You See What You Want To See

Shocking Research

Anti was helped by Marvin up the stairs and into the magician's room. Anti was sure this was it. No mistaking it. Marvin was going to send him into the void and not even Dark would want to rescue him from it. Why would he?

'I deserve this' he thought, 'I'm a monster. I deserve to be locked up. Sean had been right to keep me contained like that before. I shouldn't have fought it. Should have stayed caged.'

Marvin set him down on a chair and walked to his potion stores, pulling out a sort of weird cream. He came back over and opened the container. Anti was confused. What the hell is this stuff?

"W-what is that?"

Marvin pulled up a chair in front of him to sit in as he dipped his fingers in the cream, "It's a bruise salve. Should get rid of any bruises Chase gave you. Should help with swelling and light cuts, too. Then I'll get you a potion to help with anything Chase damaged to your stomach. You coughed up blood, remember?"

"Why?"

"Why am I helping you?" Marvin hummed, "Because Chase didn't really need to attack you like that. After all, you didn't snap on the kids. You stopped yourself."

"Barely" Anti winced as Marvin rubbed the salve on his face, "I deserve every bit of his wrath and more. We're not so different, after all. We've both killed."

"Anti, there's something you need to know. I haven't told anyone else this yet"

Anti was silent, waiting for Marvin to speak, "The cultists that you accidentally killed. . .. they deserved it."

Anti furrowed his brow, "What? No, they didn't. I mean sure they were trying to kill us and were following Actor but-"

"While you were unconscious and still recovering from them, I did some research on them before the police could find the bodies. I removed their masks and found out who most of them were."

Anti wouldn't think it would matter. They were just all brainwashed, right?

"Turns out they were all convicted criminals. Most of them sentenced to death row."

Anti gaped at him, "Wh-what?"

"It seemed that Actor had broken them out of prison and in return, they would serve him. All of them had done terrible things, Anti. Murder, rape, violent abuse, kidnapping. . . . I believe you did the right thing in killing them. Even if you didn't mean to."

"Why didn't you say anything down there?" Anti pushed Marvin's hand away from him, "Why didn't you-"

"I'm sorry." he apologized, "Was still a bit in shock myself from Dark's words. I know you're okay, though, Anti"

Anti gave out a humorless chuckle, "Oh I am most definitely NOT okay"

"You're not a monster. The difference is that you chose not to follow through. And instead you played a game with the kids. You're a good guy, Anti. Remember that."

Anti wouldn't even look at him, "Chase hates me now again and for good reason. And I'm okay with that."

"He'll get over it." Marvin shrugged, "You were never wrong before, Anti. Chase still deserved what he got and more. I never should have wiped Stacey's memory, at least. The kids, I can understand wiping but . . . you know" he walked away towards his spellbook, looking for something.

There was silence between them for a bit until Marvin found what he was looking for and held up a wand in front of Anti, performing a scanning spell to check for internal damage, "You look alright. Might not have to go to Schneep."