Shirtaloon
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Chapter 959: Without Consequence
🕑 Added 2024-10-25 22:00:05 +0000 UTCIn the vampire laboratory, Clive and Lorelei were cataloguing the overtly magical tools and materials. Travis was doing the same with the technological tools, while also checking in on an IT specialist from the Cabal who was working on the computers. Emi was paying greater attention, watching over his shoulder. She wasn’t a computer specialist, but she had, at least, used one that wasn’t old enough to vote.
The rest of Jason’s companions had moved on to other tasks. Some were sweeping the complex for any lingering vampires and victims. They had turned up several, mostly homeless people who had died along with the blood oak. Jason was talking with the others through voice chat as he flew through the skies of Melbourne in a black car.
“Bro, it sounds like killing the leader kills all the minions, like in an old monster movie,” Taika said.
“That would seem to be the case,” Danielle replied. “That’s good if we need to kill an army of minions quickly, but not if we want to save them.”
“I don’t suppose any of the victims have regained consciousness?” Jason asked.
“No,” Carlos said. “And don’t expect them to any time soon. They’ll be comatose for days while their souls shake off the trauma. We’ve dosed them with as much healing magic as we can without doing more harm than good. We’re lucky any of them lived at all. What they went through was tantamount to being chain-fed spirit coins. If they’d had any magic of their own, none of them would have survived.”
“We’re coming up on the complex now,” Jason said.
“You found your creepy magic experiment specialist?” Clive asked.
“I did,” Jason said. “Try not to be rude when you meet her.”
“Why would we be rude?” Clive asked. “Isn’t that your kind of thing?”
***
While the mercenaries had jackhammered into an elevator shaft, the actual entrance to the bunker complex was a small security building. The vampires had purchased it through a discreet shell company and mild government corruption. It was more convenient than an empty shaft, and a large operation was now being set up around it.
The security building was in the corner of a car park that serviced the nearby warehouses and industrial spaces. There was a security cordon set up in the car park, with a couple of tents and an operations van. Looped around it was a simple rope barrier, the actual deterrent being a large security force. A half dozen squads in black tactical gear were positioned around the cordon. Outside of the line was the press, growing in number as more and more vans arrived. Reporters were trying to get a rise from the security team while cameramen set up tripods and deployed drones into the air.
The security force were the first to notice the approach of a flying black sports car, raising their guns. The press were filming moments later, although all their cameras picked up was a static blur. The car approached the ground, but instead of landing, turned into a cloud of roiling darkness. Two people dropped from the cloud to land lightly on the ground, a man and woman. The cloud was drawn down and sucked into the man’s shadow, like dust into a vacuum cleaner. The reporters immediately rushed at the pair, many already having recognised Jason.
“I’m not taking questions at this time,” Jason said, without slowing down. Some of the reporters moved into his path, at which point he stopped and glared. They quick-fired question his way, then yelped and screamed as they floated into the air. Jason used his aura to pick up the entire media contingent, including their vans, and deposit them on the roof of a nearby warehouse. The camera drones were crushed, as if by invisible hands, and the scrap was dropped on the roof as well.
Jason and his companion then walked to the cordon rope, where a security team was waiting to meet them. The security personnel’s anxiety didn’t show through the tactical helmets, but it painted their auras. They were also throwing nervous glances at the stranded reporters.
“Mr Asano,” the squad leader said as she stepped in front of him. “There are security protocols in place, now.”
“I’m sure there are,” Jason told her. “I just don’t particularly care.”
“Sir, we need to vet everyone attempting to enter the facility. I’m well aware that you could break me and my team like a carton of eggs, but we have a job to do. For all I know, you could be a reporter using illusion magic.”
Jason turned to look at the reporters on the roof, in various states of distress.
“I’ll acknowledge it’s unlikely,” the squad leader said.
Jason let out a frustrated sigh.
“Why do I keep running into people at checkpoints who fulfil their duties with integrity?” he complained. “Where are the cowards I don’t feel bad about browbeating?”
“I’m not really sure how to answer that, sir.”
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Squad Leader Jessica Sunderland, sir.”
“Jason Asano.”
“I’m aware, sir.”
“I don’t really carry ID. Well, I do, but it’s a magic tattoo on my back. I don’t think that’s valid in Australian jurisdictions. What about you, Ms Blaine?”
“I’ve been living in a magic city for the last decade,” Jason’s companion said. “I haven’t had any legal identification since I came back from the dead in Arizona. You brought me here through a portal, which I imagine is illegal entry. I don’t have a passport, let alone a visa. I’m not even sure my US citizenship is still valid.”
“Because you died?”
“Yeah.”
“Were you declared dead, legally?”
“I suppose not. The other cardinals murdered me and I came back to life in a shed.”
“You’re probably fine, then. Just to be clear, when you say cardinals, you’re not talking about Catholics, right?”
“No, that was what we called the EoA leadership. Cardinals, after the cardinal directions. I was Mrs South.”
“Right. Like Mr North.”
“Exactly.”
“Uh, sir?” the squad leader interjected.
“Right, sorry Jessica,” Jason said. “You know, you can call me Jason.”
“I’m definitely not going to do that, sir.”
“Fair enough. Look, we need to go in. You know who I am, and this is Audrey Blaine of Clan Asano, so now you know who she is. I’m going to need you to take my word for it, because we’re going inside.”
“Sir, if I can convince you to wait a moment, I’ll radio my supervisor and see if I can clear you. That way, you don’t have to beat the crap out of all of us on your way in.”
“Fair enough,” Jason said. “But do try and make it quick, or I’ll put you all up there with the reporters.”
“Thank you, sir.”
She took a few steps away and started talking into her radio. Jason waited, looking around absently.
“I should probably get a phone,” he mused. “Do they still have phones, or is it hologram watches or something now?”
“I think they still have phones,” Audrey said. “Again, I’ve been living in a magic city for a decade. Surrounded by vampires.”
“Is that weird for you? The vampire thing?”
“Not really,” Audrey said as she looked around. “You’re not very big on following rules, are you? Or laws.”
“I suppose not. Except cosmic laws, I guess. I kind of have to follow those, since I’m the one who… ah, that doesn’t matter. I’m more of a ‘do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ guy.”
“You realise that when regular people try that, it doesn’t work out.”
“It doesn’t always work out for me, if I’m being honest.”
***
The bunker network’s single installed elevator was a freight elevator installed as part of the original construction. Jason and Audrey rode it down until it stopped with a shake. When the doors opened, they found most of Jason’s team arrayed in front of it, brandishing weapons.
“What did I say about not being rude?” he asked them.
“That’s an energy vampire,” Humphrey said, pointing his sword at Audrey.
“Indeed, she is. Audrey Blaine, may I introduce Team Biscuit. Team, this is Audrey. A few decades ago, she ran an extremely sketchy joint project between the extant magical factions of the period. That program was how she ended up in her current state, which she has long-since learned to manage.”
“What about magic sunlight turning vampires evil?” Taika asked.
“Energy vampires aren’t subject to the same effects,” Clive said through voice chat from the lab. Audrey’s eyebrows rose as Jason looped her into the conversation. The others were notified by text as she joined.
“So, this is the system they talk about,” she said as Clive continued his explanation.
“Magic-infused sunlight doesn’t impact the personalities of energy vampires the way it does the regular vampires,” he said. “In fact, vampires and energy vampires aren’t the same kind of creature at all, despite the name.”
“He’s right,” Carlos said through voice chat. “Energy vampires aren’t self-perpetuating, like regular vampires. They only come into being through unusual circumstances.”
“Like with Thadwick,” Neil said.
“Exactly,” Carlos said. “It’s why energy vampires are so much rarer. Their connection to actual vampires is thematic at most. The hunger, the need to feed on the living. The underlying magic is very different.”
“Are you sure?” Humphrey asked.
“Quite certain,” Carlos said. “I’ve vivisected more energy vampires than anyone on Pallimustus, so far as I’m aware.”
“Uh, Carlos,” Jason said. “Just to check in… again. You are still a priest of the Healer, right?”
“Why do you keep asking me that?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s because of what was apparently an extensive vivisection program,” Belinda said.
Jason glanced at Audrey, who had turned pale.
“Okay, I’m bringing Ms Blaine to the lab, Clive. My grandmother pinched her from the Network years ago, and she’s been running clandestine experiments ever since. She has more experience with the biological aspects of magitech than anyone else on the planet, so she has the best chance of figuring out what was going on down here.”
“Glad to hear it,” Clive said. “The most useful thing I’ve figured out is how urgently I need to study the technological aspects of how magic is used here.”
***
Jason lacked the appropriate expertise to dig into whatever the vampires had been doing, so left it in more capable hands. In the meantime, he caught up with Anna on the cloud ship.
“The next step is to back off,” she said. “A lot happened today, and we need to see how things fall. The meeting with the ambassadors, the nuke, the vampires. The people you let see into your magic kingdom.”
“Is Disney going to let us call it that?”
“You’re happy traumatising a small army of reporters who are already making a massive deal of it, but you’re worried about branding?”
“I may have fought a god, but I do not want to take on Disney lawyers.”
Anna shook her head.
“Dealing with the press like that—”
“Anna, I’m not going to let anyone pressure me. Not like last time. I want to do things diplomatically, and I know that playing all-powerful tyrant doesn’t help with that. But I’m still going to, from time to time.”
She sighed.
“I know. Right now, we need to see how things play out. Don’t make any more spectacles until the refugee handoff. This vampire bunker situation compounds what was already deeply complicated.”
“I agree. I’m more than happy to retreat to clan territory and keep quiet. I can leave the cloud ship here. My concern is what the vampires are up to. The rest is politics, but that’s a threat of a very different nature. If the vampires have more of those blood tree things, it completely reframes how we need to deal with them.”
“Will you find that out any time soon?”
“No idea.”
“Then it doesn’t change the plan. Give the dust time to settle. While we see how things develop on the political front, we need to look at the public image of you and your clan. How the aftermath of today plays out will be a large factor in that, but we can look at general approaches. The key is that if your public image is a positive one, it’s all the harder to pressure you politically.”
“So, using telekinesis on reporters was a bad idea?”
“Actually, no. The Engineers of Ascension are long gone, but one thing they did continues to resonate, even now. They branded their people as superheroes, and that has stuck in the public imagination. Most major cities maintain a cadre of magic users to handle supernatural threats. Monsters, obviously, but as magic becomes more common, it’s increasingly being used in criminal activity. Mostly by former magic faction members who fell out of the fold over the last decade or so.”
“Superheroes? Are we talking full-blown spandex vigilantes?
“More like extremely flamboyant SWAT teams with large publicity departments.”
“Where do I fit in?”
“You’re the world’s first superhero. These modern superheroes spend most of their time making public appearances and arguing over who is the most like Batman. Their publicity team would kill for a rolling battle against vampiric blood servant bikies. Not to mention that EoA actively worked to turn you into an urban legend, in the last days before magic went public. They were using you to pave the way for their own superheroes.”
“I remember,” he said with a scowl. “They tried to use the Broken Hill disaster for publicity. Sounds like not much has changed.”
“Well, now we can reap the rewards of all that.”
“In case my tone was unclear, Anna, I was implying that using these events for publicity is a bad thing.”
“I’m not asking you to take advantage of dire events to promote yourself. I’m just explaining how we’re going to frame things, and what kind of events we’re going to target for intervention.”
“You want me to do superhero things. Are you asking me to fight crime?”
“No. Just keep doing what you did today. Handle threats that no one else can. Be what no one else can be. Honestly? The thing with the reporters plays into that. We can build an entire Avengers League around you and your team.”
“It’s not Avengers League, Anna. It’s Avengers or it’s Justice League.”
“Jason, I am incapable of expressing the depth to which I do not care. The point is that you have a team of colourful, diverse and incredibly attractive people. We can sell the crap out of that, and do some actual good in the process. We’ve already been brainstorming ways that you and your team can help people. Forget fighting monsters; I want to see Wexler walking through cities, curing people with her aura. That’s good publicity and just good.”
“I like the idea, but I don’t want to have reporters following her around like it’s a publicity stunt. The priority should be helping people, not being seen helping people.”
“The good thing is, that’s the right approach for image as well. It’s better publicity to just do it and have people find out, which they obviously will. You can’t blanket cities in miracle healing without people investigating what happened.”
“I’m not opposed to the idea, but we need to prioritise our actions the right way. Places that need what we can offer the most.”
“I completely agree. I’ll have the team put together a plan.”
“The team?” Jason asked.
“Once I joined this little operation, I started putting together what is essentially a think tank. We have the opportunity to make incredible changes. You and your people have the power to change the world. The key is not doing more harm than good, so we’ve been planning out how to do that. Our core approach is to identify potential areas where you could do some good, and then start consulting with locals. Figure out what the people on the ground need and determine if that’s something we can provide.”
“Instead of deciding what they need and imposing it on them?”
“Precisely. We’ve been extremely tentative at this stage, while waiting for you to arrive. Now, it’s time to start moving in earnest.”
“Who is this team, exactly?”
“I’ve been quietly recruiting, with the help of your grandmother. Experts in all manner of fields, many poached from the UN. World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation, UNESCO. People I know to be capable and reliable. That’s the core brains trust. The goal is to build local organisations in any areas of operation. The Cabal tends to hold sway in areas of greatest need, and they’re actually way ahead of us on this. The work they’ve been doing since going public is incredible. I only realised how much once I connected with Boris Ketland.”
“This all sounds more ambitious than I thought you would go for.”
“We have a unique opportunity, Jason. You can do whatever you want, essentially without consequence to you. We need to figure out how to use that, without the consequences falling on the people we want to help. Maximising positive change while minimising harm.”
Jason leaned forward in his chair.
“Okay,” he said. “It sounds like you’ve been busy while I was crossing universes. Catch me up on everything.”
Comments
Nea
Everyone is arguing about who's most like Batman, while Team Biscuit is about to form the Justice League lol Humphrey has been compared to Superman a lot, and let's be honest, Jason has been Batman all along. Brooding in the shadows, he claims he works alone while having two adorable companions and an equally sassy and deadly butler. I am so stoked for team super biscuit!!
Morgan Smidt
You mean, his brother, his lover, and his friend right?
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Jacob
I'm pretty sure Jason has a harem Aura
Jacob
Is there a reason?Most females are the Reasonable ones
Hell 5pawn
I have a feeling that Clive will be the forst to reach Diamond, and it will be because he'd adopted magitech into his research and/or combat style the way he did with ritual magic. Glowing machine language written into a floating ritual circle for the win!
Martin Tomsic
I'm 44 and I've heard multiple variations of that quote since I was in middle school. I think it may have even been in a movie or TV show. For some reason I'm picturing James Spader or Robert Downey Jr. saying it.
Martin Tomsic
I think it was going to be a moon? But yeah, he was definitely intending on making a place for Craig and the rest of the friendly vamps where they could be in peace.
Martin Tomsic
Well they already have the organizational name. Instead of the Justice League they will be the Adventure Society. Then they'll just have their individual superhero names, not sure if they'll use the team names. I don't see it flying so well with some people at referring to them as Team Biscuit or Team Blood and Gold. And I'm pretty sure that everyone on Team Biscuit would refuse Humphrey's choices, or at least what he used to think would be good names. He used to think that Team Storm Shredder was a good name but everyone else thought it was terrible.
Martin Tomsic
We all know Neil will end up being called Robin somehow. Or maybe it'll be some play on it, "The Elven Wonder"?
Vincent Ciavone
I feel like during the greenstone arc? Saga? Whatever, the time before Jason’s death by the builder. There was a lot going on in Jason’s mind that the viewer wasn’t privy to, and it died out when Jason jumped back into earth; learning there was magic and some organizations to overpower him, it caused him to become even further confused and he couldn’t create a plan. By the time he got the knowledge to formulate his own plan he had been thrusted into world politics and events, and he couldn’t just go along with his schemes anymore Lil edit: tbf we have seen Jason betray whatever we’re told is going to happen before hand on earth and Pallimustus since, but it’s not on the level of early pallimustus jason
Vincent Ciavone
So who else waiting for this new chapter
Joseph Sarafinko
Yes and yes. Just relistened a week or 2 ago.
Joshua Marsh
Sure I get the overabundance was a bit much but just one more because of gold rank abilities
Philip Pleiss
I still just can't seem to shake the suspicion that Jason knows a lot more about future events than he is letting on. I also suspect he isn't quite as disconnected from the Cosmic Throne as the other Astral beings think.
Michael Hawkins
Shirt said in an interview he's more or less abandoned the system messages, and he's focusing more on showing instead of telling. I will admit the overabundance of them in the audio books on re listens is a bit jarring
Richard Ulrich
Lo I agree but before entire arcs would be nice to get an update to know where things stand. Like no need for every other chapter updating us on 1 change with a 30 minute Stat dump...
ABTelford
Oh! I like that! But I’d bet on Neil being called the Elf Price because I think he’s the only elf in the expedition? And now they’ve finally got him wearing sexy/flattering clothes. I want lots of “sexy elf” jokes! And then he’ll open his mouth…haha!
ABTelford
Ok, now I want Jason to hold a press conference. I can imagine all kinds of inappropriate questions AND answers. Haha!! Along with some good old honesty about overcoming bad impulses through therapy to assuage the people nervous about some of the muderhobo stuff he did before leaving earth last time.
Der Ritter
Book 5 chapter 48-51 and 56 fot the wake i think
K
Do we know what chapter that happened? And, the chapter where their ghosts show up for a final goodbye? I find myself wanting to read them again after seeing this comment.
Der Ritter
He asked his handler ecplicid how to act and got told to tech jason a lesson. Girlys Personal interest started only after the fight when he realised thad jason was the real deal
Arieh Sochaczevski
I think he can just make a planet for them inside his universe. Isn’t that what he said he was going to do?
Arieh Sochaczevski
Following orders is not an excuse. Choosing to continue to work for bad people is a choice. She has absolutely been responsible AND a dipshit.
Arieh Sochaczevski
It has been so much better NOT getting stats!
Arieh Sochaczevski
I’m pretty sure Jason would love every second of removing pain from children. There’s a reason that was what he did when he first got back to earth. I actually can’t see where there is a moral argument to do LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE with his time - unless earth has already taken care of it. With the next step being doing the same for non-children. Until the world is clear of all diseases and conditions that he and his team can just make go away, anything else is wrong. Since we know that such powers exist on earth, we could assume it’s already taken care of, but I don’t quite buy that.
StarkRG
Nobody gave that order, it was just something Jack Gherling did as part of his plan to capture Jason.
Der Ritter
I hope we will soon find out who gave the order to kill assia kai and Greg.
GentlemanG33k
Two I like simple and work Humphrey as Dragon Knight, and Tika as a joke on himself Birdman. The last three I don't know really Rufus The Eclipse, Belinda The Charlatan, I guess you could Zara The Hurricane Princess.
GentlemanG33k
Jokingly I had a thread a few weeks ago about superhero names for the team putting up my choices. Four are solid with in book references Jason The Starlight Rider, Sophie The Nightingale, Clive The Magister, Neil The Sentinel.
MoonlitShade
It’s not an original quote by any means, it’s something I’ve said jokingly to my friends since middle school (I’m 25) so it’s at LEAST that old. However, it is indeed a great quote lol.
Addie
The purity attract is Shaped For Comfort
Mist Sparrow
Lol now Jason has the perfect excuse to make a head shaped space station above earth 🤣 or a moon base, something that shows he's wholly external to earth politics
Danny boy
She's a vampire lol..... but that might be his thing
Scott McCarthy
They will just leave the name alone and not translate it, so no one except the other Palamustus residents know what it means.
Tommy S
BTW we haven't really seen the big deal with energy vamps. It's hard to see them as threats if they are basically couch potatoes.
Jacob Kraus
I wonder if Shirt or one of his admins can put an updated stats page in his discord. That would be helpful for those of us that want to keep track 😉
Kat
I meant Ms Audrey Blaine, Earth's Bio/magitech expert 😶 I can see them bonding over each other's specializations
Doug
+1 I’m dying to know the new gold rank abilities of the team
Doug
And basically what he did when he arrived back on earth the first time.
Meruem92
Gold* typo
Laura Hemly
Typo for gold ranker.
Laura Hemly
Fortunately, he has all of that.
Doug
Wait is Jason Carmen’s boss now?
Laura Hemly
Anna's biggest problem during Jason's first return to Earth was trying to follow the orders of Network management above her by trying to prevent Jason from revealing magic to the world and constantly having to chew him out. She's not buried in an organization composed of layer upon layer of committees now, so can act on her own ideas -- and is showing how much she was prevented from doing what she felt was right and instead forced to follow the dictates of the committees above her. She *wanted* to do the right thing, but instead was forced into the position of endlessly apologizing for those who had broken the rules by attacking Jason. I always felt sorry for Anna then; now that she's free to deal directly with Jason and no one else, shs's proving how badly the Network had treated her. How is that her fault?
ABTelford
The USA has overly sugared biscuits/cookies, same with all their desserts, so…depends on how much sugar he likes. 😉
Daniel is ŁØNE
She kinda was, She was complicit in everything that happened to Jason on his first return, but acts like she is some holier than thou individual because unlike most she felt bad after the fact, and while that does set her apart it still doesn't make the fact that she was complicit and responsible for a lot of the BS that he had to go through. Also despite everything she comes of as extremely narrowminded in her approach and she clearly never actually knew how to diplomatically handle people in all her prior interactions, if she did she wouldn't pointless antagonize Jason at every opportunity based of lacking information in a landscape where she clearly doesn't understand anything. And despite feeling bad about doing "bad things" she always seemed to default to trying to make Jason the little man in every scenario by asking him to give away what is rightfully his simply because the powers at be that don't really matter what to know. Also, she was also unwilling to admit how little she knew and constantly underestimated his power when everyone and everything outright told her the grand scheme situation and it took nearly until Jason got back for her to grasp the truth despite being constantly exposed to his abilities all the time. Finally, she was always kinda pointlessly being a bitch about stuff like she had done no wrong and acting like Jason was always in the wrong or not taking things seriously despite not enduring even a fraction of a fraction of the pain both physical and emotional that he has endured for the sake of a world that did nothing but burn him over and over again. Like seriously if Jason was a lesser man I could definitely have seen her being a victim of her ego and limited vision for her needless disrespect and arrogance.
Hayden Leech
Lorelei? She’s been in the story for a while. And she has a crush on him but he’s oblivious.
Joshua Marsh
Exactly lol just chapter 1000-1020 needs to be Team Biscuit Stat Block, the others are cool but eh Jason’s the main team here so their stat blocks pleaseeeeee
3rdImpact
Those will have to be chapters in and of them all
Joanna
Good point, FlareNight! I’d forgotten that. So it was a choice
Joanna
He did, Laura, but that interaction always gave me more of a brain crush vibe. Clive was entirely interested in her because she was smart and cared about studying magic. The few “romantic” gestures he made toward her, and later Dawn, felt like an ace person trying romance without having any idea how it’s supposed to work. He gave Dawn flowers once, just because he was trying to “woo” her into telling him more about magic
Joanna
Thanks for that belly laugh!
Joshua Marsh
Could we get stats PLEASEEEEE??? Stat block please we need ability updates, Jason can look and suppress light, Sophie can cure with Aura, Humphrey can summon 100 warriors can we get stat block pleaseeeeeeeee?
Vonelmo
Hump -n- the Biscuits
IllustriousIllusionist
Tbf tho how many times did Jason skirt around the “are you Evil?” Question in books 1 and 2 🤣🤣
Kares Selyrian
Good ranker?
StarkRG
She never was.
StarkRG
Batman's strength, ability, and extensive fight training is probably his least powerful abilities. His true strength is his mind, his observation skills, ability to retain information, and ability to work out a solution, assuming a solution exists. I have no doubt that, even as a normal ranker, he could take out a diamond ranker. Transcendents are immortal, so he couldn't kill them, but he could probably arrange for their peers to sanction them.
StarkRG
Time is a confluence essence, so that would have to be something formed out of the others.
Logan
So…. Carlos never actually answered the question. Should we be worried?
Justin Hunsberger
I have noticed that habit with shirt, he often ends a scene a little too early and let's it finish out of sight. There was a string of chapters at the start of the last book that were a little whiplash with how they just ended partway through something but the next chapter started something totally different. I chalked it up to shirt still being in the mode of writing those stand alone chapters he does after the end of a book to bridge it to the next book. But has kinda become his thing nonetheless.
Justin Hunsberger
I was honestly expecting that but then shirt just breezed through the cleanup of that bunker instead.
mainiak
Thanks @Philipp. Totally forgot about that. But yeah, no need to wait ... especially when Dawn can come to snatch them and drop them into deep brown at any moment
mainiak
I hope Carmen will come back to play with others
mainiak
There is no DMV essence, so maybe sloth essence?
mainiak
Why would you say "inside Thad all along" instead of "with Thad"?? What's wrong with you?? (Curse my dirty mind)
mainiak
Yup. Let's upgrade the internal forest city into place of nightmare instead of haven
mainiak
@CritHappens - yeah, Jason is most Batman-like. But you know who can be more? Colin. I love Jason, but taking the goofy side just to end up with super serious murderhobo ... No, Colin is overall better fit.
mainiak
Except Jason will need (big) shovel and (very big) sieve to filter out rotten apples (vamps)
mainiak
This is a disaster! Forget Disney lawyers and pharma!! What about Nestle and cereal companies?!?
Philipp Battenberg
@maniak Jason actually explained this to Nik. He also stated that they will train people, as that's far easier than trying to incorporate existing Gold rankers. The caveat was only "once we get to Pallimustus".
mainiak
Hey @Phillip. I think there was some discussion here in Patreon comments, that due to different interests of the characters and due to how many people Jason is continuously accumulating, that forming their own guild and creating ad-hoc teams / expeditions / task-force makes most sense.
Hons
11/10 the naming will backfire and drive humpy into depression
Philipp Battenberg
Yeah, I am actually also rooting for a peaceful solution with Elizabeth. I don't know how good cohabitation on Earth will work, especially with the sunlight problem, but there's the Moon of Eternal Eclipse and Noir City.
Philipp Battenberg
Doing good not for goodness sake but just for publicity probably fells to disingenuous to Jason. Also, he would lower himself to the level of the politicians, instead of being the god-like power.
Philipp Battenberg
Yeah, in contrast to earlier employers she is given free rein. She still has to clean up messes, but Jason actually listens to her.
Philipp Battenberg
@mainiak I had not considered combining the Guild idea with the Superhero one. That would actually make sense and no one is stopping them from starting their guild on Earth, instead of waiting for their return to Pallimustus.
KollegvomMirgan
I like the idea of Anna finally getting to do something good with her skills instead of cleaning up messes xD
daedelus
Unless the sun has made her insane after all this time.
Kristoffer
Surely they would make the same jokes if he found someone, they would just be about his ex wife.
Cam
Go Anna!!
Arieh Sochaczevski
What is the downside to visiting every children’s hospital he can get to, as fast as possible? Certainly don’t do anything against anyone’s will, but just showing up and offering… MAYBE being less flashy than last time, but even that was in no way bad.
Skybreaker
According to Shirt on the discord, iron rankers (roughly) match Batman's physical prowess. Figured I'd throw that out there.
Kat
Did Clive just meet his wife?😶
Andromeda Adams
Ooo! Superhero Team Biscuit? Or Will Humphrey finally get to name the team differently? And what of the others? Maybe they will all be apart of the same team for a little bit. Tyftc!
Youkai-sama
NOW Anna's talkin like she's not a dipshit.
Steve Rogers
The way Shirt writes the dialogues is so fluid and natural, making it that much more enjoyable to read and follow. Talent with proof.
Chiqui Joy
Bwahahaha! 😂
Daniel Wills
This is probably bad but I’m very pro Elizabeth. I really want her to proactively reach out to Jason and try to manage a peaceful camp nation on earth.
John Durrett
Yes mistress. Lol
ItsFin
He would just make a joke about how he would be there to read the results
Kconraw
Thx for the chapter
MatthiasClan
I love that Anna’s idea to promote Jason is the same thing he was doing when he started out in Greenstone.
Addie
It's probably the purity artifact and it's been inside Thad all along
CritHappens
Maybe the sword in the old astral space was the soul of the old builder?
CritHappens
Binge read book 1 to book 12… take notes with all that you know now… share said notes. Christmas sorted. Your welcome
CritHappens
Don’t know if you guys have noticed but Jason is Batman.
Code Reed
I think my favorite quote in this entire series just happened in this chapter. "Jason, I am incapable of expressing the depth of which I do not care." Which was said in response to him correcting a pop culture reference she got wrong. That's pretty much representative of the entire series from start to end in how he talks about nothing to everyone and everything that will even remotely pay attention to his words up to and including great astral beings.
Laura Hemly
We don't know how many portals Jason can have open at one time now. As an astral king, he may be unlimited in them. I'm sure that his AK powers figure into how he uses his abilities an enormous amount since he has that astral gate to draw unlimited power from. I suspect his only limitation is in now much power he can control now, which is increasing all the time, I'm sure.
Brad Gammey
Honestly, I just like the fact that Clive has a fictional wife. The ongoing bit last reached a head in Jason's soul while the will of undeath was being fought off. I'm hoping it comes back for more tongue in cheek humor.
Laura Hemly
The first Earth arc was also full of politics. Jason ignored 99% of it, but politics was still integral to the story. Now that he's returned, he's done a 180 on the political stuff, so we're going to see it. Also, let's face it, this is one chapter in a book, somewhat taken out of context. If you read the chapters individually this way, you have to expect chapters like this that are setting up the situation and worldbuilding. That's the penalty for reading as the chapters are written.
Laura Hemly
No, Stark, after Farrah died, Jason told somebody that Clive had really been interested in her.. But since she's returned, he hasn't shown any interest in anyone. To poor Lorelei's regret!
Laura Hemly
Anna got trapped in the mindset of the middle manager. Even being promoted out of her position at the Sydney network just moved her to a slightly higher level of middle management. It's not surprising that she is thriving in her position as Jason's primary Earth advisor; having worked at the city, country, and UN level, she's seen how things really work and is blossoming. I never understood all the Anna hate, either; her biggest "crime" was trying to follow the rules.
Zack
Stark, what about tech, time, and...eyes?
Laura Hemly
I'll probably reread from the beginning. A month is .easily long enough, even for the audiobooks.
Laura Hemly
I suspect the cloud ship teams may clean out crime island while they're on Earth; I suspect it wouldn't be very difficult for them. Are any of the energy vampires there even gold rank (before they became EVs, obviously)?
StarkRG
Australia has Anzac biscuits. They start out super crunchy but get enticingly chewy over the next week or so.
Laura Hemly
The Florida governor has taken on the Mouse, and the only reason he wasn't completely destroyed is that somehow (wink wink) something 6 out of 7 judges on the state supreme court are his rabid supporters and have taken his side against Disney. But I suspect the Disney lawyers are just biding their time; his 2nd term is up soon, and then he has to step down. And after the way he's tried to destroy the schools, tourism industry, etc., his chances of even being elected dogcatcher in the future are virtually nil. And THEN the Disney lawyers will have their unfettered way again!
Mitha
And which country in earth has the best biscuits in the opinion of a multi reality biscuit connoisseur dragon? I would bet money on France, but it's more or less desolate now.
Alex Schellenberg
Remember when Jason realized that with difficult people you have to tell them what they want to hear and then send them off to their handlers. Anna is mastering this with Jason.
Stuart Thwaites
Anna: A quantum super computer ,running until the heat death of the universe, could not approach to calculating the sheer quantity of shits that I simply do not give.
StarkRG
Hmm, assuming they could get essences, what kind of combination would they have. Technology, dimension, and something else, maybe swift? Or swift, technology, and adept? Maybe lightning or light could also work.
Stephanie Washburn
Yeah, really. (@StarkRG)
Stephanie Washburn
I love it. Now that she's accepted her job, she gets to build a list of all the helpers with local programs who might finally get what they need to actually solve problems they've been mitigating for decades.
Maudley
Am I the only one who loves how shirt does politics? Like, don't get me wrong, the adventuring was wonderful, but that chapter is over for Jason. He's accomplished what Rufus told him in the very beginning. He's become a powerful defender, giving up his freedom to defend the freedom of others. That's exactly what he gave up, and it makes his sacrifices real. Sorry, I really don't think those adventures are coming back.
Stephanie Washburn
I would love a Slowmo Guys cameo.
Stephanie Washburn
Disney.
Stephanie Washburn
I love how Anna's response to this job was "First of all F you" ".... Also, now that I've accepted we're going to finally fix some things I've been working on for decades with all the other bleeding hearts who never had enough power to actually solve the problem."
Maudley
Ooooh, interesting. Honestly we haven't gotten to see them do much yet. Def would be interesting to see them in combat, or even get an upgrade from this research. Could end up combining this research with the existing superhuman research to have Arbor synthesize a relatively safe symbiote.
Aubrey Listi
I LOVE the way this conversation with her went. Jason has obviously matured so much, and, frankly, this conversation highlights it most for me. He's not apologizing for who he is, but he's also not being melodramatic just to be melodramatic. That's not to say I dont enjoy some good melodrama, though. I love his monologuing.
Maudley
When I think of batman, I think of bronze to silver rank attributes. Waving away the tyranny of rank since it seems excessive to penalize Batman further (plus he'd likely work something out to even things a little), and idunno, he can probably figure out some scenario that advantages him, but in a straight up fight he's losing against superman stats (and mental stats) without the usual weakness, plus a full set of abilities that synergize.
StarkRG
So, I've been wondering about something that I suspect has been on a lot of people's minds. Is Stash going to open a branch of his bakery chain on Earth making him the first, last, and only Palli-Earth biscuit mogul?
Benjamin Grant
There was a case recently where someone died at a Disney park because of allergies at a restaurant after repeatedly informing the staff they had allergies and the husband sued Disney for wrongful death, Disney Lawyers in court said that they signed away right to sue Disney due to agreeing to terms and conditions on a Disney+ trial
StarkRG
Clive has never once shown an ounce of romantic or sexual interest in anyone. Unless I see evidence to the contrary, it seems most likely that he's asexual and aromantic.
Alex
Reminds me of that line from the Joker in the batman animated series: "I'm crazy enough to take on The Batman, but the IRS? NO THANKYOU."
Jake Thorpe
But to be far is batman lived in this world he would 1000% have powers. No way would he not have like the bat, dark and technology essence.
Damaddino
Dude Disney lawyers are scary as hell. They dig up shit when they want to. My mother in law went there with her sisters a few years ago and one of their chairs was rotted wood. She fell through it and knocked herself out. She’s a small woman so it wasn’t that she was too big for it. During the mediation for a settlement the Disney lawyers brought up something my wife mentioned to someone from like 15 years ago after they had an argument. My wife and her mother have no clue how they could even get ahold of that information.
StarkRG
@Vincent I'm the same. I never understood where all the Anna hate came from. So often it was expressed in rather misogynistic ways, clouding the real reason.
Alex
Thadwick is known to be an energy vampire. The team doesn't know that he's leading a cabal of energy vampires on crime island back on Pallimustus, and is probably involved at some level in creating the weapon that was used in the attempt on Jason's life in Boko.
StarkRG
The throne may not have lawyers, but it does have cops.
StarkRG
Probably get the slowmo guys in with one of those really expensive Phantom cameras.
Rachel Clements
TYFTC!
Jake Thorpe
Yea but superman has an easily exploitable weakness gold rankers don't not to mention they can all have 20 powers each and can survive decapitation. Not forgetting batman was a normal rank they could just suppress his aura and soul attack him.
StarkRG
Hmm, who would win, Disney lawyers or Nintendo lawyers?
StarkRG
If he was prepared, Batman, no question. The guy had enough contingencies in place that someone accessing his computer system was able to take out the entire Justice League in a matter of minutes. The way to defeat Batman is to make sure he doesn't know you exist.
Soli116
I'm going to reread book 12. And 13 as far as I can
Meruem92
Counterpoint to that is superman was beaten by batsy, he could be considered a gold rank probably albeit with a weakness
Myron Jabido
Gold ranker without a doubt. Batman has great gadgets, but gold rankers have the gadgets and the special powers.
Kelly
Yay, I don’t hate this new version of Anna!
Vartrex
ah okay, now that sounds vaguely familiar. I guess its been awhile since I've read those books. Might be time for a re-read.
Soli116
Following up on Bryan, Emir, Constance, and I think Arabelle were talking about it when they found the dead silver rankers. They got Callem and tried to find him.
Hunter
Callum,Emir and the Remores tracked him for a while but he slipped away.
mainiak
I wonder if the artifact that can purge the taint from Monster cores can help energy vampires in any way ... also I don't think there is many such artifacts in multi-cosmos
mainiak
Biscuit Spread? Cookie cutters? Not sure what you are going for, but hey whatevs Guild: Strict Nanny
SnowReason
After he went to see his mom, she told everyone about his status since vamps on Pally are a big deal.
mainiak
I'm all in for ship Audrey Blaine (previously Mrs. South) and Clive. Try to make joke about energy vampire to it's (her's) face. Lorelei has been quiet (stalker) mouse in background. There is no movement. Even The System gets more notice/action/appreciation from Clive than her. Shame on people hoping for Emi and Clive. (That said - hypocriticaly I hope for Farrah and Siege Sword what's his name) #TYFTC
Meruem92
So.. a gold ranker vs Batman, who would win?
Bryan Jackson
They all found out when he escaped from the Order of the Reaper's astral space in the epilogue of book 3
Benjamin Grant
Disney lawyers
Vartrex
So did i completely miss them finding out about Thadwick becoming an energy vampire? I thought no one knew that yet.
Azmoranth
Vladwick 🤣
james foster
Thanks for giving the whole quote.
Vincent Ciavone
Nobody but shirt can change my mind on that
Kaelan Spears
Anna is happily married to Susan
PapaJohn
its canon, now
Vincent Ciavone
All I’m hearing is Disney outscales the cosmic throne
Sean C Jackson
It's not so much that they have greater authority, it's just that Disney has Lawyers and the Throne doesn't.
Keegan Moss
We all know there are all powerful gods and then there is the Disney lawyer team. Just like we know there are “just went out for milk” parents, and then Clive’s wife.
Telewyn
Maybe Jason’s pocket worldtree friend would be interested in saving other magical trees from vampirism? It probably doesn’t know much though.
Tony
Only 15 more chapters in 2024. How will I ever survive the holidays.
Crystal Donak
Where is Stash? When there are cookies beeing thrown about? Lol
Crystal Donak
Emi.. But Annabeth is married to Susan an Artist.
John Durrett
And it harm ye none, do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. As long as your not harming others, go for it
Justin
First time I’ve ever tried to be first. I usually don’t care but I was off work early today and waiting for the chapter to release.
Samuel Strode
Big pharma is going to be gunning for him
John Durrett
I believe is the titles that come with such an effort. Perseverance, patience, gratitude, (maturity unlocked).
Samuel Strode
Not quite second is good though
Kenneth
Those days are in the past. Once you reach a certain level, politics are unavoidable. Especially when you are the defacto ruler of a world. Jason might not officially be the ruler of the world, but at the end of the day, he's in charge by the simple fact no one can stop him. It's WHY everything is happening the way it is, he's trying not to let things run out of control.
FlareNight
He's already been opening other portals (like when he got the mercs out).
Addie
Hooray Vladwick got a foreshadowing
ABTelford
I loved this bit! - “Jason let out a frustrated sigh. “Why do I keep running into people at checkpoints who fulfil their duties with integrity?” he complained.” Hehe! Gold!!! On the other hand, I felt that section cut off prematurely. It Felt cut off instead of ending where it should, which likely would have been when the security guy gets off the radio and tells them they can go in.
John Durrett
Jason could be God Emperor of Earth like Paul did for Dune. People keep praying for 1000 years of peace after a great end of world battle.
Vincent Ciavone
Fr it’s crazy. Like honestly I think it would be so cool if Clive and Farrah could slowly build a relationship starting soon, like it’s been shutdown by them seemingly, but in life there’s no knowing where things will lead you, I think it would be a neat satisfying arc for Their characters
Philipp Battenberg
It's a bit funny as Jason even considered a team of reporters following Sophie around, when she aura heals cities. As if Sophie would do that slowly. If reporters can keep up, then they have earned it.
Joanna
Sharp point! I think it's possible he's on the up-and-up though. If he's keeping a portal open from inside the ship to his domain, then he wouldn't be able to open another at the same time, and he can't shadow teleport with passengers as far as I know
Vincent Ciavone
Maybe I just wanted her to be good, but it always seemed to me like she was a good person with the right mindset, she was just only able to become a part of the system and do as much good as she could try to, which generally in most systems, is not much in the grand scheme of things, Jason knew this and decided to put her in the position to make real change
3rdImpact
Thanks for the chapter! Imagine the promotional materials or the biscuit league fighting their arch nemesis the tea set.
Justin Butler
Sounds like Anna is finally being team Jason for real.
Vincent Ciavone
YES FINALLY, I’ve been waiting for Jason to bring change ever since he would cure the sick in villages in Pallimustus, this feels to me like something Jason would put above everything that isn’t world ending.
3rdImpact
I feel you but this is an important part of works building 20years are a long time and Jason and the world have changed. And I think Shirt is doing a great in job of trying up more loose ends and setting a scene for probably the last big bad.
mhaj58
Anna is already married to Susan
Donovan Richard
And yet people want Emmy to be the wife. It's so weird
3rdImpact
Do not we all
Sacha
I do totally agree
Adrian
I bet you read it before hitting the heart icon too. Barbarism!
Vincent Ciavone
The only authority above the cosmic throne is Disney
Dylan Alexander
That’s my problem though. To me this story has never come across as something political even though politics has played a part from the beginning. It just feels like it’s supposed to be more about adventure. I just don’t like the way it’s heading, especially being back on earth. There’s so much more to explore in this multiverse and we’re on earth still!
GentlemanG33k
Just realizing with how magic bodies break down after death vivisection would be used more in the study of magical creature anatomy
John goode
I was really really skeptical of Anna and her joining but it seems like she’s been doing good. Just like what I imagine Jason would want to do. Great ch thanks
ShowBizGAL 1996
This whole Earth thing really has no choice but to be messed up with politics. It's just how Earth power is set up. I know, it's a bummer, but it's also just how things are. The only other choice I see it to give us a long-lived (or immortal) king who won't put up with politics in his court, and go from there. LOL! Fat chance of that!!
James Johnson
TYFTC! It sounds like Anna has taken bit and ran. She's doing what Jason asked but so much more!
Logan
Wonder how Clive's wife is doing these days?
Brad Gammey
Lorelei, Mrs. South, Annabeth Tilden... the potential for Clive's wife could be anywhere!
Dylan Alexander
I really, really don’t care about all of this. When can we get back to good old adventures without worrying about politics or turning this into a superhero flic?
Philipp Battenberg
Biscuit League — We are some tough cookies.
FlareNight
I missed it at first, but that whole thing was for the media. He's been inside the bunker and his team is already down there. They could have just portaled in from wherever they were, rather than flying in on Shade.
Philipp Battenberg
It's nice to see that Anna is working out quite good. And... Biscuit League? Biscuit Avengers?
Bingus McCready
TFTC!!! I love how this earth arc is shaping up so far.
ItWasIDIO!!
That's the Anna I want
Der Ritter
I love how you bring all those little side charakters back that only got minor notices in the other books. You make it feel alove that way
Dave
TYFTC
Josh
Where is the fun in that?
shawn B
Tyftc
Aaron Schwartz
OK, I’m on board. I just need you to make sure to include Clive’s wife in the brain trust
Thomas Todd
Forgot Mrs South was still knocking about, glad we get to see her again
Joshua Batts
TYFTC! Good to see Mrs South come back, especially now that we know exactly what she is. Implying implications for the future...
mhaj58
First to actually read the chapter before commenting
Connor
tftc
Josh
Biscuits
Bobby Baxter
yes
Mamuamap
TYFTC
Dags
TYFTC!
Justin
First?
John
biscuits
