubbornly tried to look away.

But he couldn’t stop staring at it. 

The electricity burned his eyes and would have made him squint, had he control of his eyelids.

But once he kept watching it, it seemed to spin and twirl in some sort of pattern.

Some sort of pretty pattern.

Marvin sighed and smiled, feeling the hero’s resistance start to fade.

“ S̶ee͞ ҉h́ow̕ ̡p̢ŗet̵t̡ỳ ͢t̢h͡ey ̧ar̸e? Th͏ey'̴r͢e ̸so͝ nįce̕ ͜and twirly. D̡on'͟t you̸ thi͞nk͘ śo?”

Jackieboy felt his head nod. Was he nodding? Was Marvin making him nod? Did his head even move or was it just his imagination?

Indeed though, the lights were nice to watch. It was almost relaxing. Soothing....

“ T҉h̕e̴r̡e ̴y͢ou go.̴ You͜ ḿust͡ ̶be ̢ge̶t̸ting sl͟eep͞y ̧ąf̢ter͞ al̕l ͝t͏ha͝t f̛i̕g̢ht̢i͠ng̡.̷”

Again, was he nodding? He...wanted to nod....he thought he did.

Why was he fighting in the first place?

“ Yo̕u can res̶t̵ in͜ ̷a͜ ̴m͡omen͢t, ͜J̵ac̸ki̵eb̡o̴y̢. Yǫú hąve t͞o͠ l̷i͟st͢e̕n c͞arefu̵ll͡y̕ first.́”

The cloth fell away from the hero’s mouth, revealing the drool spilling down his chin.

Marvin giggled at the sight, then focused his attention back on the other’s eyes.

“ Now̶ ̧s͏a̛y wḩa̵t ̢I ͞sa͟y, ͢'I ͝am M͜a̡r͜v͡i̧n'ş ҉sp̨ecìa͝l ̴pup̡p҉e̶t͢'”

That word...puppet.....it sounded like.......someone....

ANTI.

“Nh....No....” 

Marvin closed his eyes and sighed.

Jackieboy howled as electricity swam through his vision.

“ I̵ t̛o͝ld y͞o҉ư ̶it̀ ̷h̕ur҉ts͘. ̢I d̷on͞'͟t̕ ̴w̵a͞nt͡ ͠to hu̕r͘t́ ̴you,͏ ͠no̧t my be̴s̴t fr̸i̷e̵nd,͘ ͢my͟ s̢pecia̡l. Co̷m҉e͠ on, ҉say͘ it͡,͘ ̵"͝I am̴ ́Ma̸rvi̸n's҉ spe͟c̨ial̨ ͠p̢ưpp̶e̶t͠".̕”

The pain faded into a dull roar, leaving him limp in his restraints.

The light still spiraled directly in his line of vision, teasing him with its beauty.

....It was pretty.

Marvin was pretty too.

Maybe....Marvin could make him pretty?

The corrupted magician watched Jackieboy’s eyes flutter, trying to close as he drowsily watched the display.

“ S͞p̶eci̢al̕, a͞re͞ y̵o̡u ̛rea̕dy͢ ̧t͝o s̵ay̢ ̢some̴t́h͟i͠n̷g͞ ̢f͢ǫr me?̴” 

The hero sleepily nodded, murmuring something incoherent.

Marvin bit his lip to contain the threatening squeals of excitement before they escaped. His best friend was going to be so happy!

“ Ok͡,̨ ̀şa̷y͢ ͘"I͢ ͜am Ma̕r͝vin's s̸ṕe͏ci͜a͜l͞ ̕púp͢p͞et͜"!̴” 

“I....I am Marvin’s.....special puppet.”

Marvin could feel his excitement building, his eyes brightening with joy. But he had to focus! He had to make his best friend his special!

 “ I͏ am ̨M̛ar̨v͘i̷n͢'̨s p̕uppe̡t̕.̨ ̴An̸tì i͡ş Pu̸p҉pet Ma̸s̶t̡er̴.”

“I am Marvin’s....puppet. Anti is...” The hero fumbled for the right words, what was Anti? Anti was.... “Anti is....is......”

The magician sighed and rolled his eyes impatiently, “ An̸tì i͡ş Pu̸p҉pet Ma̸s̶t̡er̴.̵” Obviously. Why couldn’t he catch on faster?

“Anti is....Puppet Master.”

Marvin let his squeal escape, though Jackieboy did not seem affected.

“ G͘òo̢ḑ j̛ob,̕ ͢Spȩc̵ial͏! No҉w.͢.̛.s̸l͝eep.̷”

The hypnotized hero sagged into his bonds, eyes closing shut instantaneously.

The corrupted magician giggled and cheered, skipping around the room gleefully. Now he just had to tell Anti and he could keep his special thing! Anti was going to be so proud, he made a puppet all by himself!

He laid a palm aside the sleeping hero’s head, passing influences to the other. Now he would dream of being the perfect puppet, of serving Master Anti and Marvin!