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huffle-dork · 12 days

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Swap Across the CrystalVerse Chapter 21: The Rift

Read Swapboys | Crystal’s AUs| The Rift ARG

Read SITCV | SATCV Masterpost | AO3 Link

The car stopped briefly at a pharmacy, with Stacy rushing in and returning with a bagful of medicines. She gives it to Xio to hold and then continues driving down the street, going perhaps a bit faster than the speed limit. Until, finally, the car reaches an intersection, and-- "There!" Xio points down the left street. "I hear footsteps that way. Three of them. That could be them."

Stacy nods and turns. Chase presses his face to the window, staring anxiously for his twin.

Jackieboy also tries to look, looking for Bro's signature jacket. Or, a flash of anything familiar.

Three men walk down the street, one in a red jumpsuit leaning on one in an orange jacket. The last one raises a hand, looking towards the car.

"There!" Chase gasps.

"I see them," Stacy says, pulling to the side of the road.

As soon as she stops--maybe even before she stops--Chase opens the door and tumbles out. "Jackie!" he shouts. "Jackie!"

Jackieboy hurries to get out and follows after Chase, grabbing his backpack and the medicine. He slows down as he sees the shape other Jackie's in, "woah holy shit man... A-Alt did all of that...?"

"I mean... me flailing around probably... probably didn't help," Jackie mumbles.

"W-we have to clean the wounds," Chase stammers. "We gotta roll up your sleeve and pants, m-maybe even take them off, is that okay, J?"

"Make sure no one's in sight, C, and it'll be fine."

"Heh..." Chase glances around. They're in a business district, but no one is in sight, all inside at work. "Hope we can do that."

Henrik, Stacy, and Xio all get out of the car. "Here, this was the best we could find," Henrik says, holding out a bottle of water.

Bro helps to set Jackie down against a wall of a building and kneels down next to him.

Jackieboy takes the water from Henrik and nods, going to try to pull up Jackie's sleeve and pants leg to try to clean out the wound. He digs around in his first aid kit and finds some hydrogen peroxide. "Okay sorry this is gonna sting but- can't let it get infected."

"It's okay, I-I can handle it," Jackie says, gritting his teeth.

Jackieboy then carefully pours some over the wounds and lets the peroxide do its work. But, he talks and works like a doting father- making sure to be gentle and not too harsh. "...we're also gonna ignore how weird it is I'm giving first aid to a version of myself-"

Jackie laughs. "Fucking hell, yeah, this is fucking absurd."

"You're doing great, though," Chase says. Jackie is holding tight to his hand, giving away just how much it hurts.

"Here, antibiotic cream," Stacy says, offering a jar of the stuff. "Internet says you're supposed to apply it to animal bites. Obviously not directly on it, but... h-heh." She smiles nervously.

Jackieboy laughs and then blinks up at Stacy. He smiles and takes it gratefully. "Thanks Stacy." He makes quick work of putting on the cream and bandaging up the wounds, making sure the guaze is nice and tight. "These should probably still get checked by a professional but... I think you'll be okay. I don't think anything was big enough to need stitches either so... thank god." He starts putting stuff away back in his backpack and offers Jackie the rest of the water bottle. "Make sure to hydrate- oh and I think i have some pain pills too.. ah ha!" He hands Jackie a few. "There- that'll really help."

Jackie sighs. "Th-thank you," he says. He pops the pills in his mouth and swallows them dry. "I'm already feeling better."

"Man... you really did come prepared." Bro comments.

Jackieboy gives him a knowing smirk. "Never dismiss a father's wisdom, Chase~"

"Yeah, never dismiss a father's wisdom, Chase," Chase adds jokingly. "Good to meet you by the way."

Bro laughs, "Good to meet ya too."

"I was the one who kept the first aid kit in the bathroom stocked, wasn't I?" Stacy says teasingly.

"Yeah, yeah." Chase mutters. He looks over at Magician. "...so. Hi."

"Hello, Violet," Magician says. "Good to see you." He nods at Henrik. "You too, Dr. Wiley."

Henrik lets out a snort of laughter.

Bro gestures at Chase's hair, "I gotta know... why purple? Never really thought it was our color." He tries to joke.

"I was considering green or yellow at first, but I dunno." Chase shrugs. "Seemed too... bright, I guess? At the time. I guess I was nervous about standing out too much."

"C'mon, C, you gotta embrace it," Jackie says, testing out their leg and arm. "Man, the suit got all torn up. D'you know how hard it is to repair this when you're living in hiding?"

Jackieboy tilts his head at Magician, studying his face. Or what he can see around the mask. The mannerisms sure are similar. "...You got a lot of nicknames, huh?"

Magician flashes a smile. "I have difficulties with names that aren't as magnificent as mine."

Jackie snorts and rolls his eyes. "God. You were being so nice."

Jackieboy's expression falls and becomes something a bit more guarded. "Huh... is that so."

Magician's smile falls into something unreadable.

Bro feels the tension from Jackie's response and he hops to his feet. "Okay! Now that Jackie is taken care of- we should probably get back to looking for Alt, right? Alt and Mag and... JJ- right?"

"We should," Stacy says. "It'll be a tight fit in the car, but we should stick together."

"Do you guys have some way of finding Alt?" Chase asks. "You guys keep talking about magic and stuff, right?"

"Hmm." Magician reaches into his pocket and pulls out a white phone-shaped device. "Maybe this could help? Alt gave it to me."

"Oh yeah! We have the bracelets!" Jackie says, his mood shifting back as he pulls up his sleeve to show it. "This has a tracker to find our other bracelets-" Jackie cuts himself off and him and Bro both look at Magician. Then, Bro's eyes darken.

"I-Isn't that the TRVLR?" Jackie gasps.

Bro immediately lashes out and grabs it and then pushes Magician up against the wall, baring his teeth. "Alt wouldn't have given that to you! He doesn't let it leave his fucking side- he would never leave it with a stranger- you're a fucking liar!"

Jackie--the one from this world--puts his head in his hands. "Jesus fucking christ, dude. Can you not be a kleptomaniac for five minutes?!"

"I--" Magician stalls. "H-he dropped it."

Jackie hits his forehead. "Can you not be a compulsive liar for FIVE MINUTES?!"

"That Magnificent guy was trying to steal it so I got it first," Magician says.

Chase leans over and punches his arm. "Bruh." He looks at Bro and Jackieboy. "Don't take it personally," he says tiredly. "He read my journal once. This is just who he is."

"I'm..." Magician opens and closes his mouth wordlessly.

"Yes?" Stacy folds her arms, giving Magician her bests Mom Look. "Are you trying to say you're sorry?"

"...that."

"Well go on, then. Apologize to our visitors."

Magician is silent for an awkwardly long time. "Um, apparently that device says our world is under quarantine, so I think you guys should get out as soon as possible. Let's use that magic stuff to find Alt, yes?"

Bro looks enraged, blue flashing brightly in his eyes. He hasn't let Magician go. "I fucking trusted you! How do I even know you telling me Alt was in danger wasn't a lie too?! Did you have something to do with him being captured?! Why else would you steal from him and then lie about it?!"

Jackieboy tries to push over to pull at Bro's shoulder and calm him down. "H-He said he was sorry, Chase. Let's try to hear him-"

"No! I don't like how casual you all are making this- he stole from Alt and lied to me about it! Plus- the TRVLR is our only way back home! You stole our only way out of this and for what?! I know Alt would have told you it was important!" Bro snarls.

Magician flinches, wordlessly trying to pull away from Bro's grip. "I-I-I--I--I d-d-didn't know--I--" He's visibly trembling as Bro yells. "D-don't--D-don't--I-I'll just go, I'll just go, just--just let me go--"

"Um... Bro?" Jackie gets to his feet. "Maybe you can... calm down a little? I've never... seen him freak out like this..."

Xio, quiet all this time, walks over to Bro and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Back off," she says in a firm voice. "I can handle this."

Bro is stiff and quiet for a long beat, staring down hard at Magician even as he trembles. Then, he slowly lets him go and backs up, but his expression stays just as cold and angry.

As soon as Bro is far enough away Xio swoops in. "We're going to go down this alley over here, okay?" she says in a gentle voice. "We're going to talk for a little, okay, 25?"

Magician nods wordlessly.

"Okay. Come on, follow me."

Xio walks into the nearest alleyway and Magician follows close behind her. They're out of earshot for most people... but not Bro with his super hearing.

While Jackie mutters something about how that was weird and Stacy apologizes profusely, Bro listens in on their conversation.

"You can't keep doing this, man. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"I-I know, I know, I-I don't know how to—I just—"

"Deep breaths, 25. He wasn't going to hurt you. He's a good guy."

"I-I don't—A-are you sure? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. They said he was a hero. Deep breaths, man."

Moments pass, filled with shaking, wet breaths.

"Why'd you grab it?"

"Th-they scared me. They got in my house. A-and that one had my face, he had my face, Xi, i-it wasn't right, it—A-and he knew my name, I don't—Th-they weren't supposed to find me, no one was supposed to—"

"Breathe, 25. Okay, you were scared. Why'd you grab the thing, then? How are they related?"

"I—It was all I could think to do a-at the time. Maybe—m-maybe if I had th-their thing I could—I-I don't know. Th-they were in my house. H-he tr-tried to do something to me."

"Why didn't you tell them about this? Why'd you lie?"

"I-I-I didn't want them to—t-t-to—Th-they'd be mad."

"Lying made them more mad, you know."

"I can't stop, Xi, I-I want to—I c-can't—"

"You know you need to say sorry. For real. Not that indirect thing you did just now."

More shaking breathing.

"They're still gonna be mad, but I promise it'll make them less mad. I can be right behind you if you want. Even hold your hand."

"N-not now. I-I need a minute."

"It's okay." Xio's voice, as it had been this entire time, was incredibly soft and understanding. "We can stay here for a minute."

Bro’s face starts to fall a bit as he listens. Man… he sounded terrified. And he knows he’s done bad stuff when he’s scared or angry. Just like now… he leans up against the wall and crosses his arms, trying to hide how bad he feels. He wasn’t going to hurt him… but he was tempted. Because… he saw what happened to Alt… but maybe even that was a lie. He studies the TRVLR in his hand and feels sick. Alt always had this on him and… he was gone. Trapped with Mag and this world’s Anti… who he still didn’t know much about but.. the track record wasn’t looking good. And this quarantine thing has him sick to his stomach… could it be as bad as that horror world? Or… worse?

Jackieboy comes to lean next to Bro. He’s quiet for a second before saying, “…I know you’re worried, but Alt wouldn’t want you to hurt anyone unnecessarily, dude.”

“…I wasn’t gonna hurt him.” Bro says quietly.

“Bro you looked ready to punch his lights out.” Jackieboy deadpans. He then sighs when Bro continues to be quiet. “…not everyone is so black and white, Chase. I know it’s easy to think that… being a hero. But- I dunno. Doesn’t he remind you a bit of Alt- when we first met him?”

Bro traces the edges of the TRVLR with his fingers. “…I guess. He did… lie and steal a lot too.”

“Alt did a bunch of crazy stuff because Mag was going after him… these guys are on the run from those crazy Psyode dudes. I think… it’s similar types of thinking. Maybe based on fear.”

“Maybe.” Bro says, glancing at the alley.

Jackieboy leans his head back to look at the sky. “…I’m not saying you can’t be mad or worried. This is… not fun to learn about. But… try to see their side too. And believe me it’s… hard.” Jackieboy looks back down and curls his fingers into his jacket as he hugs his arms, “right now… looking at him? All I can see is… is Mag. How I knew him back then but also… mixed with how he is now. And it makes me want to… distrust him. But that’s not fair. He’s a whole different person. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt.”

Bro is quiet again but he sighs and nods a bit.

A few moments pass in awkward silence—silent for everyone else, Bro can still hear that heavy breathing slowly calming down—and then Magician and Xio return.

Bro stands up straighter as Magician returns.

Magician is keeping his hands behind his back, and Xio is standing slightly behind him, one hand out of sight.

“I—I-I-I’m s-sorry,” Magician stammers, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. “F-for taking your th-thing a-and not telling. I-I wasn’t thinking s-straight b-but I should’ve r-realized.” He tenses slightly, bracing himself.

Chase and Jackie stare at Magician in shock. Stacy and Henrik are a bit less shocked but they’re still surprised.

Bro stares at him with a neutral expression before he sighs. “…it’s… it is what it is. We can move past it. I’m just glad we have it back now. …thank you for apologizing.”

Jackieboy pats Bro on the shoulder.

Magician visibly relaxes. “Y-yeah. No problem.”

“What are you two, some sort of miracle workers?” Jackie mutters, looking back and forth between Bro and Xio. “I’ve never heard him say sorry.”

“A-are you still going to stay here with us?” Henrik asks. “While we look for Alt?”

Suddenly, like a flip had switched, Magician stands up straight and flashes the gang a smile. “Why of course I am! I wouldn’t want to deprive you of my amazingness. Not to mention my great power will come in handy.”

Jackie sighs. “And there it is. Whatever.”

Xio rolls her eyes. Jackieboy and Bro each hear her voice, sounding like it’s whispering right into their ears. “He’s overcompensating, don’t take this seriously.”

Bro huffs out a breath of a laugh.

“So… you were saying about your magic bracelets?” Chase asks.

Jackieboy smirks slightly then holds up his bracelet again. “We can use this to find him! Can't believe we keep forgetting about that-“ He taps the gem on it and whispers ‘loonu’- and then a trail of blue green wisps of magic start to pop up- but they pop and flicker before they flicker purple.

Jackieboy and Bro blink and then exchange glances.

“…Magnificent’s hold on Alt must be influencing the magic…” Bro says darkly.

“Well- now I can’t really tell if he’s close or not-! But at least we have a trail…” Jackieboy sighs.

“You know, the trail doesn’t seem to go that far,” Stacy says, peering down the street. “I think it ends on the corner up there, actually. Is that norm—”

And then, all at once, the street lamps and lights from the businesses go out. A blackout rolls down the street, leaving only that glowing purple trail.

“…that’s not good.” Jackieboy squeaks.

“Everyone, try to huddle! It could be an ambush-!” Bro warns, trying to grab people he can feel in the dark and push them behind him.

Laughter echoes down the street. “Foooound yoooou,” a voice calls, seeming to come from all their phones.

“Get in the car, get in the car,” Stacy hisses, opening up the door.

“No! I know this,” Jackie says. “This is Anti—he was with them before, meaning Alt could be nearby.”

Indeed, the purple trail is quickly growing shorter.

“You are hurt, you get in the car for safety!” Henrik says, pushing Jackie through the door Stacy opened.

Magician reaches into his utility belt and starts taking things out. “They’re coming,” he mutters.

Bro grits his teeth, his eyes glowing blue. Jackieboy fumbles to find Alt’s pocket knife again.

The trail gets shorter- and shorter… then, the swaps recognize a familiar laugh and a snap of fingers.

There’s the flash of an animal’s eyes reflecting the purple light of the spell before a dark blur of some kind of big cat roars and tries to tackle Magician.

Magician shrieks, and suddenly an invisible force pushes the cat to the side, missing him entirely. “Holy shit! You weren’t kidding!”

“Yeah, no, I wasn’t!” Jackie shouts.

“Fuckin’ hell!” Magician throws something into the air, then lights it on fire with a lighter. It’s some sort of burning powder that he moves around with his powers, lighting up the area and forming a defensive circle around himself. “Nice kitty!”

“Not a kitty!” Chase shouts. “That’s—that’s Alt, isn’t it?!”

In the light of the powder, they can see the crouched form of a white tiger with burning purple green slitted eyes, glitches vibrating off its fur.

Bro and Jackieboy both gasp.

“Y-Yeah that’s Alt!” Bro looks even angrier as he roars and looks around, “Where is that motherfucker?! I’m gonna kill him for this!!”

Magnificent voices chuckles from the shadows. “Temper temper, fantastic… don’t worry. We won’t be long~ we just need something that’s been stolen from us~!”

Xio suddenly gasps. “Footsteps! There!” She points to the left, and suddenly someone lunges from the darkness, going right for Bro.

While he’s looking Bro hears Xio’s warning and manages to grab the person lunging for him.

Bro pulls into the light a man in a suit with a dark mustache. He gives Bro a sad, almost apologetic smile. Then Jameson’s body jerks in his hold, head shooting forward to hit Bro in the face.

Alt growls and glitches, trying to get back by Magician and attack him again.

Magician spins around, pushing Alt back again with his powers. “Where the hell are you, you coward?!” Magician shouts, looking around for Magnificent. “Xio,” he hisses. “Listen for him.”

She nods, paying close attention to the surrounding sounds.

Magnificent laughs, his voice echoing from different places around the alley. "I'm not a coward, kitten~ I'm a strategist! Why bloody my hands when my cub can do it for me?"

Bro balks but when Jameson hits him he doesn't really react. He blinks and then he backs up and hovers in the air a bit. "Hey... you're Jameson, huh? You don't need to fight for Anti- we don't have to do this!"

Jameson stumbles. He shakes his head. It's not my choice, he signs. Sorr-- His hands jerk away halfway through signing his apology, towards his pocket. He takes out a knife and lunges at Bro again.

Alt shakes his head out and then lunges again to try to bite Magician.

Magician holds his hands up and pushes Alt back, skidding out into the street. "Maybe because your cat can't do it?!" he shouts. "Are you afraid, you freak?! Compensating for something?! Maybe hiding how powerless you really are?!"

Alt tries to stop his movements by digging his claws into the ground. He growls more, his eyes blaring green as electricity crackles around him.

Xio frowns. "I-it's hard to tell where he is," she whispers. "He's causing distractions."

Stacy fumbles with her phone and tries to shine its flashlight around the area, but the light suddenly dies. Its screen is overcome by static and then turns off. How is it even darker than before?

Bro catches Jameson’s hand and throws him back, "Ah... so he's making you too?" He glares around at the darkness around them. "where's that bitch? Is he too scared to fight too?!"

"Y-you can't fight Anti!" Henrik shouts. "He is not a physical being! An EDC--Extra-Dimensional Consciousness--"

"A what?!" Bro shouts.

"Such a special name for me," A voice says from all their phones. "But if you want to fight, Bro, fight this."

Anti makes Jameson jerk backwards. A ball of electricity forms on the ground where he'd been standing, shooting out random arcs of lightning towards Bro.

Then, Bro sees the ball of lightning and he gasps in surprise and gets thrown back by the arcs. He grits his teeth then gets up, "I-I'm not fighting someone who doesn't even want to fight! This is wrong!"

“Oh… won’t you?” Anti’s voice says.

Suddenly, Jackieboy finds his legs bringing him forward against his will.

"No! I won't!" Bro argues. Jackieboy cries out as he's forced up and towards Bro. He looks completely freaked out, "U-Um??? W-What the fuck?!" He looks at Bro fearfully, "C-Chase I... I can't c-control my body..!"

Bro's eyes widen, "No... No you- you sick son of a bitch!" He tries to yell towards Anti.

“I’ve heard worse,” Anti says casually, as he makes Jackieboy pull out Alt’s knife and lunge forward.

Magnificent laughs some more and then appears behind Magician, curling his claws under his neck. "I was trying to spare you, kitten. But, fine. I can play~!" He tries to stab him with his claws.

Magician gasps. "H-how did you--AUGH!"

JJ's head snaps towards the sound. He starts running forward before suddenly stopping, Anti holding him in place.

"25!" Xio shouts, lunging forward.

Magician breathes through the pain. The ring of firey powder surrounding them suddenly snaps smaller as the powder rushes for Mag,

Magnificent laughs darkly and curls his claws into Magician's stomach. "Oh- such a lovely scream~ Now... tell me thief. Where is the TRVLR?" Mag sees the powder coming and he rolls his eyes and uses a burst of magic to push back the powder before it gets to them.

Magician takes a shaky breath. “I-I left it at home,” he lies. “I can bring you back there—Xi, no! H-he’s gonna—”

But she doesn’t listen. The air lets out an earsplitting shriek all around Magnificent and she tries to tackle him from behind.

"You're a liar- do you really think I'll bel-" Mag screeches out in surprise as he's tackled to the ground. He growls and tries to claws at Xio, "Get off me! This doesn't concern you!"

As soon as Mag lets go, Magician whirls around, grabbing Xio with his powers and pulling her away before Mag can claw her face off. “Don’t you touch her!” he screams. “Don’t you fucking dare you pathetic piece of shit!”

Magician reaches a hand out and Magnificent suddenly feels a squeezing pressure around his throat, steadily getting tighter.

"Ohhh did I touch a ner-!" Magnificent tries to taunt and then chokes, going to try to claws at whatever is crushing his throat.

But of course, there's nothing there. Magician growls. "You don't get to talk about that! No one cares about you! No one would miss you! And it's all your fault, and you know that! Even I have a couple! You have nobody!"

Magnificent glares angrily at Magician and bares his fangs. But, he can't breathe so the intimidation is kinda ruined.

Suddenly, Jameson finds himself free again, and he's able to move as he wants. He immediately rushes forward, in front of Magician, blocking his line of sight. Don't do this, M-love! he signs. You're not that type of person!

Magician gasps, stumbling backwards. "JJ...?"

The pressure on Magnificent's throat suddenly disappears as he loses concentration.

Magnificent falls to his knees as the pressure is dropped and he coughs and gasps on the ground.

Magician stares at JJ in shock for a moment, then suddenly rushes forward and wraps his arms around him. "I'm not letting you go this time," he says, a sob catching on his words. "I'm not letting him take you again. I-I'll drag you out of here if I have to."

Chase wants to do something useful but he’s not sure what he’s capable of doing. Still, he has to help! So he ends up doing something insane: running right up to the tiger. “Alt, I don’t know if you can understand me!” He gasps. “But we need you! Please! Y-your friends are in danger!”

“CHASE WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!” Jackie shouts.

Alt backs up as Chase approaches him. His eyes flicker slightly- seeing a familiar face... even if its very different from his brother's. His ears flatten back and he bares his teeth at Chase, crouching down low.

“Ch-Chase no!” Jackie gasps, rushing over.

“Jackie!” Henrik shouts, rushing after him.

“Guys, no, don’t scare him!” Chase holds his arms out, pushing them back before they can grab him.

“Alt, please! W-we’re friendly! L-look, your—your friends are fighting. They don’t want to, someone is making them. Th-they need your help.” He gestures with his head back towards Bro and Jackieboy.

Jackieboy gasps in surprise and then yelps as he's forced to slash at Bro.

Bro isn't expecting Jackieboy to be that fast and he gets cut across the cheek.

"S-Sorry!" Jackieboy calls out and Bro just brushes the blood off his cheek and narrows his eyes. "C-Chase you can knock me out if you need to," Jackieboy urges. "I-I don't want to hurt you...!"

"I'm not gonna let him win by hurting you Jackie," Bro says softly.

"That's unfortunate then, isn't it?" Anti says, and Jackie lunges forward again.

Alt stiffens as the others come and crouches down lower- scared for a second before he growls more and snaps his teeth at them. But, he blinks a bit more at Chase's words. He glances at Jackieboy and Bro fighting and some light comes into his eyes.

"Y-yes, exactly, Alt!" Chase nods encouragingly. "Y-you know them. You don't want them to get hurt, do you?"

Jackie stares at Alt warily, but still says, "Alt, please. We need you right now."

Bro quickly side steps Jackieboy who rushes past him. There's terrified tears in his eyes as he forced to turn back around and face Bro. His hand trembles on the knife. "I-I can't fight it Chase...!"

"It's okay... It's gonna be okay," Bro tries to assure him.

Magic builds up around Alt as he backs up and his ears lower again, looking more scared. Then, he closes his eyes and glitches build up around him until he bursts back into his human form. He falls to the ground and is shaking wildly. He looks at his hands like he's having trouble recognizing them before looking up at the others. He looks so tired. "I...I... I-I don't know how to h-help..! I.. I don't think I can influence w-whatever Anti is using to control them...!"

"W-well, i-it'd be helpful if we didn't have to worry about multiple threats," Chase laughs darkly. "I-if we can get Mag under control, w-we can get away from Anti's influence. I-I don't think us normal people can fight him, though--"

"Don't put yourself down like that, Chase," Henrik mutters.

"Th-the point is the same! Anything you can do would be helpful, Alt! Anything!"

"I...I d-don't have a lot of m-magic left," Alt says quietly, "a-and I..." He grunts as purple flashes in his eyes and grips at his head.

Behind them, Mag is staggering back up, looking enraged. "Who said you could break your strings, puppet?!" Magnificent snarls.

Bro hears Alt's voice and looks towards him, momentarily looking relieved, "Alt!"

Anti takes advantage of Bro's distraction to send Jackieboy at him once again.

Magician's head snaps back over to Magnificent. "You shut up! Shut the fuck up!" There's a flash of metal, and Magician's razor sharp cards fly through the air towards Mag.

At the same time, another one of those sharp shrieking sounds rings out, conjured by Xio, and accompanied by a loud sound like ten different buzzers going off at the same time as she tries to distract Mag from his control over Alt.

Jackie grabs Alt by the arms, shaking him slightly. "Th-then tell us what we can do to help! W-we want to help!"

Jackieboy cries out as he's forced to attack again. And Bro is too distracted so Jackieboy ends up pinning him against the wall, stabbing the knife near his collarbone- just barely missing his chest. Jackieboy is shaking so much as he sobs, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Bro grits his teeth in pain but shakes his head, "i-it's fine Jackie- i-it's fine-"

Alt sees this and cries out in panic through the static, "No!"

Magnificent is about ready to drown out his resistance when the sounds go off and he cries out, covering his ears. He can't even dodge as the cards stab into him over and over. He staggers back then falls.

Jackie grabs Alt and more blue comes back into his eyes. He's shaking but he looks a bit more aware. "I... I need- I need something I-I can take the electricity from...! P-Phones or... a-a computer or something...! M-Maybe I can get enough magic to counteract what A-Anti is doing...!"

"Phones!" Stacy, hiding back by the car, suddenly rushes forward.

Chase digs into his pocket and pulls out Jackie's phone, and they both hand it to Alt. "We can live without these for a short time. Please!"

Alt looks surprised but he nods in determination and holds them in his hands. He grips his hands tight around them and starts to siphon the electricity and pull it into his own magic. It's sharp and hot and unnatural feeling in his veins- which glow green with his effort as he tries to take it all in. He grits his teeth as the flickers of lightning course around him.

Then, he bursts open his eyes and they're glowing brightly. He looks to Chase and Stacy and smiles, nodding to them and handing the now dead phones back. "T-Thank you..." He then gets to his feet and then glitches to try to grab Jackieboy off of Bro.

Jackieboy yells in surprise and is then tackled to the ground in a flurry of electricity and glitches. "A-Alt!" he gasps.

Alt smiles tightly and then looks down at him. Anti said people are mostly electricity... which he knows. That's how he can possess people but... can he be like Anti here and take control of Jackie's nerves to get him out? ...there's only one way to see. He grabs Jackie's wrist that has the knife and closes his eyes, trying to see if he can channel his magic to help.

Anti's laugh comes from Jackie's phone. "Oh? What are you trying to do, Alt? Do you think you can defeat me?"

And then, through Jackie's own mouth, he says, "You don't understand what you're dealing with."

Alt shudders and looks into his friend’s eyes- which still look scared despite the demon stealing his voice. And that keeps Alt determined.

Alt can feel it. The foreign entity in Jackie's system. A parasite latched onto his nerves. His magic pushes against it.

Static bursts from all the remaining phones. "What are you doing?" Anti's voice asks, a tinge of panic to it. "How are you doing that?"

“I hate to admit it… but I’m like you-! So if you can did this… then I can reverse it…!” Alt shouts, pushing even more magic against the parasite inside.

"You're nothing like me!" Anti shouts. "No--no! Stop it!" The power Alt is pouring into Jackie's system is drowning it all out. "Why can't I control your power?! It's energy! It's all energy!"

But Alt's is different.

"It's more than that! It's magic!" Alt laughs with confidence.

He keeps pushing, more-- And then-- It's gone.

Anti is gone.

Then, Jackie slumps and pants heavily, the horrible feeling gone.

Alt pants too and lets go of Jackie's arm, shuddering and going to sit down fully on the ground.

Silence.

The blackout around the area ends as every single light turns back on. Everyone looks around.

“Is… is it over?” Henrik asks.

“For now, I think,” Jackie says. “Other me, are you okay?!”

Jackieboy slowly nods through gasping breaths, "Y-Yeah I'm... t-that was awful..." He breathes, shaking wildly.

Alt gently helps him sit up against the wall and then takes stock of himself. Then, he suddenly panics, glitching over next to Bro. "Chase! Chase are you okay?!"

Bro laughs and smiles tightly at Alt, "Y-Yeah yeah I'm fine! It stings like a bitch but I'm okay- you really thought this would keep me down?" He tries to joke.

Alt smiles tightly back and snorts out a laugh.

“What about this guy?” Magician glares at Magnificent, still holding tight to JJ. And JJ clings to him too, though he looks around cautiously, not quite believing that this is all over.

Both Alt and Bro stiffen as Magician mentions Mag.

Magnificent is trying to push himself up, despite the cards imbedded in him. "N-No! We just needed the...!"

"Oh- you mean this, Mag?" Bro smirks as he holds up the TRVLR. Then he glares at Mag as the villain stares at him dumbfounded.

"You lost, Mag. And I'm gonna fucking kill you for making Alt be that fucking tiger agai-!" He starts to shout, blue blazing in his eyes but Alt grabs him and holds him back. "C-Chase it's okay it-"

"No it's not okay! Don't tell me it's okay, Alt!"

Alt looks down and tries to hide how freaked out he still is as his trembling hands hold onto Bro's jacket. " 'm fine..." He whispers shakily.

Chase looks at Alt. "You're clearly not fine, dude," he says in a gentle voice. "It's okay. You can just... take a moment." He glances over at Magnificent. "I don't think that guy's going anywhere with all those stab wounds."

Alt tries to protest but Bro just pulls him into a hug. Alt stiffens and then falls against him, silently letting himself cry.

"I can hold him," Magician says, gritting his teeth. An invisible force pushes in against Magnificent, holding him still.

Magnificent cries out as he's kept down and bares his teeth ferally at Magician.

"25, what about your headaches?" Xio asks.

"This is more important. They haven't started yet." Magician bares his teeth right back at Magnificent.

JJ looks over at Alt. We can look away if you want, he offers. Or we can stay. Whatever you need. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Alt looks up at JJ and shakes his head. "...I don't mind... I... I think..." He meets JJ's eyes and whispers. "Don't say sorry... it wasn't your fault."

JJ shakes his head. I know... but I still feel bad about it.

Jackieboy soon comes over and Bro pulls him into a hug too, pressing his friends’ heads to his shoulders and holding them tight.

While the other-world guys have their moment, Jameson looks over at Henrik. I'm sorry for what happened to you and that girl, too.

Henrik shakes his head. "It is fine. We understand now that you, and all those other people too, were not doing it by your own will. You did everything you could."

"Can you... Is Anti really gone?" Chase wonders. "Did he abandon you, uh, Jameson?"

He may be back for me, JJ says. If he comes back, I have to go with him.

"What?! No!" Magician's head snaps over to him. "I'm not letting that happen, JJ! Please, I-I can't--If you were to--"

"Why?" Jackie asks. "Because he'll control you?"

...maybe, JJ says slowly. But also... he is able to hurt people. I couldn't... let him...

"So it's better that you get hurt?" Chase asks quietly.

JJ looks at Magician. I'd rather it be me than you... who he said he would target.

"...oh," Magician breathes. "W-well, I'd rather get hurt than lose you again."

I knew you'd say that, JJ says with a faint, dark smile. Which is why I couldn't let it happen.

“Why not just… try your best to stick together?” Bro asks, looking at jj and Marvin. “It seems you both want to keep each other safe so… do that. You can’t do that very well if one of you just- lets himself be taken. Self sacrifice hurts everyone in the end.”

“That’s really something coming from you, Chase.” Alt weakly giggles.

Bro goes to place his chin on Alt’s head, “…it’s a lesson I’m starting to learn…”

Alt blinks a bit and then remembers the last world. His stomach churns with guilt as he holds on tighter to Bro and hides his face.

Marvin and JJ look at each other.

"You two know what you want," Xio says. "And if it helps, we can help you hide, JJ. Our little group is very well hidden."

JJ glances at her, then back at Marvin. He nods slowly.

Marvin lets out a breath. "Thank you," he breathes. "Thank you."

"What about you guys?" Stacy gestures at the three visitors. "Do you guys... like, need anything? Somewhere to stay a-and rest?"

"As much as I'd like that for these two," Bro says, sighing. "I don't want to risk Mag breaking out or Anti coming back. You got some magic back, right Alt?"

Alt nods and wipes at his face.

Bro squeezes Jackie's side and sighs heavily. "Then... we should go. H-Hopefully this time we'll actually get home..."

"Besides, our world is under quarantine, apparently," Magician says. "So it might not be a good idea to stay here, as fascinating as this all is?"

"...quarantine?" Henrik asks, brows furrowing. "By who? Who placed the quarantine?"

Alt silently asks Bro for the TRVLR back and powers it up once he has it. He looks at the message, "Apparently IRIS- it says here that we needed to jump immediately or risk being fired. I mean- we don't work for them but... I don't know what that means."

"Maybe that... something is at risk of escaping from here...?" Jackieboy asks quietly.

"Well, yes, that is usually what quarantines are for," Henrik says. "Something you want to keep contained that is risky to people--and has the potential to spread farther."

"But... what's the thing IRIS is trying to contain then...?" Bro says with a frown. "It's not... any of you guys I don't think-"

The hair on Magnificent's neck suddenly stands up as static electricity builds up behind him. Something warm presses down on his shoulder--no, it's just the warmth, like a hand without the weight of it. And he feels something. Something that he has treated many, many people to before, but never experienced before. His power being drained from him and out into an unknown space.

"So... your magic is still energy," Anti's voice says from his phone speaker. "Don't mind if I do."

Magnificent suddenly yells out in pain as his magic is drained- leaving almost nothing behind. His eyes slightly roll up into his head as he fully crashes to the floor.

And as almost all of Magnificent's magic is drained from him, something forms behind him. The figure of a person crouched next to Magnificent on the ground. Anti's form, looking more solid than he did before. He grins. "And it can do a̶ǹy͏t̡ḩíng." Anti stands up.

JJ notices this first and lets out a strangled gasp.

Anti flings out a hand, and--suddenly--Alt lets go of the TRVLR and it falls to the ground.

The swaps all startle at Mag's scream and Alt tries to glitch to his feet- then freezes as the TRVLR falls out of his hand without his say so. "W-What...?!"

Anti laughs. His form becomes a bolt of purple and green lightning and he rushes at Alt.

Jackie reaches out to try and stop him, but even he isn't as fast as lightning.

The bolt knocks Alt, Bro, and Jackie to the side, and Anti reforms where they were standing, the TRVLR clutched in his hand and a manic grin on his face.

Alt gasps and tries to block the bolt but him, Bro and Jackie all fly in different directions as the bolt hits.

"H-how?!" Henrik gasps. "You--you have no body, how can you hold--"

"Magic, of course." Anti laughs. "Something that doesn't exist here, but something that I knew exists out there." His head tilts around, looking at all four of the swaps. "Did you think I would give up that easily?! I didn't spend nearly all my power p̡u̸l͢lìǹg̢ you off course, cor̸r͝ec͞ting you every time another world got in the way, to just QUIT like that! Not right when my goal is fin͠al̛l҉ý at my fingertips!" His grip on the TRVLR tightens. The smell of ozone fills the air.

Alt quickly tries to get to his feet, his eyes sparking with green. Then, his stomach drops at Anti's reveal. "N-No... no!"

"T-This whole time the TRVLR has been taking us random places... it was you the whole time?!" Bro gasps.

Alt yells in anger and tries to glitch over to Anti to grab the TRVLR.

But Alt isn't fast enough. Anti squeezes the TRVLR tight and--it shatters. Broken glass flies off in different directions, metal crumpling, internal parts falling to the ground.

Alt feels like he's been shot as he sees the TRVLR destroyed.

A shockwave of energy sends everyone flying backwards. Red energy races up Anti's arm, and his whole body gets stained with red and black, his white-static eyes the only thing not tinted with crimson. He laughs. "Ye͠s̀.̕.̵.͠ it͠'s ̨t̀i̧m͏e," he hisses. "T͏i̛me͏ to̕ ̡l̀èav҉e ̧th͝is ̷world̡ ͏f͝òr̀ ̛ot̛hers.̶.. a̸ńd̢ ͏şee̴ ̶h̕o͡w̧ ͞m̷any ͠I can͡ ̕de̶lete."

Black rips appear in the space around them, air rushing for them like an open airlock on a space ship, and in a ripple of static electricity, Anti is gone.

Alt groans and tries to hurry to get back up but- he's only in time to hear Anti say his final words and then disappear.

The silence afterwards is deafening- Alt falls to his knees, staring at the spot where Anti disappeared in complete, numb disbelief. He slowly stares at the bits of the TRVLR shattered around them. He then falls onto his elbows on the ground and screams.

But, There's no time to break down. Those black rips in the world are getting bigger.

Rifts, darker than the deepest reaches of outer space, a complete absence of anything.

The parts of the TRVLR skitter across the ground, sucked into a couple different rifts... and then Alt feels it. The pull, like strong wind, like gravity. Bro feels it as well, and Jackieboy, and even Magnificent--but the people from this world stay where they are, clothes caught in the wind but otherwise unmoving.

"Wh-what's happening?!" Chase gasps.

"We have to get these people out of here!" Henrik shouts.

Bro hurries over to try to pull Alt up and away as magic burns and snaps around Alt like live wires, reacting to his emotions. He tries to dig his heels into the ground below, holding Alt close to him as the glitch hyperventilates.

Jackieboy yells and tries to reach out for Bro and Bro clumsily grabs onto him.

"W-What did he do?!" Jackieboy gasps.

"I-I don't know!" Bro shouts back, trying to hold onto Alt and Jackieboy tighter.

Alt tries to cling to both of them as he panics. He stares at the black before them as feels dread so deep it makes it hard to breathe.

But, One by one, the four of them are pulled into the rifts.

Magnificent is too weak to fight the pull, weakly trying to dig claws into the ground but not finding the strength to hold on.

Jackieboy screams as he's torn away, desperately reaching out for the others.

Bro yells out after him and feels his feet leave the ground- Alt tries to glitch them back but- their connection breaks and they both fall away from each other, screaming out each others' names.

They fall through blackness, with the slightest bit of red light, and then... Well, they're not in this world anymore.

The rifts close slightly, their pull lessening, but they still hang there in midair, the fabric of space-time in tatters around them.

"A-are those guys going to be alright?" Magician whispers.

"I don't know," Jackie whispers back. In shock, the group stares at the rifts, black lines connected to nothing. Jackie shakes his head. "W-we gotta do something about this!" he shouts. "Evacuate people!"

"Fuck! Right!" Stacy gets out her phone--then remembers it's dead. "Fuck! W-we need to call someone--"

"Who the fuck are we going to call about weird holes in the air?!" Chase shouts.

"I-I hate to suggest it, but--" Xio shakes her head. "The people with the most knowledge about this... is Psyode."

"We are not calling them!" Henrik shouts.

"I'm not saying we do! I'm saying we get people out of here and cause such a fuss that they come looking!"

"I can handle that," Jackie says, pulling down his mask.

You're still hurt, JJ says.

"I know! But I think this is a bit more fucking important, isn't it?!"

JJ nods quickly, agreeing.

"E-everyone spread out," Magician says. "Do anything you can to get people out of here."

"I hope they're okay," Chase mutters. Then he shakes his head. "Go! Now! Call the police, try contacting the ghosts, do anything!"

The group runs, leaving the area.