#dream!jamil's sagely smile of knowing

[anbaisai]

Could the power of love help Mayu indentify Jamil from his doppelganger?

Are you proposing something like in Book 7 where there's a copy of Jamil who's obviously acting strangely and not like him at all, or there's a perfect copy of him that's impossible to differentiate from the real deal... 🤔

The first case is too easy (but imagine Dream!Jamil trying to be friendly with Mayu and real Jamil pulls her back in annoyance 😈), the second case however- via the ✨power of love✨ she can probably do something that involves a memory only they share or something that would elicit a unique reaction from the real Jamil. For example, hug him and see how he reacts: if he returns it he's clearly fake, if he freezes and goes what are you doing and acts terribly inconvenienced, it's probably the real one 🙂‍↕️

[amxrany]

!! CHAPTER 7 / DIASOMNIA ARC SPOILERS !!

Heyyyy I'm still alive and kicking, been doing a lot during the summer and I got some vacant time now so let's go (Kalim's Dream):

We're getting right into the action ya'll we are currently transmigrating into Kalim's dream and Vil is not having a good time (he's screaming his ass off). We land in front of a school and Vil is just distraught about dream hopping that Yuu, Grim and Idia are making fun of him for it 😭; but Vil wasn't letting it slide with Idia (he threatened to smash his screen/LCD).

Ok yeah going back we see a fountain with the sultan's (the sultan from Aladdin) statue in the middle. Then Grim get curious of said statue that he jumps??? into the fountain??? Then we get the KALIM APPEARANCE RAHHHH

He explains to the group that the sultan serves as the main figure of the school they're in: Qasr Sultanate Academy. Kalim also doesn't recognize any of them because he's a second year of the school, he also doesn't recognize NRC but once he heard that they were from Sage's Island; he assumes they're having a tour.

He also notices that the group is dying from the heat due to their uniforms, so he uses Oasis Maker to hydrate them. We learn that in this dream, Kalim manifested his magic at the age of 14 and created the academy to train his magic (OKAY DAMNNNN THAT'S JUST A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF RICH). That's when Kalim summons his servants to give the guys a feast because apparently you can bring servants to the school even if then if they won't be considered as "students" and Sebek's like "NRC doesn't even permit outsiders" (talk about culture shock)

That's when they start talking about stories from their homeland, Kalim brings up the story of Aladdin and the Sultan; while Silver and Sebek bring up the story of Sleeping Beauty. Grim notices that while Kalim isn't that much different, it's strange that he isn't at NRC knowing how much he loves the school. That's when Ortho makes the connection between Kalim and Vil, what could be the possible tragedy that happened for Kalim not to be at NRC in his dream (well they're about to find out) then we get a JAMIL JUMPSCARE

(why is he smiling, it kinda scares me)

So what Kalim really wanted was to be friends with Jamil despite their differing statuses (aw :( ) and thus the group plays along by introducing themselves to this Fake!Jamil. Vil's impressed with Silver and Sebek's acting skills, I mean if you have encountered a war general, a buff twink and a Savanaclaw fanboy; you'd at least pick up on some acting along the way.

But of course, Silver and Sebek do know that there is something off about the Fake Jamil because he asked Kalim to get something for him and they're just calling the Fake out 💀. That's when Fake!Jamil reveals itself as the darkness and tries to drag Kalim down with him, but Kalim is starting to remember everything.

KALIM SMACKS US WITH THE QUESTION FROM BOOK 4 IMA JUMP OFF GOODBYE

That's when Fake!Jamil uses Snake Whisper on Kalim but Kalim wasn't buying it then the Fake!Jamil starts saying stuff along the lines of how they grew up as brothers and have never been shy with each other despite their positions. That's when Vil snaps Kalim out of the dream about how he still kept trying to befriend Jamil despite having him betrayed by him in the past. That eventually wakes Kalim up

That's when the scene changes to Book 4's overblot battle, when Fake! Jamil tries to help Kalim stand; he swats the fake's hand away. That's when Kalim replies to Vil that it's because he's Jamil's master, not his best friend. But Kalim tells the Fake that he wants to befirend the real Jamil, not him.

Thus the fight begins and once it's done, Kalim cries now let me show you his groovy

(if he's sad, we are all sad too)

The whole plan is then revealed to Kalim, who is now fully awake. Kalim is now added to the party because he's the only one who can awaken Jamil because they know each other. He also mentions that it's usually done the opposite way (Jamil doing the waking up), so it's nice to see the roles swapped.

I don't think my summaries captures the full essence of Kalim's dream so I really recommend that you watch english translations if they're out. But yeah will be translating Jamil's dream in a bit, took me awhile cuz I had a lot of things to do but yeah see ya'll soon~

Next: Jamil's Dream

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

This may be an out-there one but stick with me for a sec! I remember Leona going off to Jamil about how Kalim’s best asset is that he’s friendly and he knows how to use that to sway people whether he knows it or not. With that in mind, may we see Kalim’s magical charms work on Maleficia?

Consider this interaction as a part 2 to this one! They just happen to flow together really well.

P.S. For no reason at all, you should totally go read Jade's School Uniform vignette :))

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

A single spot of sunshine lit up all of Diasomnia's dank, gloomy lounge.

Kalim, a gargantuan smile plastered on his face, was seated at a table, playfully swinging his legs back and forth. He had with him a portable stove and a tea set, both ridiculously fine and expensive. His friend Silver would soon be there, and the two would delight in sharing an afternoon snack and catching up on one another's lives.

I wonder when he’ll get here! Kalim thought, angling his head toward the doors that spilled into the room. He said he was meeting up with his dad first, so maybe they’ll come together?

From a corridor came faint voices, low and calm, like lost souls afraid to startle their own shadows. The shapes of two people extended along a stony wall, green candlelight haloing them as they approached. Their forms steadily grew larger and larger until they had, at last, consumed all light.

"Silver?" Kalim called as he hopped out of his chair.

A pair entered the lounge, chasing away the sun in favor of the stars. Cloaked in black and pale-faced, inhuman horns protruding from their heads, they heralded in the night and bad dreams like the monsters from under one’s bed.

Kalim greeted them with cheer anyway.

“It’s you, Malleus!! You’re with your family today, huh?” he cried out, excitedly waving at the duo. “Didn’t think I’d run into you. Usually you’re so hard to find for meetings!"

“Asim. I had not expected to encounter you myself.” The corner of the prince's mouth lifted into a slight smirk. "Perhaps you've not looked hard enough."

"Gahahah! I'll try harder next time then!"

“Who might this be, Malleus?”

“Excuse me.” His eyes slid to the woman beside him as gestured toward Kalim. “Grandmother, I give you Kalim Al-Asim, a fellow dorm leader. Asim, my grandmother, and current queen of Briar Valley.”

“Your grandma?!” Kalim’s exclamation echoed off the cavernous walls. There was no effort to conceal his shock, not in tone nor in face. “Whoa, I never would have known…! I thought she was your sister or something! You look a lot alike.”

Maleficia chuckled darkly. “We fae mature quite differently than humans. Our true age rarely shows.”

“So you look a lot younger than you actually are? That’s so cool!” Kalim laughed, oblivious to his own brashness as he ran his mouth. “There’s someone in my year level that’s kind of like that too. Have you met Riddle? He looks small but he’s actually super smart and responsible! I really look up to him!”

Maleficia nodded as she patiently listened in.

Next to her, Malleus slowly surveyed the room, then allowed his gaze to drift back to Kalim. “If I may ask, where have your own relatives, Asim? Were they not to accompany you today?"

“Oh, that!! Only dad could make it this year. He had to take an important business call, so he said go hang out with some friends and he’ll catch up with me later!”

Kalim indicated the canister beside his tea making supplies. “He brought back a new blend from one of his trading partners. It’s a rare tea made with petals and buds from the Queendom of Roses and Briar Valley. That’s where Silver’s from, so I wanted to share it with him!”

“A tea made in part with plants from the Briar Valley, you say…” Malleus cradled his chin in one hand. “Most intriguing. Our kingdom is a small, isolated one. It is not often that our culture is able to merge with that of another."

“The Queendom of Roses is the country east of our continent,” Maleficia said sagely. "It is not only known for its roses, but all kinds of flowers that blossom in the springtime. Being that our Briar Valley is more northward, our flora tends to be much hardier than that of the Queendom."

"That means your flowers and theirs are different somehow, right? It's neat how someone thought to bring roses from two completely different places together!" Kalim grinned widely. "It's like going to a feast where each guest brings a dish from their culture so everyone can have a taste of where they come from.”

Maleficia stared at the young man, her expression indiscernable.

“Oh yeah, if you guys are interested in it, you can try some!” Kalim offered.

Malleus cocked his head. "I believe you stated that your intention was to share the tea with Silver?"

"Don't be shy! It's my treat, and there's plenty to go around! I'll go and brew it. Take a seat while you wait!"

“Hmm, if you are offering… I suppose it would be rude of us to refuse your thoughtful invitation. Grandmother?”

“No objections.”

The Draconias slunk to the table and sat, their lithe forms melded with the quilted leather chairs. They looked right at home with their refined posture, commanding the lounge from their thrones without so much as lifting a finger.

Kalim appeared like nothing more than an attendant in the powerful presence of royalty, buzzing about and fiddling with various tools as he set to making the tea.

Removing the lid off of his kettle, he poured in enough water to fill most of the vessel up. Kalim set it upon the portable stove and cranked the heat up. A soft electric hum started, and the flat disc upon which the kettle sat slowly warmed.

“What a strange device," Malleus mused, his brows creasing at the various dials and settings on the stove. "Would it not be more efficient to prepare the tea with magic? A single puff of fire breath would also suffice to hasten the tea."

"Probably! But you two are my guests. It's my job to feed you and make sure you're enjoying yourselves! This is my way of doing that."

As he talked, Kalim kept his hands in motion. He popped the cap off of his cannister, scooping out unassuming mounds of dried leaves and flowers and letting them fall into each teacup. First, the queen's, then Malleus's, and himself last.

"In my home country, guests are always served before the host. It's to welcome people into our homes. 'You're my friend, and I respect you. I want to honor you with food and drink, to treat you like you're a member of my family.' That's the feeling behind it!"

“I see. So this is the hospitality that comes specifically from the Scalding Sands.” A small smile formed on Malleus’s lips. “I do recall similar kindness from my trip to Silk City. The people of the Scalding Sands are very friendly and warm, much like the sun.”

“The times have certainly changed,” Maleficia remarked. “Back in my day, the children of man were not quite so open-minded. To invite fae to any gathering was to invite danger—such was the common sentiment.”

“Ahhh, that’s too bad. Being left out of a party never feels good!” Kalim let a rare frown appear. “I guess I never realized how lucky I am to live in a time where all kinds of people can be friends.”

The kettle rattled on the stove, a high-pitched whistle erupting from its spout. He swiftly removed it by the handle, and set to pouring hot clear liquid into Maleficia’s cup, then Malleus’s, and his own. Curtains of steam rose up, hiding his features as he chewed on his thoughts.

“Silk City wasn’t always as big as it is now,” Kalim finally said. “My ancestors found a way to use the waterways for trade. It connected us to new information, goods, and people. Then over time, the population grew into the big community we know today.

“Things changed a lot! I’m thankful that they did, because that means all of us can experience so much more together, like this tea. The world really opened up to us.”

The leaves and rosebuds started to unfurl, their colors and flavors seeping into the hot water. A subtly sweet, mellow scent wafted up, filling the lounge with a flowery perfume.

“Indeed, it has.” Maleficia agreed. “Our Briar Valley is set in its ways, yet the world around it seems to constantly shift. I did not think I would live to see the day a child of man so fearlessly entertains me for tea myself—but here we are, fae and human, on equal terms.”

She reached over and squeezed Malleus’s hand. He laid another over hers and smiled back. There was something sad and haunting in their eyes, a mutual understanding of something far darker than their words would allow.

“Yeah, it’s great that we can do stuff like this without worrying anymore! Speaking of, I think the tea’s about done brewing. One last final touch…”

Kalim picked up his entire sugar pot and inverted it over Maleficia’s cup. Several cubes tumbled out and splashed into the beverage. The typically composed queen startled at the sugar and tea concoction (especially when Kalim produced another sugar pot and proceeded to do the same to Malleus’s cup).

“Is this… customary?” Maleficia carefully inquired.

“No, we’d usually add more! Luxurious tea is sweet tea!!” Kalim responded, totally oblivious to her shock. “I thought I’d just be serving Silver today though, so I bought way less sugar than I usually do. I hope it’s still to your liking though!”

“Ah, this style of tea would be the same kind I was served in Silk City. The… exceedingly sweet kind,” Malleus said warily. He spoke no more, but the warning had already made itself evident.

“… I understand. This dish is an integral part of your culture.” Maleficia lifted her cup with the grace and elegance befitting of a queen. “I shall partake in your saccharine fare… Asim, was it?”

“Yup, that’s me! Kalim Al-Asim.”

“Fufu. I will remember your name and face, Kalim Al-Asim. Of that, you can be certain. After all, I had the opportunity to hear many interesting things from you. It would not do to forget such an important individual—and a beloved companion to my Malleus.”

She swallowed her overly sugared tea without flinching. It was strong, peppered with floral notes—two adjacent springtimes at the same threshold. To one side, the Queendom with a sweet medley of rainbow flowers clustered around its roses. To the other, the once great Briar Country, its rosen blooms shrouded by bitter bramble.

So different, yet still meeting in the middle. Humans and fae, reconciling under the same sun.

“How is it?”

Maleficia slowly lowered the cup from her lips. They ached from the sugar in a single sip, yet she was satisfied all the same.

“It was delicious.”

[bajistadiamond]

Yuu and the Magical Power of Songs

Yuu Singer, Pomefiore (I Put a Spell on You)

Things were ant-colored.

Since Yuu has weird dreams he takes them as premonitions.

His most recent dream let her know that the Overblot de Vil was about to happen.

On the day of the VDC/SDC everything seemed normal, even Epel was super motivated. But then it all went down the tubes when the Royal Sword Academy held their practice.

Yuu watched as Vil's eyes lost their shine and became vacant before turning elsewhere.

Jamil, Kalim and Rook also realized what was going to happen. So they took the reins. When Ace, Deuce, Epel went for snacks, Jamil told Yuu to go with them and if he found Ruggie to stay with him.

Yuu didn't want to go and leave Kalim and Jamil alone, but Jamil was very convincing.

After some time with his friends, Yuu saw Ruggie.

The hyena beast boy noticed the white-haired man's concern and asked him what was wrong.

Before Yuu could reply, a ruckus broke out as Neige Leblanche arrived.

Using the neuron that sometimes worked, Grim asked his "minion" if he noticed anything strange in Neige's eyes.

Yuu saw it, it was Jamil's magic. Which meant that Negie was only here as a distraction.

Concerned Ruggie asked again what was wrong. Yuu looked at the stadium, noticing a nearly invisible purple magic dome.

Yuu told the boys to go to the stadium, that he would catch up with them later.

They understood the situation and when they left he summarized things for Ruggie. Beast boy looked at Yuu seriously. "Leona is sleeping, what do you need me to do?" Yuu smiled and hugged him. "Go with the flow." He said the white haired one before calling Crowley.

Crowley was very worried.

They may say that he is lazy or negligent with his work as NRC director, but he cares deeply for his students.

As one of the most powerful magicians on the "Island of the Sages" he can sense the disturbances in the magic of the place; not at the level of a fae, but he's still enough to feel an Overblot unleashed.

As he ponders how to fix the problem without alerting everyone on campus, he receives a call. "Yuu?" He wonders looking at his cell phone before answering. "Yuu, what…?" "No time to explain, I need access to the island-wide public address system." Yuu said interrupting Dire.

Yuu knew that Neige wouldn't be distracting enough, so he thought of hypnotizing everyone. Not only those present on campus but also the island in general so that nothing was leaked to the media.

Crowley wanted to ask what crazy thing his favorite student was going to do, but now there was no time. "Ok~ Explain to me later." He said before ending the call and sending Yuu the access link and password.

Ruggie couldn't believe Crowley gave that to Yuu and when she asked how he did it, Yuu smiled mischievously. "Privileges of the voice of the gods".

Yuu quickly accessed the system, but for the song he was going to use he required another person. He looked around and saw Azul at a vegan burger stand. "Azul!". He called the silver-haired Yuu.

Azul looked at Yuu and blushed because they found him eating, but before he could say anything Yuu grabbed his arm. "There is no time to explain or eat; I need your help." Azul looked at Ruggie, the beast boy shrugs.

After a while, they reach Main Street; the place is empty. "Okay, trust me." Yu tells Ruggie and Azul. The second years look at each other and then nod at Yuu.

They completely trust him.

Yuu smiled determinedly and activated the PA system…

~I put a spell on you~

~And now you're mine~

Yuu's voice was an eerie whisper. Yuu was very much against using her gift to control people, but it was an emergency and what better way to do it than with a super iconic song.

You can't stop the things I do~

I ain't lyin' ~

Ruggie and Azul couldn't believe their ears; the song that Yuu sang was a Halloween urban legend. They at that moment felt their magic increase, as if they were absorbing the magic of others to make them more susceptible to mind control.

It's been three hundred years~

Right down to the day~

Every being on the island or who could hear the speakers suddenly went blank. Yuu had in mind that those who were busy doing some work would do it robotically so they wouldn't get hurt.

Now the witch is back~

Yuu snapped his fingers creating a dome of colors over the entire island; The boy was surprised that he could create it, it was one of the biggest things he has created using the magic around him. Azul and Ruggie couldn't help but smile in amazement. "He has come a long way; I must give him a raise in his work." He thought the one with glasses. "How handsome and." The hyena boy thought; Yuu looked at him and winked causing a blush.

And there's hell to pay~

Negie was one of the last on the NRC campus to fall under hypnosis. He did not understand what was happening, but he knew that he was not in danger; a voice said over and over again that he trust. It might always be something innocent and witty, but he knew that that voice wasn't lying.

I put a spell on you~

And now you're mine~!

Yuu motioned for Ruggie and Azul to follow him. The three of them walked swaying their hips and mischievous smiles; in a way Yuu looked like he was the absolute master of the place. The song itself made him feel that way, but Yuu wasn't seduced by the power. His teacher taught him that many songs had the emotions of the original person who sang them; "I put spell on you" was made by Winifred to control Salem, so the song itself caused you to seek power. That was the reason why Yuu looked for trustworthy people, they helped keep his feet on the ground.

Hello Night Raven College

My name´s Yuu Ross!

What´s yours?

Each being fell under the enchantment of the voice of the gods, they danced and moved to the rhythm of the song. However, there is a being that was not entirely under that control. A certain fae was unaware of anything as he strolled through the forest in a state of bliss. He had been invited to an event by Yuu, he couldn't handle his happiness.

I put a spell on you~

And now you're gone~

Gone~, gone~, gone~, so long~! Azul and Ruggie sang with mocking gestures of distance.

My whammy fell on you~

And it was strong~

So strong~, so strong~, so strong~! "This power is intoxicating." Azul and Ruggie thought as they felt more power than they had in their core.

"Ok, more concentration." Yuu thought as he felt the slight attempts of the song to corrupt him and his choir accompanists. Yuu caused magic to swirl in his heart and turn him into a purifying light that drove away the whispers of the song's original composer.

Your wretched little lives~

Have all been cursed~

'Cause of all the witches working~

I'm the worst~

Yuu looked at the coliseum and the dome formed by Vil's overblot magic. The young man hoped that his gift had put everything on pause there. And certainly, as Yuu wanted, the VDC group from Night Raven College did not budge. The only one of that group who noticed that was Vil, who in his unstable mental state was screaming for not being able to move.

I put a spell on you~

And now you're mine~

The magic also added a few things to Yuu, Ruggie and Azul's wardrobe. Yuu, who was already wearing a white lace shirt and black pants and boots, got a purple corset over his shirt and a forest green tunic decorated with Celtic symbols and diamonds. Ruggie, who was wearing a PE tracksuit, got a short-sleeved pastel pink tunic and long gloves with floral designs. As for Azul who wore the dormitory leader uniform she got a complete outfit; His jacket lengthened into a skirt and turned red, his hat changed to a black veil edged in gold, and his shoes changed to brown boots.

Watch out~! Watch out~!

Watch out~! Watch out~

She ain’t lyin’ ~

Azul and Ruggie stomped viciously through the mesmerized getting carried away with the fun moment... Azul saw Jade and Floyd in the crowd, he walked towards them; he planted a kiss on Jade's nose and one on the Floyd´s cheek. Ruggie saw Leona asleep as his tail swayed to the music; he took a soda from a food stall and poured it on the lion… Maybe he will die later, but it would be worth it.

If you don't believe~

You better get superstitious~

Ask my friends

"Ooh, he's vicious~!" Azul and Ruggie whispered as if it were a secret.

Uh~!, Eeh~!

Yuu pointed from left to right with his arms and shook his head in a dance that was imitated by those closest to him.

You might also like~

Yuu looked at Azul and Ruggie with a slight evil smile, which they imitated. The song didn't corrupt them, they couldn't help but get carried away with the fun. Yuu decided to spice up the place by adding a couple of jack-o'-lanterns made of ice.

I put a spell on you...

A wicked spell~

I put a spell on you...

Oh Yeah~!

Crowley watched from his window everything. Despite the fact that his office was surrounded by shields and anti-spell wards, his shoulders moved with rhythm. The director looked at the coliseum before sighing. "I hope Ambrose doesn't find out about this." He thought with a frown.

Ah, say into pi, alpha maybe upendi~

Ah, say into pi, alpha maybe upendi!

In comma-coriyama~

In comma-coriyama~

Hey!, hey

High!, high!

Say bye~

The two chorister boys and the owner of the "voice of the gods" sang in opera-worthy tones, which surprised even them. The three raised their hands to heaven as they reached the end of the memorable performance that no one will ever know and remember.

Bye-bye~!

Oh-oh-ah

Bye, bye~!

With the final pose, the magic returned the outfit to its normal state in a flash. The dome that surrounded the island and while it was there the hypnosis would be maintained... It won't last long though.

Yuu looked at Ruggie and Azul. "Ok, any questions you have…" "You'll answer them later." Azul interrupted him while he adjusted his glasses. The hyena beast boy nodded. "shishishi~ don't worry Yuu, go save the day." Yuu smiled before stroking the hyena's head and ears causing a purr and a deep blush. "See you later~" Yuu assured them before running to the coliseum. There was a moment of silence before Azul cleared his throat. "So…you and Yuu?" Ruggie looked at Azul. "That is not of you incumbence." Azul nodded at what Ruggie said. "And besides, we haven't dormized anything yet." Azul looked at him blankly. Even he had already discussed things with the Leech twins. "Sometimes love makes you stupid." He thought the silver haired one.

[mcdonaldsnumberone]

bamboleo

“secretly, i borrow tomorrow.”

jamil x reader

gender neutral reader

synopsis: you were quick to take up jamil’s plea to date him for appearances, but little did you know that you would end up falling for him. as the farce comes to a close though, you can barely accept the reality until jamil sets things in stone. 

inspired loosely off of @tinyfantasminha​‘s april fool’s day post!

Jamil was a smart boy. Smarter than what you could dream of being, you knew he was someone who thought two, three steps ahead of everything he did. There was a reason as to why Kalim barely questioned him; there was no task too daunting for someone like Jamil. If he wanted something done, he would figure out a solution. 

Maybe that was why you didn’t bother questioning him when he approached you with a problem on his hands that he claimed only you could offer a solution. He said he would make it worth your time, if it was payment or compensation you were concerned with, but all you had to do was follow what he said. He promised he wouldn’t demand anything too strict or impossible of you, so what reason did you have to turn him down?

Looking back, it was clear as day that your naïveté was there from day one.

Only a fool like you would agree to fake date Jamil. You were nothing but a small mouse caught in the viper’s trap, and while he was furthering his ambition bit by bit, you were foolishly weaving your own emotional demise.

“Are you alright? You look like you’re going to be sick,” Jamil murmured. The hand that was holding yours squeezed your knuckles tightly, and your stomach churned with butterflies at how natural he made it seem. Every day you saw him, he reminded you strictly that the relationship you two forged was just a fake one for his own needs, and he had no need for you outside of this transactional facade.

But the way he looked at you with concern and fondness all over his face seemed so real. You could envision him next to you in every moment of your day: helping you do your homework, bringing you a snack in between classes, and whispering “goodnight” to you before drifting off to sleep. Well—ever since this began, he quite literally was in every waking minute of your life. 

You gripped his hand, forcing a smile onto your face. “I’m okay. Thanks for looking out for me though. I just had a moment.”

“Oh,” he whispered back. “If you feel weird though, let me know. We can always head in and rest.”

You shook your head. “We’re going on a date, aren’t we? I want to go through with it. Who knows when I’ll be able to go out on a date with you again?”

He chuckled bitterly, his long hair flowing behind him like rich silk spun from dreams. “Good point. I heard Kalim was going to be there, so I made it a point to bring you too. You know what you need to do, right? I doubt that he’ll pay too much attention since he’ll be with other people, but-”

“-You want to make sure,” you completed. “Don’t worry. I’ve done well until now. Today will be the last time, won’t it?”

“Precisely. Once we’re done, you list your price. If it’s money, a favor, grades, or whatever else you want, I’ll make sure you get it for helping me.” Jamil glanced at you, taking you closer towards the crowded cafe. Sage’s Island was filled with all sorts of these little areas meant to attract students, and you pressed yourself closer to Jamil as he navigated you through the crowd. You kept your focus on him, admiring the soft gaze on his face and his comforting hands as he led you to a table.

Much to his prediction, Kalim sat a few tables away, and the boy excitedly perked up and shuffled over to the two of you the moment you sat down with Jamil. You could make out a flash of orange hair and a high-pitched laugh; he must be here with his club members for an outing.

“Hi! Jamil, I didn’t think I’d see you here! You should have told me! Then we all could have one big hangout!” Kalim perked up, his eyes sparkling like diamonds. Jamil huffed to himself, keeping his cool eyes on you.

You mustered up a smile on your face, doing your best to play the role of a caring partner. “It’s nice to see you, Kalim! I didn’t think I’d run into you here.”

“I’m on a date here, Kalim. If I didn’t know you any better, I’d think you were trying to steal away my partner,” Jamil coldly remarked. “Only you would be as tactless as to barge in between two people while they’re on an outing.”

Kalim gave a small “eek!” and waved his hands. “It’s not like that, Jamil! I just got excited seeing the two of you here, and I thought I’d say hi! You know that I’d never steal (Y/n) from you! You two are too cute, and it’d be mean of me to steal your partner!”

Your gut twisted dangerously in your stomach. Kalim had completely bought the couple act, and Jamil smiled darkly, evidently pleased that he had something Kalim didn’t. The white-haired boy apologized to Jamil profusely before scampering off back to his own table.

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. “Was that good enough?”

“As perfect as can be,” Jamil replied. “I’m impressed at how good you are at this. I could die laughing at how easy it is to get Kalim all worked up. I bet he didn’t see it coming, that I’d get a romantic partner before he did. I remember when I first broke the news, he nearly passed out saying congratulations.”

Your insides twisted again, sickened slightly at how casually Jamil could talk about using other people’s feelings. “Right. Kalim isn’t the type to get jealous, but…”

“I don’t want him to be the one getting everything sometimes. You understand, don’t you? I want a change of pace at times too, so he knows that I can get things before he can. If he can even get a romantic partner, that is.” Jamil sat back, grinning with poisonous intent. He drummed his fingers on the table, watching the crowd in the cafe thin out as orders were being served. “Do you want anything from here? Consider it my treat, since I’m your ‘boyfriend’ and all.”

“Maybe just a small drink? For appearance’s sake? It’d be weird if we came here only to sit around,” you offered, eyeing Kalim from a distance. Jamil nodded.

“I’ll get you your favorite.” He slid out of his seat, and your eyes trailed after him as he went up to the register. You couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying over the hubbub of the cafe, but what you could make out were the pangs in your chest.

You hated to admit it. You hated to know how weak you were in comparison to someone as hardened as Jamil. Even if you knew that every small thing he did was an act to egg Kalim on, to establish himself as the superior one between the two, you couldn’t help but want to be with him. You wanted him to hold your hand forever, to sneak kisses onto your face, to drop the act and confess his impossible love to you so that you would never have to part with him…

Great Seven. You had actually managed to fall in love with him.

“Here,” Jamil said, dropping down a cup in front of you. “Drink.”

“Thanks.” You reached out for it quietly, raising the drink to your mouth and taking a few tentative sips. You hated how cold he could be when he knew he didn’t need to keep the pretense up; you wanted him to be warm to you again and to lavish you with his attention. Jamil’s eyes flickered between your face and Kalim, keeping note of whether or not the Scarabia dorm leader was looking at the two of you.

The two of you sat in mostly silence, occasionally sharing some conversation whenever Jamil suspected that Kalim was observing the two of you. Soon enough, as you were nearing the end of your drink, Kalim skipped back up to the two of you to announce that he would be heading back.

“Come visit me, ‘kay? I know we’re gonna be going back home for break in a few days, but I still wanna see the two of you. You two are probably gonna be sad having to go long distance, right? Awww, you two are so cute!” Kalim gushed happily. “I’ll see you back in Scarabia, Jamil. As for you, (Y/n), make sure to stop by before I head back to the Land of Hot Sands!”

You promised to visit him, and Jamil made sure to reach over the table to grab your hand. Your mouth felt dry when he rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand, and you hastily slurped at the final remnants of your drinks. Kalim waved at the two of you before dipping out of the cafe, and then you were left alone with Jamil, knowing that the fake relationship that the two of you had forged for weeks was also finally coming to a close.

You didn’t dare meet Jamil’s eyes. 

“That seems to be it,” Jamil began, letting go of your hand. “Thanks for all your cooperation to this point. I can stay around for a bit and walk you back, but going forward, there shouldn’t be any need for the two of us to pretend to be a couple any more.”

You bit your bottom lip. “If I can ask something… Do we have to stop?”

He raised an eyebrow, and Jamil looked at you as if you had sprouted horns from your head. “What do you mean? It’s pretend—why do we need to continue?”

Shame and longing flooded your cheeks, heating up your skin. You cautiously raised your face to meet his, and your voice trembled. “I liked doing this with you. A-And you don’t know if Kalim will ask questions again, so it would be beneficial to you to maybe keep this act up…”

Jamil fell silent, and you curled your hands into fists in your lap. Your heart fluttered like mad against your ribcage. You knew better than to hope; this was a strictly business-like relationship, yet you couldn’t stop yourself from yearning to be with Jamil for even a second longer. You were nothing but a fool in love, but you still wanted to grasp for these last strands in the off-chance that maybe he would understand your sentiments.

“Look at me properly.”

You flinched, meeting his eyes. He lowered his gaze, and he reached over the table to grip your face with one of his hands. You squeaked when you felt him squeeze your cheeks, holding you in place so that you couldn’t tear your line of sight away from him. You really felt like a piece of prey caught in his arms, unable to escape the trap of your own making.

“You idiot,” he hissed, smirking at you as if he could unhinge his jaw right there and then to gobble you up. You didn’t dare to even breathe too loudly, your voice dying in your throat. He leaned in until his nose nearly brushed yours, cooing to you too closely to how a lover would for the terribly pointed words he was spitting at you. “Don’t tell me… Did you actually fall for me? Did you buy into the act a little too much? That’s it, isn’t it?”

“Y-You don’t understand, I only-”

“-You’re just as bad as Kalim. You’re a fool to think that I could ever fall for someone like you. No wonder this whole thing went too smoothly; I was the only one who kept my head straight the entire time,” he laughed sarcastically. Each of his statements felt like a blow to your heart. 

You couldn’t speak back. 

He let you go suddenly, rising from his seat to leave while you sat there, stunned and slumped over in your chair. He sneered to himself, looking down at you with unreadable darkness swirling around in his beautiful eyes. 

“Don’t delude yourself. I could never fall in love with someone like you.”

x

[tsukikoayanosuke]

(Temporary) Final Thoughts of Pomefiore Arc

Since this is my official first-time experience of playing this 'live', I haven't read the translation fully. So, I'll probably re-doing this after reading/watching everything.

Essentially what I like and what I'm mixed with.

I will first address something that has been bugging me since early update. And that's about the delay. Now, I'm not going to talk about the actual delay, but the reaction. Lots of people complaining and blaming the staff and just... Guys, give them some slack. Do you know what happens when you rush production? You'll get something like Frozen 2, where they had to edit so much stuff in just 6 months before the release date because of the failed test screening. As someone who once made an RPG, coding is hard, especially something massive like Twisted-Wonderland. Sitting in front of your computer for six hours straight, coding and beta testing over and over, making the OST, scripting, voice acting. This is a massive group project and it can't be rushed even if you want to unless you want it to be glitching so bad like the Ghost Marriage incident (or was it Fairy Gala?)

Especially during this pandemic and all its protocol. My parents are professors and even they don't go to campus every day, instead, they use zoom to teach and for work meetings. I barely go out from my own house except for physical therapy and volunteer work, which usually once in two weeks because we take turns. Are you saying the staff must risk their health just for a gacha game? Guys, they might be a professional, but they are still human. Cut some slacks. Be grateful we haven't gone into absolute development hell. Yes, the Halloween event was big, but Pomefiore Arc is part of the Main Story, of course, they will give extra care compare to filler event (which might be created in the first place to give them more time in Pomefiore Arc development, which is why we don't get any Christmas event)

On to the story, I don't know how to rate the scale, but it might be slightly lower than Scarabia Arc. Can you really compare a school talent show to a rebellion? Also, in paper, this should be more light-hearted than the four arcs before it.

However, the lack of stake didn't reduce the content quality. From what I remember, there is not a single chapter that can be count as filler, from Yuu's befriending Mickey, the understandably training arc, Vil's unique magic, Deuce and Epel bonding, and the actual VDC (but I do think the tour around the campus with Riddle and Trey was a bit boring)

Also, slight worldbuilding. We finally see Sage Island in its full glory and found out RSA is a freaking Disney Castle and on the same island!

This also gives us possibly the longest rhythm game, plus chibi Jamil rapping. There's just a lot of singing in this episode, which is understandable.

I appreciate Yuu finally taking notice of the Great Seven dreams, which I hope we can get more of this and actually do something with this and not just Disney Movie references, which later in the Episode shows Yuu sort of connecting their dream and Vil's poisoning attempt.

Speaking of Vil, he's a fantastic character. Okay, I aware that we can't like all characters, there will be haters anywhere. But it seems like Vil is hated a lot because he's 'arrogant' and 'only care about beauty'. Guys, he's not Jeffery Star. This Episode shows Vil as someone much more: a hard worker, passionate in acting, and a great teacher. I always see Vil as the more mature of the cast, the mentor. And he's also basically bullied when he was a child. "TV told me how to feel" as they would say, and children believe everything they saw on TV, so of course they would see Vil as the villain. It's also interesting, as someone mentioned earlier, how Vil is a foil to Leona, where Leona just gave up, Vil doesn't stop and keep striving, and that's an admirable trait. He just wants to get the protagonist role for once and break the norm.

Another character that I like is the new combo, DeuPel (Deuce and Epel). I should've known that they will be bad boy buddies with one trying to get away from the past, while the other wants to embrace it but can't at the moment. The shouting moment at the beach is wonderful despite I haven't read the full translation. Separately, Deuce shines so much with his willingness to learn. Meanwhile, Epel finally respecting Vil and all the training is probably one of the best character development so far.

Why one of the best? Because Kalim has great character development. How he grows to be more mature in this Episode really warms my heart. Again, I need to read/watch the translation to appreciate this more. The way he reassures Jamil to take the part as the main singer, but at the same time work hard to maybe get a spot as well is great.

Sadly, because Epel taking the spotlight as Deuce's partner, Ace was sort of underused. Same as Jamil, but sort of worse since he overblotted in the last chapter but has less development than Kalim. Rook also might seem doesn't do much, but he's more as Vil's support, which is why I kinda forgive him.

But, the highlight of this is probably our very own Snow White, Neige Blanche. Can I just say how much I appreciate that Niege doesn't have a dark side? He's a sweet boy and I just really appreciate that considering we're surrounded by a cast of not so great people, it's kinda refreshing to see someone just pure. The dwarves' design are also adorable, can't really say more since we haven't seen them in depth.

And since this is a School Festival Arc, all 22 students have a cameo. I know some people who are thrilled to finally Idia in the main story and to meed Che'nya again since Episode 1.

Unfortunately, Crowley proved to be useless again. When he finally appears in this final update I screamed: "SIR! Where were you?!"

Let's go back with Rook. What he did in the last update was definitely shocking. I knew something is wrong when he smiles after Vil's monologing. So this is the only time through the update I read the translation. And I sort of get it.

So, Rook and Vil's relationship should mirror how the Evil Queen and the huntsman. I mentioned above that Rook is Vil's support and I mean that. Rook and Vil's relationship is another level of prefect and their vice. It's just fascinating. Rook is just as reliable as Jade, but also not afraid to against his perfect like Jamil, also is not afraid to say something against his perfect, unlike Trey.

And it shows in this finale. Rook is always praising the beauty of things and Vil's hard works is truly a sight, but the way Vil unable to believe in himself, it clouded what is supposed to be something truly beautiful. Compare to Neige who is basically Snow White, the purest Disney Princess, there's just no way Rook would not pick RSA. I admit, I was pissed when RSA win, but when Rook started talking, I knew there was something more. And I finally found it. Rook's message is basically "believe in yourself", the most Disney-thing ever.

Saving the best (or worst) for last, I was terrified when Grim happened. We already guess that Grim is the same monster in the prologue, but I never thought it will happen so soon. The flashed of the monster and Yuu's carriage is also a point, but we have so little info that he can't pull a conclusion yet. Is this a timeloop? Is this a vision? This is the darkest ending we've gotten and I'm scared of what will happen.

Overall, Pomefiore Arc is an enjoyable Episode, definitely a step up emotionally. The cast are wonderful as always, the theme of hard work and believing in yourself are spot on, Vil's hero journey is great (I'll give more explanation soon). Great job, team.

[waveridden]

FIC: a ten year concussion

People don’t see him. They just don’t. That’s how ghosts work. Except for this strange woman, who can apparently see him perfectly. And hear him. And wants to talk to him.

In which Jace is a ghost haunting Addax's apartment, and Jamil can talk to him. Jace/Addax/Jamil, 2.5k. Content warning: while there’s no actual death, there is implicit death/grief.

AUcember || read on ao3

#

“I’ve been practicing with the lights,” Jace says offhandedly. “I think I’ve finally gotten them to stop… doing that thing they do, you know?”

Addax doesn’t answer, because Addax can’t hear him. Jace is fully aware that Addax can’t hear him, but he likes to think that something gets through, sometimes. He’s pretty sure something actually does get through: sometimes he can write things on mirrors, and sometimes he gets solid enough that Addax does a double take.

Actually, that one might be bad, considering that Addax doesn’t have the context of knowing that Jace is a ghost.

Addax just goes about making his coffee like normal, extra strong but with extra cream. He’s humming a song, something that Jace swears he recognizes but can’t quite put together. There’s no extra musicality to his motions, no swaying or finger-snapping or anything like that, just a quiet melody underneath everything he does.

The light in the center of the kitchen is flickering again. Addax pauses in his humming to glare at it, just for a second, before he turns to his fridge.

“I can stop that,” Jace says brightly. “I can make it-” he lifts a hand up and focuses. He thinks about all the same abstract things he normally does: a sustained loud noise, a smile, a golden orb.

It works too well, for once: the light flares incandescently bright and then goes back to normal.

Addax turns to stare at the kitchen light, squinting at it. “Huh,” he says. He doesn’t start humming again afterwards.

Jace groans. Okay, maybe he was showing off a little bit, but now Addax is definitely going to know that something weird is happening. And that’s just a little… much for Jace. He doesn’t want Addax to freak out over the ghost in the apartment or anything.

“Come on,” he mutters.

Addax’s head snaps in his direction. Jace freezes. That’s new.

Slowly, Addax tilts his head. There’s something aggravatingly familiar about the gesture, but Jace can’t put it in context, can’t assign any kind of memory or emotion to it.

“Addax,” Jace says quietly, just to see. There’s no response this time, and Jace lets out a breath. “Damn it.”

Addax still doesn’t look away for a full minute. At last, he turns to pick up his coffee and heads out of the kitchen. There’s something tense to his shoulders, and Jace wants to reach out and plant a hand on his back, to try and get him to relax.

But he doesn’t touch Addax. He never touches Addax, because if he can cause lights to blow out with his mind, he doesn’t want to know what he can do to a living human body. It feels like there’s so much potential to go wrong, and it’s not worth risking Addax. Even if Jace still isn’t sure who Addax is, or who Addax was to him.

  #

  When Addax gets back from work, there’s someone with him. Jace can hear the voices outside, laughing softly together. It makes him feel - well, he doesn’t know what this emotion is, and he’s not sure how much ownership he can truly claim over it. But he knows that he misses Addax. He always misses Addax.

The door swings open, and a woman steps inside. She’s lovely, with a pale purple afro and lipstick to match. She’s wearing a heavy coat that Jace can immediately tell is expensive, and is probably much warmer than it looks. She’s smiling as she steps inside and toes off her shoes. Addax is in the middle of some story, and she’s listening closely, making affirmative noises and laughing at all the right places.

Addax doesn’t have people over often. At least, Jace doesn’t think he does. The rules of ghost time are a little fuzzy to him. He’s pretty sure that he still exists when Addax isn’t around, but he doesn’t remember most of that time, and even when Addax is there it’s not a guarantee that Jace is going to remember. He’s pretty sure he’s lost full days before.

Still, this woman moves around the apartment like she knows it. She rests her coat over the arm of the couch, asks Addax questions about work and what he’s been up to. Addax seems comfortable around her; the two of them end up sitting close together on the couch, hushed and loud in turn.

Jace doesn’t listen too closely to what they’re talking about. It’s partly because he’s sure it’s private, and he still feels weird about being able to spy on these strangers. And it’s partly because, on some level, he is blindingly jealous of something that’s going on here.

He wanders off part way through the conversation, into the closed bathroom door. It’s easy to practice with the lights in here, because Addax never actually seems to notice the lights flickering on and off. It’s a good way to kill time.

Until he hears a knock on the door.

Jace ignores it at first, because it’s probably just the woman who’s visiting. Addax is one of those people who always keeps the bathroom door closed, and she’s probably just being polite. Plenty of people do that.

And then the door opens, and the woman says, “The couch is much more comfortable.”

“What,” Jace says, because there’s no way this is happening.

“The couch,” she repeats, voice kind. “Addax went to pick up some takeout for us, so we have a little time to talk, and I’d rather not do it here.”

Jace stares at her. He knows he should respond, should say literally anything, but he’s too overwhelmed by confusion to even think about it.

She tilts her head. “You haven’t had a conversation in a while,” she says sympathetically. Jace shakes his head, because there’s nothing else to do, and she smiles. “That’s okay. I’m gonna make a cup of tea for myself. If you feel like talking, we have time. You can just come out to the living room when you’re ready.”

And then she leaves, presumably to go to the kitchen and make that tea, and Jace is stuck blinking hard. People don’t see him. They just don’t. That’s how ghosts work.

Except for this strange woman, who can apparently see him perfectly. And hear him. And wants to talk to him.

Jace gets to the couch as the woman settles down, holding her mug of tea. She tucks her feet underneath her and looks at him. “You can sit.”

“It doesn’t make much of a difference to me,” Jace points out, but he sinks down onto the couch anyways. It seems polite. “You can see me.”

“I can.”

“And hear me, obviously.”

“Of course.” She smiles and takes a sip of her tea.

Jace takes a deep breath. He doesn’t need to, of course, but this is the most real he’s felt in a long time. “Did you know me?”

“You think that’s why I can see you,” she guesses. “No, unfortunately, that’s not how it works. I can just see ghosts, regardless of who you are.”

“Did I know Addax?” Jace asks, without meaning to.

“I don’t know that either.” She sips her tea again and then gives him a considering look. “Do you not remember?”

“I don’t remember much of anything,” Jace admits. “I just know that sometimes when I see Addax, he seems… familiar. Like… have you ever had a dream, and then you see something that was in the dream, but you don’t remember what the dream was about?”

She raises her eyebrows. “No, I can’t say I have. Psychic dreams are pretty impressive.”

“Says the person who can talk to ghosts,” Jace mutters.

The woman laughs at that, not quite a head-thrown-back laugh but still something coming from deep inside. “Yeah, you’re not wrong. I’m Jamil, by the way.”

“Jace.”

“It’s good to meet you, Jace.” Jamil gives him a smile, warm and genuine. “How long have you been haunting this particular apartment?”

“A few months, I think.” Jace pauses. “Am I haunting? Is that what’s going on?”

“If you’re not paying rent and he can’t see you, I think that’s haunting. Or squatting, but I would say that incorporeal squatting is just haunting.”

“I like incorporeal squatting. Makes me sound more rebellious than I actually am.”

Jamil nods sagely. “And I can tell you’re such a rebel. A rebel and a menace.”

“I’ve been menacing Addax a lot,” Jace says. “As you can tell, when I was hiding in the bathroom and trying to turn the lights on and off.”

Her eyes light up. “You can do that?”

“I can try.” Jace looks up at the light in the center of the living room - hum, smile, something gold - and it flips on easily. It’s even a normal level of brightness.

Jamil snaps her fingers in an imitation of applause and takes a long drink of tea. She’s smiling, Jace can tell, and god, he actually really missed talking to people, who knew? “Pretty cool trick,” she says. “Can you turn it off?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes I blow out the lights.”

“Oh my god,” Jamil says, and snickers. “Addax has been saying that he keeps calling his landlord to get an electrician sent up here-”

Jace groans. “Oh, no-”

“He’s been having the worst luck with lights, he keeps telling me-”

“Jamil-”

“You are a menace!” she says delightedly. “I knew it as soon as I saw you.”

Jace buries his face in his hands. “I thought I was a nice ghost.”

“Nice poltergeist, maybe.” Jamil smiles teasingly, and Jace finds himself wishing that he could reach out and give her a playful shove, like friends do. Like people with corporeal bodies do. As it is, he just smiles back at her, and she shakes her head. “A menace,” she repeats.

“And here I was trying to be friendly,” Jace sighs, put-upon. “Trying to make friends with the owner of the apartment that I’m squatting in, and trying to make friends with his friends, and trying to keep him on his toes for apartment maintenance.”

Jamil opens her mouth to say something, eyes sparkling with mirth, but then there’s the sound of a key in the lock. Jace stands up immediately, heart suddenly in his throat as the door swings open.

“Traffic was so much better than I was expecting,” Addax says. He has a scarf wound around his face, so his voice is muffled, but he pulls it down as he comes inside and closes the door. “And the cashier at the pizza place messed up my order, so we got free breadsticks, so I hope you’re h-”

He stops. He stops, Jace realizes, because he turned around, and he’s looking directly at Jace.

“Addax?” Jamil says quietly, gently.

Addax seems to come back to himself all at once, taking a deep breath and looking back at Jamil. “Sorry,” he says, and he sounds embarrassed but there’s something else there that Jace can’t quite parse, something deeper and more raw. “I thought I saw- it’s not important.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Addax says, and Jace can tell it’s a lie. He knows what Addax sounds like when he’s lying. Why does he know what Addax sounds like when he’s lying?

Jace looks at Jamil in a panic, but she just nods at Addax. “Well, I’m ready for pizza,” she says. “Even made myself some tea.”

Addax makes a face. “Tea and pizza?”

“Hey, you can’t help it when you have a craving. I didn’t realize you were a tea drinker, you have quite the collection.”

“I used to live with a tea drinker,” Addax says, a strange note to his voice. “I always have a stash around now, just… just because.”

Jamil doesn’t ask any questions, which is ridiculous, because Jace is full to bursting with questions. But her eyes cut across to him for a second, just long enough that Jace can tell she means it as a warning. She can’t act like he’s here, because then Addax is going to have questions, and there won’t be easy answers.

Addax moves past Jace to set the pizza box down on the coffee table. Jace takes it as an opportunity to take his leave, and he means to glide back into the bathroom, but instead he finds himself gravitating towards the kitchen. He’s never really snooped through Addax’s stuff - doesn’t often have enough corporeal control to even try - but something about the tea seems… important.

Jace focuses his energy on the cabinet where he knows Addax keeps the coffee. It swings open, thankfully quietly, to reveal a few boxes and tins of tea. It’s a small selection, mostly generic-brand black and herbal teas.

But there’s one tin, towards the back, that catches Jace’s attention. The label is turned to the side, so it’s hard to read, but he recognizes the color of the label. It’s pomegranate green tea, loose leaf, something that’s only available at a couple of markets in the city. Jace can suddenly see those markets in his mind’s eye, can imagine the shelves and the way they smelled. He knows exactly what this tea tastes like. He’d always preferred it iced.

It’s his favorite tea. Addax has a stash of Jace’s favorite tea.

“Oh,” Jace breathes, something heavy and awful weighing in his chest. He was Addax’s tea-drinker. And now he doesn’t even properly remember Addax.

  #

  Jamil finds him in the bathroom before she leaves. She turns on the sink so the sound of the water drowns out her voice as she says, softly, “You okay?”

“He has a stash of my favorite tea,” Jace says dully. “And I don’t even remember living with him.”

“I’m sorry,” Jamil says, voice colored with real sympathy. “I don’t have a lot of resources about ghost things, but I think I have friends who will. I’m going to see what I can find out about restoring your memories.”

Jace blinks. “You’re coming back?”

“Of course,” she says, like it should be obvious. “I’m not just going to leave you, especially not if you know Addax. I want to help you.”

He swallows, throat tight. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiles, lightning-bright and sly, and Jace is in awe of it for a second. “Besides, if you’re a tea guy, you can teach me tips and tricks for brewing tea. I’m awful at it. It always ends up tasting like grass when I do it.”

Jace laughs in surprise. “It’s not that hard!”

“It’s absolutely that hard,” she says, mock-offended. “I’ll come back when I can. I won’t always be able to talk to you, but I can be here.”

“Thank you,” Jace says. And then, because once is inadequate, because any number of times is inadequate, he says, “I mean it, Jamil, thank you. It was nice meeting you.”

She smiles at him again. “You’re welcome,” she says, soft and sincere. And for the first time in a long time, Jace feels warmed through.