#so combining them like this was. yeah. like crack 2 me

[suckinitup]

i got curious and uh

and when i started listening to prime defenders:

yeah i m normalmode

[circeyoru]

What if there's a side story of Collection Of Overlords where the hotel crew accidentally made Bambi, specifically from Unwanted Soul HAHAHA

Like, another of one Charlie's random activities that they wanted to know Alastor more, and they kept bugging him so Alastor just thought about telling them about his voodoo stuff

And the Charlie wanted him to show them, and Alastor hesitantly accepted, but then some like, loud crash or something interrupted Alastor's spell that made..

Our little Cursed Cat! Bambi!

HAHAHAH

Everyone was stunned, and Alastor literally panicked when he realized Bambi took a run towards Collector/Reader's room

Cat's are liquid, so Bambi slipped right under the crack of the door making Alastor have a heart attack 😭

But once Alastor slammed the door open and was about to protest, Collector/Reader had already picked up the cursed cat and is petting it

"MY LIEGE-"

"hmm? Oh Alastor, did you know about this adorable kitty? You two resemble alot"

3am thoughts.. THEYRE EATING ME UP

OH OH!!! Cursed Cat Alastor strikes again!! This series' first Cursed Cat Alastor appearance!!!

I'm pretty sure a lot of people already know Alastor's Reader's/your favourite Elite in your collection. Plus Alastor's actively keeping it only belonging to him. And what happens when Cursed Cat Alastor comes along? Well...

In this story, I don't think Alastor's willing to share his power without cause or a good reason, cause you play a role in his vast abilities, so he's not gonna show them off like that. He's trying to mimic your mysteriousness. So in this ask, (1) Alastor's not gonna join Charlie's activities when you're in the hotel, (2) Alastor won't let Charlie learn much of him as he believes you're the only one that should know -cause you own his soul so him too-, and (3) Alastor's not gonna entertain Charlie like that.

So how does Curse Cat Alastor appear?

Let's say, Alastor was performing his duties. He's testing some powers you lend him in order to reconstruct his room to what it was before (remember half of his room was a literal swamp? yeah, that) and then some new features to prove he can handle things. Then Charlie and Vaggie suddenly burst into his room unannounced and he messed up.

Poof! Cursed Cat Alastor is here!!

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Charlie tried apologizing so many times "We didn't knock cause it was urgent." Vaggie somewhat lied They didn't catch the red creature that run through them and out of Alastor's room Alastor sighed, a bit annoyed but kept his composure, "What is it that you need, Charlie?" Vaggie watched the cat run, "Huh, it's going to that guest's room. You know, that one that actually paid."

Remember how it was with Alastor and your powers combined? Yee, Cursed Cat Alastor is literally built to locate you. Not only that, but it shares the same affection Alastor would to you. So? Competition!

Alastor panics and immediately runs after it, he can't risk using his powers cause he didn't want to mess anything up.

Meanwhile, you're in the library, looking through a number of books that float around you. As usual, your eyes remained closed. You sat in a chair without anything near you apart from the floating opened books. Your concentration broken when you heard scratching sounds directly below you. You paused in your reading and leaned over to see what was making that noise.

"Hello, you."

You heard the static meow from the cat that weirdly resembles Alastor way too much. You weren't aware of any hell version of a cat being red or having that kind of smile, not to mention owning and wearing a mini monocle.

"Aren't you cute?"

You reached to pick it up slowly, to test and see if it would claw at you or express defense. If it was a cat, then they don't like to be touched too much. Truly reminds you of Alastor. You noticed it shaking a bit and turned it to the side to see its tail wagging happily and excitedly.

You carefully placed it on your lap, letting it make itself comfortable. It purred loudly with static effects when you started patting its head, then moving down its back. You hummed along and smiled. When you asked if it could understand you, it nodded and purred, its head nudging into your stomach.

"Any owner?"

It hissed loudly, but then its ears drooped down and bowed its head down as if apologizing for its rude actions.

Your smile widened, got to love its personality and the resemblance it had with Alastor. So... "Let's forget your old owner, now, you follow me."

It meowed loudly, sitting at attention as if sensing what you're about to do.

Your fingers snapped and a black collar appeared, "Let's name you Red, you're fur was the first thing I noticed, you see."

The collar was inscribed with the bolded and capitalized name 'RED' with a wave of your finger and placed around its neck. Red purred and hugged you in gratitude.

"My Liege!" The doors burst opened and in rushed Alastor who looked like he fought krakens barehanded. His eyes glared down at Red who was in your wonderful hold. "I apologize for troubling your reading time, but I'll be removing this... thing that has taken up your space."

"Oh, no need. This is my new pet, Red. Red, say hello to Alastor."

Red hissed at Alastor and leaned closer to you.

Alastor emitted deafening static at the creature with his head tilted to the side.

You smile, "Aww, you two are getting aloud already~"

The characters are from {Collection of Overlords} here, you can check it out in MASTERLIST for the works

[five-rivers]

Cracked Clay Cup Chapter 2

For @greatbigolhampuckjustforme

“How is this organized, anyway?” asked Daniel.  “It isn't alphabetical.”

Clockwork shuddered.  “The debate about which alphabet to use would be interminable.  No.  The list is arranged from eldest to youngest, with groups being averaged.”

“So, the oldest person is on top and the youngest person is on the bottom.”

“That is correct.”

Daniel hummed and wiped up the last of his syrup up off his plate with the last piece of his pancake.  “This Jasmine person is the youngest person who wants me.  Ick, that sounded wrong somehow.”

“She is the youngest person,” said Clockwork.  He was doing something strange with the plates in the sink.  

“Is she, like, really into plants or flowers or something?”

“Are you really into Daniels?”

“I mean.  I don’t know.  My memory’s been erased and all.  For all I know, my name isn’t even Daniel.  It could be William.  Or David.”  Still, he got the point.  He shook his head.  “Ghosts just picking random names.  What is the world coming to?”

“You could always choose to go by another name,” said Clockwork, mildly.  “You are not trapped in it.”

“I know,” said Daniel.  “I’ll keep it for now, though.  Is, um, is the…”

“Her section of the file is colored teal.”

“Thanks,” said Daniel.  He flipped through.  “These aren’t in the same order, you know.”

“I know,” said Clockwork.  He sounded very put upon.  

“You’re not the one who does the organizing, huh?”

“If only I were.”

Daniel looked over the teal pages.  There wasn’t a lot of information on them.  The name, Jasmine, her height, hair color, eye color, a few lines about interests.  

“Not a lot here.”

“You are meant to form your own opinions,” said Clockwork.  

“Enjoys pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge?” he read from the page.  “Interested in modern psychology and brain surgery?”  He looked up at Clockwork.  “This sounds like mad scientist material.”

“You can always skip her, if you feel uncomfortable.”

“No, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to be fair.  So, uh, let’s go.  Let’s do this.”

“In your pajamas?” 

“Well, it’s not like I have anything else, do I?”

“In fact, you do.  There is a closet in your room upstairs.”

“With clothes that are mine?”

“With clothes in a variety of styles in your size.  They are all new, acquired for this process, although you can keep them afterward.”

“So, no way to figure out my style except for experimentation.  Cool.  Great.  Another mystery to solve.”

“Think of it as an interesting puzzle.  An amusing way to pass the time, whilst you are experiencing the various persons who wish to gain custody of you.”

“Uh huh,” said Daniel, pushing his chair out.  “I’m going to go get changed.  Do I need to pack a bag, too, or what?”

“What, in this case.  Any clothing and toiletries you need will be sent to you.”

Daniel nodded and climbed back up the stairs to ‘his’ room.  There was a closet there that he hadn’t noticed before, across from the bathroom.  He opened the door and started to shift through the different outfits.  

That one was too complicated… ugh, weird texture… too much body exposure… ooh, gothic… but also complicated… nice skirt… robe… kilt?  He prodded at the maybe-kilt a little.  He wasn’t sure that it was a kilt.  Well, whatever.  Jeans.  T-shirt.  Hm.  Tempting, if only for its simplicity.  But maybe he wanted something that vibed with his tail a bit better.  Ooh, Egyptian.  

Eventually, he hit on a combination of loose pants, long shirt, and fringed wrap.  Yeah.  That would look good.  Comfortable.  He took off his pajamas and fluffed his tail.  That did feel good.  He put on the pants, then the shirt, and then discovered he did not have great skills with wraps.  So.  He probably didn’t wear them on a daily basis.  Still, with the help of the bathroom mirror, he managed to get it into a more or less presentable arrangement.  He thought he looked good, anyway, and that was all that mattered.  After all, if they already were getting into fights over custody of him, he didn’t exactly have to dress to impress.  

He went back down the stairs, to where Clockwork was waiting, staff in hand.  “Okay, I’m ready.  How do I look?”

“Dressed,” said Clockwork.  

“Helpful,” said Daniel.  

“I am to please.”

“So… How do we get there?”

“Through this,” said Clockwork.  He held up the staff, and a portal spun off the clock at its top.  Then, he held out a small pocketwatch.  “When you want to return, merely click the button on top.”

“Okay,” said Daniel, taking it and looping it's chain around his neck.  “And… I just go through?  No other tricks?”

“No other tricks.  It is the journey of a single step.”

“Right,” said Daniel.  He took a deep breath and stepped forward.  

The transition between places really was smooth.  One minute, he was in Clockwork's purple kitchen, the next, he was in what looked like a completely normal entryway.  

There was a girl there.  She looked human, and was about half a foot taller than he was.  Her hair was red and her cardigan was the same teal as her paper in the file.  Her eyes, too, were blue.  She… really didn’t look like a ghost at all.  She didn’t particularly look like him, either, except for her skin color.  Unless maybe some of her facial features were similar?  Nose shape, perhaps?  He didn’t really remember what he looked like well enough to say.

But, definitely, what stood out the most about her was the fact that she was a girl.  A teenager.  Not a woman, not really.  She couldn’t be more than a few years older than he was.

“Danny,” she said, jumping out of the chair and starting to smile at him. “Hi, I’m–”  She stopped.  

The girl stared.  Daniel stared back.  

“Danny, what are you wearing?” she asked.  

“Clothing,” he said.  He didn’t think this kind of outfit had any particular name.  At least, if it did, he didn’t know it.

“Oh.”

“And… you’re…”

“Oh!  I’m Jazz!  You… really don’t remember me?”

Daniel shook his head, slowly.  

“Well… They did tell me that would happen…”

“I knew you before?”

“Yes!  Yes.  I… was your mother.  Am your mother!”

“Uh,” said Daniel.  “You’re, like, seventeen.  Eighteen, maximum.”

“Time travel was involved.”

“Time travel.”

“Time travel.  You know how things are in the ghost zone.  You get a natural portal, and then, boom!  You’re fifteen years in the past, or the future!”  She laughed, nervously.  “But I’m here, now!  This version of me.  Who is definitely your mother.”

Daniel realized, then, that just because the memory wipe meant that he couldn’t know what his prior connections were, that didn’t mean that other people couldn’t try to capitalize on them.  Or lie about them.  Or lie about them badly.  

“Time travel,” said Daniel, again.  

“I mean, you’re staying with Clockwork, right?”

“Uh, yeah, so?”

“So, he’s sort of a major player in the time travel scene, right?”

“He is?”  It’d explain the clock theme, at least.  

“He is.”

“Oh.  Cool.”  He still didn’t believe her time travel story, though.  “So, like.  If you were time traveling, who raised me?”

“Your, uh, grandparents.  But they can’t really, uh, do it, anymore.  For reasons.  And I’m back!  In the proper time!   So I want to take care of you now.  And this will start our bonding bonanza!  We can start with a tour of the house!”

What.  She did not just say that.  

“Are they the ones who’re disputing your custody?  Because it is a dispute, right?  That’s what this thing is all about.”

“I mean, um, there are seven groups, right?  Counting me?  So, no, it’s not because of them.”

“Right,” said Daniel.  That didn’t rule them out, though.  Maybe they were the ones at the top of the list.

“So, obviously, this is the entryway… At least, you know, when there’s a door.”

Daniel looked behind him.  There was, indeed, no door.  “What?”

“Something about the rules to these things.  We’re not supposed to leave for the duration.”

“What about food?”

“It’s brought in, the same way you were.  So, over here is the kitchen.”

The kitchen was a long, galley affair, with tile countertops and cute floral backsplashes.  It was much more normal than Clockwork’s, at least in terms of colors.  There was a fridge, a microwave, a toaster, and a dishwasher.  

“Do you know who the other six groups are?”

“I mean… I have a guess about some of them, but I don’t really know.  I’d thought Clockwork would be one of them for sure, but…”

“What, really?”  That, at least, didn’t seem like a lie.  “But he’s the neutral party?”

“Yes,” said Jazz.  “But I thought that the two of you were close.  But maybe it was more along the lines of being, I don’t know, work friends.”

“Huh,” said Daniel.  “I… Okay.”

“Yes.  Okay.  So, the fridge is completely safe, no biological or ectobiological samples stored in it.  Just food.  Normal, edible food.  We’ll do the dishes together, of course.  Cups are in here, dishes, pots and pans–”

“Your profile said you were interested in brain surgery,” said Daniel.  

“Oh, yes, that’s one of the things I’m thinking about studying in college!  Once I get into college.  Which will be soon.”

“So, you don’t have, like, a mad science lab in here where you do brain surgery or something like that?”

The girl stared at him.  “Are… you sure you don’t remember anything?”

This was not a promising question.  “Yeah, why?”

“Because you’re assuming that I have a mad science lab in here.  I’m  a high school senior.”

“Which means it’s weird that you’re here with a house at all.”

She made a face.  “It’s… I had some help getting it.  The house, I mean.  But there’s no mad science lab.  There will never be a mad science lab.  Unless you want a mad science lab.  I could probably make some calls.”

“I don’t want a mad science lab.  Why would I want a mad science lab?”

“I don’t know, to tinker in?  You used to do some, um, tinkering.  Mechanical engineering stuff.”

“That’s more of a garage thing, though, isn’t it?”

“I… don’t know.  You only ever did it in the lab.”

“So, we used to have a mad science lab.”

“That’s– I mean–  No.”

Definitely a lie.  They totally had a lab.  Or, at least, Jazz used to have a lab.  What was going on that they had a lab?  Something sinister, doubtlessly.  

“Did you dissect brains in this lab?”

“No!  Like I said, I’m only a student.  A student that is interested in a lot of things, but right now, my thesis is about Ghost Envy.”

“You’re a high school student with a thesis?”

“I’m a high achiever.  Have to make up for all that time lost time traveling.  You’d think you’d gain time!  But.  Yeah.”  She smiled tightly and nodded.  “Living room next!  We have a, er, one of those consoles.  For video games.  I got it from a friend.”

Daniel let Jazz drag him around the house.  It was kind of nice, except for how nervous she got whenever he probed about his past or her supposed time travel.  He didn’t really feel threatened by her, per se, but the lying… it definitely gave him a bit of, how should he put this, anxiety.  

“And here’s your bedroom, Danny!”

The bedroom was actually really cool.  Unlike the rest of the rooms, it had a very clear, very obvious theme beyond just house people can live in.  The theme was space.  The walls and ceiling were painted with constellations.  There were model rockets on shelves.  The desk had an astrolabe and a small model solar system on it, alongside astronomy books.  There were also some novels, composition notebooks and sketchbooks, alongside a variety of markers, but those were tiny points about the overwhelming amount of space.  Even the decorative throw cushions on the bed had galaxy patterns on them!

Danny… he really liked it.  He guessed he had to admit that, at least, Jazz had known him before, and had known him reasonably well.  Even if she wasn’t his mother.  

She’d also turned around to play with a deadbolt on the door.  

“It locks from the inside, because, well, I figured you’d be a bit nervous, staying with someone you know nothing about, and a lock might make you feel safer.”

She wasn’t wrong about that.  “Hey, speaking of safety, you’re still, like, alive?  Human?”

“Yes?” said Jazz.

“Isn’t it a bit weird, trying to get custody of a ghost?”

“Oh, um, I suppose it’s a bit unusual, but you’re my b– My son.  Definitely my son.  So, it’s worth it.  It doesn’t matter to me if you’re a ghost or a human or– Wait, Clockwork told you, right?”

“Told me… what?”

“That you’re not, you know, a normal ghost.”

“I… he might have said something about that.  About being an unusual kind of ghost.”

“So he didn’t tell you that you’re only half ghost?”

“That’s not a thing.”

“It’s a thing.  You can change back and forth between a human - more human - form, and a ghost form.  Like this.”  She gestured at him.  

Danny stared at her.  “That’s not a thing.”

“It is!  Oh, jeez, I can’t believe Clockwork left it to me to explain.”  She crossed her arms and turned away.  “I don’t know how to explain this.”

“Wait, does that mean my dad is a ghost in this story?  Are you saying that you, as a human, and a ghost–”

“No.  You died.  That sounds terrible.  I mean, you, um.  You sort of died.”

“How did I die that I managed to die only halfway?”

Jazz opened and closed her mouth several times.  “I didn’t witness it–”

“But you know.”

“It was– Do you really want to know?  I mean, regardless, I’m still your– your mom.  And I want to be.  And that kind of thing is really traumatic.”

“What was it?”

She looked like she didn’t want to answer.  Danny poured all his effort into a forceful, expectant stare.  

“It… was a lab accident.”

Silence.  

“Like, um.  A ghost lab.”

More silence.

“Okay,” said Danny.  He bit his lower lip.  “Right.”

“I’ll just leave now,” said Jazz.  “Make yourself at home.  Because it is!”  She stepped out.  

“Yep,” said Danny.  He closed the door and slid home the deadbolt.  Then he put his hand around the pocketwatch, lightly touching the button on top.  “Okay.  I’ll be okay.  I can always leave if she tries to examine my brain, and… I should give her a fair chance.  Right.”

[devsgames]

Playersexual

"Playersexual" is a term I only recently learned about and it's fascinating to me. For those who don't know, it usually means a character whose sexual orientation is basically open to whatever the player happens to be playing as. Trans? Yeah they're romancible. Man? Romancible. Woman? Sure, romancible. As long as you're the player they don't really care.

I think this term, combined with playing a lotta Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, sorta helped me come to terms with understanding why I often dislike really "open" romance systems where every character is Playersexual.

I'm a queer, bi/pansexual person, and that informs how I perceive interactions in and out of games. I totally understand the affirmation and liberation that comes with being able to romance whoever the heck you want. To some people, that's where the fun is at, and I get it. It's valid.

For me I just I feel weird when Playersexual is the orientation of characters in a game world that is also trying to get me emotionally invested. In my eyes, it tends to strip the perceived agency other characters might have; it makes them feel less like real people with wants, needs, attractions and preferences. They end up being more like a checklist or object to be interacted with until I choose all the right option and unlock the kiss or sex cutscene, or the mechanical bonus a relationship brings or whatever the case may be.

To me, characters that feel 'real' have sexual preference. Honestly I feel that if they lack that they sorta lack a fundamental element that informs them as a person and a character. Like, any queer person can tell you that when you're queer things are different. Interactions are different, how you act on the world is different, how you assess situations and the way you engage in conversations are different. Queer people interact with a predominantly straight world different than straight people do. Similarly, being a straight person in a world full of straight people affords interacting with the world fundamentally different than if you were queer. I think to say "every character is maybe queer" steamrolls this fact and sort of undermines that queer experience to an extent.

Plus I think its just like, a missed stroytelling opportunity! The straight dude turns my masc ass down because he's not interested in men? Oh hell yeah, if he's polite about it I think that's really cool! He feels like more of an actual person that way, and what might ordinarily be perceived as a 'failure to romance' feels like it could be spun into another step in our journey as friends together. Maybe we'll crack jokes about it later, or he'll have a change of heart once he gets to kmow me better. It might be awkward, but we had an experience together and set some friendly boundaries, and built an understanding. After all, people having boundaries are often what makes people people in the first place.

So when I play a character and a game tells me everyone in a game is queer, then I'm either lead to believe 1) my character is incredibly charismatic (trust me, that's not usually the case) 2) queerness doesnt exist as a concept in this universe (weird in its own way and also usually not true) 3) eh i dunno we didn't think about it too much just choose someone as a partner already (boooo!).

Look if everyone in my party has strong opinions about me pickpocketing someone and stealing 5 bucks from them, I'd expect them to have opinions about who they share a bedroll with >:(

[bruhnze]

After the game baby - part 4

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Summary: Lucy Bronze and Ona batlle are in love. They are having a great time but then Lucy doesnt think Ona is competetive enough and thinks of a way to fix that. Smut

After the game baby - part 4 (18+)

(Pls read part 1,2 and 3 before this)

Lucy smiled "are you in a rush?"

"You talk to much" Ona said while helping Lucy undress furter.

Lucy lifted Ona up and laid her on the bed, "if you don't like me talking i will put my mouth to work in other ways, how does that sound hm?"

"Mhm, yes" Ona nodded eagerly.

But Lucy was still her teasing self, so she didn't go immidiatly for what Ona wanted. She started kissing Ona in her neck, on her ears, then travelled to her chest and purposefully avoided Ona's nippels.

She then went lower and kissed Onas legs, "these amazing leggs, so skillfull, capable of scoring" she said in between kisses.

"Luce" Ona moaned plaintively.

Now Lucy felt like she had teased her girlfriend enough, she kissed Ona once more on her lips and then she took a boob in her mouth. Her tongue playing with the nipple, Ona groaned.

Lucy used her hands to part Ona's legs a bit more so she could get inbetween them.

When she went for ona's other breast her thigh pushed against Ona's centre.

Ona's hips rocked forward a bit and Lucy could feel the wetness spreading on her leg. "God, baby, you are so wet"

"Mhm, im so wet for you, fuck me Luce"

Lucy almost fell apart from those words, maybe they should have this dynamic more often, she thought.

Lucy kissed Ona's chest once more and then stood up, "do you want me to use a toy so i can fuck you really good?"

"Yeah" ona said, her voice cracking from anticipation.

Lucy quickly put on a harness and chose Ona's favourite dildo and attached it.

Ona had grabbed the lube from the nightstand drawer and handed it to Lucy who climbed back onto the bed.

Lucy put some on her hand a dropped the bottle on the floor, whilst rubbing the dick she looked ona who had spread her legs infront of her. "God, we didn't need the lube Ona, youre so wet"

Ona grabbed the back of Lucys thighs and pulled her closer.

Lucy leaned in to kiss Ona, the dildo now rubbing against the inside of Ona's thigh.

With her hand she guided it to Ona's entrance and looked at onas face, it was a face of want and lust, but Lucy also saw annoyance, she was taking too long for Ona's liking.

So she pushed in, and slowely started to fuck Ona. Ona's face looked beautiful to Lucy like this, it was really hot seeing her like this.

She reached her hand down and started stimulating Ona's clit whilst upping her ritm.

Ona closed her eyes and put her head down on the pillow. She felt so good, Lucy was really good in bed and knew exactly how she needed to be fucked. Just like now, this pace combined with the stimulating could get her off in a few minutes.

Lucy got lost in the feeling of how the base of the strap was rubbing against her just right and how the sight of onas face was just perfect. She closed her eyes aswell.

She hadnt noticed her mouth being open, Ona suddenly opened her eyes, as a bit of drool from Lucys mouth had dripped on her abdomen.

She smiled "Luce, ah it feels so good Luce"

Lucy moaned and upped her tempo, she stimulated Ona a bit more and felt Ona was close. She opened her eyes and saw Ona looking at her "im so close Luce"

"Me to Ona, just a little more" she grabbed Ona's thighs a bit firmer and with a few more thrusts her and Ona were both pushed over the edge.

They looked into eachothers eyes as they came, they both moaned, Lucy moaned deep and low, while Ona called out Lucy's name.

Lucy rode them trough their highs by making a few more slow thrusts and placed her head in Ona's neck. "You're amazing Ona, youre so hot and so talented"

Ona chuckled.

Lucy pulled out and got the harness off, then she got in to bed and held Ona. "What are laughing about, its true, you are amazing, i love you"

Ona laughed "im not laughing about that, however that is really sweet baby" and gave Lucy a kiss "im laughing at you Luce, you where fucking me really good, i love you too" she chuckeld again.

Lucy pushed herself up on her elbows, "what are you laughing about then" she smilingly said. "Come on, let me join your fun"

She tickled Ona, "speak up"

"Okay, ahaha" "okaaaaayyyy" ona cried out, she couldn't handle being tickled at all.

"When you where fucking me and you had your eyes closed, you drooled on me a bit" Ona laughed out.

Lucy got red and hid her face in Onas neck, "what do you mean" "omg, this is so embarrassing"

Ona stroked Lucys hair, "nah, it was cute baby" "i love that i have that effect on you"

"Urgh" lucy cried out to Ona's neck and then turned to face Ona "see, if this is what happens when i reward you, i think i need to take control again."

Ona flicked her lashes, "oh yeah, what would you make me do then"

[yukisshittyposts]

Just Imagine Bakugou with a daughter that has daddy issues: Part 3

You asked and shall receive <3

[Part 1 –> Part 2]

NOTE:  I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this! I hope you like it :) Also, since many anons requested a Part 3 but each request had a different concept, i decided to try and combine them all into one post. I hope that's alright with you <3

English is not my first language so, sorry if you find any spelling mistakes.

Btw, (D/n) = Daughter's name.

"Just so you know, Mum made me agree to this."

"I know but you could've still denied her and stay home instead of going on a walk with me."

"Tch."

Bakugou knew this wouldn't be easy from the moment he saw that annoyed look on your daughter's face, the same look he has himself whenever the paparazzi crowd him, according to his parents.

"So, how have you been lately?" He asks her, trying to break the ice. She stares at him for a moment, with the same crimson eyes that he has and shoves her hands inside the pockets of her dark green hoodie. Her Deku hoodie. "Good" She answers, averting her eyes from him.

"How are things at school? Do you like UA?"

"Yeah..."

"Your classmates, your teacher? Everything's alright with them?"

"With my classmates, yeah. They're cool. My teacher though..." she sighs, shaking her head. "He's a weirdo. He calls me and Reiko problem children all the damn time for some reason unknown to us and likes to sleep all the time."

"Reiko?"

"Reiko Midoriya." Ah, yes. Deku's brat.

"Let me guess, you have Aizawa as your homeroom teacher." She suddenly turns her head, looking at him with wide eyes full of surprise. "How did you–"

"He calls me from time to time to scold me for the way i handle some situations and vice versa. At some point, he called to tell me that he has a little girl in his class that radiates gremlin energy and who looks awfully like me."

Her mouth falls open and makes the shape of the letter "O".

"I do not radiate gremlin energy!" She frowns, clenching her jaw.

Bakugou chuckles and gives her a playful, lop sided smile. "Ah, yes you do."

"And how do you know that?" She asks. You don't live with me and Mum to know." Silence. Deafening fucking silence. Bakugou stops walking and stares blankly at the space before him. And to think this conversation was going so well so far... He clenches his fists and takes a deep breath, trying to keep his cool and looks at your daughter with an annoyed expression on his face.

"You know..." he starts saying. "You're the one who doesn't let me get to know you better. You realise that, right? No matter how much i try to spend time with you, you just don't let me."

"Jeez, i wonder why" she mumbles under her breath.

"It's been nine years, (D/n)!" he suddenly yells, making her flinch and take a step back. "It's been nine fucking years! I've been trying for nine fucking years and you–"

"Don't fucking put the blame on me! You left!" Your daughter yells back, pointing a finger at him. "You fucking left! You were out of my life for two fucking years! No calls, no texts, no nothing! And for what? For some stupid fucking cunt!"

"Don't bring my wife into this!"

"I will do whatever the fuck i want to!" She screams, anger thrumming through her veins and trembling with rage. "You left me! You fucking abandoned me remember? You abandoned me! Mum had to lie to me every fucking day about you! That you were on some secret fucking mission and that you weren't allowed to communicate with us! I was worried sick about you until i saw you one night on the damn TV, talking about that cunt and about your damn son!"

"I didn't want to–"

"Do you know how i felt the moment i saw you talking on that damn show?" Her voice cracks, eyes shining with the threat of tears. "Do you? I felt so fucking relieved. Finally, i remember thinking. He's back from that stupid mission. Safe and alive. Now, he can come back home and talk to me, spend time with me and help me train my quirk. I was so fucking ecstatic, so fucking excited until you started talking about her and about your son. I'm not stupid. I put the pieces together. It wasn't so hard for me to realise that the mission Mum was talking about didn't exist."

"I remember this one time" she chuckles, looking at everything except him with big, fat tears running down her face. "I was badly hurt during a training exercise. Mum had to take me to the hospital. I remember her dialing your number and calling, trying to reach you out so many times but you never picked up the phone. Thankfully, Shoto was there so i started to feel slightly better but that's not the fucking point." She sobs, trying to keep herself from completely breaking down. "You see what you do to me now? This is why i never agree to spend time with you, god fucking damnit!"

Bakugou grabs your daughter's shaking, sobbing figure and brings her towards him. He wraps his big arms around her and hugs her tightly. He places his head on top of her own and closes his eyes, trying to keep his own tears from spilling.

"Why did you leave? Why did you leave me, dad?" He hears her whimper on his chest. Fuck, she hasn't called him that in years. "Why did you leave me?"

He looks ahead for a moment, trying to find the right words to comfort his daughter.

"I never wanted to leave you, sweetheart" he whispers, rocking the both of them back and forth. "Never. I just...I just didn't want to make the same mistake again. I didn't want history to repeat itself and in the process, i made another mistake. The worst one. I hurt you. I left you when i shouldn't have and didn't think of the consequences, how it would affect you and i'm so so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry. You have every right to hate me. I don't blame you for trying to avoid me all these years, honey. You have every damn right."

"All I'm asking" he continues, his voice heavy with emotion, "Is to give me another chance. I know i don't deserve it but please, give me one chance to make things right with you. Just one. Please."

Eyes swollen from the tears shed just moments ago, she let's out a shaky breath and gently pushes him away. Bakugou lets her and takes a step back to give her some space.

"I just..." She starts to say brokenly, blinking the tears away and avoiding eye contact. "I don't think i can ever forgive you for leaving." Fuck. Fuck, fuck fu–

Bakugou feels a great pang grip his heart and he forces himself to nod, misery written all over his face.

"But..." She continues, her eyes now shining with hesitance, making him look at her with a hopeful expression.

"I would like to try."

[chiptrillino]

Fkssbcjdn you mentioned Jet in the tags of a post reblogged from ME and I’m sorry but that means I am now going to talk abt him

Listen listen listen. Fire Nationals need to see the sun to keep themselves sane, doesn’t matter if they’re benders or non-benders. Water Tribesfolk need to be around water for similar reasons. Put an Air Nomad in a cave without air circulation and eventually they’re gonna go spare. Jet, Jet is Earth Kingdom. He needs the earth to stay sane, bender or not.

Why was he insane in the forest of Gaipan? Because he stayed in the trees. Away from the earth, which would have stabilised him. Close to the sky, the open air, his direct opposite element.

I’m not surprised he went crazy. His circumstances, combined with cutting himself off from his grounding (ahehe) element… yeah, no wonder.

“But what about in Ba Sing Se?” Well. Does anyone really think nearly a decade of deprivation from one’s core element wouldn’t leave a deep mark? Yes, he was a little saner on the ferry, a little more reasonable, because he had already been travelling on the earth for a few months - give or take - and it had helped him a little bit. But a few months of grounding does not fix a near-decade of cracking. The fact that he flipped back into obsession and negativity so fast when he connected Iroh’s suddenly hot tea (mere moments after loudly complaining how cold it was) to firebending is testament to that.

If Jet hadn’t made that connection, I’m pretty sure he could have healed a little more in the city instead of spiralling, and the second half of Book 2: Earth would have looked very different.

RANT OVER,, sorry the long ask ahaha 😅

chip gives thoughts?? (also I love your art <333)

oh gosh by all means yell about jet as much as you like! I am so glad when I get to see a positive post about him! and I adore this headcanon! like so much!!! especially how this basically can be summarised with… jet should chill and touch some grass!

okay so… emergency earth therapy for jet!!! (long shot want to make sure that jet has as much earth contact as possible!!! I think this is the best option to be buried on earth rather than the canon one…)

[ID: digital drawing form longshot (left) jet (centre) and Smelerbee (right) from avatar the last Airbender. jet is lying on the ground buried in earth unable to get out or move. his head peaks out of the earth hill he is glaring up towards Smelerbee, angry biting on a wooden stick. jet's head is resting on Longshot's leg. who is sitting behind him massaging Jet's temples. longshot is looking questioning and doubtful toward Smelerbee. Smelerbee sits on the earth hill above jets abdomen. she is leaning forward. pointing an accusatory finger at him. her expression is angry and serious. around them are many orange and yellow leaves. End ID.]

[sugartitstownley]

💙 A Trikey Lookbook 🧡

Here’s a collection of some fun Trikey stuff. I forgot Tumblr has a 10 image limit, so I had to combine some images, and there’s definitely going to be a part 2 and possibly part 3 because I have so many things in my gallery.

Warnings: Talk of violence but nothing too graphic, rude comments over weight, explicit language, sexual innuendos and but no actual smut.

Michael watches with a disapproving look as Trevor hangs up newspaper articles and images of their various dealings across town.

“T, do you have to hang it like it’s fuckin’ artwork?” Michael huffs, pointing at the paper on the upper left. “I feel like I’m comin’ too close to landing my ass in jail. That Lawrence guy named me for Christ’s sake — and it’s your fault!”

Trevor smirks. “Ah, come on, Mikey! It slipped out. Whats the big deal? We’ll be in a new town tomorrow.”

“The big deal is that I prefer not to have my name plastered on the evening news!”

“Relax,” Trevor rubs his hand up and down Michael’s tricep. “Wear it like a badge of honor. Your name is in the paper, and those idiots still have no idea who you are. You’re a fuckin’ legend!”

At that, Michael finally cracks a smile. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And you’re hot, too,” Trevor says while taping up the sticky note next to Michael’s picture, his smirk growing as he listens to the shorter man laugh beside him.

“Now that I knew already.”

“Don’t get cocky.”

Overplayed Christmas songs and the faint smell of gingerbread fill the house. Michael can barley make out the sound of Amanda griping to her father over his questions about her chosen profession and when she was going to “grow up.”

He knows he should be out there pretending to enjoy the family bickering and Christmas cheer, but he honestly feels like a fish out of water.

The family, the gift wrapping, the normalcy — it’s certainly better than any holiday he spent during his youth. Still, he can’t help but compare it to every year with his maniacal counterpart, Trevor.

“Mikey-boy, got those beers you were wanting,” Trevor says, dropping the six pack on to the motel bed. “I better be rewarded. It was hell out there.”

Michael glances over from his spot on the bed, his eyes immediately drawn to Trevor’s once-clean outfit that has now become disheveled and stained with dark red within the short time the man was gone. “The fuck happened?”

“This fucking family,” Trevor starts while stripping from his clothes, not bothering to warn Mike since it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before. “All I did was tell the father to watch his fucking kids before they get hit by oncoming traffic.”

Michael, knowing there’s way more to the story than his partner in crime is telling him, shoots him a look. “Jesus Christ. Did you kill him in front of his kids?”

“What? No! God, M. Who do you think I am? I killed the kids first obviously since he clearly didn’t give a shit about them,” Trevor shrugs, pulling on a fresh pair of sweatpants.

Seeing Michael’s face pale, Trevor quickly continues. “I’m kidding! Sweet Jesus. I hit a deer, so I gutted him a little for meat. You’re welcome.”

Michael sighs softly, relieved that Trevor hasn’t done anything to prematurely set off alarm bells to local authorities for their next score. “Sorry, T. Just on edge, I think.”

“Come on,” Trevor grabs the beer pack and pulls Michael up by his hand, leading him over to their portable oven. “Let’s bake some cookies, probably ruin them since that’s our tradition, and then just watch one of those fruity fuckin’ movies you like.”

A knock on the door brings Michael out of his flashback, and a few seconds later, Amanda‘s head pops through the door, followed by her hands holding two decorated Christmas cookies.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Amanda asks, gesturing to the letter beneath his hand.

“Nothing, nothing,” He stands up, dropping the marker, vowing to finish the letter later and send it out in the morning. “I’m coming.”

He grabs the sugar cookie out of her hand and takes a bite as he follows her back into the living room. Somehow, the golden brown cookie with a soft center and a delicate balance of sweetness is no match for the dry and crumbly cookie sporting burnt edges and artificial flavors that he’s used to tasting every year with Trevor.

God, he misses him.

“How the hell did you even get into my office without security stopping you?”

Trevor looks up from his office chair at the Vanilla Unicorn to see Michael standing over him. “What?”

“This,” Michael drops the paper in front of the other man. “What does this mean, Trev? I thought we were over this shit.”

“First of all, Michael, I will decide when we are over it,” Trevor snaps. “Second — can’t a guy joke around anymore without there being some deeper, psychological reason for it?”

“With you? I think there’s always a deeper, psychological reason,” he grins. “But c’mon, how’d you get this in the studio?”

“I’m a seasoned robber, pork chop. Don’t you think I could get in without anyone knowing?”

“Uh, you’re more the type to be so loud and brash that everyone ends up knowing you’re there.”

Trevor shrugs, knowing his running buddy has some sort of point. “Alright, I told them we were married, and I needed to see you.”

Michael laughs, but his amusement is short lived when Trevor’s face stays earnest. “You didn’t.”

“I sure did, Mikey. And a few of those assholes weren’t very supportive, so you need to watch the company you keep, man.”

“Trevor! I work with those people! They all know I’m married to Amanda. What did they say? Were they shocked?”

“Not one soul was shocked,” Trevor huffs out a laugh. “Eighty percent of Vinewood is in the closet.”

Michael falters. “But … I’m not. I’m not —”

“I think we both know that’s not true, sugar.”

First dates. They were one hundred and ten percent first dates — or were they? What even is a date?

Longing looks, some sort of nerves, maybe a sprinkle of sexual tension for a lot of people — Christ. By that definition, he and Trevor had been on nothing but dates their whole lives with one another.

It’s not that Michael didn’t know there is something between them, but what that something is often eluded him.

He had miraculously talked Trevor into going to a Los Santos Panic game. Neither guy was a sports fanatic — Trevor choosing to forgo watching sports altogether for the most part because, in his words, “if I wanted to watch a bunch of guys touch balls, I’d just watch porn,” and Michael was undoubtedly more of a movie buff since most games only reminded him of what could have blossomed out of his high school football career.

Nonetheless, Michael indulged in a game or two — if not for the game itself, at least for the buttered popcorn and greasy hotdogs.

“You know that shit is bad for you, right? One day, I’m going to have to call the paramedics to haul your fat carcass out of the bed after you have a heart attack in your sleep.”

Michael rolls his eyes before halfheartedly giving Trevor a shove. “Ha, ha. Very funny, cocksucker.”

“It’s not a mean insult if it’s true, Mikey.”

Their next “date” is at Beachwalk Bistro near Vespucci Beach. Both men slipped into some unspoken agreement that they are delicately walking the line between friendship and more.

Michael fidgets with his napkin, glancing over at Trevor who seems uncharacteristically uneasy as well. The air crackles around them with an energy, a blend of nostalgic and unexplored feelings.

Michael clears his throat. “So, uh, how’s life?”

Trevor smirks, his eyes glistening with amusement. “How’s life? You mean since you last saw me yesterday?”

Michael gives a subtle sigh before changing the subject completely. “Amanda and I are getting divorced.”

At that, Trevor nods. “Yeah, Jimmy told me.”

A look of shock crosses Michael’s face, but before he can ask, the waiter comes over and interrupts them. They hastily place their orders before retreating into silence.

As the night unfolds, their conversation sticks — for the most part — around work, upcoming plans with Franklin and Lamar, and anything else but the emotions lingering beneath the surface. That doesn’t stop Trevor from brushing his hand against Michael’s while grabbing at his plate for a taste or Michael from taking an extra long glance at his best friend.

With plates emptied and stacked, they both leave the restaurant, choosing to make the short trek to Vespucci Beach and walk.

There is a hesitant pause before Trevor breaks the silence. “This wasn’t terrible, Mikey.”

“It was different.”

Trevor hums in agreement, a small smile on his lips. “Yeah, different. In a good way.”

Their eyes met, a shared understanding between them. The unspoken tension that’s been building since Trevor made his way back into Michael’s life gave way to a warmth that only hinted at the depth of their connection.

Michael reached out his hand and tentatively linked his fingers through Trevor’s, and the taller man reciprocated immediately by giving a subtle squeeze.

“We’ve been through a lot of fucked up shit, Trev,” Michael says, stopping along the water to look at Trevor. “I know we’ve worked through most of it by now, but I didn’t really expect things to turn out like this.”

“Life’s full of surprises, sugar.”

Their eyes meet, and suddenly one — or both — are leaning in to finally close the distance. The first brush of their lips ignits the metaphorical spark that has been smoldering for months.

As they pull back, neither man is quick to say anything. Instead, Michael just tugs on Trevor’s hand, and they head down the beach once again.

“So, Mikey. Kissing your best friend on the beach under the moonlight. A little cliche, even for you, don’t you think?”

Michael just grins and shakes his head. “What? You’ve never had a fantasy?”

“Well, there was one,” Trevor starts. “We kill a bunch of those bikers, dump their bodies in the river, then fuck in their van — or keep their bodies in the van … you know, if you’re into that.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Michael mutters. “Let’s just keep our thoughts to ourselves from now on.”

“Your loss.”

Yeah, they were definitely dates.

“You’re ‘embarrassed’ for us? You’re the one who spray-painted that in the first place!”

“I was trying to be loving,” Trevor huffs. “At least I didn’t take a picture of my meal like I’m a middle-aged white mom on Lifeinvader.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Michael says, running his hands through Trevor’s grown-out hair. “Make fun all you want. You wrote ‘Trevor plus Mikey’ on the wall. You love me.”

“Shut the fuck up before I tell Amanda about the time you wore her underwear.”

Michael points a finger at his boyfriend. “That was one god damn time, and it was only because you asked.”

Trevor laughs. “You looked pretty, sugar. Don’t worry.”

“You can’t avoid her forever, Mikey.”

Michael groans, his head resting in his hands as he lays on their shared bed. “Tracey saw the notes, T. She knows.”

“Well, we do live together now. I’m pretty sure she already knows.”

“No,” Michael drops his hands to meet Trevor’s eyes. “Christ. She knows what the notes said. How the fuck can I look her in the eyes now?”

Trevor’s face scrunches up in confusion. “You divorced her mom to shack up with her uncle. How the fuck could you look her in the eyes before?”

Michael tries to glare at him, but it doesn’t come off as menacing as years prior — it never does now. “I know you ain’t wrong, but you don’t have to say it.”

“She loves you. Stop worrying.”

“But —”

“‘No buts,” Trevor cuts him off, placing a kiss on the top of his head. “She just wants you happy. So stop moping like a sad sack of shit and come cuddle me.”

“Now who’s the one hanging shit like it’s art?”

Michael feels Trevor wrap his arms around him from behind and place a kiss on his neck. “What do you mean, T?”

“Has your memory deteriorated already? You used to hate when I’d pin up pictures of our various … activities.”

“That was different,” Michael links one of his hands with Trevor’s, who are still wrapped around his waist, and uses the other one to sort through more photos before landing on one. “Do you remember this night back in North Yankton?”

Trevor lets his gaze fall down to the photo, which shows a young Michael and Trevor sporting a buzz cut and long hair respectively. They’re standing in front of a fire, the soft glow from the flames highlighting their features. Trevor, who has one arm around the shorter man’s shoulders is flipping off the camera, and Michael is smirking up at Trevor like he just said something amusing before the flash went off.

“Sure do, pork chop,” Trevor says. “Think Brad took this one. More importantly, I couldn’t forget this night if I tried. Your questionable singing still haunts my nightmares.”

Michael chuckles, reaching for another photo. “I thought I sounded pretty good.”

“Keep dreaming,” Trevor unwraps his arms around Michael to look through the remaining photos. “Can I add stuff to this board too?”

“So long as it doesn’t scar anyone,” Michael jokes.

“No promises, Mikey.”

[sukunastits]

Weaponized Incompetence

Weaponized Incompetence 2/?

John ‘Soap’ MacTavish x Reader

Warnings: none? other than my near endless supply of stupid shit that can be said to make men think you’re stupid. Sfw

Part 1

You were entirely blameless for the next incident. Truly, you had been minding your business, avoiding responsibilities like any good non-commissioned officer. Secluded in one of the far off storage rooms on the west side of the complex, counting boxes of paper towels - far enough out of the way that Sgt. MacTavish had to have come looking for you, specifically. Adorable man, you thought giddily, watching him situate himself in the metal fold out chair next to you. 

He wasn’t a tall man, maybe the shorter end of average, but you figured he made up for it by being the general size of a wide-load tractor trailer. Which was to say, when he slid the chair - legs scraping against the concrete ground - closer to you, he invaded like the tide. “Listen, lass,” he started, like you couldn’t smell his cologne over the stale, dusty air. Tobacco and vanilla, maybe. A little slutty, combined with the eyes and the facial hair and the accent. 

Maybe you were just projecting. 

“Ah get that you come from tae city,” he continued, phone in one hand while he braced the other one on the back of your chair. A part of you wondered if you should be worried; cornered in a far off room by a commanding officer wasn't the best start to happily ever after, but whatever. You were here to drive him up a metaphorical wall, not a white picket fence. “And ye probably never had tae deal with farm animals, but ye can’t go ‘roond spoutin’ nonsense like the other day.” 

Was he still on that? You had hit him with that well before the weekend, and he hadn’t wasted time with cornering you. It was Monday. God, you thought, I am blessed to live rent free in the Scottish Highlands. 

He wiggled the phone entreatingly. 

Staring back from the screen was Google, “are eggs dairy” typed into the search bar. Pressing your lips together, you slanted a sideways glance at him. He looked back, expectant. 

The nice thing would be to let him win this, you knew. A little tee hee, so sorry sergeant, let it die down before you hit him with some other out of pocket shit. But you hadn’t gotten this far in life by letting men win, even pretty ones. 

Especially the pretty ones. 

“Ohh,” you breathed, nodding to yourself like you’d had a world breaking - egg cracking, even - revelation. Sgt. MacTavish smiled, broad shoulders relaxing as he leant back, dipping back out of your personal space. “I get it now.”

“An easy mistake,” he placated. You both knew it wasn’t. 

“No, yeah. You still think birds are real.”

An atom bombed dropped slower than his smile did; there one moment, gone the next. Total annihilation. You would have to play this one carefully. Not laughing hysterically would be a herculean effort, but so worth it. 

“What tae fu -”

“No let me explain,” you cut in, flapping your hand at the wrist. It annoyed men, for some reason, a floppy wrist. Like a weak handshake, it triggered their little neanderthal brain. “I get that it sounds weird out of context. But like, okay. So in the, like, 1970s, in America? They had this President, right, Ronald Reagan?” Wrong. “And he, like, hated birds. So he formed the CIA,” made even funnier by the Task Force tangentially being CIA controlled, “And had them capture and kill all the wild birds, right? Except obviously people would have noticed if all the birds just disappeared, so he had them replaced with robots.” 

You stared at him for a moment, waiting to see if he was keeping up. He stared back, lips pressed together and nostrils flared. “Or androids? I don’t really know. Are they different? I think they’re synonymous. Anyways, he had robot birds made so that he could spy on the American people during the Cold War. And, like. He couldn’t do it with domesticated food birds, so he had them sterilized. And cows evolved to make eggs because birds couldn’t.” 

You nodded, and smiled, empty. Vacant. Not a thought in this head. “So I guess you used to be right,” you finished, patting his arm like it was a consolation. 

MacTavish opened his mouth, closed it. Let out a breath through his nose like an angry bull. For a moment, you wondered if this was it. Was this really all it took? The Birds Aren’t Real Conspiracy? You had so many more. GMOs. Bananas. You could be a very convincing Flat Earther. Buffalos. God, you loved the buffalo bit. 

“Who,” he stopped. Started again. “Who told ye that?” 

“My Governments teacher,” you answered immediately. “Mr. Schumacher. I loved his class, he taught us soo much.” 

“He lied.” MacTavished butted in, voice low. You bet he sounded like a blender in the morning, all gravely bass. You wanted to coo at him, at how cute he was, all ruffled. Instead, you did your best sure, Jan and shrugged. 

“I mean, I think a teacher would know better than the internet, but if you say so, sergeant,” you agreed placidly.

Stressed, he rubbed a hand over his mohawk. And then, phone still in hand, he pointed at you, and left. 

You watched him go, agreeable with the way his jeans sat on his ass. You wondered if he ever wore those bedazzled Buckle jeans. You wondered if you could ever get him into a pair either way. The door slammed behind him, shaking a layer of dust off the ceiling tiles. After a moment, when you were sure he wouldn’t be coming back, you tossed your package of paper towels into the nearest box. 

You needed a new hiding spot. 

[sunreys]

As much as I love the netflix shadow and bone and I really enjoyed watching it, let's be so fucking for real: it's not a good adaptation.

Season 1 was not a bad start. Like yeah you can have your complaints about certain acting choices and cgi and whatever (it is a Netflix show let's keep our expectations,,,,,level) but it was not that bad! It was fun, it was pretty faithful to the characters! In terms of book adaptations, it's honestly up there in quality. Season 2, though.

This whole show has been compared to a crack fic, and I second that---its not really the grishaverse. It's like someone's six of crows/shadow and bone crossover fic. Meaning we're smashing together two stories that are each already full of so much content on their own that it would be hard to do it all justice in an 8 episode netflix series. Even harder when you're combining 2 books, random storylines we pulled out of our asses, and scenes from soc and ck that had no business being there. I understand why they did this: six of crows is much more popular than shadow and bone, and the people at netflix wanted to get the most money possible from this. Alas, this hinders the story of the show so so much. For all it's flaws, there is so much good shit in the shadow and bone trilogy. There is SO MUCH that is so interesting, so poignant, so fun, etc etc that we entirely skipped past and cut out because we jammed so much other shit in there that had no reason to be. We skipped almost the entire plot of book 2! And while there's stuff in there that certainly drags on and could be cut, why did we cut out Alina and Mal's time in hiding? The Darkling finding them and everything else with Sturmhond? All the political shit that goes down with Vasily? Alina's struggle with being seen as a saint, her genuine struggle with being plagued by the Darkling? The reveal that Vasily was a fucking idiot and led the Darkling and the Fjerdans to the capital? The CHURCH SCENE??? WHITE HAIRED ALINA??? And that's just book 2! And then we get the canon divergence. Now I'll admit, I was slightly curious to see where they were gonna take this plot. However, if it was gonna go how they seemed to be setting it up, it would've been disappointing. I'm not a fan of stories where after the big climax the female lead loses her magic powers in favor of some peaceful life as a housewife or whatever. However, I loved the way the shadow and bone books ended. It was set up and foreshadowed that using merzost would have a cost. Alina willingly chose that cost to save mal, to have her happily ever after and her normal life which is what she always wanted. To prove the Darkling wrong. That's the important thing. Instead I guess mal goes "damn I know u literally brought me back from the dead but I'm gonna break up with u now bc I hate destiny I guess". And it seems as though the show was planning to have a storyline where Alina deals with having the Darklings power and struggles with whether or not she should succumb to the Darklings ideals or whatever. Which sounds like an interesting plot right? But guess what? WEVE ALREADY SEEN THAT SHIT IN THE BOOKS. IF THE SHOW ACTUALLY SHOWED US WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BOOKS WE WOULDVE HAD ALINA STRUGGLING WITH HER LITTLE VILLAIN ARC INSTEAD OF WHATEVER TF WE WERE HEADING TOWARDS AT THE END OF SEASON 2.

Anyways. Netflix execs get ur shit together and start greenlighting adaptations that fans of the original material---who you are literally appealing to by making this adaptation in the first place---will actually enjoy.

[fatesealer505]

Dollsuka concept sketches because I refuse to work on driving lessons

(I didnt draw an outfit for the burst because I had too many outfits in mind and too little patience to try out any of them.)

Be nice, I know they’re messy 😞

Side Notes:

1) The outfit on the left is based on his much earlier outfit. The belts are just there. Everyone needs a belt somehow.

(Source: I know so. Maybe. Probably not.)

2) The second outfit is loosely based off of overture AND xrd. I tried giving him some sort of ethereal look whilst keeping what I thought looked good (and what my attention span could afford to draw. You are free to debate on this or give constructive criticism since I like this outfit more and am currently learning how to draw more details.

3) On the second image (Reaction concept for Bone-Crushing Excitement), that’s not facial hair. That’s his face cracking from trying to express the pain (or just scream. Who knows). The body is strong, but emotions are stronger (i say this with a severe resting bitch face. Don’t trust me on this one/j)

4) The idea for the burst is magic flows through the doll (or something I’M STILL DEBATING AND BRAINSTORMING LORE AND EVERYTHING PLEASE BARE WITH ME I HAVEN’T WRITTEN AN AU SINCE MY UNDERTALE PHASE 😭😭😭) and his body goes kablooey because. It’s a burst. Yeah.

Lore Prompts:

1) Asuka’s body was simply too weak to contain the tome so he made a vessel for himself and sealed himself inside and (obviously) stored the tome in the doll. The puppet strings act as restraints if the magic overwhelms the body in a fight.

(add-on to 1 - the doll has its own sentience similar to Asuka’s — if he is too weak to pilot the body, the consciousness and control shifts to the doll.)

2) A comically fake Asuka. Need to lessen a workload somehow? Throw Dollsuka! Need something on Earth and the clones are too busy teaching each other how to be more Asuka than Asuka? Throw Dollsuka! Don’t want to be there for his coworkers’ next fuck-around-and-find-out opportunities but need something to take note of? Dollsuka!

(Basically just a joke to tell people if they ask why I made him)

3) A doll with a fake tome (or notes, idk) inside of its body, controlled by Asuka with the combination of magic and technological tweaks (the puppet strings) as it travels around Earth for research and to gather information as time passes. Through research, it gains understanding and eventually grasps its own “sentience.”

Perhaps it will be drawn into ruin like someone before him.

Because you are not you. You were a mere shell, a vessel for knowledge and a plant in the ground to sprout up. You may know better now, but does that make you yourself, or are you just painfully growing to who he planned you out to be?

You are not you.

[showmey0urfangs]

Hi there!

I've been reading your latest posts and I must say you phrased my thoughts exactly.

The plot has huge holes in them at this point especially the part about the way the trial went down since both armand and lestat should have been able to stop it considering the state they were both in.

And I do feel like louis and claudia were both dumbed down, letting stuff happen because the plot had to go there.

I can't start with lestat I believe his character has taken the worst hits.

Lots of people on here believe that all this will somehow be fixed or explained by rewrites and retconning through lestats pov in season 3.

I get where that hope comes from since thus is sort of what Anne did herself in tvl, but my gut ( Also the vibe I got from rolins interviews) tells me otherwise.

I think the writing suffers from wanting to keep things interesting and avoiding cliches but common sense and character consistency gets sacrificed for campy plot twists.

I'll definitely await with excitement to see season 3 but with a grain of salt.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Hi Anon! Yes, there are a lot of glaring plot holes and all the characters had to be dumbed down for the story to work the way it does.

Armand is shown to be extremely powerful one moment and then completely clueless and incompetent the next. We're expected to buy the flimsy explanation that he's cornered and overpowered by the coven—whose thoughts he could easily read at any point—because he was too distracted by...check notes...𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒 💖 💕✨

I would have actually preferred if he'd been the one to orchestrate the whole trial rather than the flimsy explanation RJ and the cast have given that he was simply too scared to intervene. Better a moustache-twirling villain than the weak pathetic wet blanket they made him into.

I also agree that Lestat takes the worst hit here because I'll die on the hill that he would have NEVER, of sound body and mind, agreed to participate in a trial meant to humiliate and murder his own family by subjecting them to what is essentially a public lynching.

I know the writers were backed into a corner because they needed a reason why Lestat shows up in Paris. In this version, he's not severely injured and he's way too powerful for the coven to subdue him. But it just doesn't work.

The inconsistent power levels also make it very hard to understand what's going on. They tell us Lestat has a godlike strength; he has the blood of Akasha in him and he's so OP that not even Louis and Armand combined can kill him. So why did he just sit by as his daughter was burned? Why did he not simply kill everyone in the room and rescue her and Louis if his goal in coming to Paris was to save them? Who tf knows. Even the actors were confused about it.

We're also supposed to believe the great Vampire Armand, the strongest telepath to ever exist, is outsmarted by a human journalist with a laptop—whose thoughts he could easily read at any point. His 77-year machiavellian scheme is undone by the intervention of Talamasca ex-machina, who just so happened to have the exact document Daniel needed to crack the case. My belief is suspended so high it's touching the stratosphere. 😂

Concerning potential retcons, my policy going forward is that unless it's shown or implied on the screen, it does not exist. I don't think fans should have to do the writer's job for them by inferring and imagining obscure justifications and explanations that were not given by the show. We already had the retconning debate after season 1. It went on for 2 years, only for none of those theories to end up coming true. The drop still happened, everything in S1 still stands. NOTHING was retconned, only shown from a slightly different perspective. But apparently, people have an extremely short memory and they've learned nothing because we're back to the same silly nonsensical theories.

I know I said I've reached acceptance so I'll stop talking about it but yeah...It's a hot mess. I really hope that the writers do better in S3 now that they're not under the constant pressure of a strike. I hope they take the time to craft a good and coherent story. The amazingly talented cast and crew deserve nothing less.

[halfetirosie]

✩‧₊˚ Let's Get Confused!!! :D ✩‧₊˚

(Star Message 01 - 05 React-os!)

1) Wait, so you're telling me that Blade's storytelling put kids to sleep???

That's quite odd!

I mean, yeah, a lot of what he was saying was confusing the kids. But I would think that, with how animated Blade was being, it would still be entertaining enough to keep them awake. 🤷‍♀️

It's funny how polite Olivine is being about it---spinning it into a positive outcome. Bless your little heart!

2) Uh-oh! My workaholic wife is back at it again! 😂

My mans really does overwork himself...

If I were the Captain, I would've forced a ton of vacations onto him, too! :D

I personally can't really relate to this side of Edmond's personality---the obsession with his work. I'm the kind of person that has had to do way more work than I was comfortable doing in the past, to the point that my personal life was non-existent, but as soon as it wasn't necessary to have such a large workload I didn't push myself to keep up that insane schedule.

Edmond, on the other hand, has just gotten so used to constantly working, that at this point it's difficult to stop...

Maybe it's because he had that sort of schedule for even long than I ever did, since he's a noble? That, combined with his natural integrity/work ethic?

3) Eiden out here validating the fans' comments about the space-appropriateness of their clothes---

---and Blade giving a very reasonable explanation---

I like to think the the tailor also has a devious mind, determined to bring out the maximum sexy-potential of each project they receive (even if their "added elements" will require them to do an additional wardrobe-change later)!

It's also very possible that Eiden's collaborations with them have tainted their formerly-innocent tastes...

😈😈😈😈😈

4) Edmond, sweetie---no offense, but HOW is this any more scandalous than your usual outfits??? 🤨

Is it because your stomach is showing?---No, that can't be it, because the ceremonial clothes in his Knightly Night SSR show his stomach.

Is it because your shoulders are bare?---No, because the shirt in the prison guard outfit of Vigilant Observer is sleeveless...But then again, perhaps the guards are expected to keep that jacket/overshirt on over the sleeveless shirt, so maybe that really is the reason???

I AM CONFUSION!!!

EDMOND, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT YOU CONSIDER "MODEST!"

It is quite nice seeing Blade and Eiden being so supportive to Edmond, tho.

They see him feeling a little uncomfortable, and Blade immediately reassures him [of the clothes' utility] while Eiden hypes him up. It's so sweet!!!

5) Blade and his not-at-all worrying ideas °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Can I just say---I LOVE the fact that Edmond takes Blade's question seriously.

I (along with many other fans) see Blade as strong representation for neuro-divergent individuals; and IRL, many such people act "eccentric" or ask questions that people think are "silly/weird."

So, Edmond taking Blade seriously---just like he treats everything/everyone seriously---without getting angry or annoyed is such a delight! We love to see it!

6) I love it when Blade hops into Robo Mode at the most unexpected times!

It's funnier when the situation is less serious than this, but hey, I still enjoyed it!

Also, the voice-acting bit during this part was fantastic. Blade's voice sounds so cool!

7) Blade, honey---are you telling me you can catch a FUCKIN METEOR all by yourself????

BRUH.

I knew he was built to be a hella-strong sorcerer-murderer robot, but putting his strength in the context of earth-science terms makes it even more insane.

8) It's quite impressive how nonchalant blade is being about all of this... (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

Like, he and Edmond just stopped a FUCKIN METEOR from crashing into the tower and killing people, and he's over here cracking little jokes!

What a legend!

9) So, as soon as I saw this---

---for some reason, I immediately thought of this;

Which is a fine and dandy meme, but I'd say that Blade is completely justified in his assumption that the thingy from the sky is alien tech; it isn't a crackpot theory, an thus, I wouldn't say this meme is completely applicable... But maybe I'm just being too picky with my meme-etiquette. :D

10) Wait, so this isn't even the first time that "starscape creatures" have sent a message to Klein?

🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

But from what I've gathered so far, the message is just supposed to be a sort of audio message---so how does he know about what kind of environment the starscape creatures live in???

Does the audio talk about where they live??? Do they speak the same language as they do in Klein, or is it somehow possible to interpret the alien language when given no context/prior exposure to that language????

11) Rei, no offense, but you kinda suck at explaining things....

Seriously.

WAT? ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?

Am I just stupid, or did Rei just say the same thing twice but in different ways?

I can't be the only on that doesn't get it, right?

Would this make more sense if I knew more about audio transfer, or like, how radio works???

12) *Voice dripping with sarcasm:*

Oh boy, how reassuring! 😂😂😂

I know for a fact Rei is perfectly capable of making people feel better, but I guess he ain't feeling very charitable right now! (Which, I would think he would be, since they brought him an interesting new thing to research...)

★ End of report! ★

[might-be-tiny-gt]

G/T WAC Prompt 2:

Scenarios I Want To See More Often

**Cracks knuckles**

Oh baby get ready cause I’m about to freaking rant.

Shrinking: it is my favorite trope of all time. NO ONE UTILIZES IN ANY FUN WAY. Ok I’m sure there are but I hardly see it. Normally a shrinking scene in a fic or show or movie just happens then we move on. Worst off it happens off screen or while the character is passed out or something. Like yeah it’s good for tension but 0 fun points.

But enough complaining time for me to pitch ideas. First of all my favorite kind of shrinking usually happens in universe over the course of a couple minutes, maybe a few hours max if it’s written right. Why? Let me tell you why. Desensitization. If the scene goes on too long the audience and or the character is no longer freaking out over the actual shrinking happen. That being said if it happens over a few second then audience certainly doesn’t have enough time to invest in it. I think a few minutes in universe is the sweet spot.

What is the character doing as they’re shrinking? A lot of the time, especially in visual mediums, they just stand there and let it happen. Maybe they’re freaking out in their heads but that’s the most we ever get. No! GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DO AS THEIR SHRINKING! What if they decide they need to climb up stairs as they’re shrinking? Will they make it? How much does it take to reach each step the smaller they get? What if shrinking is the solution to a problem? The character shrinks down maybe to hide from someone or something, are they prepping their hiding spot, trying to reach their hiding spot? Maybe they’re holding something that isn’t shrinking with them. Usually see this trope in Alice in Wonderland adaptations with the bottle she drinks staying the same size as she shrinks. Does the character notice it getting heavy? Do they put it down while they still can or drop it and see the aftermath of drooping said item as their shrinking?

What’s the shrink process like? Personally when I write shrinking I love to write it as sudden burst of shrinking rather than a straight forward one. I think it makes the scenario much more fun and chaotic. The character won’t know when they shrink each time, it just suddenly happens. Maybe they shrink an inconsistent size each time, the first time an inch the second time half a foot the third 4 inches, have fun with it. I also love when the shrinking can somehow be controlled. For example I love the idea of someone shrinking whenever they sneeze or hiccup. Like they’re gonna shrink no matter what but maybe if they can hold back that sneeze or hiccup it’ll give them just a little bit more time. Time for what? Something, anything! Open a door, Climb a table, call for help, anything! Also love when this specific trope has the character sneezing/hiccuping in rapid succession and instead of it combining into one burst it individual shrinks them each time. Side note: just have fun reasons/conditions that’ll cause a person to shrink. Every time person A sneezes they shrink or if they say the wrong thing they shrink, or their height is tied to something like a cursed candle that will shrink them when it’s lit. I want more creative scenarios for shrinking.

Another thing, I really like the trope of shrinking out of clothes, I just think it adds more chaos to the whole deal. I don’t like nudity though? It’s weird. Anyways, I like when people can creatively come up with ideas around that. I have a comic I drew in October where the person shrinking has a towel set to the side so when they shrink out of their clothes they have something to immediately change into. Obviously this doesn’t fit every scenario, if the person shrinking didn’t plan for it how will this problem be resolved. I’ve seen scenarios that have characters wear clothes under their normal ones specifically designed to shrink with them to give you the fun of shrinking out of clothes with none of the nudity. I appreciate ideas like that.

My friend @sucker-for-shifters suggested forced shrinking which is one of my favorites. Forced shrinking/not knowing why your shrinking is another one of my top their shrinking tropes! Let’s throw ideas shall we? I like when persona A is actively being shrunk by person b against their will and person A is putting up as much of a fight as they can. Maybe not physically but person A can be trying to keep a level head and not give the satisfaction of seeing them panic. Maybe A is readying the space for their inevitable fate or doing everything in their power to keep person B from capturing them when they get too small. Like it’s a super villain scenario and I think it’s so cool. Also like is someone shrinks cause they were tricked into doing something that triggers it. Drinking a weird potion, wearing an experimental piece of technology, reciting a spell. There’s a lot of ways to do it. Love the sub trope of the size shifter that is normal height then suddenly shrinks under certain circumstances and has to wait it out til they turn back to normal. No control over when or how it happens but can at least prepare for it.

I think I’ve said everything I wanted to on the shrinking trope. Share your shrinking stories or ideas, I’d love to see them.

BONUS PROMPT:

Give me more tinies in G/t scenarios with super powers that aren’t size shifters. No hate to size shifters at all, love them to death. Just think it’s more fun for a tiny to have a random power that gives them an edge over their giant. Love Ant Man, but give me a tiny with super strength or that knows magic or that can duplicate themselves.

[mindstriker]

This idea has been cracking me up all morning and I'm way too lazy to try and make it into a shitty comic or fanfiction post so I'm just getting it out here: The BG3 crew all having a miserable time in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, but make it a sitcom episode.

Lae'zel and Wyll are sitting on a log, staring into the camera. It's their combined interview hour, as the only two people not going fucking insane. Between the two of them, they're trying to transcribe the odd behaviour of everyone else around.

And what exactly are they up to? Well,

Gale: Hasn't been the same since the encounter with Elminster, and it's starting to freak everyone out a little bit, to be honest. Somehow, he's gone from being one of the least intimidating people at camp to vaguely... ominous, at times. It's unsettling when he's quiet. Even moreso when the days start passing, and despite everyone's agreement that it's a horrible idea, he's shown no signs of refusing to detonate himself. And even more so again when he of all people starts stringing dead pixies together to make use of Sharran magic. Even Shadowheart is a wee bit concerned, and Shar is her bread and butter right now.

Shadowheart: Speaking of her: yeah, I'm gonna be real with you. The only person putting up with her fascination with the Sharran magic clouded over Moonrise right now is Gale. Everyone else is sick of hearing about it, and even more sick of experiencing its ill effects. Even Gale is tired of it, to be frank- resents the fact that he's spending what he thinks are his last days in Shar-induced misery fog- but listening to her passes the time. She's basically gone full-on worshipper mode at this point, like an overzealous kid attending a religious day camp.

Astarion: Starts acting like an ill Victorian child a few days in, miserable because he's being forced to waste precious days free to walk in the sun stuck under Shar's cloud of cold, dank fog. And also because there's absolutely jackshit to eat but other crew members- 2/6 of whom are inedible. And also because everyone is at least 70% less pleasant to be around at the moment due to shadow-related misery. It's not even fun bothering anyone anymore when all you're going to get in return is a tired look or a sigh. And also he's stuck fighting an orthon to get important info about whether he's going to die or not. And also- look, everything just really sucks right now, honestly. All of it.

Karlach: Does her damndest to stay positive, but it'll never not be unnerving that she of all people now feels chilled to the bone. Despite her usual willingness to see the best in people, listening to Shadowheart's constant glee about the curse making everyone else miserable has gotta spark up some tension at times. In general, I think she'd be fighting hard to cling to her usual "enjoy everything while you can, Karlach, your time is limited" mentality in the face of so much outright misery and gloom. It's hard to enjoy the days you have left with your friends when your friends have mostly gone fucking bonkers over yonkers, and that makes everything so much harder.

[huffle-dork]

Swap Beyond the Crystalverse Chapter 2: Stitched Revisited

Co-written with @crystalninjaphoenix Read Swapboys | Read Crystal’s AUs

Other Multiverse Stories: SITCV | SATCV | GITHV

Alt feels that same jolt as he passes through darkness as he did last time. The blackness is very short. When it clears up, he's standing in a kitchen/dining room combination. There's an old floral wallpaper on the upper half of the walls, the bottom half being wood paneling. A window in the dining room shows a street of townhouses outside. No doubt he is in another townhouse. The whole place seems vaguely old-fashioned, in a sort of cozy way. 

"Alt?" The voice, crackling with static, comes from his pocket. No, wait. It comes from his phone in his pocket.

Alt can’t help but stiffen a bit as he hears static come from his phone. Couldn’t the red Anti talk through phones? He shakily reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone.

The screen is on, and... Anti is there. Not the red one, the one with the green scarf. He stands in front of the home screen, on top of the task bar at the bottom. It's like one of those programs where you get a little companion to walk around on your computer screen. But with a phone instead. Anti raises his hand and makes a motion like he's knocking on the glass of the screen. "Okay good you can hear me. Seems it's easy enough for me to manipulate your phone speaker." 

Alt relaxes as he sees its the other Anti and he smiles. “oh h-hey! Dude that was… I-insane back there! Is that why you’re in my phone?” He laughs, “you look like a shimeji-“

"A what? Oh, one of those browser pets? I mean... I guess I could be?" Anti idly taps the edge of one of Alt's apps, making it wiggle. "Well. Yeah. That was insane. And the most insane part of it... is that the fucker managed to drain a lot of my energy. I... don't think I can be physical right now. So... shimeji it is."

“Jesus…” Alt sighs, keeping his phone open in his palm. “He’s as bad as Mag… I-i don’t get why he can’t drain my power but I-I guess that’s a blessing for now…” He looks outside the window, “And at least this is another world we’ve been to… but I don’t know who’s house this is…”

"Probably something about you being either a Glitch or from another world," Anti says. "Maybe both. As for whose house we're in..." He turns around on the screen, and Alt's camera function opens up, showing the view to Anti. "Hm... looks like a JJ-style place. But I think he has a shop in this world, so it can't be him." 

“…you know you controlling my screen like this is like- prime horror game fodder,” Alt comments with a light laugh. 

Footsteps come from the hallway. "Ah, well, maybe you can go ask, then," Anti says, hearing them.

Alt then freezes a bit at the sound of footsteps- ah fuck…! He hates intruding like this- it always freaks people out. “U-Um… hello?” Might as well bite the bullet-

A man pokes his head into the dining room doorway. He's wearing a red hoodie, and has brown hair long enough to pull back into a small manbun. There's some sort of amulet around his neck, clearly magic but cracked, non-functional. His eyes widen. "What the fuck?! Who are you?!"

Alt glitches back and holds up his hands, which means he ends up holding up his phone too. “Uh hi! I-I’m Alt? I… I’m looking for uh- S-Schneep?” The red hoodie has him thinking this is a Jackie… but… 

oh- 

His eyes widen, breath hitching. 

"Alt? I don't know an--" The man stops, his eyes also widening. "W...wait a minute. You're the third one--I mean, you're one of those visitors, f-from the other world. And Schneep--he was with you, he--oh." 

Alt’s stomach drops- that confirms it. He glitches back even more, trying not to panic. “Y-you were him- you… w-we were-“ 

A moment passes. Then the man notices the movement on Alt's phone screen. He laughs a little. "What the hell? D'you have a little guy on your phone?" 

Anti waves.

Alt blinks and holds back up the phone. “o-oh yeah uh- that’s Anti- a good one! I mean- he… he needs to rest in here.”

"Anti?" The man goes a bit pale, but shakes it off. "Well, uh... hi, Anti. I'm... Jackie. Good to... meet you." Jackie looks at Alt. "And, uh... nice to... meet you too?" He's not sure how to address this. After all, they've already met each other, in a way. 

“Y-Yeah good to… o-officially meet you, Jackie…” Alt says quietly.

"Um. You were looking for Schneep? I can text him or something. Tell him you're here."

“Uh d-does texting work for Schneep? Cuz uh… eyes…?”

"He has a screen reader app. But, uh, yeah. Probably better to call him." Jackie takes his phone out of his pocket. "Um... do you want to sit down in the living room? Or, uh, I could get you something to eat? Since we're in the kitchen?"

“I-I’m okay on food, t-thank you though…” Alt says. Then he laughs a bit, “Huh I… I appeared in a kitchen the first time I was here too…”

Jackie laughs. "Yeah, Jack told me. That's weird, isn't it? Guess something about you just screams 'kitchen' to the universe." 

Alt laughs a little more, “Y-Yeah I guess so…” 

Jackie starts to dial a number on his phone--then stops. "Oh, I should probably tell Marvin that you're here. He's upstairs right now. Oh yeah, this is our house, by the way." 

"Ahhh, that makes sense," Anti says from Alt's phone.

Alt stiffens a bit but nods, “Oh yeah uh- whatever you need to do. But uh… it’s a nice place-“

"Right. Yeah. Thanks." Jackie smiles a bit, trying to be reassuring. "This whole neighborhood was refurbished recently. Jameson pointed it out to us. Nice place. I'll, uh... be right back. Make yourself at home." He disappears from the doorway. 

Alt tries to smile back- and lets its drop as soon as he’s gone. 

After a moment, Anti speaks up. "Not exactly comfortable with him, are you?"

Alt cringes a bit as Anti calls him out and he glares at the screen. “Look, it's… complicated. Last time I was here we… I-I got fused together with him and Marvin and… I-it wasn’t a great experience…” He closes his eyes and lets out a shuddery breath, “I… I still have nightmares about it… but that’s… not necessarily exclusive to here…” he mumbles quietly, leaning against the wall.

"I remember. You told me about that." Anti's voice softens a bit. "If it helps, it was just as bad for them, too. And they were stuck as Stitches even after you left. They'd understand."

Alt stays quiet for a beat, fiddling with his mask idly. “Yeah I know… t-they had it worst… it’s just… hard. I’m sure I’ll get over it…” he sighs.

"Well. Don't force yourself. They definitely feel just as awkward around you." Anti sits down on the taskbar. 

Footsteps soon echo outside the hallway, and Jackie returns--with Marvin in tow this time. He's wearing a long-sleeve blue shirt and has an identical broken amulet around his neck... a neck which has a long scar across it. "Holy shit, it's actually you," he says, eyes wide. "What're you doing back here?" 

"He's looking for Schneep, I told you that," Jackie says, nudging him slightly.

Alt can’t help but flinch as Marvin comes in but tries to give him a smile. “Y-Yeah uh.. S-Schneep was helping us find something we need so we can fix our traveling device.”

"Yeah, he mentioned something like that." Marvin nods. "Well... guess we'll call him." 

"Y-yeah, I can do that." Jackie is already dialing. 

Marvin shifts awkwardly. He was a bit slow to catch up on Alt's flinch, but he's there now, and he's starting to feel the same thing Jackie is. "S-so uh... This is our house. Welcome. Uh... Schneep and Jack have apartments, and Chase rents a house, and of course JJ has his shop and the flat above that. We, um... all... yeah. So... if anyone else came with you, they'll probably be at those places."

“Thanks- Oh yeah uh… my brother is here, Bro uh… so m-maybe I can call to see where he is.” Alt says timidly. He then blinks and looks down at his phone, “…can I still use my phone like normal if you’re in there?” He asks Anti.

"Should work," Anti says, shrugging. 

"Gah!" Marvin jumps in surprise. Jackie reaches over and puts a calming hand on his shoulder. "Sorry. I just--I know Jackie said there was a--the voice--sorry." 

"...Didn't mean to scare you," Anti says in a slightly softer voice.

Alt jumps with Marvin jumps and then looks apologetic. “oh right uh.. sorry-“ He then pulls up his speed dial and goes to call Chase.

Meanwhile, Jackie pulls his phone away from his ear and frowns. He dials again. 

----------- 

Bro appears in a living room. No, wait. This is a shop of some kind that just happens to look a lot like a living room from the early twentieth century. What gives it away is the counter with a cash register. That, and the price tags on the various knickknacks scattered on the tables. It looks pleasant, pastel blue in color and well-lit with yellow lamps. A front window lets in some sunlight. 

Bro blinks and looks around the space, whistling a bit. “oh- this is a nice place!”

A door behind the counter opens, and a man walks out carrying a box. He's wearing a snapback cap and a purple bandanna around his neck. He starts walking, then stops when he sees Bro. His eyes widen. "Whoa! Hey!" He puts the box down on the counter and points at Bro, making a perfect pog face. "You're that other me!"

When Chase comes in and pogs- Bro copies him then bursts into laughter. “Hello again! How’s it going?”

"It's going great, Bro! It's so good to see you again!" Chase smiles. "Oh, hang on." He goes back to the doorway and shouts, "Jack! JJ! The other me is here again!" 

There's the sound of feet on stairs, and Jack and JJ appear from the doorway. "Hey!" Jack smiles. "You're here!" 

Henrik said you might be here some time! JJ's eyes crinkle in a smile--the actual smile being hidden by the mask he always wears.

Bro brightens as he sees the others. He gives them a two fingered salute and a cheeky grin. “Yo! Good to see you guys!”

"Yeah! Feels like it's been a while." Jack laughs. "I mean--like JJ said, Schneep told us you might be here some time. It's been about... two weeks since he showed up again after that disappearance of his?" 

“Oh wow- it’s been two months for us!” Bro laughs, “Time differences between dimensions are always so weird!”

You're here to see if Henrik found that thing, right? JJ says. And I'm guessing your brother came with you?

“yup! sure Alt is around here somewhere… and Schneep! We’re excited to see him again!”

"Nice!" Chase grins. "So, if you guys appear near people who are like you or your friends, then he's either by Schneep right now, or he's at Jackie and Marvin's house." 

JJ winces slightly. If it's the latter... that will probably be... well, awkward. 

“Oh… yeah-“ Bro says with an awkward smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh. Right." Jack nods. "Well... I'm sure they'll figure it out." He takes out his phone. "Hang on, I'll text Schneep, ask if Alt is with him." 

“That’d be great, Jack, thanks!” Then, the hero blinks slowly, “…wait, Schneep can read texts…?” He frowns, making a confused face. “…he can do lots of stuff but I didn’t know he could do that…”

Jack laughs. "He has a screen reader app. If he gets a text there's a voice that reads out the notification. 'Message from: Jack', stuff like that." 

“Ooh! Like Siri!” Bro laughs. 

"Are you guys gonna stay for longer this time?" Chase asks. "Schneep will be so excited to see you again--metaphorically, of course." 

“I dunno how long we’ll stay but,.. maybe longer this time? Uh- we kinda got chased down in the last world though so I dunno…” Bro says. 

JJ sighs. Looks like we'll have to put inventory on hold, no matter what.

Bro blinks and waves his hand, “oh! This is your shop then?? And I interrupted sorry!!”

JJ's eyes crinkle some more. Yes, this is my shop! he says proudly. I built it up myself. Well, my grandfather left me the building, but the business is all mine. 

"We came here years ago to ask for help with Anti, and that's how we met Jays," Chase says. "Man... meeting you was one of the few good things to come out of that." 

Oh, thank you. JJ blushes a little behind his mask. Don't worry about it, other Chase. We were just moving some things from my storage in my flat down here for sale.

“Oh okay- as long as it’s not a big deal-“ Bro says, smiling. “man- it’s so nice to see you all… happy! You guys were… not in the best place last time we were here. But look at you all now!” He grins wide.

"Yeah, it's great to be back." Jack smiles. "Things were crazy there for a while. We had to process what Anti was, and then Schneep disappeared for a while, we stayed with Chase's ex, then we finally got rid of Anti only for some magicians to show up and start asking us about him! But it's all over now." 

"You should meet Marvin and Jackie, Bro," Chase says. "I think you'd like them. Probably get along really well with Jackie, haha." 

“Oh damn yeah that’s a lot!” Bro laughs, “But I’d love to meet them! Typically Jackies and me just click heh-“

JJ leans over to Jack. Has Schneep replied yet? 

"Nope." Jack shakes his head. "He must be busy; he usually replies fast."

Bro blinks at Jack then tilts his head, “Huh… wonder what he’s busy with… you guys know where he is? Maybe we can just pop by! Or maybe the uh- other Anti we brought is with him already.”

Jack blinks. "You brought another Anti?" 

Of course, it must be that one who helped you out when you were stuck in that place between worlds, right? JJ asks. 

“Yes! Schneep apparently met him a while ago too!” Bro says brightly. 

"Schneep is probably at his apartment," Chase says. "I can drive us over there--I got a rental car lately, using my license again." He smiles proudly.

Bro smiles at Chase and laughs. “Sure thing bro, that’d be great!”

"Alright, let's go, then!" Chase claps his hands together. "We should all fit in there."

As the group walks outside onto the street, Bro's phone starts to ring.Bro starts to follow then pauses and pulls out his phone. “Oh one sec! Maybe this is Alt.” He perks up when he sees it is. “Hey bro! Where did you end up?”

 "Tell Alt we say hi," Chase says. 

Bro laughs, “The others say hi-“ 

“Hey- I’m with Marvin and Jackie in their apartment and Anti is with me. The other one apparently drained him so he’s hanging out in my phone.” Alt’s voice answers. 

Bro stops in his tracks again, “…Anti’s with you? …huh- then… is no one actually near Schneep then?” 

“Huh? You’re not with him?” 

“No I ran into everyone else though - Jack, other me and JJ.“ 

No one is with Henrik? JJ repeats, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. 

Back on Alt's end of the phone call, Jackie slowly lowers his own phone. "Uh... Schneep's not picking up. He usually picks up." 

Marvin frowns. "He's probably just busy." 

But static crackles from Alt's phone speakers as Anti frowns.

“Yeah uh-” Alt listens to Jackie and feels a bit of anxiety in his stomach as he hears the static from his phone. “Have you guys heard anything from Schneep yet?” 

“No… Jack said he tried to text him. Thought it was weird he didn’t answer right away… we’re driving over to his apartment.” Bro says.

Jack checks his phone again. "Yeah, no, he still hasn't replied." He frowns. 

Marvin leans to the side. "Did I hear your Chase say they were going over to Schneep's apartment? That's probably a good idea. We can head over there, too." 

Jackie tries calling Schneep again, but shakes his head, now looking worried. "It's entirely possible that he put his phone in the other room or something, but...it's been ringing for a while. And he doesn't wear headphones. So he probably should've heard it by now."

Alt frowns, “yeah l-let’s head over there too… I-I’m worried.” 

“I’m sure he’s fine, Alt.” Bro tries to reassure him. “But, we’ll meet you all over there okay?” 

“Okay- s-see you soon…” Alt says before hanging up. He frowns at the phone, “…I-I have a really bad feeling…”

Marvin nodded slowly. "I, uh... I can probably teleport us. Not all the way there, that's a bit too far for my range, but if we take a bus halfway I can get us the rest of the way there."

“If you all have been there before then- I can glitch us there.” Alt says sheepishly. “I-if that’s okay with both of you…”

"Oh! R-right, yeah." Jackie nods. "I... Yeah, you can do that." He hesitates, then looks at Marvin. "Are... you okay with that?" 

"I did just suggest the teleporting," Marvin says. 

"Yeah, but... glitching..." 

"It'll be fine, Jackie," Marvin says softly. 

Jackie took a deep breath. "Right. Yeah." He nods and looks at Alt. "We'll do that. Chase and the others will have to catch up."

Alt nods. He hesitates then holds out a hand- “um… f-for me to take you with me we gotta uh… touch somehow.” He says awkwardly, looking away. 

"'Course. That makes sense." Jackie grabs Marvin's hand in his left, then reaches out with his right and takes Alt's. His grip is loose, hesitant. "Let's go."

Alt tries not to jolt at all when Jackie takes his hand. “Okay just- picture what his place looks like… that helps.” He then closes his eyes and in a quick flash of green- all 3 of them glitch away to Schneep’s apartment.

The next thing they know, the three of them are in a living room apartment. It's fairly expansive, modern in design with a wall that's entirely windows, leading out to a balcony overlooking the street below. The lights are off--though, since Schneep is blind, that's to be expected, not a sign of anything wrong. On the wall opposite the windows is the front door and an ajar door showing a bathroom. To the left is a small steel kitchenette and a table. To the right are two closed doors. 

"Schneep?" Jackie calls out. "You home?" 

Silence.

Alt let’s go of the others and starts to glitch around, “Schneep? I-it’s Alt! We’ve been trying to reach you! Are you okay??”

More silence. 

Marvin hurries over to the two doors, opening them up one at a time. One is a bedroom, the other a small sort of office. "He's not in here," he says, looking back at the others. "Not unless he suddenly decided that he likes pranks and jumpscares." 

Jackie takes a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. That's--He could just be out on errands or something." 

"Out doing errands and not answering his phone?" Marvin says doubtfully. 

"I don't know! Maybe? Or maybe he has a job interview?" 

"He'd tell us about that."

Alt can’t hide how worried he is now as he glitches back other to Marvin and Jackie. “Well then where is he? He can’t-“ then he pauses, eyes widening as he pulls out his tracker from Sam. “Wait h-he has the other TRVLR piece! Maybe this can help us find him!” He places a finger over the iris of the tracker.

Alt instantly knows that the TRVLR piece is underground, beneath a building at the address 380 Harbinger Street. 

Alt’s eyebrows furrow, “…it’s underground…?” He says quietly. 

His phone crackles. "You know, there's no guarantee that he has the piece right now, right?" Anti points out. 

Alt snorts at Anti. “I mean I-I know but-“ 

"JJ knows a great tracking spell, h-he can find him if Schneep doesn't have that piece thing," Marvin says. "But--it's a lead, I guess? What is that thing, anyway?" He points at the glass eye tracker. "Some sort of talisman?" 

Alt blinks and then holds out the tracker for Marvin to see. “it’s a tracker our friend Sam gave us to help us find the pieces we’re looking for. Cuz They know where they are… They just need some help getting them. And Schneep offered to help Them too… ” 

Marvin leans down to look at the tracker, eyes wide and sparkling with fascination. 

Alt hums and looks at Jackie and Marvin better, “Do you guys know what something on 380 Harbringer Street might be?”

"Harbringer Street?" Jackie leans back, thinking. "That's sort of north-center in the city. Back when I was a vigilante, the area was known for being vaguely shady. There were a lot of businesses that were fronts for things. You know. Underground organizations." He pales. "That's... Is this TRVLR piece there? If Schneep is there too..."

Alt catches on, his eyes widening. “..h-he could be in trouble…!” He stuffs the tracker back in his pocket, his shoulders shuddering with glitches. “W-We should check there next then! Have you been in that area before, Jackie?”

"Yeah, but... it's... been a while," Jackie says slowly. "And, uh, my memory hasn't been the best ever since..." He trails off. 

"If we can get close, we can walk the rest of the way, it's fine," Marvin says. "This is urgent. Shit, we should call the others and tell them to meet us there!"

“We can do that once we’re there!” Alt says, taking Marvin and Jackie’s hands quickly and concentrating on glitching them over to that side of town.

Suddenly, they're outside, standing on a sidewalk. This part of the city looks a bit more run-down. There are a lot of closed shop fronts, and even the ones that are open have peeling paint and dirty bricks. A storefront nearby is blocked up with plywood that's been spray-painted with graffiti. 

Jackie looks around. "I... don't know if this is the right place," he says slowly. "We need to find a street sign." 

"Use your GPS on your phones," Anti's voice says. 

"Oh, right." Jackie takes out his phone, opening up Maps. After a bit of typing, he frowns. "We're a couple of blocks off. We need to walk for a while then turn left."

Alt shakes himself off then nods, “O-Okay… that doable I guess- better than nothing.” Alt starts to walk, pulling out his phone to text Bro: Schnepp not there. Tracker says address for TRVLR is 380 Harbringer St. heading there now.

----------- 

"Is that Alt? What did he text you?" Jack asks, turning around in the passenger seat to look at Bro in the backseat as his text tone rang out.

Bro pulls out his phone to read and then looks confused. “Schneep isn’t home… Alt says they’re searching on …Harbringer street?”

"Ohhhhh." Chase purses his lips. "That's not a...good part of town..." 

"Really?" Jack looks over at him. 

"It's in the north, and I'm sure you remember Jackie complaining about that place back in the vigilante days." 

"Oh." 

Growing up, I was always told to avoid that area, JJ says. 

"I'm gonna put on some speed, 'kay?" Chase is already pushing on the gas. "I've never been happier that people don't drive a lot in this city." 

“Oh- Jesus… do you guys think Schneep ran into trouble there??” Bro says with worry.

"That's possible," Jack says. "If it's a bad place, I can imagine a lot of assholes messing with him—or worse." 

But Henrik can handle himself, JJ says. Especially with his abilities. He pauses. Do you think I should use a tracking spell?

“…probably better safe than sorry,” Bro nods, “even if Schneep is capable… I feel like he would have told all you guys about going to a place like this… right?”

"Yeah," Chase mutters. "He definitely would've." 

JJ closes his eyes. He makes a gesture like he's holding an invisible plate, and a glowing blue disk forms in his hands. He pulls an arm back and throws it like a frisbee. The disk passes through the windshield like it's not there at all and continues down the street, staying within eyesight but still far ahead. It turns right up ahead and Chase follows it.

Bro fidgets a bit with his jacket. “God… I’m really worried- this… doesn’t seem like Schneep- right? I mean you all know him better than me but… “

"No, you're right, it really doesn't." Jack shakes his head. "He told us he was looking for that TRVLR thing, and he told us where he was looking, but... it wasn't anywhere in the north of the city..." 

Chase and JJ don't say anything, an uneasy silence surrounding the two of them. The car continues north, and the buildings slowly become more and more rundown. There are no pedestrians around... but, as they turn a corner, they see three people waiting in front of a building, a business of some kind. A business with a symbol on the glass window... a symbol that looks a bit like an eye, with three circles forming three irises. 

Bro looks even more worried. Once they pull up in front of the building- Bro’s stomach drops fast as he sees the symbol. “O-Oh no-!” He hurries out of the car and rushes to the others, “Alt! And oh- Jackie and Marvin right? I’m Bro-“ he says quickly. 

"Yep, that's us," Jackie says. 

Marvin raises a hand. "Good to meet you. Wish it was better circumstances." 

“Likewise,” Bro mumbles. Then he gestures at the symbo, looking at Altl. “Um???” 

Alt nods gravelly, “I-I know… t-this isn’t good…”

"What is this place?" Jack gets out of the car, reading the writing on the sign above the door. 

"IRIS Technologies...?" Chase frowns. "I've heard of these guys. They make cameras and shit." He looks at Bro and Alt. "Why... isn't it... good?" The disk from JJ's tracking spell goes straight through the door. 

Alt’s eyebrows furrow, “Cuz as far as we know… IRIS is a fucked up company who has hurt some of our friends… and it could mean Schneep is in a massive amount of danger..!” Glitches fizzle across his skin as Alt looks ready to tear apart the building to search for him. 

Chase pales. "Well... shit. I-I mean... other worlds and all that, but if there's even a chance that he's in danger, we got to look into it." 

JJ looks through the front windows. My tracking spell went through that door at the back. He points it out for the others to see. 

The interior of the business is a waiting area, very plain and generic, with a circular desk where a young woman sits, typing at a clunky-looking computer. Posters on the wall advertise IRIS products. This isn't a store; it looks like a place where you'd go if you had an appointment. 

Marvin grabs the door, testing it. And it opens up. He looks back at the others. "They're open, I guess." 

"Let's go," Jackie says. 

“Alright… let’s see what we can find out then.” Bro mutters, heading inside. Alt looks at the door JJ pointed to, tempted to just go ahead and glitch past it.

"Hi!" The young woman at the desk says in a chipper customer-service voice as everyone walks in. "Wow, big group today. How can I help you?" 

"We're just, uh... checking this place out," Jack says. "Heard about it from a friend." 

"What's behind that door?" Marvin asks, pointing at it. 

"Oh, you'll need a booking to go past there," the woman says. "Do you have a name I can get?" She puts her hands on the keyboard, ready to look things up.

Bro hesitates and then leans on the counter by the woman, grinning charmingly, “Hey~ yeah, you can just put uh… Kieran Brennan. That’s me- you doing okay today?” He puts on the charm big time, briefly glancing at Alt before looking back at her. “And can I just say? Wow- you’re like, stunning…! What's a girl like you doing working in this part of town?” 

"Oh! Oh, um..." The woman blinks in confusion. "I, uh... Mr. Brennan, alright." She types it into her computer. "Thank you very much, sir. I do enjoy this job, it pays very well." She laughs nervously. 

Alt blinks and then nods subtly and while Bro is distracting the woman- he tries to see if he can glitch past the door.

As Alt glitches through the door, he finds himself in a staircase leading downward. The walls are made of a strange white material, and the floor is a dull gray carpet. There's a clunky-looking camera with a blinking red light facing the door--that he just glitched directly in sight of.

“Well that’s good to hear!” Bro grins, trying to keep up the facade. “I’ve had a couple jobs like that- pays good but the area around is kinda shit you know?” He laughs. 

"Haha yeah. It's worth the commute." The young woman quickly finishes typing. "Hmm, I'm not seeing your name coming up. Are you sure you booked it properly?" 

Alt looks around quickly then freezes as he sees the light- he quickly reaches out to see if he can try to destroy it before it captures anything-!

But Alt's magic just bounces off the camera, not even rattling it. And immediately, an alarm goes off, red light flashing. 

“Shit!” Alt curses and then he quickly starts to glitch down the stairs, looking for any sign of Schneep.

"H-huh?" The woman looks over towards the door, alarmed and confused.

"Well--no more time for subtleties!" Jackie declares, and rushes for the door, trying to open it but finding it locked from this side.

Bro’s expression changes on a dime as he now vaults over the counter and goes to try to kick the door open.

The door slams to the side. Most of the group hurries after Bro, but Jack quickly approaches the woman, leaning close. "You should probably get out of here, just in case," he says. 

"U-um--okay!" She grabs a backpack from under the desk and hurries out the front door. As soon as she's gone, Jack hurries after the others. 

The stairs end in an intersection. Three white hallways extend forward, left, and right. Two more branch off left and right at the end of the forward hallway. Doors line the walls. There are small signs on the wall right by the corner. 

TECHNOLOGY STORAGE > 

^ STAFF QUARTERS ^ 

< POSSIBLE ALTR HOLDING

Alt looks between all the options then quickly chooses to go down the possible ALTR holding- that feels like a place that could have Schneep. He’s panicking, the alarm making him glitch and run as fast as he can. “Schneep!! SCHNEEP!” 

Bro hurries down the stairs and is momentarily confused before he hears Alt and scrambles to follow after his voice. “this way guys!”

The others quickly catch up and keep pace with Bro. The hall continues for a while before turning right at the end. The doorways lining these walls are metal, shiny and solid-looking. Each one has a light above it. Most of them are green, but there are two that are red, one before the corner, one after. 

"Hey--maybe these are like--availabilities?" Chase says, pointing at the lights above the doors. 

"Alt, did you hear that?!" Jackie shouts after him. "The red light ones probably have stuff in them!"

Alt looks up to notice this and nods quickly skirting to try to glitch inside the first red light door.

The room beyond has more blank white walls and another camera in the corner. There's a bed with attached straps--how menacing--but nobody is in it. But there is something on the table nearby. A small glass terrarium, like one you'd keep a lizard in. The inside isn't decorated at all. Leaving the small thing inside perfectly visible. A golfball-sized eyeball with a green sclera, blue iris, and long tail-like optic nerve. It hops over to the glass wall of the terrarium as Alt appears, checking him out.

Alt’s eyes widen as he glitches over to the terrarium, “S-Sam?!” He whispers.

The eyeball hops. 

Outside, the group stops by the door Alt glitched through. Jackie tries the door, but of course, it's locked. "Fucking hell!" he curses. "Alt, can you open it from this side?!" 

"Probably not," Marvin says. 

Hang on. Jameson steps up, conjuring up another glowing blue disk. It slides into the crack in the door behind the handle, and there's a CLUNK of a lock undoing. Jackie tries the door again, and this time it opens up. 

"What's in there?" Jack, at the back of the group, tries peering over the others. At the sound of his voice, the little eyeball hops faster. "Huh? Who said that?!" 

"Who said what?" Chase asks, looking back at Jack in confusion. 

"You guys didn't hear someone say my name?" 

Bro hurries in and then his eyes widen, “What?? There’s a Sam here too??” 

Alt looks at the others and then back at the eyeball- until Jack started talking. He blinks back and then shakes his head. “No dude we… didn’t hear anything-“ he looks back at the eyeball and then pulls out his pocket knife and tries to use it to crack the glass.

"Someone is saying my name really excitedly," Jack says, pushing through the others. He gasps. "Eyeball?!" He blinks, confused. 

"Is it talking in your head?" Chase asks. 

"I-I guess so??? It--they're saying that they're my eye?" 

Marvin gasps and goes a little pale. 

“What the hell does that mean?!” Bro asks.

"J-Jack... lost an eye," Marvin says shakily to Bro. "A-A-Anti... did it." 

Jack blinks. "...huh?" 

"He didn't... get rid of it," Marvin whispers. "But... when that weird place collapsed when Anti... d-disappeared... I thought the eye was... taken down with it..." 

Meanwhile, the glass is too solid for Alt's knife to even make a scratch. 

"Here, can I try, Alt?" Jackie asks, walking over. He holds out his hand... and in his grip appears a curved blade made of red light. He brings it down on glass, cutting a hole in it.

Alt blinks and lets Jackie try- then whistles a bit at the blade. “woah- that’s wicked.” He grins. Then he remembers why they’re here and looks to Bro before hurrying out and glitching into the other cell. “you guys help Sam!”

“Wh--dude you can't just keep going without us!" Chase calls after Alt. He looks at Jameson. "Open that door to the other room?" JJ nods and hurries after Alt. Marvin, looking shaken by this whole thing, also heads that way.  

The other occupied room does not have a terrarium... but it does have a man lying on the bed, strapped down, seemingly asleep. His sleeve is rolled up, and an IV feeds into his forearm from a bag hanging on a pole nearby.

Alt stumbles into the room, breathing heavily and then freezes when he sees Schneep lying on the table- strapped down. Anger fills up his whole body rapidly, and lightning crackles around him dangerously like live wires. It snaps and tries to crack at the walls and ceilings as Alt’s magic reacts wildly to his emotions. “These fuckers-!” He growls and then glitches over and quickly tries to cut through the straps holding Schneep down.

The straps are made of the same sort of material as seatbelts are. His magic slices through them easily. While he does that, there’s another CLUNK behind him as JJ unlocks the door. He and Marvin pour into the room. 

Marvin gasps in shock. “These bastards! I-is he okay?” 

Schneep is still asleep.

Alt has to take a couple calming breaths to get his magic to die now from how badly he wants to just explode. 

After a few seconds he glitches back over and tries to shake Schneep awake. “H-Henrik! Hen it’s- it’s us! Alt and all your friends! Can you hear us?!”

Schneep still doesn’t wake up. 

“Maybe it’s this IV thing?” Marvin says. “Maybe it’s keeping him asleep?” JJ immediately springs into action. He nudges Alt aside so he can get close to the spot where the IV goes into Schneep’s arm. He presses down on the spot and slowly withdraws the needle. 

“Okay, try again!” Marvin hurries over. “Schneep!” He looks at Alt. “I-I don’t know any wake-up spells anymore, can you do something?”

Alt nods and gently takes Schneep’s wrist and then whispers, “Sorry Schneep-“ and gives him a little shock to try to wake him up. 

Back in the other room, Jack walks forward, a bit in a daze, and reaches out a hand. The tiny eyeball hops through the hole Jackie cut, landing in Jack's palm. "...huh. So... you're alive now."

 He pauses. 

"Um... they're calling you Sam. Is that your name?" 

Another pause. 

"Well, I think it suits you, so if you want to be Sam, you can be." 

Bro looks freaked out but he sticks with Jack. He walks over and puts a hand on his shoulder. “…you’re taking the ‘finding out I have a sentient eye’ thing really well-“ he tries to laugh. 

“I… think I’m in shock,” Jack says slowly. 

“Yeah… we’ve been through a lot but that’s weird,” Jackie agrees. 

“Can you just like… put them in your pocket?” Chase asks. 

Jack tries, but Sam’s nerve-tail wraps around his fingers as they hold tight to him. “Uh… clingy, I guess. They’re telling me they don’t want to be in a small space. That’s fine. I’ll just carry them, I guess.” 

“Uh yeah- whatever makes the little guy- comfy I guess? Not fun they’ve kept something… alive like this in a cage.” Bro mumbles. Then he turns to hurry out the door after the others. “C’mon let’s see if they found Schneep!” 

“Right!” Jack nods, and he, Chase, and Jackie hurry after Alt—

“Halt!” But, coming around the corner are two… guards, that’s the only way to put it. They’re wearing black military-like uniforms with the IRIS logo on their shoulders in white, and helmets with mirrored visors hide the upper halves of their faces. Each of them are armed with something that looks like a stun gun—which are now pointed at the group. Mainly Bro, as they’ve clocked him as the biggest threat. “Put the creature down and leave, otherwise we will be forced to engage.”

Jackie stops, throwing his arms out in front of Chase and Jack and glaring. His eyes flicker with red light. Chase mutters something about how he should've brought his gun. 

Bro skids to a stop too and holds a hand out to protect the others, moving to be in front. His eyes spark blue, “You have our friend so- we’re not leaving!” He puts his fists up and gets into a fighting stance. He smirks crookedly, “You dudes don’t wanna fight me, so stand down.” 

"Intruders are being hostile, using force!" one of the guards says, and they both fire their weapons, launching stun-gun-like wires at Bro and Jackie. 

Jackie yelps, the wires sending a shock into his system. He falls back, and Chase catches him.

“Alright, sorry not sorry for this!” Bro shouts as he just barely dodges the wire and leaps at one of the guards, sending a super powered punch towards his face. 

The guard withdraws the wires back into the stun gun and aims at Jack next--only to get punched in the face by Bro and knocked to the ground. The other guard swivels around and tries to fire at Bro again. 

Bro yells out as he gets shocked- and falls to the ground. 

Back in the room, Schneep jerks, gasps, and his eyelids flutter. "W...was?" His eyes move randomly beneath the eyelids. "Was passiert?" He tries to get up, but his arms are too weak to lift him up. 

"Schneep!" Marvin gasps. 

"M-Marvin?" Schneep's soul sense finally kicks in. "A-and Alt? Jameson? Alt?" He faces Alt and smiles weakly. "I-I found your thing..."

Alt quickly helps support Schneep and tries to help him up. He tries to smile back. “T-That’s great Hen- l-let’s get you out of here, okay?”

"J-ja." Schneep nods slowly. JJ hurries over and helps support Schneep from the other side. 

Marvin looks back out the door. He hurries out and shouts, "Holy shit! There's guys!" His eyes glow blue and he lunges forward. Blue magic wraps around the guard that Bro knocked down, tying him up.

Now, Alt hears Bro yell and almost glitches out there but he tries to keep Schneep back, “F-Fuck- I… I can try to glitch us out of here!”

Schneep's eyes widen. "N-no, wait, I--I th-think these people took the item! W-we need to find it!" 

“Of course they did… fucking hell-!” Alt growls.

Jackie shakes himself awake again. "Hey!" His eyes flash red, and a handful of curved light, sharp as blades, flies towards the guard that's still up. Some of them miss, but the ones that hit just seem to lodge in the armor. 

JJ rushes out of the room and throws his hand out, conjuring a shield to block the two guards off from the rest of the group.

Alt hobbles Schneep out into the hall once the shield is up and starts to go to the opposite hallway- he remembers the sign said something about technology that way. 

Bro shakes himself awake and pushes himself up- blinking in confusion at the shield. He shakily pulls himself up using the wall and tries to push the others away. “l-Let’s go, hurry!”

"How long can you keep that up, JJ?" Chase asks as they hurry down the hallway. 

A long while, assuming they can't break through, JJ says. But there might be other ways to us! 

The whole group circles around, turning another corner and following the signs to a different section where the doors are plain wood, some with windows in them. 

"Schneep, wh-what exactly is this thing you found?" Marvin asks. 

"It is a small red chip, like something for a computer or a phone," Schneep says. 

"How are we supposed to find something small like that?!" Jackie cries. 

Bro fumbles into his utility belt and pulls out the tracker- maybe it can give him a more exact place where it is? He touches the pupil-

He immediately knows that the chip is behind the door labeled 08, in a small box on a shelf.

“Got it!” Bro says brightly, “Door says 08- it’s in a small box on a shelf!” 

Alt laughs, “God bless Sam oh my god those trackers are amazing??” 

Bro laughs too then tries to speed ahead to look for the door. …god why does it feel like he’s slower than before?

"There!" Jack spots it first, pointing at a door down the hallway. Once they reach it, Jameson immediately does the same unlocking spell he'd done before, and everyone spills into the room. The walls are lined with shelves, full of random computer-like parts--but there is only one box, white and about the size of a phone.

Bro hurries over to the box and opens it to look inside. “Small red chip??”

Yep, there it is; a small red microchip. 

Jackie looks over Bro's shoulder. "That has to be it!" he says. "Damn, Schneep, how did you find that?" 

"Oh, it took a long time," Schneep mumbles. "I might not have found it if I did not notice these strangers digging through the trash." 

“Is that how they found you?” Bro asks quietly. 

Schneep doesn't say anything, simply nods slowly. 

"Okay, we got it, let's get out of here now!" Jack shouts.

Alt quickly grabs the chip and puts it in the bag before shoving that back in his pocket. “Okay uh- everyone link up! I think I can get us back to… to Schneep’s house?”

"Great, let's all think about it and we should get there," Jackie says, grabbing onto Marvin and Chase. Everyone else slowly joins up from there. Heavy footsteps echo down the hallway. 

Bro rushes over to grab on and Alt closes his eyes and in a bright flash of green they all disappear-

-and arrive back in the living room area of Schneep's apartment. "Holy shit, what a rush." Jackie shakes his head. "Fucking insane." 

Alt sways a bit then crashes to his knees, blinking spots out of his eyes. “T-That could have gone s-so bad…” he mumbles. Bro kneels down next to him and pats his back.

"We are... home?" Schneep asks. 

"Yeah, we're home," Jack says. "Your couch's over here." 

"Ah. Good. I am going to sit down." And Schneep does so, stumbling over to the sofa and immediately collapsing onto it. "My head... f-feels... fuzzy."

Are you okay, Alt? JJ asks. Is there anything we can do to help? 

Alt smiles at them weakly, a bit dizzy, “I’m fine… just a lot of glitching… I… m-maybe some food would be good…”

"You need energy for magic, right?" Marvin says. "Schneep, can we use your food?" 

Schneep laughs at Marvin's comment. 

Bro looks back at Schneep, “Do you remember anything Schneep? Like how long you were there or what they did or… if they put anything like… in you I guess?”

Schneep becomes serious again at Bro's questions. "I... do not remember much. I fought the strangers, but there were too many of them a-and they put something in the air that I breathed... everything since then is blank." 

"You can't have been there that long," Chase says. "We talked yesterday normally enough. Oh, it's the ninth, by the way." 

"Hmm. I think... it was late at night on the eighth when I was caught..." Schneep says slowly. 

Bro sighs a bit in relief, “G-Good- I mean not good you got caught but I’m glad it wasn’t for too long!” 

A voice crackles from Alt's phone. "That seemed like an outreach base," Anti says. "Not a main compound. They were probably holding you and Sam there until they could determine where to put you. You're all very lucky. It wasn't nearly as secure as it could have been." 

Alt pulls out his phone to hear Anti better and nods, “Yeah I… I was worried it would have been worse… t-they had a… an Iv in Schneep though… how are you feeling, Hen?”

"Fuzzy," Schneep mumbles. "Tired. Must have been... some sort of drug. Might feel... bad later. But just fuzzy now. You all can use my food, by the way." 

"Right." Chase hurries over to the kitchenette. "What are your snack foods? You have like... cheese and crackers and shit. Not really a sweets guy. Oh, I can probably make a sandwich. Is that okay, Alt?" 

“Y-Yeah that’s good, thanks-“ Alt replies. 

"That IV was probably to keep him unconscious," Anti guesses. "IRIS wouldn't want to take risks with him getting away." 

"Bastards," Jackie mutters. 

"Fucking bastards," Marvin agrees. 

"So that Anti is here too," Schneep says idly. "I could not sense you. Cannot sense your... soul." 

"Oh, I don't have one," Anti says casually.

“It probably doesn’t help that he’s in my p-phone right now,” Alt says. 

Bro blinks at Anti, “I’ve never heard someone say they don’t have a soul so nonchalant-ly… that’d be worrying to hear from anyone but you, Anti.” He laughs. 

Anti grins on Alt's screen. "I'm unique. There's nothing like me in the world. Though there are things like me in the multiverse." 

Alt rolls his eyes slightly but smiles at Anti, “Don’t get a big head about it-“

"Can you sense Sam, though?" Anti asks Schneep. 

"Uh... I am not sure." Schneep pauses. "There is something... small... with Jack, I think." 

"Yeah." Jack holds up Sam in his hand. "That's... them."

“Oh by the way Schneep… Sam is… is an eye- like the big Sam. This guy is real little though… reminds me of a baby Sam.”

Schneep blinks. "...oh. So... there is... that now." 

"Apparently they were the eye that Anti took from me," Jack says quietly. "I... don't know how they're alive now. And they don't know, either. Here." He walks over to the sofa and sits down next to Schneep. "Hold out your hand. 

Schneep does so, and Sam hops onto it. "Oh!" Schneep's eyes widen. "That feels so strange. I was expecting something... sticky." 

"Nope. They do seem squishy, though, so be careful," Jack says. 

"Don't worry, I will be." 

“Yeah they feel weird huh?” Bro laughs. 

"If your Sam is like the Sam in my world--which I'm guessing they are," Anti says. "Then they're just an anomaly. They happen sometimes. Strange shit happens for no reason. Though... I do wonder if the smaller Sams exist because of the larger one somehow." 

Bro listens to Anti and nods, “Like- Sam’s their parents and has lots of baby Sams! …that helps me forget that this was once Jack’s eye-“ 

Chase walks over with a plate. "Here, Alt. Turkey sandwich and crackers. Hope that's enough."

Alt blinks but then smiles gratefully at Chase, “This should be plenty, thanks.” He digs in, sitting cross legged on the floor.

"...you can sit on a chair, you know," Schneep says. "I do not mind." 

"Sometimes people are more comfortable on the floor, dude." Jackie laughs. 

“I would but I wasn’t sure if my legs would make it-“ Alt comments as he eats. 

"So... you guys have your TRVLR part now," Jack says. "Does that mean you're good to go whenever?" 

Bro shrugs, “Probably?”

"Oh, put that in the bag with the others, by the say," Anti suggests.

“Already did!” Alt says in between bites. “‘M not risking losing a single bit of this-“

"Great," Anti says.

“I uh- don’t know how we’re getting to the next world though- are you taking us Anti?” Bro asks. 

 "... I should still be able to contact Sam. We've built up a connection while I was searching for the other parts." He pauses. Alt's phone screen is briefly covered by colorful static before turning normal again. "Yeah, I can reach Them. When you all are ready to go I'll let Them know and They'll open up a rift to the next world." He pauses. "They also said that They managed to push out that other version of me, but... that he might still be looking for us."

Alt pauses in his eating and shivers, hunching up a bit. “G-Great… I love being chased down by an evil version of myself…” he grumbles. 

“Well- at least we can hang out for a bit?” Bro tries to say cheerfully.

"Not much to do in my apartment, I'm afraid..." Schneep says, slowly closing his eyes. 

Jack nudges him awake again. "If you guys want to, uh, hang out, we can," Jackie says. "I'd like to really get to know you guys. But uh... yeah, I'm not sure what we'd do, other than just chill and talk. We need like, a plan for this thing." 

"We could play cards?" Marvin suggests, and suddenly there's a puff of blue smoke and he's holding a deck of cards in his hand. 

JJ looks impressed. That's a new spell! 

"Thanks, I've been working on it." 

Alt can’t help but laugh, “Man- Marvins are obsessed with games I’m learning-“ 

"Really?" Marvin blinks, then smiles. "H-hey, good to know that that's... a thing for Marvins."

Schneep chuckles. "That other Jameson, the magician one? While we were by ourselves, he told me that his Marvin enjoys card games. So it definitely seems a trait." 

Bro looks at Jackie, Marvin and Schneep sympathetically. “It’d be real cool to get to know you guys… but I think Schneep needs to rest… he’s just been through a lot.” He sighs but then tries to brighten up, “But! We’re going to get the TRVLR fixed! Which means we can come back again real soon! To properly hang you know?”

"Yeah, that'd be great." Jack grins. "I think we have to adjust to some stuff, anyway. Like this little guy." Sam bounces into his hand again. 

And that IRIS place, JJ says. 

"Yeah, I had no idea they were fucked up like that," Chase mumbles. "I thought they just make tech."

“That’s how they get you,” Alt sighs, finishing up, “These companies usually hide like this… underneath these seemingly innocent projects and tech and.. hospitals. It’s sick-“ 

Bro smiles, “yeah… lots to deal with- but uh- now we can make sure we actually have a good meet up next time! No antis, no Iris- just chill~”

"I would like that," Schneep says softly. "It has been... good to see you two again. If only for a few moments." 

"D'you think we could pit the ABIM against IRIS?" Marvin wonders. "They'd probably take issue with someone kidnapping magical people." 

Worth contacting them, I suppose, JJ says.

“Oh fuck yeah- pit them against each other and watch the chaos,” Alt grins. His face then softens and he sighs, “I wish it could have been longer Schneep but… you need your rest… I’m so glad we found you before… anything really bad happened.”

Schneep nods. "I do remember Jamie--the other Jamie--talking about IRIS. If... this place was like the one in his world..." He shudders. 

"You're safe now, Hen," Chase reassures him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We'll make sure they don't bother you. Or the rest of us." 

"Hell yeah." Jackie nods firmly. "We've been through a lot, we're not gonna let these guys scare us."

Bro smiles, “you guys can handle those fuckers- I believe in you.” 

Alt nods with a bit of a smile. Then he frowns, “Next time I go to one of those places… I’m looking for a way to inter dimensionally talk… that way you guys can call if you’re ever in trouble. Cuz- we’ll be there.”

"...thanks, Alt," Marvin says quietly. "That's... that's so nice of you." The others all look touched as well. 

A moment passes in silence, then Jack clears his throat. "Well. You guys should probably head out soon. I mean, it sucks, but you guys have a job to do, and I'd hate to delay you." 

"Faster would be better," Anti says, voice crackling through Alt's phone speakers.

“Alright alright-“ Alt sighs. He glitches to his feet and adjusts his backpack, checking to make sure he has everything. “I’m ready.” 

Bro hops to his feet too and smiles at the others, “Thanks for helping us, guys. But we’ll see you again soon, alright?”

It'll be nice to see you again! JJ says, smiling. 

"Yeah, what JJ said!" Chase laughs. "We'll look forward to it." 

"And we will stay safe until then," Schneep promises. 

"Sam says thank you for helping," Jack reports. 

"We can get to know each other more next time," Jackie says. Marvin nods in agreement. 

Alt smiles and nods, “Yeah, I’d like that.” 

Alt's phone screen becomes static again for a moment. Then some green electricity flickers over by the window wall. A black rift forms as the lightning opens up a way out of this world.

“We’ll have a proper blast next time!” Bro says happily, throwing up his hands. “It’ll be great! Until next time!!” 

Alt laughs and starts to pull Bro into the rift. He waves to the others before they walk through.

The others all wave back. 

"Goodbye!" Schneep says. "Until next time."