Shirtaloon
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Chapter 951: Messy but Delicious
🕑 Added 2024-10-07 22:00:07 +0000 UTCJason placed a comforting hand on Nik’s shoulder as they walked down a corridor in the cloud ship.
“I won’t say don’t be nervous, because of course you are,” Jason told him. “What I will say is that they’re going to love you.”
“You think?”
“Nik, everyone loves you. Even Neil adores you, and you know how cranky he can get. The whole Adventure Society loves you. That might just be because of your power set, but it counts.”
“You think that maybe I could find a team here on Earth? Maybe I should have joined one of the Geller teams back in Greenstone. I just wanted to see the world a bit, you know?”
“I do.”
“And I wanted to…”
“What?”
“I wanted to talk to you about it. But year after year, you didn’t come back.”
Jason grimaced, feeling the shame. He’d had his reasons for leaving, but he always did. It didn’t stop him from leaving his team behind, time and again. And now he’d done the same to Nik, who had needed him more than anyone.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I can give you all the excuses in the world, but it doesn’t change that. I could promise to do better, but what you need isn’t words. I hope that you’ll give me the chance to do better. To give me the time that I didn’t give to you.”
“You once told me that you don’t get along with your mother.”
“That’s true.”
“Would you give her the time? If she asked for it?”
Jason stopped walking, Nik pulling up as well. Jason stood, frowning for a long time.
“That’s a good question,” he said finally. “A hard question. And, if I’m being honest, I don’t know. She’s still here, on Earth. Maybe I should see if she’s ready for what I’m asking you for. Everyone’s circumstances are different. I don’t know, Nik. I don’t know.”
He pushed a smile onto his face and kept walking.
“You know, I don’t think you need a team,” he told Nik. “Your powers just work better in large groups, which is why the Adventure Society keeps setting you up with expeditions. What you need is a guild who can take full advantage of your abilities. We’re looking at setting one up when we get back to Palli. I’m not going to let someone else take care of you. It’s you and me, from here on out.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. We’ve been discussing it ever since I had guild issues in Vitesse. Team Biscuit is getting big, and we have some people floating in and out, like me, Rufus and Taika. Probably Zara, too, now she’s back to princessing. It makes sense to have a guild that’s small and works like an extended team. Swapping people in and out, based on availability and need.”
“You don’t have any silver rankers, though. Doing contracts with a bunch of gold-rankers will get me killed.”
“Our guild recruitment would be focused on the lower ranks. Training people up to our standards and helping them rank up. It’s a lot easier than trying to pull in people already gold rank, who have their own ways of doing things anyway. We’d set up pools of people for each rank, base them out of zones with appropriate magic levels. Greenstone for iron rankers and initial training, but we’re looking at setting up headquarters around the world. Clive and that poor woman Lorelei have been working to reverse engineer the Builder cult portal network for almost twenty years now. Our guild houses would be a test bed, before rolling it out commercially.”
“That would cause a bigger stir than the Sky Link network Farrah and Travis built. And that was huge. An actual portal network will throw whole countries and industries into disarray.”
“It’ll be a big deal, yeah, but within reason. It’s not like it’ll be free portal travel, but it’ll be cheaper and more accessible than the current system of finding a portal specialist and paying them a bunch of money.”
Jason stopped them in front of a door to one of the ship lounges.
“You ready, bud?”
“No,” Nik said, rolling his shoulders as if limbering up for a fight. “But let’s do it anyway.”
Jason chuckled and the mist door vanished. There was a squeal, and Nik was hit by a torpedo.
***
New Water was the city Jason created in his astral kingdom for the survivors of Boko. Many had chosen to leave and find new homes on Pallimustus, especially those who didn’t like the civic policies Jason enacted, such as the abolition of both indentured servitude and aristocratic title. Further social development was the purview of the Dominion church.
The clergy in Jason’s astral kingdom had chosen to remain for his journey to Earth. The initial contingent had been from the churches of Hearth, Refuge and Dominion, but as the work expanded, others had joined when Jason took on more people in Rimaros. Members of various priesthoods joined to help establish the new city, mostly due to the logistics required for a population in the tens of thousands.
Although the gods of Pallimustus had no sway in his realm, and could not enact their power through their clergy, it mattered little. The gods had made sure that their followers were experts in their areas of influence, magic or not. The contingent of experts had their own magic, but it was their knowledge that proved more valuable.
Most of the gods represented were minor, concerned with the day to day lives of ordinary people. There was little need for the clergy of major deities like Ocean, Storm or War. The priests Jason took on were mostly those of professional gods useful to a new city, such as Farmer, Mason, and Grocer. Others were deities often overlooked but critical to a city, such as Hygiene. The results of their expertise was on full display as the city of New Water went from a refugee haven to a home and a society.
Farmer’s priests helped establish agriculture in the fertile lands around the city, removing the need for Jason to conjure up large amounts of food. A mix of clergy worked with Jason to refine the city’s design, including Mason, Architect and Gardener. Their expertise in construction and city planning guided Jason in adjusting his hastily erected metropolis.
By necessity, Jason was getting better at hastily knocking up magic cities. Details mattered, however, and professional help turned New Water into a more practical and pleasant place to live and work. The population did just that, establishing farms and businesses. Trade was the major god, alongside Dominion and Knowledge, who did have a role to play. His clergy were critical in helping establish the city’s nascent economy.
Knowledge’s clergy set up schools, along with training programs for the kind of work available in this new city. Many people could rely on previous expertise to find work or open businesses, but others needed alternative skills to find a place in the new society. Where Boko was heavily reliant on exporting the natural resources of the desert, New Water had to find its own equilibrium.
The priests of Dominion served as overseers of the whole operation, as their task was the big-picture organisation of the city. Leadership and administrative structures needed to be put in place. The efforts of the other clergy had to be woven into a cohesive whole, to avoid them working at cross-purposes or falling into pointless redundancy.
Language skills were a critical part of the education programs in New Water, in the adult training halls as well as the schools. Essence users excelled at picking up new languages, especially as they ranked up, so the training hall classes were highly effective. In the schools, where children were yet to obtain essences, a solid foundation of language training would help them to become polyglots when they were older. The training included multiple language options from both Earth and Pallimustus, as Jason anticipated the populace interacting with both.
Jason was glad that Danielle had the foresight to include the higher-ranking priests amongst the first to train in Earth languages. This allowed them to converse with his three guests from the Australian government as they toured the city. Jason had left them with his most loquacious non-prime avatar as a guide, known as the Concierge. Many of his other avatars were rather automaton-like, their energies focused on performing specific tasks. The Concierge was designed to be Jason’s representative when he wasn’t controlling an avatar to do so himself.
While he could concentrate on multiple places at once, Jason sometimes wanted to put his undivided attention elsewhere. In this case, it was on his prime avatar, spending time with his family. There was also the advantage that the Concierge was a dialled-down version of Jason, more adept at the diplomacy that Anna and Danielle wanted from him. Danielle had even suggested bringing the Concierge out to represent Jason in other discussions.
The trio of government officials spent hours touring the city, asking the clergy about how it had come to be and Jason’s involvement. They also had the chance to speak with some of the higher-rank residents who had reached fluency in English during the trip from Pallimustus.
The stories that they heard painted Jason as something between a messiah and outright god. Destroying their old home because someone assassinated him, unleashing his apocalyptic levels of restrained power. Saving almost the entire population by evacuating them with his power, then single-handedly killing an army of angels. Bringing them to a new universe, calling up a massive oasis from the desert, complete with a new city at its heart.
It was a city of magical wonders, from floating platforms that moved between buildings, to public fountains where the water literally danced in the air, performing like a street artist. People flew overhead on flying carpets, personal flight clouds or exotic creatures. There were also larger vehicles, from car-sized right up to buses. These were revealed to be public transport when the Concierge used them to move the group from one neighbourhood to the next. On reaching each location, they walked around, to better take in the city.
Even hours into their trip, Josh was gawping like a country boy on his first visit to the big city. His personal obsession was the flying cloud devices.
“Sol, everyone here is Monkey Magic!”
“What’s Monkey Magic?” Solomon asked.
“How can you not know what Monkey Magic is?” Josh asked. “That’s un-Australian.”
“Josh,” Sue said, “it’s a kids’ TV show from sixty years ago, made in Japan and translated by the British. How is not knowing about it in 2038 un-Australian?”
“You say that, but you do know what it is,” Josh countered.
“Only because my husband made me sit through a retrospective documentary from a box set they released a couple of months ago. The sixtieth anniversary edition, Josh.”
“Wait, he got one of the physical editions? Damn, I got waitlisted.”
“Also, the show was called Monkey, not Monkey Magic. People just think it was because of the theme song.”
“How good was the theme song?” Josh enthused. “Maybe your husband and I should hang out.”
“Can we please move on?” Solomon asked.
“How can you be so calm?” Josh asked him. “We’re on an alien planet, Sol. In a whole other universe, with wizards. Is that a gelato shop? I want alien wizard gelato.”
“It’s not technically gelato,” the Concierge informed him. “It is based on a recipe from your world, but made with local ingredients.”
“Sol isn’t calm,” Sue informed Josh. “The only reason he seems so calm is he’s trying to avoid losing it completely. And I want alien wizard gelato too.”
“We don’t know what the food here will do to us,” Solomon said.
“Sol, Josh and I are bronze rank, and you’re silver. I don’t think anything they’re selling in a take-home cup is going to hurt us.”
***
Jason smothered a laugh as Emi whirled a startled Nik around in circles, clasped in a hug.
“OHMYGODYOU’RESOMUCHCUTERTHANITHOUGHTYOU’DBE!”
The cloud ship was still in Australia, but Jason had brought his family to meet its most unusual member. When portalling between spirit domains, at least within the same universe, Jason could ignore most of the usual restrictions on capacity and cooldown.
Erika and her husband Ian were attempting to peel Nik from Emi’s grip. Jason’s dad and his Uncle Hiro came to stand next to him, Ken slinging a possessive arm over his son’s shoulder. Jason got the distinct impression it was to stop him from running off again. Amy and her daughters were present, caught between nervousness and wonder. Jason’s grandmothers were with them, sticking close to their great granddaughters.
The two matriarchs were starkly different, in almost every regard. Jason’s paternal grandmother, Yumi, was rail thin and looked around forty. Matriarch of the clan, her stern practicality demanded as much from others as she did from herself. Courtesy of her blood, flesh and bone essences, she could alter her appearance at will. In addition to affecting her apparent age, it would allow her to live longer than others of her rank, making it an extremely popular combination.
Jason’s other grandmother did have a name, but she was as insistent on being called Nana as Yumi was averse to it. Nana had been through a lengthy process of recovering from Alzheimer’s, with a lot of magical assistance, but had been fully recovered for years now. She was in the lower reaches of bronze rank, the magic making her look hale and healthy in a way Jason remembered from his youth. Even so, she still had a pillowy physique unusual in an essence user. He wondered absently if she also knew Neil’s aunt.
Where Yumi was cold and hard, Nana was warm and soft. Yumi ran the clan, but the recovered Nana was matriarch of the family. Jason was saddened that her familiar warmth had been absent during his last visit to Earth.
Emi’s parents managed to pry her off Nik without resorting to a crowbar, at which point Hana and Jace could no longer resist the lure of his adorability. Nana and Yumi followed, even the stoic clan matriarch softening in the face of Nik’s cuteness. Nana got the privilege of second hug, wrapping the diminutive rabbit man up like a blanket.
Erika caught Jason’s eye and nodded towards the ship lounge’s outdoor deck area. Jason nodded and followed her out, his father sticking by his side. The rest of the family had gone in to see Nik, who watched Jason leave like he was seeing the last lifeboat sail off. On the deck were Rufus, Taika and Gary, manning the grill and setting up a long picnic table. Jason wasn’t going to introduce his team until after Nik.
“Are you sure I should be here?” Gary asked. “This seems like a family thing.”
“Our being here lets them have their family time,” Rufus said.
“Plus, I made a cake, bro. Just a normal one, though. I’m working on magic ones, but about one in five explode on me. It’s messy but delicious.”
Jason moved over to the railing and leaned on it, using his aura as a privacy screen around himself, his father and his sister.
“You’re still doing that, then,” Erika said.
“Doing what?” Jason asked.
“Finding the nearest balcony, leaning on the rail and staring off into the distance like you’ve got super-important things to contemplate dramatically.”
“I do have a lot of things to contemplate. Dramatically. It’s dramatic stuff. Fighting evil. Building magic cities. Deciding if I can still call it carbonara when Pallimustus doesn’t have guanciale.”
“You could maybe get away with pancetta.”
“They don’t have pork, Eri. There’s a lizard that tastes like pork, so I was wondering if—”
“No,” Erika said firmly. Then she turned her back to the railing and leaned next to him, here eyes on the gathering inside.
“You made him,” she said.
“Yep.”
“Like that first bit of the bible.”
“I did make a universe. Smaller than the bible one. More manageable.”
“And you made a person.”
“Yeah. And then I turned deadbeat dad for fifteen years. I had to, fate of the cosmos and all, but it doesn’t change the fact that I made him and abandoned him. We’re still finding our way. I hope you both can help me with that.”
“Try and stop us,” Ken set, putting a reassuring hand on Jason’s shoulder.
Comments
Kristy Riedel
No, it's still Jason's soul, and he won't let the gods in.
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Frank Morgana
I wonder if now that Jason has let the clergy from these churches into his astral kingdom...would that give the gods themselves avenue to tag along and imprint themselves over multiple worlds. Jason's astral kingdom as well, part voice of the wills.
Kristy Riedel
He's a humanoid rabbit/bunny, based on the one Jason conjured when giving Dawn a tour of his new astral throne and gate.
Ian
I know that Nik is adorable and all, but I completely forgot what physical characteristics made him that way in the first place. Being near the start of Book 13 and all, maybe some physical descriptors for him could be added in?
Kendra
I love Ken! ❤️
P K
That's a really good question...
Heather White
“Jason chuckled and the mist door vanished. There was a squeal, and Nik was hit by a torpedo.” I find myself envisioning a Jason avatar inside with the family, leading up to Prime Jason & Nik arriving, with Jason begging them to treat Nik well & make him a part of the family. Then fading away right before Jason opens the main door.
Skalias Pablo
It's been a bit now, but reading reincarnated Gary's name made me tear up in this chapter. RIP my man... Can you say rest in peace when they guy's been reincarnated?
Robert Kendall
With the title I was wondering if Zara and Jason where going to try togetherness jelly 😈
Joanna
The Cutie Crusaders!
StarkRG
I like the exploring-new-things-places-and-ideas parts, which, I'll grant, usually does involve a lot of dialogue. Early books were great because we were exploring a new world and meeting new people. The first Earth book was great because we were discovering the hidden magical world already on Earth. The later Earth books explored how reality functions and how society adapts to magic increasing and becoming public knowledge. Exploration seems to have dropped off a bit of late, though. It's still there, of course, exploring Rimeros and Yaresh societies were interesting, as was learning a bit about how the wider cosmos works (Sundered/Cosmic Throne, Authority, gabbing with GABs, etc.), but it's kinda taken a backseat to the battles. I'm hoping Shirt gives us some more exploration soon. It's unlikely to be exploring places since we're on Earth (although, what if we need to go to the Moon or Mars for some reason?), but we can explore how Earth society is functioning now. Yeah, there's a vampire war going on, but what *else* is going on? Are people still making TV shows? What are people doing with magic these days?
Kconraw
Thx for the chapter. Emi meeting Nik was fun😁
Martin Tomsic
It would make for an awesome MMORPG as well. Start as a normal ranker either in Basic Mode where you are a native of the planet and trying to go through a low magic zone academy to earn your essences, or in Death Mode where you are an outworlder that gets tossed into a crazy situation and have to survive long enough to get randomized essences. In either mode you meet 3 trainers along the lines of Rufus, Gary, and Farrah as the opening tutorial.
Tielk
The more I think about it the more I like the idea this could be a really awesome d&d style game you would make a fortune at this
mainiak
So ... does the New Water folk pay taxes to their god-king in barrels of crystal wash? Also with Emi, Nik, Gary, Jace, and Hana - you have now team Cuties (NOT cookies)
Martin Tomsic
I completely forgot about that!! I imagine that Yumi and the silver healer that was in the Sydney branch would probably be big meetings for him as well.
Maria Klein
I’m really looking forward to Carlos and Ian meeting!
Secondhand Ace
Hoping for a lot more "normal" family time and team chapters now that we're on earth. Even though Jason has been reunited with everyone it almost feels like he hasn't truly reconnected with them yet. Hoping we get lots of dialogue going forward (that's just my favorite part anyway though. The dialogue in this story is the best of any I've read. Truly feels real)
gator mate
tftc
DarthWaffles
I imagine it would end up being a rotating temporary position for the clergy. Spend a few months or years experiencing life without the direct connection to their gods and learn what lessons might come from that.
Heather White
I felt a real kinship with Josh. That’s definitely how I’d be reacting. I want magical wizard gelato, and one of those cloud transport thingies, please.
Heather White
It’s a cool idea, but I don’t think it works with what we know. The GAB’s entered Jason’s soul as avatars, and that was only possible because they were able to climb in through his connection to the Astral throne (which was acting like a star seed). He’s not going to open himself up to that kind of vulnerability again. Without that kind of opening, GAB’s Prime Vessels can enter his AK, but I’m pretty sure that while they’re there their star seeds are cut off (as happened with Dawn when she entered his soul space). However, by regularly circulating clergy through Jason’s AK (to maintain control/ideological connection with them), Palli’s gods could extend their influence to a second planet on a long term basis. They just wouldn’t be able to have a direct presence (or survive Palli’s death).
Sean
I just had a thought reading this chapter. Could Jason take a portion of a god into his Aestral Kingdom like he did with the GABs? Gods would be extra inclined to get on Jason’s good side if it meant they could survive past Pallimustus’ death, even if they lose their authority. I realize Dominion would probably never, but some of these minor gods? They could have fun with it.
David Yow
I wonder if gold rank Gordon can play video games now.
JonO
They'll be super best friends
JonO
That's a good thought. I heard some people say that gods will likely be known for different things/ needs and I think shirt mentioned something to that effect on discord. So if hygiene and farmer are going to make a presence through their clergy... maybe an easy version will eventually turn up under the same name. I do still think there will be a good if internet. Their name will probably be wiki derived lol
Spencer Miller
Obviously Jason would have an issue being used as a tool, but maybe he wouldn’t mind if certain deities used situations like this to cultivate a set of more independent clergy. Who knows, he’d at least prefer that to dependent clergy.
TechB
TYFTC. I can't stop reading the description of the city. It's great to envision how all the systems work. I wonder what Sol (& others) will tell the world governments about Jason’s kingdom? I wonder what the government's will believe?
DirePants
Yeah… being a parent isn’t easy. Kids never understand life and the times you let them down until they have their own kids, my dad used to tell me that. And having my own is what it took for me understand what he meant. Don’t beat yourself up, Jason. You guys live longer and there’s plenty of time.
3rdImpact
Thanks for the chapter and the wholesomeness!
crazyshadowfax23
Thanks for the chapter Shirt! I was wondering if the influence of the clergy of the respective on the boat/soul realm will slowly affect the deities that will eventually come into being on earth?
David
Who cares?
David
Is that a real question? The uncle he connected with in Book 4.
Philipp Battenberg
They are minor gods for a reason. And I thought it was nice to name a few as Jason mostly deals with major ones.
Ty
I miss Gordon and Colin.
Frog
A Jordan Shanks cameo for a journalist doing a hitpiece on other Gordon would be absolutely top tier
Idan tal
Thanks for the chapter. Good emotional parts. The parts about the city was 😐, there are too many mundane gods, farmer I can maybe understand but the rest? Not a bit too specific to have enough belief/concept juice to actually have power?
Jordan Jones
Jason has another uncle who is also confusingly called Shiro Asano, and is not the Shiro Asano from Japan, right?
Andromeda Adams
Tyftc! This is everything I wanted to see from Emi and Nik meeting! I loved every bit about it!
Kelly
And Emi’s boyfriend. 😉
Kelly
I love where the family’s relationship with Nik is going. 🥰🥰🥰
Techy
I think they already know he created the system tho?
Josh
I hope there is a part where Jason drops that he created the system in front of his family and the usual Asano chaos resumes. That and next chapter should have them all meeting Zara and Erica picking up on immediately....
Kevin Anderson
We still don't know what rank Amy is and if she went the cores or monster route
BloodStorm
There is no reason for both of his grandmothers not to be gold via cores. Especially the one running the clan
Archon Domi
Don't just leave us hanging!! Tell us what happened after!
Kim Santos
I know right! So awesome!
Russell Ventimeglia
This chapter also reminds me... time for Jason to level up his family. To at least gold. Monster cores for all!
Kim Santos
So satisfying to have Emmy squeeze over nik
Ty
So whatchall think... Emi, Nik, Gary, _____? I can see them synergizing SO well together. personalities and powersets and backstories...
Martin Tomsic
For it to be R.I.P. I think the Reaper would have to claim Nik, not Emi. :-P But yeah, it will be hard for him to ever escape his cousins since Jace and Hana will likely latch onto him every time Emi has go do something she can't drag him off to.
GentlemanG33k
Kinda on the nose but I think Ken the Eco-architect and Arbor the Living tree city need to meet.
Kalanaere
Oh he's definitely in trouble
Kalanaere
R.I.P. Nik. You've now been officially claimed by Emi now and forever
Stuart T
My cousin put a bunch of firecrackers in his sister's 14th birthday cake and because he lit the 'candle' non of us noticed anything wrong until she failed to blow it out and after 2 more attempts it exploded
David
I haven’t seen it in 20 years and I can still hear “monkey magic! Come on, monkey!” in my head.
brian phillips
Nik should be careful around Emi, shes gonna definitely dress him up if he doesnt watch out lol
René Blaser
I so love this story. And this is absolutely an outstanding chapter for the Emi Torpedo! Jasons Family coming back together with him and Nik will hopefully be continuing for two more chapters at least, just cause i want to read about all the lovely and sensible and compassionate and complicated interactions between the characters. Oh what a mind you have, beloved Shirtaloon and what a depth of understanding you show with all you write. You‘re truly such a gifted storyteller for delivering this tale to us. Thank you so much!
Liesmith
I googled it and the theme Monkey Magic does indeed slap.
Jessica Giles
Jason did warn Nik he'd be hugged continously 🤷♀️
David Gise
Totally agree that the new book is off to a great start. Love it.
JonO
I think it's almost certain now.... except I think nik will serve as overwatch more than as a team member. Either way it's gonna be tight
Alex Schellenberg
Those priests don't represent GAB just the regular gods.
Iain Grubb
Nm Question answered near the end of the chapter~
Jacob Goodrich
Damn this is exactly how I feel
Iain Grubb
Is Nik still 3 feet tall or has he grown up a bit?
Joanna
They’re next, I hope
Mike
this chapter is solid gold baby! Love it and thank you for the glimpse into family time
Martin Tomsic
She has taken back the name of Rimaros instead of Nareen and is starting to take on responsibilities in the Storm Kingdom again. She decided that in the last book and they started giving an idea of what that would look like just before they left for Earth when she talked about trying to aid and guide the citizens towards a time when they would be rid of slavery and indentures there. I'm guessing it also means that she will be part of the delegation from the Storm Kingdom to Earth as she is likely the highest stationed member of the family, being the cousin of the King and a former Storm Princess.
Jon Stanfield
Awesome chapter!! I've been waiting for the Nik - Emi interaction for sooo long
deesuschrist
Didn't think about that before, but now that you've brought it up, I agree. Conversation about Crystal Wash or there'll be rioting
Ben
What does it mean that Zara is princessing again? I thought it was weird when she wasn’t mentioned in the aoe spell barrage, but is she on earth with rimaros or biscuit?
mockery jones
Onion ninjas strike again. This chapter is better than Jason’s reunion with his team in Rimaros
Brad Gammey
Nik has his family!
Lora Greenberg
With all the priests that represented the GABS that Jason wanted..i was wondering if he will be the god of sandwiches..lol
BloodStorm
I need a silver rank team featuring Emi & Nik
Johnkevin223
Excellent chapter
Scott McCarthy
Nick had the misfortune of being fluffy while having fluffy obsessed cousins (and possibly aunt and grand parents)
granndfunk
If we don't have a conversation between Jason and Hygiene about crystal wash before the series is over I will consider the entire endeavor a failure.
DreadHawk666 Aron
Nik😁
Charles W. Grainger
Ooof my heart
Frank Morgana
Emi torpedo!!
Soli116
God of Crystal Wash. Jason could have brought that god to life single-handedly!
Ligeia
I'm sure he'll try. He may not succeed, of course; our parents installed our earliest buttons, so they're the hardest reactions to get rid of.
Artur Vogt
I bet he would if you can make the days longer?
Andrew Q Dunckley
Thank you shirt for the slice of life. Missed them all and seeing them now is like a family reunion for me as well!!!
PapaJohn
“Messy but delicious” is a perfect title for both storylines in this chapter!
Russell Ventimeglia
I’m glad that Amy and the girls are being welcomed more. After his brother died, and time has passed, it’s good that the family can come together. I would like to see Jason even give his mom a chance.
Preston Stokes
Nik for the win!!
JonO
I'm waiting for someone to mention airwolf and get shocked when nik destroys them and all the arguments they try to make with a healthy dose of profanity. Which of course, will only make him that much more adorable. Cuz who doesn't want an adorable bunny with a dirty mouth? I certainly do. I think I might go to build a bear and pay the attendant a bit extra to let me curse into the voice box with a sketch new York? Boston? Accent.
Ligeia
Earth sensibilities, remember?
SqrlyGrly
Wonder what chocolate lava cake would do.
Chloe
That's a nice message. Good for Nik and Jason Tyftc
JonO
Hahaha! That's awesome! I approve!
Vincent Ciavone
I’m not a mother nor a parent at all, but I feel like it’s fair for Jason to have a deeper emotional connection to Nik then real life, like sure it was subconscious, but Nik comes directly from Jason’s own thoughts, and soul, sure he didn’t have to carry him around for 9 months, but he is essentially a part of Jason’s essence given life it’s own. And Nik has become his own person but from the jump Nik was Jason’s mini-me, atleast when it comes to how Jason sees things I imagine Nik might very well be Jason’s highest priority, we just haven’t seen it because Jason has been on Pallimustus with him unlike his family on earth
Tim
Not so much early but on time since I believe Australia DST went into effect.
JonO
Oh he's going to die of suffocation if they don't intervene soon. Lol
Kyle Hunter
I love how Erika is the only person appropriately shocked by Jason going all Genesis.
Mark Morrison
I hope Nik comes out this intact, and doesn't get accidentally smothered by his new family...
JonO
Probably next chapter since he may include her among his team. If not then the one after when he lonely introduces the rest of whoever joined him
TBONEMAN
I'm still convinced Jason is the mother. Healer pumped Jason full of some specialty life god juice which made Nik come into existence.
GentlemanG33k
I have a bad feeling about the Earth like it's a good thing all those priests are in Jason's Soul Realm and that he has a Soul Realm I think they all may be needed.
Crystal Donak
Finally!!! Sigh!!!. But more!! I want more. Where is team biscuit?
Timothy
If Jason and family are having a get together, when do they meet Zara???!! I can't wait to read about Erika and Emi's reaction!!!
JonO
No he's silver. That's why he was talking about not having silvers in the hypothetical guild.
mhaj58
Did Nik make it to gold rank yet? Emi should not have been able to plush him or tackle hug him so easily
Jonathan Crandall
This chapter is wholesome af
Heather White
I kept waiting for Jason to jump into the Monkey conversation. The fact that he didn’t brought home exactly how different the Concierge is.
Kenneth Welever
Jason's dad: I now have indisputable proof of having the Galaxy's cutest grandkid. He's ours Jason. It is funny you think you had a say in that.
JonO
Id say at least hobbit sized. Enough to see alone from afar, but easily missed in a crowd of humans
Bryn Thomas
Daylight savings in Australia
Marc Jay Arr Cotamora
How tall is Nik? The closest thing I can imagine him is like the rabbit from Alice in wonderland. The one with Johnny Depp in it.
Alan McLaughlin
Cookie
Mist Sparrow
" sandwich incorporated"
JonO
Australian day light savings. Instead of 7pm in Florida it's now 6. And in another week or two it'll be a 5pm release in Florida when our daylight savings kicks in.
Joanna
Yep
Justin
Can you make the chapters longer?
JonO
OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod! I knew that would happen with nik and I'm happy to see it. I'm super happy with Jason putting nik immediately first after seeing his own immediate affairs as well. I look forward to their and his family's regrowing relationship! Also, I didn't cry, but I damn got misty eyed lol
Meruem92
Early release thank you, could read it at work instead of waiting 30 minutes after release to read at home
Justin
Great chapter, TYFTC!
Unwillingmainer
Well, Nik seems to have be welcomed into the family whether he wants it or not. I do believe he's about to make up for lost family time in spades. Also, I love how a friendly automaton is better at diplomacy then regular Jason. I know he is really shit at it, but damn.
Greyson Lamothe
BUT WHAT IS THE GUILD NAME GOING TO BE??
Heather White
I’m so happy for Nik.
Alan McLaughlin
Daylight savings change over there again? That's what caused the release time to change from 3 to 4 last time. Seems to have gone back now?
Samuel Strode
Scones
Samuel Strode
Plus, I made a cake, bro. Just a normal one, though. I’m working on magic ones, but about one in five explode on me. It’s messy but delicious.”— I was thinking that warm brownie with the ice cream and a chocolates and Carmel drizzle and whipped cream on top that would be messy and delicious…
Briar Rosier
Hygiene’s a god? Wasn’t expecting that.
Moondarious
"Try and stop us" is the only appropriate response well said
shawn B
Glad Jason is gonna step up and be a dad to nik!
Coolafman
Adorable
jeffrey niski
Poor Nik.
Joseph Jenkins
His avatars picking up some smaller authorities or him expanding his own authority would probably be how that manifests
Cerverus3
Australian time saving kick of this weekend
Mist Sparrow
I wonder if Jason allowed it gods or god like beings of magic would develop within his soul realm. Like are they a natural process similar to magic manifestation of monsters and loot, or is there more to it. I suppose if he wanted to he could just create a pantheon out of his own avatars
Thomas Todd
Should be the new normal for a while, clocks went forward and hour in Australia on Sunday
Bingus McCready
YES EARLY CHAPTERS ARE BACK ON THE MENU!!!! Also every sentence of this was adorable. I know the entire series has basically been leading up to stuff getting REALLY bad at some point soon (probably this book) but this calm before the storm here is really nice. It’s also making me happy that Jason’s family is doing a little bit of a better job being supportive. The way they left things last time bummed me out in a major way. TFTC!!!
JDPEI97
I didn’t realize I could be addicted to a story until HWFWM. Jason is great, though deeply flawed, but the character development between himself and his familiars is great. I haven’t read this chapter yet but can’t wait to hear more from Colin and Gordon again!
Ce-Ja Burke
Thank you for the early chapter I want to play d4 too lol
Hunter Vook
Yummy
Moondarious
Woot
Kettle
Yay early release!
Zachary LaCount
An hour early
MoonlitShade
Thanky chappy
Darkdragon
Biscuits
