Shadow-Dancer: Return of an Old Foe | #Wattys2019 Nomination

Making Things Right

Ella's parents walk up to Brianne, obviously not afraid of her. Brianne is still understandably upset.

"Can we please talk to our dearest Ella?" her mom asks her.

"Why should I let you? After all, you did call her and tell her that you didn't love her anymore," Brianne says.

"It honestly wasn't our fault," says her dad. "Fortunately, you guys already took down the one responsible."

"Natemare?" I ask. "Then again, I'm not surprised that it was him."

"How can you be sure it was him?" Brianne asks me.

"Obsidian is telling the truth," says Antimatter, who has a sickening smile on his face. "I let him use your parents to break Ella even more than she already was."

"Why?"

"Why, because I wanted to continue experimenting on you two. Usually, the device that extracts a demon from their host severs the mental link first, but somehow you and Ella managed to hold on to yours."

"How messed up can you even get?" Anti asks.

"Antisepticeye, you have no idea," Antimatter says, laughing maniacally. I then get a buzz in my pocket and pull my phone out. I notice that there's a text from Alan.

w4lk3r_0: b34c0n and I have successfully been able to bring each demon and their host back together and get them back to their homes. We're waiting in the main lobby to take you home.

5h4d0w-d4nc3r: We'll be there. We just need to take care of some personal business with Antimatter.

"AbE, oLd FrIeNd, DoN't TrY tO aRrEsT aNtImAtTeR," Wilford says. "He'S fAr MoRe DaNgErOuS tHaN i Am."

"Oh, don't worry," the detective replies. "I honestly believe every word you just said, Colonel."

"PlEaSe CaLl Me WiLfOrD. I'vE dEcIdEd To PuT tHaT sAfArI hUnTiNg BuSiNeSs BeHiNd Me, ThOuGh I mUsT aDmIt I dO sTiLl LoOk GoOd In ThIs OuTfIt, EvEn WiTh My MuStAcHe DyEd PiNk."

"So what are you doing now? Still running from the law?"

"Oh, No. YoU sEe, OlD fRiEnD, i Am ThE hOsT oF a NiGhTtImE tAlK sHoW, 'wArFsTaChE tOnIgHt!'. ThE mOsT aNnOyInG iNtErViEw I dId WaS wItH phOnE gUy."

"I'm glad Scott got rid of that character in FNAF 4 and then replaced him with a much smarter AI in FNAF: Sister Location," Anti says.

Suddenly, I notice Antimatter firing at us. I fire a beam of (f/c) energy at him, and our beams of energy collide. It's a literal power struggle, and I surprisingly find myself losing. That's when Anti, Dark, Celine, and Brianne add their own beams of energy. Our combined power is enough to end Antimatter. Unfortunately, just before it hits him, he uses his teleporter to flee. Anti, Brianne, and I let our hosts assume their own forms. Jack then lets Chase, Henrik, Marvin, Jackie and Jameson assume their own forms as well.

We walk outside, where Alan and b34c0n are waiting. As promised, they send Mark to his home in L.A, send Wilford, Dark, and Celine back to Markiplier Manor, send Abe back to his home, send Ella, Brianne, and their parents back to their home, before coming with Jack, Anti, Chase, Henrik, Marvin, Jackie, Jameson, (Y/n) and I to our home in Brighton. Jack's girlfriend, Evelien "Gab" Smolders, runs out and hugs each one of us individually. As I explain what had happened to us, Alan and b34c0n set up a miniature version of the stone formation seen in the music video for "On My Way" in our backyard. Alan then uses a blue laser pointer to activate what (Y/n) and I, along with w4lk3r_28490, refer to as the "Walker Beacon." b34c0n then opens a portal to Alan's home in Norway. I change my outfit into my Walker uniform and use my powers to change (Y/n)'s outfit into hers.

"Well, 5h4d0w-d4nc3r, I guess it's time for me to leave," Alan says.

"See you around, #0," (Y/n) says.

"Take care," I add as they disappear through the portal.

"You know, I've seen you around, but I never got a chance to get your name," Evelien says to me.

"Name's Obsidian, but please call me Ob. I take it you've met Jack's alter egos and Anti?"

"Yep. Anti's not as bad as the videos make him seem."

I then retell the story of how, back in October 2016, (Y/n) and I discovered that Jack is our distant cousin and met Anti. I then notice Anti, Chase, Henrik, Marvin, Jackie and Jameson go back into Jack's head, so I decide to go back into (Y/n)'s.

(Y/n) POV
"You guys hungry, by chance? Evelien asks us.

"You kidding me? I mean, we were only there for one day and they practically starved us. Not only that, but the power struggle between Ob's (f/c) beam of energy and Antimatter's black beam took a lot of energy from her. From both of us, actually."

"You think Antimatter's gone for good this time?" I ask Ob as we walk into the house.

"Not likely. Besides, he did escape just before I could finish him off," she answers.

"So, basically, he's going to return, but we just don't know when," I conclude.

"That's exactly how it is. Fortunately, though, every human and demon that he imprisoned in that facility can rest knowing that he won't be coming back for a very long time."

"And they have us to thank for that." I then get a text from Lily.

Lily: Turq just found out about what happened. She asked me to tell you that you two did a wonderful job standing up to the two demons who've haunted the dreams of every demon and human they've met.

(Y/n): It wasn't just Ob and I. Jack, Anti, Chase, Henrik, Marvin, Jackie, Jameson, Mark, Dark, Wilford, Celine, Ella, Brianne, Abe, and Alan helped, too. Also, how did you protect your house?

Lily: Turq put up a protection barrier.

(Y/n): Oh, I see.

(A/N: Only one chapter left! Song up top is "No Stopping Love" by Dirty Palm.)