#phase 38

[droppingartintotheinfinite]

So I’ve gotten into a new fandom

[ltcommanderkathrynjaneway]

Happy early birthday! I hope you’ll have a great few days and get to celebrate with something fun 💕

Thank you! My local movie theater is doing a Studio Ghibli weekend, so I’m going to go see at least Howl’s Moving Castle. Other than that, I’m mostly going to be cleaning my apartment because my whole family is descending in two weeks for my retirement ceremony.

[gurn]

i got 95% of the way through an entire strength level from this.

[bitterwaters]

pre-menopause is WEIRD. apparently instead of cramps, now all of my tendons get fucked. at least this time. next time, who knows!

[shinied]

medusa the shiny deino in black after 9136 res!

[sorceress-coffee]

RoA Ch 38 Hiss Hiss, Bang Bang

Ao3 Chapter

The morning after we brought Jim home was interesting to say the least. Draal and I were alerted to Jim’s presence when his alarm went off and he yelled “I love you, my stupid alarm!”

“I don’t think he’s ever been this excited to get up in the morning,” I shook my head, curling up against Draal in the nest.

Grumbling, Draal grabbed one of the spare pillows and stuffed it over his face once Jim hopped in the shower. “I’m glad he’s home, but this behavior is odd.”

Sighing, I decided to get up for school before Jim could break into the basement, “You hanging out with Arrrgh and Blinky today?” I asked, knowing all three Trolls wouldn’t return to Trollmarket until later, that way we were all together.

Draal gave me a thumbs up, still trying to hide under the pillow. “Yes, Blinkous wants me to explain your ‘Maces and Talons’ game to them.”

I snickered, pulling on black leggings and a red oversized long sleeve. “Don’t forget Dungeons and Dragons, you’ll get a kick out of that one.”

Finally sitting up, Draal gave me a toothy grin, “There’s a game where we can slay Dragons?”

I shrugged, grabbing one of my old rule books off the bookshelf we brought down. “Amongst other things.” I handed it over, kissing his cheek. “Tell Blinky I said he had to behave. Uncle James offered to get you guys anything topside you might need.”

Draal hummed, nuzzling his nose under my jaw, “Keep the Trollhunter contained,” he chuckled, hearing Jim’s feet land on the main floor loudly.

“Sounds like he’s bouncing off the walls,” Shaking my head, I grabbed my bag and teleported to the second floor, walking down to find Jim hugging mom in the kitchen. “Morning.”

“River!” Jim ran to me, almost knocking me over with how hard he tackled me.

“Careful honey, he’s very chipper this morning,” mom smiled, trying to hide her concern at his behavior.

“Just feels good to be back!” He grinned, grabbing his bag and running out.

Mom looked at me, confused, “Back? Back from where?”

“The looney bin?” I shrugged, “My guess, he’s breaking out of his finals week fog.” I waved bye, following Jim out quickly before she could ask anymore questions.

He had our bikes ready as Claire pulled up and Toby was waiting for us. Apparently after being stuck in the Darklands, he wanted to spend as much time in the sun as possible.

I hopped on my bike, Jim took the front, Toby and Claire in the middle, and I lagged behind, watching over the teens. After all this time, I was glad Jim was home, even if I was still mad at how he left.

“Have you talked to him about it?” Toby directed to Claire.

Claire shook her head, keeping an eye on Jim in front, “No, it has to come from you. Why haven’t you talked to him yet?”

“He just got out of the Darklands,” He pointed out. Whatever they were talking about, Toby was obviously stalling. “He needs time to recover.”

“Whoo!” Jim yelled out in front of us, he had popped his front tire off of the ground and was riding with his hands out to the side. “Check this out-” A yelp broke him off as he lost balance, needing to grab the handlebars before he fell over.

“Seems fine to me,” Claire huffed, smiling at his antics.

Jim drifted to a halt, grinning at us, “Come on, slowpokes, let’s take the old shortcut!”

We all came to a stop, Claire and Toby exchanging a look.

“Well, uh, since you’ve been gone, Claire found a faster way.” Toby grinned, teasing Jim.

Jim scoffed, “Come on. Faster than the canals?”

Claire looked back to me, I shrugged, “It’s fine with me.”

Nodding, she pulled out the shadow staff and opened a portal at the entrance of the woods. “One short cut, here we come!”

Jim grinned, pedaling straight into the portal with a cheer. Toby and Claire followed after, and I held up the rear. We shot out behind a moving truck and pedaled back onto the streets.

“You’re right,” Jim laughed, pausing to look back at Claire, “You have gotten good at that.” The bell rang for class, “Good ol’ Arcadia Oaks High!” He cheered, heading to park his bike. “I wonder what we’ll learn today.”

“He’s clearly not fine, who in their right mind looks forward to school?” Toby shook his head, “Did you give him a concussion?” He asked, looking back at me as we followed.

“Just because I’m still pissed at him, doesn’t mean I hit him, Toby.” I huffed, parking my bike as Eemeli drove up in his car.

“Do I want to know?” He asked, getting out of the driver’s seat, having seen Jim’s overly cheerful attitude from down the street.

“Nope,” I shook my head, grabbing Jim’s shoulder before he could get far. “Trust me, you’re gonna want to stay close.”

Jim rolled his eyes but waited until Claire and Toby parked their bikes. As soon as we entered the quad, the students began cheering.

“What the…?” Jim glanced back at me, confused on why everyone was acting weird.

“Jim!” Eli rushed him, hugging him tight, “You’re back! You’re alive!”

“Back?” Jim began to panic, looking to Claire and Toby, “They know?”

“They know you’re the first person to be officially cured from the incurable Jim Lake Disease.” Toby explained quickly.

“Oh,” Jim nodded, realizing that was the cover up.

I shrugged, pulling Eli off of him, “This one knows, sort of. I’ll explain later”

Eli got the crowd to disperse, while Toby made sure they knew Jim could still be contagious.

“Eemeli got you a medical note, said there were complications after the car accident, T.P. has been doing damage control with help from Eli,” Claire explained now that the other teens were steering clear for the moment.

“T.P.?” Jim asked.

“Oh,” Claire laughed, “Duh! Toby Pie. Guess you missed that one, too.”

Toby pouted at the nickname, still hating it, “You missed a lot, dude! I had to pretend to be you. I had to eat your mom’s spaghetti carbonara.” He gagged, thinking back to that particular dinner. “You owe me!” Pulling out a stack of papers, he handed them over to Jim, “you also missed a few weeks of homework. Don’t hate us.”

“Hate you?” Jim laughed, “Are you kidding? I love homework!”

“Maybe I punched him in my sleep…” I grumbled, Eemeli laughing at us as Jim picked apart what homework he had to do now, groaning at Algebra.

“Look who’s back!” Steve shoved into Jim, knocking him onto the concrete, before pulling him up by his shoulders. “Did I hear you say you love homework? There’s something fishy going on in this lake.”

Jim looked shocked for a moment before his face split into a grin, hugging Steve, “I even missed you! The ol’ Palchuck” He laughed, hitting Steve in the face lightly.

“What?” Steve was in shock, you could actually see his brain short circuiting at the moment. “Get your germs off of me!”

Toby turned around at the sound of Darci’s voice, “Uh, I’ll let you two catch up.”

From the looks of it, Darci is allergic to flowers, and Toby is getting nowhere quickly. “That’s unfortunate.”

“Things are all back to the way they were!” Jim grinned, looking around the quad, “It’s like I never left!”

“Yup,” Toby huffed from his spot, face planting into his locker, “back to square one. How great for us.”

“Careful, my square one involved blowing up walls,” I grinned, heading off to my morning classes.

The day seemed to drag by as I was mentally preparing for our return to Trollmarket. Apparently Jim wanted to waste no time handing himself over to the likes of the Tribunal. I really have to work on my impulse control if I’d be spending even a second in her Highness-lady’s presence.

Once we got into our blended class, now dubbed movie time, we all took up seats in the back corner. Eli sat closer to the front so I could talk with Jim.

I nudged his foot as he was focusing on ‘Gun Robot 3’. “We need to talk.”

“But it’s Gun Robot,” Jim grinned, sobering up quickly when he saw how serious I was. “Is this when you’re going to hit me for going into the Darklands?”

“Haven’t decided yet.” I huffed, nodding to Eli, “He knows about my mom’s side. We haven’t exactly been subtle about our ‘adventures.’”

“What?!” He squawked, “You told him? You promised!” He tried to whisper.

Growling, the sclera of my uninjured eye glowed, “I promised I wouldn’t tell aunt Barbara, and that was it. Eli’s not as oblivious as people think. He figured out a lot on his own. I told him I couldn’t tell him everything, but if he guessed, I would only share what I could.”

“Why would you tell him at all?” Jim asked, shocked that anyone outside of our group now knew.

“Because he’s stubborn enough to go looking for answers, and unfortunately that could lead to his untimely death, say, by the hands of the Janus Order?” I snarled out, knowing Eli would go looking if he couldn’t ask me.

Jim winced, glancing up at Eli, “He only knows about the magic?”

“Nothing about Trolls, or Trollhunting,” I huffed, “Might change though, considering Draal’s taken a shine to him.

Jim groaned, hitting his head on his desk, “How did that happen?”

“Shadow magic infection, possibly from Angor Rot’s final attack,” I gestured to my eye, “antidote involved binding someone’s life magic to my own. Draal volunteered, the side effect for a full blooded troll was that he turned into a fleshbag again.” I pulled my hood over my head, feeling my scalar still burning.

Before Jim could speak on it any further, the bell rang. “Right, okay, ready to head to Trollmarket?”

“Even if I say no, we’re still going.” I stood up, grabbing my bag and heading out.

Jim sighed, staying further back with Claire and Toby as we headed for the bikes. “Think she’s ever going to forgive me?” He whispered, unfortunately being half changeling meant I could still hear him very well.

Claire sighed, “Give her time, she’s had to take on a lot of responsibilities since you’ve left, and not just your Trollhunting duties.”

“Yeah, dude.” Toby jumped in, “The troll heavy weights made her the leader of our changeling friends, now she has to deal with troll politics, that can’t be fun.”

I glanced back at them before grabbing my bike. “Are we going?”

Jim jolted, him and the other two quickly grabbing their bikes.

“Eemeli, you driving?” I asked, looking at the changeling.

He nodded, heading to his car, “See you in the library, my lady,” he said in his snarkiest tone while giving me a salute. He still found me being a tribe leader hilarious.

Shaking my head, I got on my bike and headed directly for an alleyway. Once out of sight, I teleported to the stairs of trollmarket, waiting for Claire to portal the boys over or ride their bikes.

I was glad Jim was home, don’t get me wrong. But he has to realize him leaving caused a lot of damage too. Looks like I have another mess to fix.

A shadow portal opened up behind me, all three teens riding through. We parked our bikes near the canal exit, wasting no time heading down into the market.

Eri slithered up, climbing her way up to my shoulders. “No movement from her highness-lady, the other’s made it to the library,” she hissed, resting her head under my left ear, keeping an eye on my blind spot.

Smiling, I pulled a cookie from my bag, giving her small chunks so she could eat while we walked. “Thanks, hopefully we won’t have to deal with the Tribunal yet.”

Jim took in a deep breath, hurrying up to walk next to me as he took in Trollmarket. “Home is the same, school is the same, Trollmarket is the same,” he trailed off as a Krubera soldier sneered at him. “Except for that guy. What’s that guy doing here?”

Shifting into my troll form, I let out a deep growl, glaring at the soldier. Getting the message, he quickly took off. “Don’t get too comfortable.” I glanced at Jim.

“Stinking, horrible, traitor!” Blinky’s voice drifted from the library, gaining our attention.

We took off into the library quickly, watching as Blinky was throwing his books into a bonfire.

“What is going on?” I asked, seeing Draal holding a stack for Blinky to grab from and toss into the flames, Arrrgh poking the flames every so often.

Scoffing, Blinky read over a title, “Another one, away with you!”

“You love your books!” Toby cried out, all three teens in shock at what we were seeing. “This isn’t like you!”

“Not my books!” Blinky snarled, “I’m destroying any that bear my traitorous brother’s name. Full of lies!”

“Did I miss something?” I asked, last I had heard, Blinky’s brother was dead.

Draal sighed, setting the stack down, “Blinkous ran into his brother in the Darklands. He’s working for Gunmar.”

“My Gumm-Gumm brother cannot be trusted and neither can these!” Blinky threw another pile into the fire.

Jim ran to the fire, trying to pull the books out, “Blink! They’ve been useful before, so they can be useful again.”

Arrrgh busied himself with sniffing over Toby’s sweater vest.

Toby lifted his arms for the troll, confused. “Aren’t you going to stop him, wingman?” Starting to giggle as Arrrgh’s sniffing was tickling him, “Uh, what’s with Arrrgh?”

“Leave him,” Blinky waved them off. “Ever since he’s returned from death, his sense of smell has been curiously heightened.” He threw the book Jim tried to save back into the fire. “He’s been sniffing everything for hours.”

Arrrgh hummed, grinning at Toby, “You had Italian. Carbonara.”

“Yeah,” Toby laughed, “like, three days ago.”

“Needed more garlic,” Arrrgh concluded.

Jim began running back and forth with buckets of water, trying to douse the book fire.

“Talk to Jim yet?” Arrrgh asked,concerned for Jim that the Tribunal was still present.

Claire sighed, “Toby says he hasn’t found the right time.”

“It’s not just me right?” Toby asked, watching Jim. “Ever since he got back, he’s been acting super weird.”

“Hey guys,” Jim paused, the books mostly not on fire now. “You know what we need? A calling!” He grinned, excited to get back to Trollhunting. “I’m sure there’s been tons of stuff piling up for us to take care of now that I’m back. A cursed box?” He asked as Blinky relit the book fire behind him. “Or a loose monster troll?”

“Actually, Calire, River and I kinda took care of that stuff while you were gone,” Toby explained, “Well when River wasn’t the cursed loose monster troll.”

“That was one time,” I huffed, summoning water over the book fire and dousing the flames again.

“Oh,” Jim nodded, slowly, “Okay. What about some training? It’d be good for us to get back in the Forge, you know?”

Arrrgh sniffed the air, grabbing my shoulder quickly. “I smell Usurna.”

Groaning, I rubbed over the scars on the left side of my face, irritated that she was already here. “Great.”

“Oh dear,” Blinky gasped, pausing in his effort to relight the fire once more.

Two armed Krubera soldiers walked into the library glaring at our group, Usurna walking in after them.

Vendel’s new staff got hooked on the entrance as he tried to enter the library, quickly dislodging it. I really hope he never finds out we took his old staff.

“So,” Usurna eyed Jim as she approached, “It’s true. The halfling Trollhunter has returned from his frolic in the Darklands.”

Blinky bowed his head to Usurna, speaking on Jim’s behalf, “The Trollhunter humbly apologizes, and throws himself at the mercy of the Tribunal.”

“Tribunal?” Jim asked, only to get elbowed by Blinky.

“The Tribunal has already voted on your fate,” She sneered.

“And by the barest of margins, has ruled to drop all charges,” Vendel spoke quickly, keeping an eye on my reaction. “So long as you cooperate from this moment forth.”

The teens sighed, as Usurna turned on them, “Your rash choice to save one child put all of Trollmarket at risk, regardless of what Merlin’s heir may say. If any evil had been unleashed unto this world, the blood would have been on your hands.” She pointed to Jim, before turning to leave. “Are you sure nothing followed you on your return?” She asked.

I tilted my head, the question sounded off coming from her.

“Draal never left his post, guarding the bridge!” Blinky quickly lied.

We all nodded, agreeing with him as her highness-lady looked over us, eyes locking on mine. “Very well, then.” She turned, leaving with her guards.

Blinky sighed, worried about Usurna’s presence. “Are the Krubera really staying permanently?”

Vendel glowered, turning to look Blinky in the eye, “Usurna feels their presence is required in light of my questionable judgment.” His staff got caught on the hanging crystal light. Grumbling, he tried pulling it down. “Speaking of such, have you made any progress in tracking down the culprit who stole my staff?”

“We will not rest until we bring them to justice,” Blinky declared.

“Yes, of course,” Vendel shook his head, finally freeing his staff from the light. “I’m sure whoever took it had good reason and will return it as soon as possible.” He huffed, eyeing Toby.

Looks like Vendel knew exactly who was masquerading as him.

“I’ve put my neck out far enough for you ungrateful fools.” Glaring over each of us, “Any further and she’ll be sure to lop it off.”

“Thank you, Vendel,” Jim winced, seeing only a small portion of the chaos his decision caused. “It’s good to see you, too.” He smiled up at the troll, actually glad to see him, even though he’s being scolded.

“Yes, well, if you want to thank me, go look into the goblin mess that one of our trolls discovered on a salvage run.” He sighed, trying to help Jim cover any loose ends from his trip to the Darklands.

“Goblin mess?” Toby asked, having hoped we were done with the slimy green creatures.

“There appears to be some droppings in a dumpster behind the Arcadia Cinema.” Vendel explained.

“We haven’t seen any of those in months.” Claire added, confused on why they were active again.

I shook my head, “There hasn’t been an active Goblin attack since Bular died.” The only other Goblins we’ve seen were those working for the Janus Order, but all they did was play with the car lock during our negotiation with Otto.

“Oh, my gosh!” And there’s Jim’s weird behavior again. “Is this a call? Like, a good ol’ trollhunting mission?” He asked, bouncing with excitement.

Vendel accidentally hooked his new staff on his horn, finally giving up, “Just go.” He ordered, not wanting to deal with Jim’s behavior on top of his stress of dealing with Usurna.

“We will, Vendel,” I sighed, unhooking his staff for him. Leading him away from the group to ask about the Tribunal’s vote. “How much was a small margin?”

Sighing, he glanced back at the others, now discussing how we should set up our stakeout. “It was tied actually, however, since we couldn’t find you, most of the trolls agreed that I could cast your vote.”

Wincing, I knew Usurna had it out for Jim, but I still couldn’t place why. “There’s more going on,” I huffed, scratching over Eri’s little fins. “The trollhunters sensed danger in our last meeting about Jim, and I plan on finding out why.”

Nodding, Vendel eyed Eri for a moment, “Why don’t I keep an eye on your wizard associate, from what I’ve heard, goblins like to eat snakes.”

Glancing up at Vendel, I could see that knowing glint in his eyes. He knew Usurna was hiding something, and was offering a direct spy to their meetings. “Eri, are you alright staying with Master Vendel?”

She slithered down my arm, extending herself over to Vendel’s staff, and resting around the hook. “Can I have more cookies since I’m going to be stuck in boring meetings all night?”

I chuckled, bobbing her nose, “I’ll bring more sugar cookies later, and do exactly as Master Vendel instructs. Also, don’t bite her highness-lady. Not yet.”

Vendel shook his head, taking his leave before I could give Eri any more instructions that could be seen as thinly veiled threats.

When I turned to join the group, I noticed Jim had broken off from the discussion, watching Vendel leave as he stopped next to me. “It’s almost sunset, think we could talk before heading out?”

Nodding I headed further into the library, unsure if Jim was wanting privacy or not. We sat at one of the tables holding a mound of ‘approved to keep’ books Blinky had gone through.

“What did you want to talk about?” I asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

Jim scratched the back of his neck, a nervous tick he seems to share with Uncle James. “Well, I was wondering if you could fill me in on what I missed. Toby and Claire have been pretty vague today.”

Eyeing him, I watched to see if any traces of his overexcited behavior was about to spring up. It looked like Jim wanted a serious conversation. “How about the quick version, then you can ask questions.” Humming in thought, I was trying to organize these past few weeks of chaos. “You left, found out I could summon the void with the amulet, threw the amulet at Kanjigar.” Pausing, I tried to focus on the time I was ‘infected’ with shadow magic. “There was an issue with the ‘fact’ that I shouldn’t be able to use shadow magic, something like an infection, not actually sure about that. Uncle James came early to help, dad had to leave.” Jim winced at that, knowing I was finally getting along with my dad, “He promised to stay in touch this time. Draal turned human for about a week and a half.” Tilting my head, I looked over my fingers, trying to count, and I was already up to seven events. “The tribunal was summoned, Vendel announced I was a tribe leader, the leaders found out you’re half changeling. Almost killed her highness-lady. We got Enrique through the portal, Eclipse magic manifested.” I growled, the final days of Jim being locked in the Darklands, “Found a cure for Arrrgh, the Janus Order had it, Mr. Evil Man broke into our house and school, stole my paint.” I hissed, still finding random objects with that damn sun painted on them. “Broke into the Janus Order headquarters, scared the crap out of their leader. Stole Vendel’s staff, and traded it for the cure to save Arrrgh. Kanjigar possessed him, we were chased down by Trollmarket’s guards, and were technically fugitives from Trollmarket. You know the rest.”

During the last portion of my recount, Jim’s jaw kept dropping lower and lower. I reached over and pushed his jaw back up.

“That was the quick version?” He yelped, snapping out of his stupor.

Shrugging, I stared at him blankly, “Yup. Questions?”

Jim’s eyes shot back and forth, trying to decide where to start. “Usurna called me a halfling because they know I’m half changeling?”

“Yup, the Tribunal voted to ‘destroy’ the bridge. They tried to dump it in the ocean.” I nodded, “When she and her guards stopped us from saving you the first time, Uncle James snapped at her, I almost killed her.” I sneered, sparks of orange and red magic responding to the rage I still felt from that moment.

“What stopped you?” He asked, eyeing the magic flaring in the lines of my stone skin.

Huffing, I glanced back to where the rest of our family was planning a stakeout. “A mix of Draal and Uncle James, honestly. The magic that manifested felt like your armor when we connected in the Darklands, when her soldiers tried pulling me back, their flesh seemed to rot with contact.” I traced a line of the Eclipse magic running through my flesh. “It didn’t hurt Draal or your dad though. And it sounds like Vendel’s been using it as a way to keep Usurna in check.”

“Wait,” Jim shook his head, surprised, “Vendel’s been threatening her?”

I waved my hand in a so-so manner, “Not exactly, from what Eri’s overheard, he’s been reminding her what could happen if she tries overstepping, in my life at least.”

His eyes looked like they might pop from their sockets, “Breaking into the Janus Order?”

“Changelings that serve Gunmar as a means to an end, that end being Morgana,” I held my hand up before he could interrupt me, “They confirmed it, only taking orders directly from her. The only reason they want Gunmar free is to release her, apparently Uncle Merlin has something to do with the crazy version of her being locked away.”

“Crazy version?” Jim really looked like he was about to lose it. He missed a lot more than his usual Trollhunter duties.

I pulled on my hoodie string, thinking of the dreams I had in the shadow realm. “Well, the one I talked to was from a time well before the Battle of Killahead. She said something about primordial magic that corrupted her. All I know is they’re both connected to the shadow realm and the crazy one can talk to the Changelings.”

“You talked to her?! You were in the shadow realm?” Jim yelped, shocked knowing how I reacted to what my father knew of my mother’s ‘death.’

“Trust me, that’s complicated and I still don’t understand how or why it happened. Good news though, I should be getting my memories back. Bad news, no idea when.” I shrugged, watching as Jim was trying to wrap his head around everything.

“So,” He fumbled, gesturing to all of me, “you’re using impossible magic connected to the armor. You, somehow, spoke to a dead witch, who’s not actually dead. Vendel made you leader of the Changelings, well, our Changelings. You’ve been dealing with troll politics, and Usurna isn’t leaving anytime soon. Became a fugitive from Trollmarket. And that was all in the few weeks I’ve been in the Darklands?” Well, at least he seems to be listening now.

I tilted my head back, thinking over his summary. “Yeah, that’s basically everything you missed.”

Jim flopped his head onto the table, letting out a groan. “I really messed up, didn’t I?”

Pausing, I looked him over, surprised he was even admitting it at this point. “You made your choice, now we’re dealing with it.”

“You’re still pissed,” He winced.

Snarling, I pulled him to sit up by his shoulder, “You’re damn right I’m pissed!”

Our friends’ voices cut out at the sound of my anger, Draal the first one to peek around the bookshelves to see if we were okay.

“You get some ill timed advice from Kanjigar, and trust me, I’ve already torn into him for that, and decide to jump ship, ALONE, into the Darklands, after promising everyone would be going with you!” I snarled, both of us standing as I tore into him, easily towering over him in my troll form. “So, yeah, I’m pissed off! You broke your word, left us to care for your duties. You left the Amulet with ME! Told me to keep it safe until you came back or it called another, hate to break it to you Jim, but you’re it!” I snapped, seeing Draal physically flinch in my peripheral.

“What do you mean ‘he’s it?’” Uncle James asked, having arrived with Eemeli while I was mid rant.

Pulling back, I glared at the amulet resting on the table. “Kanjigar said that the amulet wouldn’t call another. The trollhunter’s knew the last would come from the human world. Jim is Merlin’s final champion.”

“What?!” Toby yelped, rushing over to us, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It wasn’t safe,” I growled, clenching my fists so tight that my claws were digging into the stone flesh of my palms. “Trollmarket isn’t safe.”

“Usurna?” Jim asked, having seen how on edge I was any time the Krubera or their Queen was near.

Nodding, I summoned the amulet to my hand. “Even your predecessor can sense it, she’s hiding something.”

Draal clasped my shoulder, “We’ll find answers, one way or another.”

I held out the amulet to Jim, “There’s a lot more going on than just us rescuing you from the Darklands. Merlin mentioned this wouldn’t be our last ‘trial,’ so to speak, which is why we can’t get comfortable.”

“You think something worse than the Darklands is coming?” Jim asked, slowly taking the amulet.

Shrugging I dropped my hand, shifting back into my human form, Draal’s hand still holding my shoulder. My mind raced to the fae-like creature I met in the shadow realm, “I hope not.”

Jim nodded, “Come on, it’s dark enough to head out, and I’d appreciate it if you’d come with us.” He offered, trying to make amends in his own way, still needing to process everything.

“We’re gonna stay back,” Eemeli gestured to Uncle James and Draal. “If Usurna tries anything, we’ll get in contact. Also, why is there a pile of charred books?”

Blinky groaned, waving it off, still refusing to look at the books. “Just leave it be, maybe I’ll finish burning them.”

Those who entered when Blinky was going mad let out a collective chuckle. An unhinged Blinky wasn’t one to be messed with.

Claire opened a shadow portal for the alleyways near Arcadia Cinema and we jumped in, hoping there wasn’t actually a goblin problem. Could always be a bear.

We snuck through the alley way, Jim and Blinky towards the front, Claire, Toby and I in the middle, and Arrrgh taking the rear.

Jim waved for us to stop as he peered around a corner, watching the back exit of the cinema. “Alright, coast is cleared,” he whispered. “Nothing like a simple mission to get our mojo back, huh?” He asked, trying to be upbeat again after the incident in the library.

As we walked around him to head for the dumpsters, Claire paused at his choice of words, “Did you just say ‘mojo’?”

Arrrgh took to the front of our group, sniffing over the area, ending up behind the dumpster. “Huh, smell poop.”

“Well,” I huffed, “the troll was right about one thing. Anyone else hoping for a bear?”

He opened the dumpster, pulling out what looked like large rabbit droppings and ate it. Toby and Claire gagged at the sight, my nose wrinkling at the thought that trolls eat the weirdest things.

Arrrgh continued to pull out random items, licking a few and sniffing others.

“Arrrgh, what is it?” Blink asked as Arrrgh pulled out a collar with a bell.

Humming, Arrrgh grinned at the taste of the collar. “Cat!” Sniffing it again, he growled, “No. Blood goblin.”

Blinky let out a horrified gasp, “It cannot be.”

“Blood goblins?” Toby asked, peering into the dumpster. “Are those the green ones or the blue ones?”

Shaking his head, Blinky winced, “Contrary to their name, blood goblins are white.”

“But they can’t be here!” Claire interrupted, panicking. “The only place you can find white goblins is…”

“The Darklands,” Jim took a deep breath, sitting on a crate.

“No way, we destroyed the bridge!” Toby pointed out.

“Can’t goblins go through the fetch?” I asked quickly, hoping I hadn’t been right about danger coming soon.

Blinky sighed, “Blood goblins are too big to pass through the fetch, and if one was small enough, due to the inability to control them, I don’t believe the Janus Order would let them roam around.”

“Well,” Claire frowned, going to Jim. “Draal left his post to save us. You don’t think in that time…”

“If they got out, what if Gunmar got-” Jim tried asking before Blinky cut him off.

“No. No, no. We would know if he got out.” Blinky stated quickly, “Death would be on every doorstep, Arcadia turned to ash. We would know. These are just a few goblins. A few ferocious, insatiable, bloodthirsty goblins.”

Arrrgh burped as he was still eating junk from the dumpster.

“It’s possible they were close to the bridge, Draal and I weren’t in the Darklands very long.” I reasoned, placing my hand on Jim’s shoulder.

“Jim,” Toby winced, “There’s been something we’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Toby,” Claire cut him off, “If these little poopers are in Arcadia, how do we find them?”

“We don’t find them,” Jim nodded to me, standing from the box as I let my hand slip from his shoulder, “they find us. Once they're on your scent, you can’t shake ‘em. They’re going to be after me.”

“But you weren’t the only one in there.” Toby pointed out. “Nomura was with you.”

“Nomura skipped town as soon as she rested. She’s long gone.” Claire spoke up, knowing she left on the intact gyre this morning.

“Well, then why aren’t they here?” Toby huffed.

Jim’s eyes widened, “Because someone else was in there too.” Panic was setting in, “They’re going after Chompsky!”

“He’s at Toby’s, is Nana home?” I asked quickly, watching panic set in amongst the teens. “Toby,” I grabbed him by the shoulders, “Is she at home?”

“Yes!” Toby yelped.

“Claire, portal.” I instructed.

Nodding, Claire pulled out her shadow staff, “I’m aiming for the backyard.”

We all ran in, Blinky and Arrrgh heading for the side of the house while we snuck into the back door with Toby.

As soon as we entered, we found Nana doing the dishes, no goblins in sight so far.

Toby hushed us as he slowly approached Nana. “Nana!” He greeted, startling her from the dishes.

“Oh, Toby Pie!” She greeted, seeing all of us. “I thought you kids were upstairs playing. There was an awful lot of noise.”

“The goblins are here?” Toby gasped, “Uh, I mean… I must have left my music on.” He tried to cover.

“Goblins are here?” Nana asked, eyeing Toby. “Oh, that’s a horrible band name. I don’t understand what you kids listen to these days.”

As soon as Nana’s back was to us, I grabbed everyone and teleported up to Toby’s room.

“Chompsky?” Jim asked, seeing the dollhouse torn open.

“No!” Toby yelped, diving into the dollhouse to look for the gnome. “Not Chompsky!”

Jim carefully picked up a little red hat.

“Poor gnome,” Arrrgh whimpered as he and Blinky joined us.

“It was supposed to be a simple mission.” Jim winced, handing over the hat to Toby.

“There’s no such thing as a simple mission.” Claire sighed.

Jim sighed, taking a seat in front of the tv playing ‘Go-Go Sushi’.

“The little guy survives the Darklands, then goes out like this?” Toby asked, face dropping as he looked at Claire then me. “Nothing’s been right since…” He scowled at the little hat. “Why did you go into the Darklands without us?!” Toby yelled, causing the rest of us to jump.

I knew the others were mad, but seeing Toby like this? It really showed that they all felt the same betrayal I had when Jim left.

“Wait, what?” Jim asked, surprised this was being brought up again.

Toby went off, “We found the amulet together, we trained together, we found your dads together, we killed Angor Rot together! And then you just left us.”

“Wait, is this how you all feel?” Jim asked, looking to the others since I had made my anger known, no one else speaking up till now.

“You promised we’d get my brother,” Claire pointed out, “together.”

Blinky sighed, “After everything we’d been through, you said it was ‘Trollhunters,’ not ‘Trollhunter.’”

“Even Kanjigar recognized that,” I sighed, clasping Toby’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Arrrgh agreed with Blinky and I.

“Gunmar wanted revenge for killing his son. The amulet chose me to protect you.” Jim tried to justify.

“We protect each other!” Claire snapped.

Sighing, Jim turned his back on us, “When I saw Arrrgh die, I couldn’t bear losing any more of you. I just wish everything could go back to the way things were. When everything was… normal.” Jim shook his head, fist slamming into the table. “Yeah, the Darklands was a failure. I went in alone so you wouldn’t have to. But classic Jim, you guys have to rescue me anyway. Some hero I am.”

Blinky took the hat from Toby as we gathered closer to Jim. “The amulet made you a Trollhunter. You made yourself a hero.” He smiled, grasping Jim’s shoulder as he handed him the hat.”

“But Chompsky didn’t deserve this.” Jim held the hat tight, standing. “He may have been small, but he had a big…” he paused as Arrrgh began sniffing the hat. “You mind? I was trying to give a eulogy.”

Arrrgh walked past Jim, continuing to sniff.

“By Gorgus!” Blinky cried out, “He’s picked up their scent!”

“The goblins?” Claire asked, hopeful we could find them.

“Gnome!” Arrrgh grinned.

“Chompsky’s alive?” Toby grinned, looking over all of us. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go find him!”

Arrrgh led us out of the house and back through the yard. We were headed back into town.

I pulled Jim back as we walked. “You okay?”

Jim glanced up at me, surprised. “Maybe?”

“Still wishing everything was normal?” I asked, keeping an eye on where we were headed, I swear if we end up at the museum again, I’m tearing the goblins to shreds.

“Let me guess, ‘We can’t go back to normal after you went running off into the Darklands,’” Jim huffed, thinking I was going into another lecture.

“Actually,” I gave him a disgruntled side-eye for good measure. “I was going to point out something Toby and Draal had to drill into my head recently.”

Jim looked taken aback, slowing his steps slightly as he waited for me to continue.

Smiling, I looked up at Toby, “Blinky and Claire were venting their frustrations. My ‘evolving skills’ were an easy focal point for them to attack, so to speak. Toby had to remind me that I’m not normal. Hell, neither of us are normal. From our parents, to our friends, our lives?”

At first, Jim looked shocked, glancing between Claire and Blinky, never thinking they would mess with me, even in their frustrations with me.

“Our normal, is whatever we choose to make it,” I pointed out, “There’s no one like us, in the human or magic world. We’re the firsts, and we get to make our own rules, our own way.” I ruffled his hair, genuinely smiling for the first time since we rescued him. “Merlin’s heir and Merlin’s champion. I have a feeling he knew it’d be you.”

“Merlin?” Jim asked, the group pausing ahead as Arrrgh sniffed the air. “You mentioned you talked with him.”

Nodding, I glanced up at the night sky, “In the mana pools. I couldn’t figure out how to reach you in the Darklands and I figured if anyone could tell me, it was Merlin. Well, according to him, I used to call him Uncle Mer.”

“How’d it go?” He stopped, turning fully to face me.

“I needed a change of perspective.” I smiled, turning to him as I summoned the amulet, letting a small amount of my mana enter it, turning the blue disc orange for a moment. “I’m physically and magically tied not only to the amulet, but to you. We’re two sides of the same coin, or in this case,” I paused, watch Jim process my words.

Smiling, he took the amulet from me, tossing it like a coin. “Two sides of the same amulet.”

“You and Claire were both right.” I added, looking at the group, “You may have been chosen to protect our worlds, but Trollhunters protect each other. Something Draal has had to drill into my brain before.”

“No more River shield?” He asked, referring to my stunt in the Quagawump swamps.

“Nah,” I smirked, “I have to trust that my allies can protect you, and each other. Besides, you have an actual shield now.” I snickered, using Draal’s joke.

Arrrgh grunted, heading to the back of a small warehouse. “Here,” he pointed out.

“They’re inside,” Jim snapped his focus back to the task on hand, heading straight for the building.

Toby tried the door but it was locked, Arrrgh stepping in to break the door.

“Hush!” Blinky stopped the large troll. “We must be silent, lest we alert them.”

Jim took to climbing up the side of the building, only able to make it halfway.

Claire and I glanced at each other.

“Um,” she took out her shadow staff, getting Jim’s attention.

“Let me guess, short cut?” Jim asked sarcastically, letting go of the wall.

“River or I could get us in,” She pointed out.

I nudged her shoulder with mine, “Go ahead, practice will help your mana pools grow.”

Nodding she opened a portal, aiming for the other side of the wall. We all quickly jumped in, taking cover behind the crates.

Toby cleared us to continue on as we searched through the warehouse, humming spy music to himself. Opening a crate, he gasped as he pulled out a colorful tube. “We’re in a fireworks warehouse? So cool!”

Arrrgh and Blinky immediately look at me, worried. One highly explosive wizard in the middle of a fireworks warehouse was not ideal.

“Toby, focus.” Claire hissed at him, trying to get him to quiet down. “We’re here to save Chompsky.”

He closed the crate quickly, a look of determination replacing his excitement. “You’re right. But we’re coming back here later.”

“I’m not,” I snickered, following Jim.

He peered around a crate, gasping. We could hear the blood goblins laughing. “Looks like there’s two of ‘em. River and I will flank right, you take left.”

“There should be more, shouldn’t there?” Toby asked, suddenly nervous.

My ears twitched at the sound of growling, glancing up to see a blood goblin on a crate. “Shit!”

The goblin pounced on Blinky’s face, causing the troll to run out where the other two could see him, knocking over several crates of fireworks.

Turning the corner, I groaned seeing that the goblins were the ones that made a fire. “That’s not good!”

The goblins charged, one going for Claire and the other for Arrrgh.

“For the doom of Gunmar,” Jim began, the amulet glowing the wrong color.

“Wrong one!” Toby yelped, activating his war hammer.

“Oops,” Jim winced. “Little rusty. For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!” The armor activated, Jim sent a burst of daylight towards the goblin pinning Claire, barely missing it as the goblin dodged. “A little help River?”

“If we blow up, I’m haunting the past Trollhunters in the void!” I snarled, activating Midnight and aiming for the goblin attacking Blinky. As it tried to jump away, I angled the blade of Midnight down, slicing up in an arc and sending a wave of orange mana slicing through the goblin. “One down!”

The goblin Jim was fighting started to use the stick Chompsky was tied to as a sword, flicking embers out and into the crates of fireworks. Said crates were rapidly catching on fire.

“Fireworks fire! Do we put it out or see what happens?” Toby yelped, bouncing in his panic.

Arrrgh quickly went to Toby and blew on the flames, only making them grow faster. “Oh.” He hummed looking at Toby, “See what happens.”

“River?!” Toby yelped, throwing a firework into the flames watching it explode.

“I didn’t do it!” I yelled, chasing the goblin that was previously attacking Arrrgh. Claire grabbed the fire extinguisher only to find out it was empty, “Don’t you have a water spell?”

“With very good concentration, or it explodes!” I yelped as the goblin jumped from the crates in my blind spot, scratching over the scars from Angor Rot’s final attack. “That's it!” I snarled, black flames erupting over my palms as my anger fueled my magic, the veining on Midnight turning red. I grabbed the goblin and the black flames engulfed it. I threw it off of me, unfortunately into the already growing firework fire, causing the orange flames to turn black, a red glow bathing the warehouse now. “Uh oh… okay” I winced, “that one was me.”

The stick the last goblin was using was launched into the fire, stuck in a crate. Chompsky was tied to it. Claire rushed to him with Blinky, carefully untying him while avoiding the flames.

As Jim sliced through the last goblin, Toby climbed onto a crate in the middle of the madness, “Behold! Our dreams and nightmares are uniting!”

Once free, Chompsky ran past us, back into the flames, emerging moments later carrying his Sally-go-back doll girlfriend.

“We gotta get out of here!” Claire picked Chompsky up, looking at the chaos around us.

Jim ran back to us, “Come on!”

Claire opened a portal directly beneath us and we fell out into an alley.

We watched as the fireworks went off, Blinky and Arrrgh mesmerized by them.

“Fireworks,” Claire sighed, leaning on the shadow staff. “So much nicer from a distance.”

Jim turned, getting our attention to see what Chompsky was up to.

Removing the ring from what was left of his spike, he proposed to his girl, sliding the ring on her thigh when her arms weren’t big enough.

We all clapped for the little gnome, Toby tearing up.

“I’m not sure it’s official, but it’s sweet.” Blinky chuckled.

Jim smiled, “Looks like some good came out of the Darklands, after all.”

“Yeah, you dingus!” Claire laughed, “My brother is back because of you.” She nudged into him with her shoulder. “Some great came out of it. We don’t wanna go back and change that.”

“Thank Deya, if I go through another time jump, I might snap.” I huffed, very glad I hadn’t stumbled upon time magic in my lessons or panic induced casting.

“That’s true,” Jim smiled, “We okay, T.P.?”

“We awesome-sauce.” Toby’s smile quickly turning into a glare. “Although I hate that T.P.’s catching on.”

“So, we shall not return to the past, but shall we return to Trollmarket?” Blinky asked, wincing as he watched Chompsky dancing with the doll. “I feel uncomfortable feeding the gnome’s delusions.”

“Yeah,” Toby agreed as we all paused, “This is getting really awkward.

Claire snickered, elbowing me in the ribs, “You gonna tell Draal that a doll got a ring before you?”

“We’re technically ‘married’ by troll standards,” I rolled my eyes, “I don’t need a ring, I’ve got Draal.”

“That was surprisingly sentimental,” Toby laughed.

“How about that short cut?” Jim asked, turning to Claire.

Smiling, Claire linked her arm with Jim’s. “Actually, let’s walk this time. It’s a nice night out.”

Everyone but Chompsky and I followed them.

“River?” Jim asked, looking back at me worried.

I waved him off, smiling. “You guys go on ahead, I have a mate to get home to.”

Jim smiled, nodding as he turned back, heading off with the others.

My smile slipped once they were out of sight. Looking back to the fireworks. Thinking over the possibility of changing the timeline, I shuddered. I don’t think I’d be able to handle that.

Sighing, I teleported to Draal’s energy, landing in the nest with a bounce.

“Rough night?” He asked, seeing my clothes were singed.

I snickered, sitting up as he walked over to the nest. “Not surprised? I used to make you jump.”

“One, I’ve been able to feel your magic shift since we took the binding cure. Two, you’re deflecting.” He smirked, wiping soot off of my face.

Sighing, I leaned into his chest. “We found blood goblins.” He went stone stiff. “And we sort of blew up a fireworks warehouse… the goblins started the fire.”

“That,” He huffed, trying to gather himself, running his stone hand through my hair. “That was a rough night. Blood goblins.”

“We’re hoping they’re strays that were near the bridge when it opened, all dead now,” I pulled back looking up at him, “but…” I trailed off.

“You’re worried that you’re right, something more dangerous than the Darklands is coming.” Draal sighed.

“I’m worried Gunmar had enough time to escape, even by himself.” I admitted, knowing our stunt to save the others was a risk. “And what the crazy witch will do if he frees her.” My hand ghosted over the locket where the memory of my mother’s final battle rested.

“How do you feel?” Draal asked, seeing my hand hesitate over the locket.

“Like time itself is my worst nightmare,” I shook my head, opening the locket. “If Gunmar is able to release her, I need to face this. I need to know what she’s capable of.”

Draal sat on the nest, pulling me into his lap. “I’m here, whatever you decide.”

Taking out the teardrop that held my last memory of my mother, I looked up at Draal, and broke it.

[sayruq]

As Gaza spirals toward full-scale famine, displaced civilians and health workers told CNN they go hungry so their children can eat what little is available. If Palestinians find water, it is likely undrinkable. When relief trucks trickle into the strip, people clamber over each other to grab aid. Children living on the streets, after being forced from their homes by Israel’s bombardment, cry and fight over stale bread. Others reportedly walk for hours in the cold searching for food, risking exposure to Israeli strikes. Even before the war, two out of three people in Gaza relied on food support, Arif Husain, the chief economist at the World Food Programme (WFP), told CNN. Palestinians have lived through 17 years of partial blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt. Israel’s bombardment and siege since October 7 has drastically diminished vital supplies in Gaza, leaving the entire population of some 2.2 million exposed to high levels of acute food insecurity or worse, according to the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification (IPC), which assesses global food insecurity and malnutrition. Martin Griffiths, the UN’s emergency relief chief, told CNN the “great majority” of 400,000 Gazans characterized by UN agencies as at risk of starving “are actually in famine.” UN human rights experts have warned “Israel is destroying Gaza’s food system and using food as a weapon against the Palestinian people.”

[sagelasters]

scientific study on the void state

For decades, people have thought sleeping is a momental period or pause where both the body and mind is asleep. When I stopped remembering my dreams, I recalled seeing just pitch black in my sleep, and I never thought much about it until I started getting into the void and loa in general. It’s strange how my mind remembered those moments of nothingness and pure darkness, they were briefly short but I came to the conclusion that every single one of us has been in a void state. Whether or not you remembered it, maybe you do, maybe for a split second you were enveloped in pitch blackness till you woke up. Most of us brush off these strange phenomenals, but here’s the real question: Is it possible to be aware in your sleep? The answer is yes, our subconscious mind is fully awake even in your sleep. I think one of the most interesting scientific experiments I’ve read was an interview in 2022, it explores the ‘objectless awareness’ in our sleep. 

There were about 38 participants in the experiment, in which they were given a word to mentally spell and then they were interviewed based on that specific spelling. This is to measure participant’s memory accuracy, just to make sure they didn’t fabricate or make up any descriptions in the experiment. When participants pass the first round, they are given a survey if they have experiences of being conscious in their sleep. The result is that some participants recalled to lack any bodily sensations or imagery, one person reported that they lost the sense of being ‘themself’ but they identified as a ‘light’ or ‘orb’. Another person reported that after being in the state of nothingness, they were shaken up and brought to another ‘dream scenery’. Others recalled that their thoughts were completely non-existent in this state and they are aware of being ‘transitioned’ to what they called the ‘black spot’ and ‘nothingness state’. 

The chart summarizes what the participants experience in their sleep, the ‘nothingness phase’ seems to be the middle ground between regular sleeping state, to hypnagogia (transition between being awake and sleep, you experience sleep paralysis and muscle jerks in this stage). Most participants were unable to recall what happened after they transitioned out of the ‘nothingness phase’. The following is what they said:

Participant 1

"So, this sensation of nothing was letting me know that I was still in a dream, because I made the comparison to, I cannot feel any of my limbs. So, I know that I’m not just in bed right now with my eyes closed. Because none of my body’s there."

Participant 2

"I no longer have an idea of a body.. a dream body at that point. And then I [emphasis] became or was this just like this little ball of light, […]. So like I knew that the sphere of light was ME, but also like the light that was around the sphere was me, […] Once I become the sphere, you are asking if I have any body perception? I do not have any at that point […] having a dream body is just completely gone."

Participant 9

“And then, and then all of a sudden, there was just nothing I could not, I’ve gone from, from my body, I guess. And I’ve had other bodies before and this felt very, very, very different where I did not like there was no dream body, no dream scene. No, no ANYTHING. It almost seems like a form about a body. But it almost seems like you are, you are caught between, caught between somewhere where you are trying to get in and the physical, you are, you are somewhere else. […] And so, so I was able to feel that I guess.” 

Participant 8

“It’s more like I was the void. ”

Participant 12

" It’s just total darkness. And you…, there’s very little difference between you and what’s around you. ”

Well didn’t that blow your mind away? This probably raises more questions on more phenomenal that modern science has no idea about, considering the fact that we just discovered our sense of awareness is still on even in our sleep. 

Citation

Alcaraz-Sánchez A, Demšar E, Campillo-Ferrer T, Torres-Platas SG. Nothingness Is All There Is: An Exploration of Objectless Awareness During Sleep. Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 10;13:901031. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.901031. PMID: 35756253; PMCID: PMC9226678.

[theemporium]

Hey girly! Can i request "Well, hello, sleeping beauty. You fell asleep on me." with Jack Hughes please. Maybe you both are still in the mutual pining phase and while the friend group is hanging you fall asleep on him and protective lovestruck jack wont let anyone mess with you while you sleep with all kinds of tummy butterfly’s and cuteness 💜💟

thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

38. "Well, hello, sleeping beauty. You fell asleep on me."

.

“I swear to god, if you even dare to put that speaker on, I’ll kill you.” 

Cole let out a low whistle, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Geez, Rowdy, no need to get your claws out.” 

Jack’s glare hardened. “She’s sleeping.”

“Yeah,” Quinn deadpanned. “Anyone with two working eyes can see that.” 

“Leave him alone,” Trevor called out, but the grin on his face was anything but sweet. “This is the closest Jack is gonna get to sleeping with her until he grows a pair and tells her how he feels—”

“Shut up,” Jack whisper-yelled, forcing himself not to move too much with you nuzzled against his side. “She might hear you.”

“I thought she was sleeping,” Luke snickered. 

It had been a long day out on the boat. They had all gotten up before sunrise, packing a cooler with food and snacks and drinks before shuffling onto the boat for the day. It was worth the early wake up, seeing the sky break out into oranges and pinks and yellows. The rest of the day had been spent swimming and wakeboarding, waiting for the sunset before they headed back to the lakehouse. 

Somewhere in the long day, the exhaustion had hit you and you had curled up against Jack’s side, cheek pressed against the softness of his hoodie before you fell asleep.

And Jack hadn’t moved a muscle since. 

“You all suck,” Jack grumbled. “The worst people I know.”

“And you’re just—” But whatever Trevor was going to say was quickly cut off when you let out a yawn, whining a little as you pressed your face further into Jack before slowly blinking your eyes open.

You frowned when you found the group staring at you. “What?” 

“Well, hello, sleeping beauty,” Jack grinned down at you, the annoyance and hardset glare long gone as he watched you look up at him. “You fell asleep on me.” 

“S’not my fault you’re comfy,” you murmured, still blinking the sleep away from your eyes. “Did I miss it?” 

“Nah, we still have twenty minutes,” Jack assured you. “And I wouldn’t have let you miss it. I would have woken you up.” 

You smiled sleepily at him. “Yeah?”

“You know I would,” Jack murmured.

“Yeah,” you smiled fondly as something twisted in his chest, warm and fuzzy and overwhelming. “You would.”

“God, this is making me want to throw up,” Trevor grumbled under his breath on the other side of the boat. “Like, in a cute way.”

Cole frowned. “Please don’t. I’ll throw you over if you do.”

.

[mcytblraufest]

Hey mcytblr writers, are you in the mood for a challenge? Looking for something to inspire your creativity? Do you want to make something absolutely kickass? Simply love looking at cool art? What if I told you there was a way you could hit any and or all of those objectives by participating in a mcytblr event?

Well, let me introduce you to the Aufest Reverse Big Bang, currently during Artist Creation period! Artists have a month to make an au mcyt art piece ready to inspire writers, and then writers will have two months to write something 5k or longer, inspired by the art! We currently have over 160 artists in the discord working on their creative pieces, and the sneak previews the mod team have seen has been incredible.

But— we are halfway through the artist's creation period, and we currently have more artists than writers. We don't want any artists to run the risk of going without a writer, so we are looking for more writers! Does writing something inspired by an art piece sound like a challenge you're up for? We're not in the writing phase yet, but we are getting ready for it to start in the beginning of June. Join our discord today, and join all the other writers waiting anxiously for the art to be released next month! We are all sitting around vibrating with excitement while the artists work! It's fun!

We did a poll in the discord today, and we currently have:

62 Hermitcraft pieces being worked on!

52 Traffic series pieces in the works

38 DSMP pieces being created

11 QSMP pieces being made

10 Empires SMP pieces being worked on

1 Origins SMP piece in the works

8 Lifesteal pieces our artists are making

1 SOS SMP piece being worked on

3 Pirates SMP pieces being created

1 MCSR piece being worked on

4 SMPEarth pieces being created

2 SMPLive pieces in the works

1 Vault Hunters piece being made

1 Witchcraft SMP piece being created

2 Sleep Deprived SMP pieces an artist is making

3 Yogscast pieces being created

1 Scenario SMP piece being made

1 Slimecicle Cinematic Universe piece in the works!

And more in the works!

One of these could be your next big project! Come on down to the discord and hang out with us!

And hey, if you're an artist who's just seeing this and you can make an au in two weeks? We're still open to more artists joining too! Everyone is welcome!

[droppingartintotheinfinite]

Crow man

[celaenaeiln]

who do you think each bats' favourite sibling is canonically? i haven't seen much about this outside of super fanon stuff so i'm curious

Let's start with the easiest one!

Tim - Dick

Tim's favorite sibling but also favorite person ever is unquestionably, undoubtedly Dick. This boy adores his big brother. He's full-on obsessed with him.

His thoughts on Dick are just a compilation of praises about him and his inner dialogue simply consists of a series of hero worship.

Robin (1993) Issue #32

Red Robin Issue #23

Sometimes I ponder about Dick and Tim's relationship because I feel like what Tim wants from Dick isn't just a brother, I feel like he wants him to be a parent which is part of the reason why Tim and Damian don't get along.

Because the truth is, before Damian came along, Tim was Dick's robin first. And Tim loved it.

(This post was on hold for months because I needed that exact panel where Tim says to Dick "It's obvious he wants us to be the new batman and Robin." BuT i CaNt FiNd It. I literally give up, if anyone know what panel I'm referring to people reblog it with the panel and I'll upload it with the post)

Dick was Tim's Robin and everything he did he wanted to live up to him

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Scorched Earth

Look at what he says about Dick:

Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying

Even before Dick and Tim met again, Tim started working out just so he could be like his idol. Tim literally says to Dick "My grades are okay but I studied because I wanted to just like you."

You know what they say about idols and pedestals and never meeting your heroes? The opposite is true for Tim about Dick. After meeting Dick for the second time, his idol worship grew so much it shattered every ceiling in existence.

Tim loves him so so much. People sometimes misunderstand and think that Tim hated Dick when he fired him from Robin but it wasn't hate that Tim felt. It was jealousy. Jealousy over Dick choosing Damian over him.

Tim even solely used the Red Robin persona for the mere reason that he didn't want to dirty Dick's Robin by stigmatizing it with his less ethical actions.

Damian - Dick

Obviously. The only reason I said Tim was the easiest is because Tim's inner and outer thoughts about Dick can be complied to create volumes of fanbooks of flowing poetry about him. Damian on the other hand is more of a tsundere, but there's still only one person who he loves aside from his father and even more than.

Robin War Issue #1

If there were any doubts, I don't think this panel could be any clearer about who Damian's favorite is.

Stephanie - Cass

Batgirl (2000) Issue #38

Cass - Stephanie

Batgirls (2016) Issue #14

Damn.

Steph and Cass are each other's favorites

Detective Comics (1937) Issue #945

Duke - noone? everyone?

Like actually I can't pick out one person Duke likes the best. You're either on his wavelength or he's snarking you off it. He's the type of guy where everyone likes him and he's chilling by himself, doing whatever he wants.

Jason - Dick

Out of the batkids who did deal with Jason during his worst phase, Dick is unilaterally his favorite. Sometimes when I think about Jason's relationship with Bruce, I'm reminded of how much Jason and Bruce are alike sometimes because Jason's view on Dick is almost identical to Bruce's view on Dick and they even have similar reactions. We all know that Bruce hero-worships Dick. Time and time again, Bruce emphasizes, stresses, and talks about how amazing Dick is and how he's so much better than him, and constantly places Dick on a pedestal. The issue comes when Dick doesn't want to do what Bruce wants him to do because he believes that Dick is an extension of himself, his better half, and he's furious when Dick doesn't follow or accept what he's doing because Dick should know what Bruce is trying to do because he's supposed to be better than him, how dare he stop him, etc.

Jason acts in similar ways to Dick. There's a whole issue where Jason gets fear gassed and one of his biggest fears is Dick. More specifically, it's about how amazing Dick is and never living up to him because in Jason's eyes, Dick is absolutely perfect. There is no one better than him because he is the peak of everything. He places Dick on the highest pedestal there is and he kind of safeguards Dick there in his heart. He used to get really angry because he believes Dick is the best but also refuses to let Dick be anything other than the best. The best way I have to explain them is Jason holding Dick prisoner as a result of his hero worship.

Once Jason is slightly calmer, his relationship dynamics with everyone became really clear, as well as what he thinks of them and it's shown how the way he treats Dick is just different.

Task Force Z Issue #8

Grayson Issue #12

"You don't do that to your--you don't do that to another Robin!"

He was going to say brother 🥺🥺

In this scene, it's pretty obvious that Jason loves Dick a lot but he's obviously not going to be all fuzzy feelings about it because he likes to be edgy. Jason's a little confusing in general for people to understand because they expect him to be nice and open but Jason's not nice, he's just nicer to the people he likes. Once we start understanding that, he becomes clearer.

And to Dick -

Nightwing (2016) Issue #15

-He's exceptionally nicer.

DC's Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun Issue #1

Another example of why Jason loves Dick the most is because in the comics, Jason doesn't work with anyone in the family unless he has to unless it's Dick because he chooses to work with Dick by choice.

Dick - Tim or Damian

Dick adores Tim so freaking much. He loves him so, so much.

Nightwing (1996) Issue #139

Catch me crying behind my sunglasses at Dick kissing Tim's head lovingly 😭

Robin (1993) Issue #12

I just love these soft touch moments Dick has with Tim. It's so incredibly sweet.

He was Tim's mentor

The New Titans (1988) Issue #65

and a really good one too.

He loves him-

Detective Comics (1937) Issue #696

-so much.

(I'd add more panels but I ran out of image space :'0)

I genuinely cannot say who he loves more at all. I can't even pick. I really do think he loves them evenly because when I think about leaning one side, more evidence comes to mind for the other side like a pair of counter weights.

Damian...I don't really need to say any words because the pictures speak for themselves

Batman (2016) Issue #34

Grayson Issue #12

aldskjdhkdjfhldfah;dh. Look at what he gave his son! A souvenir from the first time his dad met his mom because Dick knows how much Damian loves his parents <333!! There's nothing I can even say more.

Here's my previous post on Dick and Damian's relationship.

[aethon-recs]

This Week in Tomarrymort (23 – 29 August 2024)

An exciting week in Tomarrymort land! 🎉 Some highlights and news:

aurora polaris (E, 217k, Voldemort wins AU with a side of amnesia!Harry) by @aglassroseneverfades finished with a 2-chapter update.

A Dangerous Game (E, 316k, Diary Tom in Harry's time) by @cybrid updated with a 9-chapter drop, and we are one chapter (only the epilogue!) away from the end.

AO3 user beetaker dropped a 135k completed fic this week alone??? (Dulce Et Decorum Mori - E, 135k, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle grow up together) It’s rarer than a blue moon that we see huge drops like this in Tomarry, so be sure not to miss it, as the whole fic posted all in this week.

The @tomarryverse Discord server is running a fest (AO3 collection link).

See below for a list of either ongoing Tomarrymort fics that I’m subscribed to or one shots that I found while browsing that were updated in the last week.

Previous Tomarrymort weeklies: 7-15 August 2024 | 15-22 August 2024

*

Tomarrymort One Shots and Completed Fic

Chapters 38 and 39 (complete) of aurora polaris by @aglassroseneverfades

Chapters 1 through 10 (complete) of Dulce Et Decorum Mori by beetaker

One Shot | Big Things by @dividawrites

One Shot | phases of the moon by @jjaegerb0mb

One Shot | fundamentals of internet safety by @cindle-writes

One Shot | New Category: Pining Homosexuals by kcg07

One Shot | The Snake Speakers by sparrowshellcat

One Shot | Dawn Over Dust by Wolf_of_Lilacs

*

Tomarrymort Ongoing Fics

Chapters 52 through 60 of A Dangerous Game by @cybrid

Chapter 6 of Ills of Murder by @shadow-of-the-eclipse

Chapter 6 of Anytime, Anywhere, Always by @moontearpensfic

Chapter 31 of Part One - The Solitude of Suffering by @iseliljathedreamer

Chapter 6 of Like we were before by tzutzutrain

Chapters 1 and 2 of Hole in the Wall by tomrddle

Chapter 5 of Saint Harry by @alenablack @chaos-bear

Chapter 32 of Terrible, But Great by @isalisewrites

Chapters 114 through 116 of Liquida Tenebris (Remastered) by @dymis

Chapter 14 of Learning to love by @l-archiduchesse

Chapter 9 of Lovely and the Lion by @skellington24

Chapter 13 of Outrunning the Villain in You by @zenyteehee

Chapter 9 of Unfamiliar Recognition by @karnage-tsurugi

Chapter 8 of A Snake in the Grass by @teaandsweaters9

Chapter 3 of the silence in between by ermineah

Chapter 19 of What In Me Is Dark, Illumine by @telelli-writes

Chapter 1 of In My Lover's Room (i am free) by @bunnieblair

Chapter 7  of we made universes out of bitten lips and broken hands by @boyneptunee

Chapter 2 of quid pro quo by marshall_1300

Chapter 6 of His condition by @ciacconne

Chapter 16 of Date Ideas for the Linguistically Inclined by Antique_Mango

Chapter 4 of These Fragments We've Shored by @rowena-rain

Chapter 1 of friend of the devil (a friend of mine) by @shyinsunlight

Chapter 3 of Cane Sugar by @blogalinda @cindle-writes @reggieblk @telectronique

Chapter 1 of before the day is done by @midsummersins

Chapter 3 of midnight train by @girl-with-goats

Chapter 5 of God is a Wizard by @onehitpleb

Chapter 4 of In a world where you and I dance by thelxiepeia

Chapter 19 of Occultation by TimaeusKosmou

*

[blueiscoool]

900 Artifacts From Ming Dynasty Shipwrecks Found in South China Sea

The trove of objects—including pottery, porcelain, shells and coins—was found roughly a mile below the surface.

Underwater archaeologists in China have recovered more than 900 artifacts from two merchant vessels that sank to the bottom of the South China Sea during the Ming dynasty.

The ships are located roughly a mile below the surface some 93 miles southeast of the island of Hainan, reports the South China Morning Post’s Kamun Lai. They are situated about 14 miles apart from one another.

During three phases over the past year, researchers hauled up 890 objects from the first vessel, including copper coins, pottery and porcelain, according to a statement from China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA). That’s just a small fraction of the more than 10,000 items found at the site. Archaeologists suspect the vessel was transporting porcelain from Jingdezhen, China, when it sank.

The team recovered 38 items from the second ship, including shells, deer antlers, porcelain, pottery and ebony logs that likely originated from somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

Archaeologists think the ships operated during different parts of the Ming dynasty, which lasted from 1368 to 1644.

Many of the artifacts came from the Zhengde period of the Ming dynasty, which spanned 1505 to 1521. But others may be older, dating back to the time of Emperor Hongzhi, who reigned from 1487 to 1505, as Chris Oberholtz reported last year.

Archaeologists used manned and unmanned submersibles to collect the artifacts and gather sediment samples from the sea floor. They also documented the wreck sites with high-definition underwater cameras and a 3D laser scanner.

The project was a collaboration between the National Center for Archaeology, the Chinese Academy of Science and a museum in Hainan.

“The discovery provides evidence that Chinese ancestors developed, utilized and traveled to and from the South China Sea, with the two shipwrecks serving as important witnesses to trade and cultural exchanges along the ancient Maritime Silk Road,” says Guan Qiang, deputy head of the NCHA, in the agency’s statement.

During the Ming dynasty, China’s population doubled, and the country formed vital cultural ties with the West. Ming porcelain, with its classic blue and white color scheme, became an especially popular export. China also exported silk and imported new foods, including peanuts and sweet potatoes.

The period had its own distinctive artistic aesthetic. As the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art writes, “Palace painters excelled in religious themes, moralizing narrative subjects, auspicious bird-and-flower motifs and large-scale landscape compositions.”

The shipwreck treasures aren’t the only recent discoveries in the South China Sea, according to CBS News’ Stephen Smith. Just last month, officials announced the discovery of a World War II-era American Navy submarine off the Philippine island of Luzon.

By Sarah Kuta.

[starfallsystemblog2]

ULTIMATE SCENE/EMO ASK GAME

(´• ω •`)ﾉ 。.:☆*:･’ ☆*:.｡. ⊂(･ω･*⊂)

1. Are you more Scene or Emo?

2. Were you ever into Never Shout Never?

3. Fringes or Raccoontails?

4. Bright and colorful hair, or dark black hair?

5. Gloomy bear or Hello Kitty?

6. How often do you shop at a HotTopic?

7. How many band posters do you have up?

8. Have you watched Invader Zim? If so, who’s your favorite character?

9. Opinion on Gerard Way?

10. Waffles or Tacos?

11. Have you played Gaia?

12. Dear Maria or Check Yes Juliet?

13. Do you drink Monster?

14. Have you had a scene phase before?

15. Do you make Kandi?

16. Do you wear a lot of Kandi?

17. Do you have a Blingee account? And/or make Blingees?

18. Are you a furry? If so, what’s your fursona like?

19. Do you listen to BVB, AA, or BMTH?

20. Do you have Funko Pops?

21. Do you watch Anime?

22. Do you play Animal Jam?

23. Are you okay?

24. Are you Lol Xd Randum??

25. Opinion on Nyan Cat?

26. Big hair or big accessories?

27. Have you ever had MySpace? Do you still?

28. Want any emo/scene tattoos?

29. Have any emo/scene tattoos?

30. Do you like Furbies?

31. xD, Xd or XD?

32. Do you like Care Bears?

33. Is Avril Lavigne a clone?

34. Do you want fangs?

35. Does emo/scenecore make you happy?

36. Have you dyed your hair? If so, what colors and how long ago?

37. Do you want/have any piercings?

38. Do you wish you were in a band?

39. What Warrior Cats clan are you in?

40. Is Gir annoying?

41. Have you ever played Imvu?

42. Are you a Killjoy or a Youngblood?

43. Do you have any emo/scene friends IRL?

44. Who’s your favorite scene/emo blog?

45. Do you wear Converse?

46. Does “Rawr” mean “I love you” in Dinosaur?

47. Favorite Pokemon?

48. Do you like Decora fashion?

49. Do you like Sparkle Dogs?

50. Show us the most emo/scene picture of you!

Reblog and have fun! But make sure not to reblog without asking someone a question!!!!!!

[mapoeggplant]

skip to loafer and the "i love you as a person" message

skip to loafer general spoilers

one thing that i'll always be very grateful of skip to loafer is really how they highlight so much the "i love you as a person" mindset — and how that is present in all the narrative, not only on shima and mitsumi's relationship.

this is not only important for the story's target audience, but it also opens the door to a discussion about the value of platonic relationships, which are often "denied" because they are not as "important" as romantic love. and this happens not only when mistumi tells shima that she will like him no matter what happens or who he is — the message spreads to other characters as well.

one of the examples i love most is the moment mika confesses to shima. throughout the chapter, all of her insecurities are exposed and she tirelessly hurt herself saying things like how she doesn't deserve to have someone who likes her in any way (a reflection of the way she was treated throughout her adolescence). this dissolves when shima refuses to throw away the valentine's gift she made especially for him and thanks her for all the care she took with it — an affirmation that her hard work has been recognized and appreciated. this shows mika that she is a person who deserves love and to be valued. for the first time, mika understands that she is being seen as a person, as someone who deserves to be treated well and be recognized.

i know that many people must be thinking that there was an intention for a romantic development in this scene and yes, i agree. after all, mika went to him to confess her feelings. but the way in which the scene was handled makes me think that being seen as a valid person to have feelings was worth much more to her than having her romantic feelings reciprocated — and this, in my opinion, comes back to prominence in chapter 54, when nao, once again, recognizes her pain and connects with it (the appreciation of the "self" when you find someone who understands where you’re hurt).

(...)

(this part wasn't included on the original analysis, but later on I decided to add:

oh my god i was so focused on some very specific scenes for mika that this one slipped my mind and i feel so bad for that! this moment is one of the most important for mika’s development and it also highlight the first time she was seen as a person (by no other than nao). since that day, mika holds nao to a very important place in her heart. i feel that she, at that time, said exactly what mika needed to hear to feel validated and to feel comfortable enough to just go back and spend the night with the girls. if it wasn’t for nao at that time, mika would probably go home and regret ever making this decision — and this ties directly to chapter 54.)

(...)

the second character i want to talk about is yuzuki and all the times he had his identity erased thanks to other people's selfishness.

since the opening of chapter 38, yuzuki talks about how she was always seen as someone whose time was numbered: there was a countdown until the day she achieved "true beauty" and began to be an object of desire, no longer a person. this not only happens thanks to the disgusting adult men that surround you, but also thanks to the friends she tried to make in middle school, one of the most important times of a child’s life, phase where they are beginning to recognize themselves as a person.

yuzuki is simply seen as a object of status to the boys in her class, while to the girls, she’s someone who was only interested in "diminishing others with her beauty" — something she never did, but never even had the chance to defend herself. 

Thanks to that, yuzu is forced to grow up without having an identity of her own, but one forced on her, causing her to rebel and refuse to open up to new people. she had her feelings denied, being defended only when there was a sexual/romantic interest in the mix and forced to believe that she was being selfish for denying such a privilege of being "spoiled" and "admired" by everyone, all the time.

yuzu gets her chance to be valued as a person when she enters high school and meets mitsumi and the other girls. she is, for the first time, seen as a person, seen as a yuzuki, seen as someone who has the right to impose herself and be selfish, something she has never been able to be before. her feelings are not diminished or seen as "not valid enough” but most importantly: she’s finally heard. 

and then, i think we have one of the most important “i love you like a person” moment: the breakup chapter. chapter 46 is a huge twist to skip to loafer’s romantic narrative, which i myself appreciate a lot. kind of a personal twist here, but it’s a breath of fresh air for someone like me, a demi girl, who always had a little trouble with understanding love when i was their age — and now, basically ten years later, mitsumi’s words not only reached shima, but it also reached me and other thousands of readers who needed to hear something like that.

but well, let’s get back on track. chapter 46 is one of the first times we see shima talking about his past relationship with other people and going a little more in-depth with his relationship with his mom. the core message of it all and the core line that guides all of his personal connections is very simple and highlight why shima have so many trust issues: no one ever saw him as a person, but only as a status object, as someone who was there to be used for their own benefit. shima was used by his mother when she forced him to keep on acting, was used by his peers in a situation a little similar with yuzuki (ofc not completely equal, because we need to remember that gender roles also have a huge influence on how both stories developed (see ririka, for exemple. i have a whole thread on her as well, but this is another topic), when both felt like they were nothing but puppets to the ones around him. 

when shima is sitting by mitsumi’s side, he starts to wonder if he really deserves all of that, if he really deserves someone like mitsumi near him. he doesn’t understand his feelings as a whole, because he was never given the opportunity to really explore them and try to dissect it all — this is brought up once again on chapter 53, when he starts to discuss with mukai what it means to love someone in a romantic way (and why loving them as a person isn’t enough on society’s eyes). 

he’s not, at any point, using mitsumi or making fun of her feelings. imagine if you were never allowed to think for yourself and then, suddenly, you have the freedom to do so. how does one express something they never had? how does one understand what it means to have a feeling, any feeling, if all they ever felt was guilt?

and that’s when the bigger bomb hits the scene: mitsumi, seeing how troubled he is, shows how important he is and how she values him as a person. it might seem silly to a lot of people, but just hearing someone saying “i will always like you as a person, no matter who you end up being” when all you ever heard in your life was how useless you were, makes you whole world crumble on the spot. he was seen, he was heard, he was understood. mitsumi valued him to the point of assuring him that a romantic relationship wasn’t more important than the platonic one they had. isn’t that beautiful?

to finish it off, i think the conversation the girls have on chapter 57 is also extremely important to the narrative and to the overall message. by not wanting the girls to see shima in a terrible light, mitsumi is, once again, putting their relationship as friends above any other romantic relationship they could have. she shows how much she values him and how much he is important to her — she sees shima as a person, not as an object. 

and then, makoto comes to picture with a beautiful speech about how loving someone (any kind of love, not one or another) is to hope that they are happy, content, being taking care of and being comfortable with their own feelings. by forcing someone to feel anything you selfish want, you’re not valuing them as a person with their own feelings and insecurities, but only seeing them as a way to satisfy yourself.

of course, i’m not here to defend everyone and say that they never hurt anyone. yes, shima did hurt mitsumi and she still not completely over it, but she’s way worried with losing him as a friend than forcing something out of a relationship that both don’t feel very comfortable with. mitsumi herself is also someone who is slowly understanding her feelings and understanding what it means to love romantically — but never putting the platonic side aside, since there is no right way to love someone.

thank you so much for reading!! i hope i was clear about the points i was trying to bring up, but i'm always open to discussion!!! 💛