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lostonehero · 22 days

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This is stupid and I just really love Martin ok?

In which I make Martin's mother even worse

Tim sighs. "Why are we even here?"

"Because it's mandatory fun." Sasha snickers.

Jon crossed his arms. "Martin's running later, which isn't a surprise."

"Dude, chill out he literally just moved flats." Tim raised his brow, realizing Jon was saying this because they should all be together.

Jon sighs, his hair tied up in a bun. The heat outside was a lot for summer, and he would rather be inside.

Sasha points to a man with red hair, and his back turned to them. "Tim, where's your bidar?"

Tim followed her, pointing, and he could feel himself grow red in the face. The man was tall and chubby, but the fat was hiding muscle underneath and had intricate tattoos littering his body that poked out from the tank top, and they covered his legs that were shown from his shorts. "What department does he work in?"

Jon swallows that man could crush him, and he just wanted to be carried by him. "I'm not sure he must be a new hire."

Sasha rolls her eyes and approaches the man. "Hey, so my... oh!"

"Oh, Sasha! Sorry, I got turned around in the crowds, and I may have missed the train this morning. I made it, though, and I feel a bit underdressed, but it is quite hot today." Martin looks over and waves. "Oh, hey!"

Jon physically pales he just assumed Martin wasn't.... He wore big clothes and his face was soft. He makes his way over, and he can see the tattoos close up, and he furrows his brows. "I didn't think you would be one for tattoos."

Martin's face falls for a moment. "I didn't get them on purpose, but that isn't important. I'm glad I managed to find you guys. I ran into Elias and his ex husband that wasn't a fun conversation to get away from. Elias did look confused when he saw my tattoos he didn't even say something about being unprofessional. Anyway, I also passed some fun fair food they got from America that looked cool."

Tim nods. "I didn't know you worked out? You could have said something we can go for a run together, maybe even go on a hike."

"I just do some free climbing. It's nothing special, but hiking sounds fun." Martin smiles as Sasha grabs his arm.

"Ooo, show me the booths and spill the tea on what the big boss man was arguing about." Sasha chuckles.

"Oh, alright, yeah, so it turns out Elias's ex-husband is Peter Lukas. You know the Lukas family...."

.....

Martin sighs as he returns to his flat. He's incredibly embarrassed. Everyone saw the carvings, well they called them tattoos. He knew they weren't tattoos. His mother wasn't a kind person and used him as an experiment of sorts. 3 fears all across his flesh, he was an avatar of all of them. Jon was becoming the archivist, and Jonah was keeping him unaware till he couldn't. He knew it wouldn't work out well.

He served the Web the End and the Vast. Not really serving, they treat him like they are coparenting him, not their true nature but due to his mother they were infected by humanity and all three worry for him and don't want him hurt. He likes to think they don't want to lose their capacity to learn and understand. He actually doesn't know the reason, but he really doesn't think it's because of himself. He sighs and takes out his phone.

....

Martin: Anyone still awake?

Oliver: Late shift?

Martin: Not really.

Annabelle: Martin, don't be upset your marks are beautiful. Mother loves you dearly.

Mike: Stop.

Martin: Thanks, Mike, and I mean I know they're a part of me and everything, but also my coworkers saw.

Oliver: Did they push? I know you're working with the new archivist.

Martin: No? Tim asked me to go hiking with him, and that's not an invitation Mike to fuck with him.

Mike: :)

Martin: Mike, I'm serious, or I'll make you share bodies with Gerry again.

Mike: :(

Oliver: To be fair, Gerry does like being out of the book like that. He won't accept my offers, I don't think he likes me.

Mike: That is not the issue.

Martin: I can house Gerry for a bit.

Annabelle: Please do he promised to come to our knitting club

Martin: Are we still good for Saturday?

Annabelle: 👍

Mike: Yeah, promised Simon I make him a hat. Don't know why he asked for eyes on it.

Oliver: Oh yes, I'm working on my crochet plush, and I've made Oliva a little sweater.

Martin: Oh! (He sends a photo of a cat sized spider in a little nest she's wearing a crochet hat, and a little crochet eye is hugged by one leg.)

Annabelle: Such a big baby. I love her.

Oliver: I'm so happy she likes the little eye.

Martin: I think she thinks it's her baby she's got a mind like a cat.

Mike: she won't let me pet her :(

Martin: You tried to toss her in the air

Mike: I was just playing.

Martin: You're lucky she didn't bite you.

Mike: I love her, though she has to know that.

Annabelle: You can tell her on Saturday.

Mike: fuck you I will.

Annabelle: (a photo of Mike curled around a broken spider web, obviously drunk, and Olivia blurred skittering away)

Oliver: :)

Martin: :)

Mike: fuck all of you I'm going to bed.

....

Martin smiles as he shuts his phone off. At least he could trust them with his secrets. They were his family more, so then his actual family was. He shudders, and he knows some his carvings are glowing as he hears a soft oof.

"Sup, Martin." A skinny goth floats above him.

"Hey, Gerry, feeling better?" Martin smiles.

"Anytime out of that book is great. Oh, right, congrats on the new job. I hope you're being unhelpful as shit." Gerry smiles, showing off his tongue piercing.

"I'm trying not to be awful, just clumsy. Besides, Gertrude is dead, and the new archivist is kind of cute. He was also a part of that band we looked up." Martin hums sitting up.

"Dude, no way the Mechanism?" Gerry floats eagerly around Martin.

"Oh yeah, but he completely shuts any of that down. He totally thinks he has to be professional like all the time. He wasn't expecting the promotion, so he's over compensating." Martin hums. "Tim and Sasha are great too, but they treat me with kid gloves in a sense since Jon yells at me. I honestly don't mind it, but I just wish I could tell the truth, but nothing freaky has happened yet, and so they will just think I'm crazy and Jon is playing super skeptic."

"Ooo sounds like an office comedy in the Magnas insistute. I bet Jonah is having a field day." Gerry smiles. "I wanted to ask if I could stick around longer this time. I want to help you out, and I have experience dealing with Jonah."

"Gerry, you don't have to do anything for me. I'm happy to keep you around as long as you like. I know the book is painful, and I don't mind sharing my body." Martin hums. "Just don't borrow it while I'm working, please."

"Oh, absolutely not. I don't want Jonah knowing I'm hitching a ride." Gerry hums. "Anyway, what I want to do is sleep. Oh, how I miss being able to turn my brain off."

"Yeah, yeah, your flimsy excuses for me to practice a normal sleep schedule are getting worse." Martin hums, stripping off his clothes to put on pajamas.

"I thought that was pretty good." Gerry chuckles, tossing back his black hair. "You know I'm so happy I dyed it before I died, and my tattoos perfect also the piercings."

"I'm not getting any piercings." Martin rolls his eyes.

"Damn, I'm 0 for 2 now. Eh, at least you're taller than I was." Gerry chuckles. "Alright, time to sleep, and I'm going to make breakfast, I'm dying for an egg sandwich."

"America ruined you." Martin snickers crawling into bed.

Gerry gasps. "Take that back."

Martin chuckles. "Good night, Gerry."

"Goodnight, Martin." Gerry smiles. "Happy to be back."

.....

"Why are we sneaking into a random basement?" Gerry floats next to Martin.

"Because it's a progression, Jon asked me to look into the statement so I am. I highly doubt I will find a ghost spider, but it shows initiative." Martin sighs as he drops down from the basement window. "I'm also channeling my inner you."

"I'm touched, Martin. Now let's get a matchbook and burn the place down." Gerry chuckles at Martin's eye roll.

Martin turns his flashlight on his phone on. "Besides, we have to find evidence so I can eventually come clean. I don't want to lie to them forever, and I don't want them to end up like Gertrude's assistants."

"Understandable, and honestly, I don't blame you. This stuff is tricky, and I know your three patrons sure as he'll don't want what the Beholder does. I just hope things don't go sideways...." Gerry stops and looks at Martin. "Are you even listening? What has your attention... over..... fuck me."

Martin's light is shining at a woman in a red dress her skin is open pours full of worms. A hacking sound is heard from her. He steps back, and he knows he stepped on the silver worms because the woman cracked her neck to stare at him. "Hey, I'm sorry about that."

"Do you hear their lovely song?" The woman steps forward as worms spill from her lips and her body directly at Martin.

Martin steps back and looks to the window and focuses on the sky, and suddenly, he's in the air flying. "Fuck!"

Gerry takes a breath for his dead lungs. "I would of said warn me before you fly up but fuck I rather this then the worms. I don't even have my body, and I can feel it in my very core. Fuck the corruption."

Martin groans as he flies through the air. "Should I even go home? I don't want Olivia to eat those things if she follows me."

"Fuck no, and I can't believe I'm saying this but go to the archive, make up a story please." Gerry shudders. "I fucking hate the corruption."

......

Tim intercepts Martin. "Dude, you look like you fell from a building. Are you ok?"

Martin gasps. "Tim, I saw Jane Prentiss. I was investigating the ghost spider, and she was there, and she was like a living hive. I need to find Jon, I I have to make a statement."

Tim grabs his arm. "Martin, breathe, please. If you're ok with that, come on." He leads Martin's to Jon's office.

Martin hopes he isn't laying it in too thick, but again, he is panicked from the worms. "J-jon I have to make a statement."

Jon looks up a frown on his lips. "What happened to your investigation?"

Tim huffs. "Dude seriously?"

"Tim, it's fine." Martin sighs. "I went to investigate, and uh, Jane Prentiss was there. Yeah, uh, she was like a living hive." Oh, he just realized the patrons are going to be pissed when this gets back to them.

Jon nods. "Ok, I believe you are you ready to make a statement?"

Martin nods.

.......

The tape clicks off, and Martin sighs. He's so grateful Jon doesn't have the compulsions yet. He would have had to explain everything with his mother and the other avatars.

"Statement ends...." Jon takes a breath and slams a book down on a lingering worm. "Martin, I uh I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I mean, it's not, but you didn't try to fill me with worms." Martin frowns. "I don't want to go home. I'm worried that if I do, she'll find me."

"I have a cot here." Jon gave a rare smile.

Martin smiled back.

......

Jon nearly crashed into Tim. It was late, and it's only been a week since Martin started to live in the archives. He could hear him talk, and he knew Tim heard him too. "I uh you're never here this late."

Tim sighs. "I was dropping off clothes for Martin he wasn't wrong his flat is surrounded by those worms. It's also cobered in cobwebs." He pauses, staring at Jon. "I won't say anything if you don't."

Jon frowned but nodded both men, leaning by the door opened by a crack listening to Martin talk.

"I don't know. I just panicked!" Martin was pacing, but they couldn't see that.

"Panic is such a strong word when dealing with the corruption. I say you acted accordingly." A male phone emitted from the phone neither Tim nor Jon recognized.

"I mean, it does suck we have to reschedule our sewing day until further notice. Actually, the craft club sounds better or avatar tea time." A soft, nervous, sounding male voice answers. "I uh actually it would be good timing they changed my schedule at the hospital and have me working more doubles because suspicious deaths. I can't exactly tell them about fears because I'll be sanctioned."

"Why do you still have a normal job, Oliver? Mother would gladly accept you." A female voice interrupts.

The nervous voice Oliver sighs. "Because I have a doctorate, and I'm not going to waste it because I'm an avatar of the End."

"Fuck off Annabelle." That was Martin's voice but something was off. "I swear you're the definition of insanity."

"Gerry!" Three voices overlap.

"Man, I don't even care if Jonah sees me. Fuck the corruption, also fuck Gertrude while I'm at it." Not Martin chuckles. "Anyway, I'm the one to convince Martin to hide away here so Olivia doesn't eat the worms."

"Oh, that's good. I wouldn't want the baby to get an upset tummy." The unidentified male voice responded fondly. "I will get her to love me."

"She won't." Annabelle chuckles.

"Right, well now, the words out the corruption well attacked, so what have the patrons said?" Not Martin gave a heavy sigh. "Martin won't tell them even though he knows they could feel it when one worm got to him."

"Mother isn't pleased.... you really shouldn't go into the tunnels." Annabelle hums softly.

"Simon isn't worried because you know Jonah and everything, but the Vast gave me a heads up to drop in. I fucking swear if The Vast makes me join the fucking archives I'm going to be pissed I fucking hate being underground." The male voice groans. "Shit I'm giving them ideas. I dunno fuck it I'll visit tomorrow. I'm sure the new archivist would love a statement.... wait is he even that far yet?"

"No." Oliver speaks up. "He's still quite human."

"Huh." The male voice pauses. "He's also still in the dark so..."

"Don't you fucking dare." That was the real Martin.

"But it could be fun." The male voice chuckles.

"Mike, I swear, I will send Gerry to you right now." Martin huffs.

"Oh fuck yeah I'm the threat." Not Martin finishes right after. "We're totally going to paint our nails."

"Almost worth it." Mike huffs. "If it happens, I'll take Gerry."

"I don't understand why you hate it so much, Gerry seems quite nice to spend time with." Oliver seems to have returned to his phone. "Sorry, but would you rather I come by? The End isn't pleased and doesn't mind rushing things with Jane... if you get what I mean."

"Of course we do Oliver, but man fuck I never thought I would ever see the End get upset." Mike whistles. "Anyway, I'll show up tomorrow , and uh, I'll return your scarf. I finally made a new tackier one. I put clouds and stars on it, a pretty fun project."

"Guess I'll have to try harder next time." Martin chuckles. "Annabelle, if you come by, you'll give Jonah a heart attack, which please don't, it's bad enough that we have Peter in our group I don't want him to force himself in." Martin sighs.

"We can watch them divorce live." Not Martin snickers. "Serious though, does anyone know if Peter is ok?"

"He's fine he doesn't know how to accept group calls." Annabelle hums. "He's gotten better at texting, but it's still awful."

"For a man stuck in his 20s, he sure does act his actual age." Oliver hums. "Do you think if I'll ask hell, bring some fish from his boat?"

"If you're willing to listen to him talk about his ship." Mike adds dryly.

"Oh, of course, we love chatting about the sea together." Olivier hums.

"That can mean so many things, and I don't want to know any of it." Not Martin mutters.

"I still haven't convinced him to our crafts yet, but he is making them." Annabelle sounds giddy. "He made Mr. Spider a lovely jumper."

"Pics or it didn't happen." Mike interrupts.

"Already sent in the chat." Annabelle chuckles softly. "Are you sure you don't want a job working with Mother?"

"Oh, he hung up." Oliver hums. "Annabelle, you shouldn't tease him. He likes spiders like Martin does."

"They are cute." Martin adds. "But I have to go, it's late and I have to make sure Jon isn't staying late. He needs more rest than he gets. He has the right to enjoy being human while he is."

A noise of agreement, then Martin hangs up his phone. And the abundance of the door opening and two falling men.

Martin gasps. "Fuck."

Tim and Jon look up at him.

Martin sighs and pinches his brow. "You're both supposed to not be here." He sighs again and shuts the door behind them. "I'll explain, but no interruptions."

The two men barely nod as Martin begins his story.

......

"So the not you speaking is a dead guy that we have statements on called Gerald Keay." Jon blinks.

"Fuck that, Elias is Jonah Magnus?" Tim interrupts.

"Uh, yes, to both er kind of." Martin hums not elaborating, scratching his chin. "I'm sorry I've been in this mess for a long time, so I'm used to these things. My mom did carve my skin as a toddler..."

"That's really fucked up." Tim frowns. "So why here? Why are you pretending here?"

Martin sighs and frowns. "Jonah has this idea of the Watchers Crown, which will be a disaster sure the fears will have a feast, but it will come to an end. It's not some renewable apocalypse it's finite, and honestly, the fears fees are better here than there, but the eye watches and never truly learns, which again is stupid. I don't fault Jonah he is going off what his patron desires, but you can't exactly confront an eldrich horror on why its desires are bad for everyone."

"Could I? I mean, you said it yourself the archivist is more than a job." Jon bites his nail in deep thought.

Martin chuckles. "Jon, you're still human barely touched at this point. You can barely get through one statement a week. You can try to force yourself, but you have to let yourself adjust. You don't even have a hunger yet. Mike will be coming by, and his statement can help since he is another Avatar, but again, you're still so early that being touched by any other power can lead you to be an avatar to them. I never have a choice, and well, you kind of don't unless you want to gouge your eyes out."

Jon shudders and Tim looks a bit sick.

"So if you want to discuss things with the Beholder, keep moving towards becoming the archivist, or you can tall to Jonah, but I don't think he'll be much help." Martin frowns. "I'll try to keep you both safe, but it's not going to be an easy task, especially here."

Tim had a conflicted look before settling on determined. "Fuck it I'm in. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want the world to end either, and I think I would like to pick one of the fears that are infected, as Martin said."

"Oh you have a options then, The Web, The End, The Vast, and The Forsaken but that one happened by accident they have basically bonded to Peter in such a complex way that they are intertwined. All have pros and cons. Mike likes to joke that Peter is Forsaken's special little man." Martin smiles.

"Can I talk to the other avatars first?" Tim hums. "But thank you for not hiding."

Jon nods. "I appreciate not being kept in the dark."

"I'm glad I can help. Anyway it is late and I need to get some food." Martin sighs.

"Monster food or actual food." Tim raised his brow.

"Actual food." Martin rolls his eyes. "And I promised Gerry to grab kebas."

"Is it weird sharing a body?" Jon vaguely motions to Martin.

"Not really. Gerry's a cool guy, and I met him when I was 18. He didn't exactly get a choice on being stuck in the book. Sharing a body gets rid of the pain of existing in that book. I'm happy to help him out." Martin smiles. "It was weird in the beginning, but it's not so bad anymore."

"Can I ask Gerry questions?" Jon leans forward.

"After dinner. He's getting a bit impatient." Marrin chuckles. "He knows I'm hungry and can be little like a mother hen for whenever he is possessing." He laughs softly. "He's like a brother to me at this point."

Tim chuckles. "That sounds about right."

......

A man with black windswept hair and a large scarf covering his neck and lower half of his face. He has a pair of aviation goggles on his face. "Hey, I'm here to make a statement to the head archivist."

Rosie blinks and can smell ozone oozing off the man and a feeling of vertigo making place in her mind. "I uh... i"

A man stepped out behind hee coming from the hall. "It's ok, Rosie. I can handle this." The man smiles and motions for the man to follow.

The man sighs. "Fuck.... fine ok." He follows behind the shorter man, by an inch.

The man sits behind his desk and smiles. "Care to explain why you're here?"

The man rolls his eyes and pulls his scarf down to reveal his scar that travels down his face to his neck, then chest and arm. "I'm not here for you, Jonah. You should already know why I'm here."

"Enlighten me." Jonah continues to smile.

"Fine. Martin got attacked by the corruption following a lead, and he asked me to come by to make a statement and introduce myself to everyone, but you already knew that and wanted me to tell you the actual truth because you can see Martin due to the web." He smirks, knocking the nail on the head.

Jonah scowls. "Will you be interfering?"

"Depends on my mood. I can always ask Simon to drop by." The man smiles wider.

"The Beholder hasn't changed, and I will do my best to complete their desire." Jonah sighs, leaning back. "But you aren't here for that. I suppose I should be happy, but I can't say that I am. Don't kill my archivist." He pulls out a vistor badge. "This should get you inside. Please don't kill any of them they are still new."

The man smiles and takes it, and adjusts his scarf. "Pleasure as always, Jonah. It also makes me so happy to know you still haven't figured out what Martin is." He chuckles as he leaves.

Jonah rubs his temples.

......

"I'm excuse me unauthorized people aren't allowed down here." A woman with coffee colored skin and long curly hair and large glass puts on a polite smile.

Mike pulls up his scarf and holds up the visitor pass. "Oh right, sorry. I just got my pass from Mr. Bouchard, I'm here to talk to Blackwood and uh the archivist."

"Oh! My apologies, my name is Sasha it's nice to meet you." Sasha smiles and hums. "Jon's in his office with Tim and Martin like a little boys club."

Mike nods. "I'm Mike, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Mike." Sasha smiles and guides him to Jon's office, then knocks on the door.

Jon opens it, revealing Tim crossed his arms and Martin eating a kebab in the corner. "What is it, Sasha?"

"I have a person who is here to see you and Martin." Sasha motions to Mike.

Jon nods. "Oh uh hello come in."

Mike nods and waves to Sasha before the door shuts behind him.

......

Martin gives a warning look. "Mike."

"Martin, you told them?" Mike raised his brow and lowered his scarf.

"I didn't have a choice." Martin sighs. "Why are you here? Are you still going to give a statement?"

"Maybe." Mike sighs, sitting himself down in a chair. "Honestly, I was worried. The corruption is expanding into the buried territory, and that's a nasty fight happening. Thought you got caught into that."

Martin looks between Tim and Jon, then shakes his head. "No, it was a woman named Jane Prentiss, just a lone hive, but I don't exactly come off as an avatar unless I'm using my abilities. She would have followed me home so I just came here. Well, it was Gerry's idea, and I couldn't argue with logic."

Mike sighs. "He's right. This place sucks but it can survive an attack. Anyway, I'm here, and they probably want answers. I don't know how help -" he clutched his head, then scowls. He huffs. "I was joking!"

Tim raised his brow. "What did you do?"

Martin smiles. "Gerry wanted to say hi."

Mike leans back, and his shoulders slack as he kicks his feet up. "Dude, stop shouting. we both know that doesn't do shit. Besides, we both warned you." He rolls his eyes. "Anyway, hello again, it's Gerry, and I'm basically keeping Mike from feeding on either of you. We both know you are not hungry, and if you do it to Jon, you're playing into the Beholders' hands. Yeah, jokes can wait until the Beholder gets common sense."

Martin sighs. "Gerry, you can let Mike back out."

Mike sits up straight and huffs, crossing his arms. "Fucking goth bitch. As I was saying, the in fighting is getting annoying, and The Vast is strictly neutral until well that happened." He motions to Martin. "I'm not exactly good underground, but I'll help out. I'm trying to keep Simon out of the loop, but thankfully, he's busy with his space projects."

"Simon Fairchild?" Jon raised his brow.

Mike nods. "Yeah, he's one of the first Avatar of the Vast, well before they figured out consciousness and whatever and won't exactly let me keep aging like him. Don't really know how it's going to go. I'm still young." He frowns. "However, I am here to help so when the worms do come use, co2 kills them pretty well."

Tim hums. "Could you explain your patron? Martin went over all of them briefly, and if I'm going to have to lose my humanity to keep up with this and stop the end of the world, I would like to know my options better."

"You are not showing him an example." Both Martin and Gerry using Mike's body says at the same time.

"Fuck you guys are no fun." Mike sighs. "Think the sky the vast openness then falling or just too much space no end to it no matter how far yoy go you're still to far from anything. Don't get us mistaken for the Lonely. Even if we are similar, we are quite different." He frowns. "But you have three other options, and you don't seem like the type for the Forsaken. The End might suit you but I don't know enough about you."

Tim furrows his brows. "Alright, I don't know how I feel about following something that sustains off death."

"Oh, Oliver would hate that you said that." Mike snickers. "He would be too polite to say anything, though. Our patrons feed on fear and the emotions surrounding what they are well, the four that have mentioned do the others are strictly fear since yaknow no pretense of a thinking mind. The archivist here might be able to change that for the future of the Beholder, and before you ask, why not Jonah? Because the man is at the mercy of his patron, and is strictly being used as an eye the only reason why the Beholder hasn't tossed him aside is because he's useful and the Forsaken has an invested interest because they adore Peter and they know Peter likes Jonah. Also, I think the Beholder enjoys picking out new bodies for the man, but I'm probably projecting."

Jon frowns. "So I'm the only hope?"

"No." Mike rolls his eyes. "You're a good chance, but not the only option." He sighs. "Whatever, let me give you a statement, and I'll be out of your hair."

Martin gets up and taps Tim's shoulder. "We should give them privacy. Uh, wait, before I go, I can take Gerry back."

Mike shakes his head. "Nah, I'm fine..... please don't tell Oliver." And Martin couldn't tell if it was Mike or Gerry speaking or both.

Martin smiles softly. "You're going to have to tell him." He guides Tim out and sighs.

"So what's up with the Oliver guy?" Tim raised his brow as the door shuts.

"They both have a massive crush on the man, and neither of them are able to confess. Hence why Mike is always adamant to keep Gerry out." Martin snickers. "It's really funny Oliver is completely clueless."

Tim smirks. "Ok, tell me all the freaky tea like now."

Martin nods.

......

Eli: Jonah's busy being pissy about Peter

Martin: Welcome back

Annabelle: Jonah has not figured out your passwords yet?

Eli: Oh, absolutely not, nor has he found any of my hiding spots.

Annabelle: Mother would love to have you.

Eli: That isn't possible. Also, Jonah is terrified of you.

Annabelle: ::::)

Peter: Elias.

Eli: My sailorman! How much longer till we get you back?

Peter: Forsaken is being picky.

Eli: Ah.

Mike: Oh, let me tell him.

Eli: We've tried Mike.

Peter: The Forsaken does not want me to be with you. That is entirely the opposite of my patron. You and Jonah have these debunkabke theories, and I keep..msjeih

Annabelle: Rip

Mike: rip

Martin: Rip

Eli: Proof Peter! Everything you argue, you lose control and phase through objects. Just come home. I already put the marriage papers in our normal spot. Besides, Jonah is insufferable and refuses to admit he misses you.

Peter: A week.

Peter: Elias?

Oliver: Oh, welcome back, Peter.

Mike: Old Jonah took back control.

Peter: Can you let them both in here?

Annabelle: Before Mike answers, I believe the answer is still no.

Mike: This is Gerry, and as much fun as that would be, we've agreed that Jonah can join when the corruption is out of the archives.

Peter: I'll handle that.

Oliver: uh

Annabelle: That wasn't supposed to...

Martin: fuck

Mike: Oh fuck is he there?

Martin: Gerry isn't leaving you for the next three years.

Oliver: I think that's a sign I need to sleep.

Mike: Fuck.

Annabelle: Mother is very confused.

Martin added Tim, Sasha and Jon to the chat.

Martin: Ask them questions

Tim: Spooky Discord

Jon: Tim be polite.

Oliver: No, he isn't wrong.

Sasha: Someone explain why the archives are trapped in a dense fog

Mike: Ah we fucked up.

Oliver: No shit. Peter doesn't get sarcasm or your jokes.

Mike: I knew I was forgetting something.

Sasha: Peter, as in Peter Lukas?!

Mike: Yeah, the one in the same married to Elias.

Annabelle: Currently divorced, nearly married again.

Tim: I'm sorry what

Sasha: Someone preferably not Mike explain. I literally have no idea what's going on.

Mike: Fair

Oliver: Oh, I'll explain. It's good to be distracted when surrounded by the lonely.....

......

Voice call ends

Sasha: Ok, that makes sense.

Tim: Who's Eli?

Jon: Yes, everyone else has been accounted for.

Oliver: So funny story...

Mike: Wait, wait, WAIT.

Mike: Don't tell them - Gerry

Martin: I mean, you're probably right.

Tim: Now we have to know.

Sasha: What is Eli, Elias, or something?

Annabelle: ::::)

Jon: Please tell me you're joking.

Mike: I get why he didn't make Sasha archivist.

Oliver: Honestly, she would probably become Gertrude 2.0

Sasha: Why would that be bad?

Mike: After I died, she trapped me in a book im in constant agonyif im nit sharing a bkdy woth someone. -Gerry

Oliver: She has more blood ok her hands than I do, and I'm an avatar of the End

Martin: She did attempt to kill me, but I was a teenager.

Jon:.... I'm sorry, what?!

Martin: I mean it wouldn't be the first time.

Tim: You get how that's worse, right? Right?

Sasha: Ok, not going to be Gertrude.

Martin: I'm fine, my mom didn't kill me, and neither did she.

Jon: Martin, how many people have tried to kill you?

Oliver: I have a spreadsheet

Martin: Oh, update it Jane needs to go on there.

Oliver: I knew I was forgetting something.

Tim: Why the fuck do you have a spreadsheet?

Oliver: It's better so our patrons don't go on rampages. They tend to be quite protective of their avatars. I guess that makes us possessions.

Mike: fucked up but true

Annabelle: Mother loves us in a way that isn't human.

Martin: To be fair, it's more love than I've ever received from my own family.

Jon: Oh lord.

Eli: Oh boy, new people..... anyway, the old man is pouting because Peter messed up his archives, so I'm back, also because Jurgen Leitner is hiding in the tunnels.

Mike: Fuck me that's where that asshole has been hiding? -Gerry

Mike: I will suffer underground to watch you beat the shit out of him.

Oliver: Bring a camera

Annabelle: I'll let you keep one of my babies if you sent me video.

Mike: kk already on it.

Sasha: Who are you, Eli

Eli: Technically speaking or literally? Because both are loaded answers.

Jon: literally?

Eli: Elias Bouchard, the actual one.

Tim: what?

Sasha: wtf

Jon: bullshit

Eli: To be fair, Jonah has been in control the majority of the time. I'm a passenger in my body during work hours for the most part. Anyway, Martin, can I get a picture of Oliva? I wanna make her out background to piss off Jonah.

Martin : (a picture of a cat sized spider in a green eye jumper seemingly sleeping in a giat web nest)

Eli: Perfect cheers, and I'm out.

Jon: first what the fuck is that Martin, and second what?

Sasha: That looks oddly cute, Martin.

Tim: So Jonah Magnus and Elias Bouchard share a body?

Oliver: Basically, hit the nail on the head.

Oliver: However, just because the Beholder did this for the first time, we still aren't certain that the Beholder is sentient enough to understand that the Watchers Crown is an awful idea.

Annabelle: Normally, the people Jonah possesses are already dead.

Oliver: Fun fact the End doesn't hate this it thinks it's really amusing to watch. The original body of Jonah Magnus lived till 100, which is quite impressive considering the time period.

Martin: To add, Jonah doesn't actually get to choose his new body. The Beholder dies, and it seems the Beholder has a specific type picked out.

Mike: assigned twink at swap.

Mike: fuck I was going to say that - Gerry

Tim: that's hilarious in a fucked up way

Sasha: is Elias ok?

Martin: As far as I know, he's happily married and actually enjoys Jonah's company

Annabelle: it's a polygamous relationship and Jonah is the only reason Elias ever figured out his sexuality.

Jon: huh I don't know what to do with that information.

Tim: that's one way to accomplish that.

Sasha: good for them.

......

#the magnus archives #tma #martin blackwood #tim stoker #sasha james #jonathan sims #elias bouchard

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brettanomycroft · 2 months

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My brother in christ how was I not following you. Anyways I'm going to pretend you reblogged the character bingo because PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT MARTIN!?

I only just came back and realized I wasn't following YOU until like yesterday but now all is right and good in the universe.

Okay hoo-ee whooo boy let's talk about Martin. Fucking. Blackwood!!!

A lot of characters in The Magnus Archives are truly tragic (see: Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Sopping Wet Meow Meow Institute) - they are victims of their own Fears and pride, or are manipulated to literal Hell and back, lose or destroy the things most precious to them, succumb fully to the machinations of horrible Eldritch abominations, or just straight-up get dead.

But in my mind, Martin is one of the few characters who in not really a tragic character. Does bad stuff happen to him? Oh yeah. Does he make bad or morally questionable decisions? As the Antichrist's plus one, absolutely. Is he kind of wheedling and pathetic at times? Definitely. A manipulative little shit? 100%.

But there's very little that happens to Martin that he doesn't in some sense own. He puts himself in horrible situation after horrible situation (from willingly letting his boss force him to relive a twisted version of his own deepest trauma to agreeing to jump into a tear in the space-time continuum) with a very clear-eyed view of what he's getting into and why he's doing it. Martin sometimes gets accused by characters in the show of being foolish or bumbling or just following orders, but he makes it clear time and time again that He Understands What He's Doing. More so, it seems he really understands what he's doing without the sort of illusion of trying to maintain objectivity or trying to "do good."

That's not to say that Martin doesn't care - he cares fiercely about the people he loves and is willing to make the hard choice when it's the right one - but his gray morality (especially when it comes to himself) is part of what makes him such an appealing character to me. He knows that the choices he's making will hurt him, or are morally questionable, or may cause a bigger problem down the line. He also knows that at the end of the day, he's still going to make those choices. I think ultimately that's what lets him support and push John in the final season: Martin has few doubts about the path he's taken to get to this point, and so he's able to shoulder some of the shock and trauma John is rocked with when it hits him that he's at the catalyst for a literal apocalypse and spirals into unknowable "What ifs."

OF COURSE A LOT OF THE REASON MARTIN IS ABLE TO DO THIS IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME HE HAS LITTLE SENSE OF SELF-WORTH OR VALUE WHICH IS WHY INTO THE SALAD SPINNER HE GOES!!

Anyway, as someone who is a recovering people pleaser and is same hat when it comes to "Mommy issues" and "writing mediocre poetry," I really resonate with Martin's character in a lot of ways and think he's a lot of fun to write. Martin has a lot of nuance in his ability to seem unthreatening, using it to fly under the radar and still get what he wants (and in the end! He gets what he wants!!). I've read about people pleasing as a form of manipulation and, yeah, that's Marto to a T. But he's still also a soft and loving boy even as he advocates for his monster boyfriend to kill their enemies.

Personality aside, Martin is a canon Big Guy and there is something about trekking through the apocalypse with a guy who is big and tall enough to wrap me up in him that just makes me 😳😳😳😳 Like same, John, same. Some of my favorite Martin fics/Fanart feature situations where he's like a strapping farmer or breaks a zip tie with his bicep or just hauls people around and I am looking *so* respectfully.

#Sturionic #tma podcast #the magnus archives #martin blackwood #Ask #Character bingo

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go-to-the-mirror · 1 year

Text

Hello, @a-mag-a-day. Apologies for the deception but I rather wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself. I'm assuming you're alone; you always did prefer to read your statements in private. I wouldn't try too hard to stop reading; there's every likelihood you'll just hurt yourself. So just listen. Now, shall we turn the page and try again?

Statement of landscaping-your-mind regarding episode 160 of The Magnus Archives.

Statement begins.

So, from all the stuff I scheduled for today you can probably tell I really like episode 160 of The Magnus Archives, right? Like, good lord, it is... it is a time. (Also, the words were really good (and also there's poetry) so :D incentive!)

Firstly, though, I have to say something. It's not the Watcher's Crown. The Watcher's Crown is the ritual Jonah Magnus attempted years ago. This is unnamed in canon, but Jonny said it could've been called The Magnus Archives.

Secondly... I would like to draw your attention towards the description of the youtube version of this episode. (to paraphrase)

The Magnus Archive discovers that some escapes are a lot easier than others.

Ahahahahaha AHAHAHAAHAHAH WHAT-

I hate this so much. Like, with a burning passion. "The Magnus Archives discovers that some escapes are a lot easier than others" COME TO MY HOME AND KILL ME YOU COWARD! It just hurts, it just... hurts.

He can escape London, but he can't escape his ✨ purpose ✨

You ever think about how The Magnus Archives follows the story of Magnus' Archive? I do. A lot. I haven't even started listening yet, god, this episode am I right?

MARTIN (Joking) Or, (huffed laugh) or it is, and she just cleaned it up really well. (They both make uncomfortable chuckles) ARCHIVIST …Yes. (The Archivist makes an uneasy noise)

THEYRE BOTH SO AWKWARD THEY HAVEN'T TALKED TO A NORMAL HUMAN IN OVER A YEAR

Just their really awkward laughter, oh my godd they're so endearing your honour, I'm so glad this episode and TMA ends at the 5 minute mark (< in denial)

ARCHIVIST Hopefully a long way out there. (soft) But I think we’re okay

THEY ARE IN LOVE YOUR HONOUR

I just love how soft Jon's voice gets around Martin, like, like, eeeee i just love them i love them they're the reason im aro bc i know i will never love someone romantically as much as jmart loves each other /j

MARTIN Oh, n-no, not yet. I was actually gonna head down into the village to go pick something up?

Ooooh yay I get to share my "where are they in scotland" headcanons! I think they're near Dunnet, because it's pretty far north and in the Highland area, and it's also got allegedly the only full time gunshop north of Inverness, and... yknow, it is Daisy's safehouse.

ARCHIVIST Anyway, don’t tell me the phonebox down there doesn’t appeal to your retro aesthetic.

your honour they're lightheartedly teasing each other <3

ARCHIVIST I’ll be fine.

SOFT!

(update im wrtinging with a cat on my lap now hes big. im balancing my computer on my leg.)

MARTIN I assume it’s her attempt at a- a, a varied diet? Eating your greens, you know? ARCHIVIST (Amused) Probably. (reassured) I’m sure it’ll work fine

hhh them <3 it's just like they're so... they're happy. they're so happy, and it's like nothing gold will stay or whatever

they had such a short amount of time

i wish they were ok

MARTIN …I will give you some privacy. Go for a walk. ARCHIVIST (Warmly) Let me know if you see any good cows. MARTIN Obviously I’m going to tell you if I see any good cows.

I'm...

them being happy is almost worse, right. because what once was a surprise we now know will happen, we have to deal with the dread, and it's all bitter now, the happiness is rotten because of what lurks after.

some people can listen to the first five minutes and feel okay, but me?

for me it just hurts.

ARCHIVIST (CONT’D) (Pleasantly) Statement of Hazel Rutter regarding a fire in her childhood home. Original statement given August 9th, 1992. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, The Archivist. Statement begins.

He sounded so happy... he sounded so happy.

This is the first time he's happy before he reads a statement. He was happy, he was hiding from the police and the hunters and Daisy and Not!Sasha with his boyfriend in Scotland. And then, and then Jonah Magnus comes in and decides to end the world like a bastard.

I don't want to hit play. I don't want to know what comes next. I want to stop listening. I want Jon and Martin to be okay. I want it to be the real statement of Hazel Rutter.

I just want it to be the real statement of Hazel Rutter.

I get it, right, horror tragedy! This was the desired effect. I am supposed to be feeling these emotions. These emotions being very sad. Well done to Jonny, lovely writing. Fantastic! I love TMA with my whole heart. I think that it's fantastic. I don't want to hit play though. I'm here for the characters suffering, I got in through The Hermit Archives, I wanted more of the horror! I am here for suffering! I'm here for the suffering. I'm hitting play.

Statement of Jonah Magnus regarding Jonathan Sims, The Archivist. Statement begins.

He could have just ended the world. Like, the whole... forcing Jon to monologue about all the times he was manipulated into furthering Jonah's plan? That's fucked. That is fucked. Just put the ritual there you slimy piece of shit!

It’s rare that you get the chance to monologue through the voice of another, and you can’t tell me you’re not curious.

*me to my dog, in the "talking to a dog" voice* You wanna kill him too! Hey! You wanna kill him too!

Like, okay, so you're Jon and you're reading this statement and you can't stop, and this bastard says "you can't tell me you're not curious." Tell me that's not going to make him think that if he tried a little harder then he would've been able to stop reading. Tell me that's not going to make him think that a part of him wanted to end the world, and that's why he's still reading. Tell me that's not going to make him blame himself even more.

The only way to ensure I did not suffer the tribulations of what I believed to be an inevitable transformation was to bring it about myself.

He's so bloody arrogant. He puts himself above the entire world. It makes sense, he's from Regency era England, but like, it's still... really awful. Awful person.

Beyond that, I was getting older, and mortality began to weigh more heavily on my mind. How much in this world is done because we fear death, the last and greatest terror?

When I fear death I distract myself, not try to end the world. Like, this guy is just so evil. His only redeeming quality is being funny sometimes.

Everyone dies, Jack Magnet, you just chose to be a bastard about it.

Of course, I had to make sure the location was kept under my control while I worked on revising my plans, and so I moved the organization I had founded to assist in my research down to London, and the Institute as you know it, was born.

Right, so The Magnus Protocol's Magnus Institute was located in Manchester, and I'm not an expert on the geography of the United Kingdom, and basically know nothing about Manchester, bar that it has the... football, I want to say, team Manchester United? I don't know how I know that. But it seems as though Jonah Magnus didn't attempt his ritual, or attempted it some other way in that universe.

You see, the role of Archivist has been part of the Beholding for as far back as my research can go. This isn’t uncommon for the Powers; most of the beliefs around them are guesswork and fallible human interpretation, but there are certain through lines and consistencies that can be spotted, regardless of the trappings.

I wonder what the others are. The Dancer could be one - The Dancer in The Unknowing. I think Jonny said in a QnA, but you know, the author is dead, he's speaking to us posthumously, that The Architect could have been one. Not sure what others. If y'all have any ideas... 👀

More than once I thought she must secretly be of the Hunt; but there was never that sick joy in her, that thrill of predator and prey. She had simply decided that this was her position in life, and went about it with a practicality that even I found disconcerting at times.

Ok, Mr. Jonah "orchestrates twelve traumatising events for this one guy and gets him to end the world" Magnus. He cannot talk, he cannot talk at all. Sure, she sacrificed people, but she wasn't malicious. She did it for a cause. Did she believe she was good? I'm not sure she cared.

Jonah Magnus is just awful for his own self gain.

You see, the thing about the Fears is that they can never be truly separated from each other. When does the fear of sudden violence transition into the panic of hunted prey? When does the mask of the Stranger become the deception of the Spiral? Even those that seem to exist in direct opposition rely on each other for their definition as much as up relies on down. To try and create a world with only the Buried makes as much sense as trying to conceive a world with only down.

Gerry's colour explanation makes a lot of sense if you don't conceive of it as a traditional colour wheel. They're growing out in every direction, they all overlap with each other.

Sure, the fear of The Eye may seem in direct opposition to the fear of The Stranger, but let's take Jon, for instance. Is it not sort of Stranger to have some guy in a coffee shop staring at you with his autistic eyes, a person you don't know, but who definitely knows you?

What about the fear of The Buried and the fear of The Vast. Episode 195 covers that pretty handily. They're all interconnected with all of the others. Separating them makes them easier to understand (and invertedly makes them actually separated), but it isn't them, not truly. They are connected intrinsically.

Even the coffin! The fear of being alone in the dark is a part of the coffin.

Because the thing about the Archivist is that, well, it’s a bit of a misnomer. It might, perhaps, be better named: The Archive. Because you do not administer and preserve the records of fear, Jon. You are a record of fear, both in mind as you walk the shuddering dread of each statement, and in body as the Powers each leave their mark upon you. You are a living chronicle of terror.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this. The Archivist is something... defined by how they feed their patron, but The Archive is defined by how they've been hurt to bring it into the world. He's not defined by even a person-like role, he's something molded by Jonah Magnus' desires to end the world.

I wrote a little poem about it, which I shall share here, because I am cringe but I am free, unlike Jon. RIP

He's not a person with a name, He's a vessel of destruction, He's not a person who feels pain, It's necessary for production, That he's scarred and marked, By things that lurk in the dark, Believe himself useless, Or it'll be fruitless, And at the end of the day, He's no person, no name, He's a plan that has come to fruition.

Also, he calls himself The Archivist, perhaps viewing himself as... something that hurts others, rather than something that is hurt for a purpose.

I’ll admit, my options were somewhat limited, but my god, when you came to me already marked by the Web, I knew it had to be you. I even held out some small hope you had been sent by the Spider as a sort of implicit blessing on my whole project and, do you know what, I think it was.

"I chose you" "I'll admit, my options were somewhat limited" Mr. Magnet, he was chosen by the web. Jonah's just not afraid to be puppeted.

So, when Jane Prentiss attacked, I watched eagerly, one hand on the gas release from the start.

This line fucked me up. "One hand on the gas release from the start." Just... like it just sticks in my mind. How he held all their lives in the palm of his hand, how he let Sasha die, and Tim get eaten by worms, because he wanted his bloody perfect Archive.

One hand on the gas release from the start, while all of them almost - or did - die(d).

Like, what gets me is how fucked up Jon was afterwards, how he was asking everyone for their statements, shutting them up before they got to the part where they'd mention Jon and Tim getting eaten with worms. What gets me is how Elias was there and Jon was what, looked like a bloody mummy! He didn't have second thoughts when he saw...

He knew everything. He saw everything. He saw how fucked up Jon was over e v e r y t h i n g. (everything)

That's what gets me.

Between the stabbing and at least two desperate flights into its door, you’re marked very deep by the Spiral.

And, you know, the manipulation, the gaslighting, the betrayal. I saw an interesting post on this, but I can't seem to find it. I'll look in the posts I've rbed tagged TMA meta, I'll link it in a reblog if I find it.

Honestly, I had nothing to do with Melanie and her Slaughter adventure, but when I saw the situation, I made sure to trap her here, so whenever her rage bubbled over you were right there, a ready target.

You know after Jon's second kidnapping that could have totally been resolved how Jonah made Jon stand in front of Melanie while she wanted to kill Jonah with a knife, and how it's like oh, right, yeah, use Jon as a bloody meat shield to get her angry at him, make him the scapegoat, that was intentional. It was intentional to destroy everyone in the Archives' interpersonal relationships, and then have Jon. A ready target for hatred and vitriol.

How is Martin, by the way? He looks well. You will keep an eye on him when all this is over, won’t you? He’s earned that.

I think that Jonah Magnus should eat shit and die.

The power of the Ceaseless Watcher flows through you, and the time of our victory is here.

If you replace the Ceaseless Watcher with Determination then it reads like an Undertale save.

* The power of Determination flows through you, and the time of our victory is here.

Don’t worry, Jon. You’ll get used to it here, in the world that we have made.

This also ties in with the above, I hate that he says "our victory" "the world that we have made." Jon didn't consent to this, Jon didn't want this, Jon was made to be an unwilling conduit of the apocolypse and Jonah Magnus is insinuating that he chose it, the victim blaming little prick!

You who watch and know and understand none. You who listen and hear and will not comprehend. You who wait and wait and drink in all that is not yours by right. Come to us in your wholeness. Come to us in your perfection. Bring all that is fear and all that is terror and all that is the awful dread that crawls and chokes and blinds and falls and twists and leaves and hides and weaves and burns and hunts and rips and bleeds and dies! Come to us. I OPEN THE DOOR!

GREAT INCANTATION! 10/10! And it's actually recitable, unlike the TBI one.

ARCHIVIST Look at the sky, Martin. Look at the sky. It’s looking back.

That is a fucking fantastic final line of the episode. All of it, four seasons leading up to this moment. Look at the sky. It's looking back.

Fuck dude!

(The Archivist begins a fractured, delirious, humourless, laugh that does not end)

That laugh.

That laugh is just... haunting. I love it so much. It makes me want to cry. I used to have it saved on my phone and I'd just listen to it over and over and over again and get more and more disturbed and heartbroken.

That laugh. That broken, horrific laugh.

I can't get over it.

And thus ends season 4 of The Magnus Archives. With a broken laugh in front of a window, leading out to the doomed world.

Episode 160 is quite possibly my favourite metaplot episode of The Magnus Archives, the way the whole plan was revealed, the awful manipulations that were exposed... that laugh.

I leave you all to think on this. To think on the Archive née the Archivist née Jonathan Sims, laughing at the world he has unwillingly and unwittingly doomed.

Goodnight, a-mag-a-day, goodnight. /ref

#tma #tma meta #the magnus archives #the magnus archives meta #mag 160 #jonah magnus #jonathan sims #elias bouchard #tma spoilers #tma s4 spoilers #a mag a day #i am so abnormal about this episode you do not even know #well i think you do now-#landscaping your mind chapter one

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yourlocalpileofcrows · 4 months

Text

I know that The Magnus Protocol is supposed to be a completely safe and good pla e to start for people who haven't listened to TMA but I don't think that means that Chester Norris and Augustus can't be Jon Martin And Jonah.

It might however mean we don't get concrete proof for that, they never pop out of the PC and say Huzzah!! It was us, the blorbos all along!!!!! But, they can still be them, and that can still be a part of the story, just more in a " there's weird guys in the computers and I don't know where they came from" kind of way instead of a "Hello my name is Jon Sims, Head Archivist of The Magnus Archives, London; yes, the magnus archives LONDON, not MANCHESTER, isn't that mad??? Anyway, I'm basically an eyeball god, but enough about me, how are you today?" Kind of way, yk??

#tmagp #Idk man I could be wrong but those are just my 2¢ on the matter #also how are we tagging these things??? should I also be tagging it as TMA?? I don't think so so I'm not going to #but correct me if I'm wrong ig idk

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somanyfuckedupiftruebooks · 2 years

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Mag 37

So the tapes have caught bits and pieces of pertinent conversation before, but it has always been in the process of recording a statement. This is the first time that Jon feels compelled to record information that is not a statement, just in case. It's not a coincidence that this happens immediately after he gets the Web lighter.

Also it's extremely funny how done with this Martin sounds from his first word. How may times has Jon forced him to go through the same sparse details?

I've said it before but it's great that Breekon and Hope just look like delivery men. No notable features, just big, wearing delivery uniforms and speaking in fake accents. Sounds legit to me.

Yes, but consider this: what if you got into the business of destroying knowledge. Maybe that would be a good career move for you.

What is Elias playing at, prompting Jon to destroy the table? If the NotThem gets Jon he'll have to replace the Archivist and restart his ritual prep, so why take such a risky move to try and secure a Stranger mark? Why bother going for a Stranger mark in the first place, if he intends to throw Jon into the Unknowing soon enough anyway? Maybe he (incorrectly) assumes that Jon would have one of his assistants destroy the table instead of going all 'extended sounds of brutal pipe murder' on it himself. Maybe it's a test of some kind?

Or maybe I'm overthinking it and Elias just gets off on watching Jon fuck around and find out.

First time Martin expresses care/concern for Jon <3 They've definitely been spending more time together off-tape. They've got to be basically roomates at this point.

Also the prompt of 'go to sleep dumbass' help us place this in time. I definitely think this statement takes place immediately following the last (instead of with the normal week long gap). Jon ended that statement running off to talk to Martin and starts this one obviously having been speaking to him for some time. In the gap between tapes he has also interrogated Rosie, spoken with Elias and presumably been to see the table in Artefact Storage himself. I think it's safe to say that during the interim everyone else has gone home for the night and Martin and Jon are now alone in the Archives after hours again.

If I'm right about that timing it means that this is the first time we know of that Jon has read two statements in one day (depending on how canon you consider the liveshow to be, and whether or not it 'counts' if Jon reads a genuine statement off-tape as he does in that show). We know the statements can take a lot out of him, so that's got to be contributing to his general state of exhaustion.

Also I've dragged Jon before for recording statements onto tapes that are already running, but in all seriousness I think that at this point the Eye won't allow him to turn off a tape recorder for good without feeding it. Once a tape recorder is playing, it must receive a statement, no matter how confusing it will be for any students or academics using the tapes for research.

I wonder what kind of reputation the Magnus Institute has in the wider world? We know it's generally a bad one, but also we see so many statement-givers coming to the Institute for help. Is that motivated purely by desperation, or is there an idea in the general public consciousness that if you are having a supernatural problem of some sort that TMI can help? We know that the Institute only exists to observe and record and helping people is not on their agenda, but we do have confirmation of instances where they have helped the general public. I am thinking of Piecemeal, where Lee Rentoul talks about how they helped a friend of his who thought he was being haunted realise that he wasn't. Maybe the Institute only helps in cases that have no connection to the Entities? That probably makes the most sense.

Very cool how this statement starts out as if it could be Lonely before taking a sharp turn into Desolation territory. It's not about how alone he is, it's about how much he has to lose.

I can't remember, is this the place where Agnes was born? I know this is the site of Gertrude's binding spell, but did she find the site of Agnes's birth to do this? That would make sense and explain the altar stone in the centre. But I am a bit confused by the trees. They were deliberately planted 50 years ago? The binding would have happened around 12 years ago, so Gertrude didn't do that. It also would have been before she was Archivist? I have no idea when Agnes was born (I have a terrible head for dates) but wasn't it during a forest fire that would have decimated this entire area? I can't imagine that those Lightless Flame freaks were planting new trees afterward. Maybe they just grew on their own because of spooky reasons.

So I happen to be in the car with my parents (two retired nurses) as I'm typing this and asked them what would realistically happen to a guy who drank boiling water. They both absolutely fucking lost it.

Mum: Severe burns all over his mouth and throat! He'd be in absolute agony.

Dad: Not his throat, you'd never swallow.

Me: It doesn't say if he swallowed or not.

Dad: You couldn't. Not in that amount of pain.

Mum: Only if it was literally forced down him.

Me: So you'd need to be hospitalised?

Both: YES.

Mum: Immediately! Your mouth would be absolutely ruined; you wouldn't be eating anything without medical intervention.

Dad: And if there was anything in his throat there's no treatment for internal burns like that. They'd just have to give him antibiotics and hope.

Mum: But he wouldn't have swallowed boiling water, that would be insane. It would just be his mouth.

Me: This says he just lay down for about half an hour to get over the pain, then he sort of just kept going like normal.

Both: Not a chance.

#reeah reacts to tma #mag 37 #a mag a day #the desolation #agnes montague #gertrude robinson

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darkacademiaarchivist · 1 year

Text

Why does a man seek to destroy the world?

TIME FOR DOING EMBROIDERY AND LOSING MY MIND OVER MAG 160; THE EYE OPENS (oh god oh no oh god)

(i think the first time i was listening to this i was makind dinner and i was just. losing. my. shit. Obviously)

(teasing) Anyways, don’t tell me the phonebox down there doesn’t appeal to your retro aesthetic.

can we talk about how Jon REMEMBERED a small thing Martin said ONCE while he still kinda hated him?

MARTIN: I mean, they’ve finished all the interviews? Apparently they’re calling it a “terror attack.” ARCHIVIST: Doesn’t surprise me. (heh) Appropriate, in a way.

..... (imagine the news tho if it got out that legit paranormal stuff was happening)

ARCHIVIST: Let me know if you see any good cows MARTIN: Obviously I’m going to tell you if I see any good cows.

isnt it funny how nothing after this moment ever happened :'))) (i swear EVERY TIME i see cows i go "omg good cows / is that a tma reference??"

Hello Jon. Apologies for the deception, but I wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself.

NO GOD PLEASE NO

[The Archivist makes a pained couple of sounds out-of-statement-character, as if he’s trying to tear himself away from the statement and physically cannot.] [When he picks the statement back up, the words sound like they’re being torn from his lips.]

CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW FANTASTIC JONNYS VOICE ACTING IS HERE???? he even sounds like Elias...... help

Why does a man seek to destroy the world?

because you're a stupid bitch man jonah, hope this helps <3

It’s a simple enough answer: for immortality and power. Uninspired, perhaps...

"why is it always immortality, why does no one ever want anything more interesting?" (jonah magnus is a basic bitch)

All this talk about the freedom of being evil and destroying the world... i mean i guess but you could also.... not do this?! have you considered the joy of making the world a tiny bit better. he's a coward.

I am to be a king of a ruined world, and I shall never die.

WAIT HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT?? i thought that was one of that fanon quotes

Jonah / Elias' backstory is so interesting and i wanna punch him i HATE that his plan worked. i'm 100% convinced tho that the web was always pulling some strings, Jonah is giving himself waaaay too much credit

Gertrude would HATE knowing that she contributed to him figuring out his ritual...

How is Martin, by the way? He looks well. You will keep an eye on him when all this is over, won’t you? He’s earned that.

ELIAS I WILL STAB YOU WITH MY NEEDLE!!! (i know we say Elias is gay AND homophobic but he said gay rights here)

i gotta saw the summoning, for lack of a better word, is a absolute BANGER; it's so powerful

I – OPEN – THE DOOR!

CLOSE THE DOOR JONATHAN

MARTIN (frantic) Wake up. Wake up. Wait, John, John, John, WAKE UP! [He slaps the Archivist; the Archivist immediately shudders awake with a disoriented yell.]

😭😭😭

No. No, it’s everywhere. They’re all here now. (voice shaking – but in awe?) I can feel all of it.

wouldn't it be funny tho if the apocalypse was just contained to the UK? if they hadn't left the EU it would be the EU too but the fears respect their decisions.

Look at the sky, Martin. Look at the sky. It’s looking back.

this quote HAUNTS me TO THIS DAY!!!!

@a-mag-a-day

#the amount of comments i wrote for this one makes me once again wish for a tma script book #i'd annotate the SHIT out of that #and assign like a coloured tab to each fear #a mag a day #the magnus archives #mag 160 #my post #tma spoilers

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st-just · 2 years

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If you wanted to lean into the whole Lovecraft-remix subgenre you could probably do something pretty interesting with the Yithians if you got all Arkady Martine about it, really. Like it was...I wanna say the tor.com Lovecraft readthrough with Ruthana Emrys and...someone. Anyway in the comment thread there was the idea batted around that the Great Race aren't a race at all - they recruit. When they kidnap you for a soujourn in the Library it's at least half an audition too, and if you fit in and try hard enough to find a way back afterward, at some point your body will collapse where it stands as the consciousness of an adolescent and uneducated rugose cone (who aren't anything like the original 'yithian' species anyway) is slammed into it without warning and you get a joyous reunion and take your place among them.

And you can do a lot with the whole irresistible-allure-of-empire with that, if you want! (If you want to get more on-the-nose and direct about it you can probably do something about brain drain from the periphery to the imperial core and rural areas to the big metros, too). The Yithian, too a first approximation, are Civilization and Culture. They've progressed past parochial superstitions and small-minded bigotries, and welcome you for who you are (as long as who you are is one of them), they have access to essentially all the knowledge ever and the widest, most objective perspective. They've given themselves the downright heroic task of being Earth's archivists, ensuring nothing is forgotten and everyone lives forever in their archives.

They're also parasites who essentially genocide entire species and take everything they've built (bodies included) when mass migration is easier than fixing whatever problem they're running from. And everything between the epochs they take for themselves is still pruned and manipulated to suit their interests - you are a real person, an adoptive member of the Great Race, humanity as a whole are just a bunch of dumb monkeys there to kill some time and eventually irradiate the atmosphere enough to allow the evolution of the cockroaches who will eventually have a civilization worth stealing. The first and most important part of becoming part of earth's only real civilization is forgetting all sentimental loyalty for the primitive culture you've managed to escape.

Anyway I'm being horribly incoherent but there's something there I think?

#in this essay i will #lovecraft #Cthulhu #it's 2am and i'm rambling #well 6 but

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insanearchivist · 10 months

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Jonathan Sims is the best hater

I was originally going to make a post about each episode noting all of the characters that appear and kinda recapping everything but that's boring so...Here's my opinion on Jonathan Sims so far (MAG 1-5)

So I think people call him John so I'll call him John in this post. I've heard there are multiple Johns but I'm not sure if that means that John from MAG #2 is multiple people or if there are multiple characters that are named John.

ANYWAY...What did Martin ever do wrong? "I don’t count Martin as he’s unlikely to contribute anything but delays" had me thinking he may not actually be an assistant for a second. Also, "but at least it got Martin out of the Institute for an afternoon, which is always a welcome relief."? How insufferable could he be? I wholeheartedly believe Martin is actually one of the most lovable people on the planet.

On that note, I fully support John's disdain for Gertrude's work and "all it would need is a half-decent archivist to keep it in order. Gertrude Robinson was apparently not that archivist." would be SUCH A SICK BURN. I do think, though, that she was just a lady that had been doing that job for too long and had resorted to doing the bare minimum while waiting for retirement.

I also need to know more about Tim "using Institute funds to woo filing clerks". It is important to me for...the plot.

"That’s probably enough time spent making my excuses for the state of this place" SIMPLY ICONIC

"If I never hear the name Jurgen Leitner again it will be too soon" also iconic and I'm sure we will hear that name A LOT but that's for another post.

All this to say, I WILL be taking notes on John's hate for everything for research purposes. (definitely not because I aspire to hate everything in such an iconic manner)

EDIT: I JUST (seconds after posting) REALISED JONATHAN IS JON AND NOT JOHN. I will not be editing this post, but I will allow comments on my stupidity

#tma #jonathan sims #jonathan sims hates everyone

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late-to-the-magnus-archives · 1 year

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Jonaaaaaaaaah!

No, it really is all Jonah's fault.

CW: everybody is done, and there are a lot of f-bombs.

I'm pretty sure I'd be dropping them, too.

-------

“Anyway, nice to meet you,” says Arthur. “So, Martin: what the fuck?”

“What the fuck, my man,” says Martin in solidarity.

“Are you… going somewhere?” says Jon.

“No?” Arthur’s newly acquired uptick is taking some getting used to, but John doesn’t hate it. “We’re sort of stuck unless Kayne decides to send us home.”

Other-Jon looks grim. “And we want him not to show up, because when he does, he’ll take Martin.”

Arthur sighs. “Figures. They’ve already put us at odds. Well, I refuse to fight you like bugs in a box, or whatever the hell they’re after. Copacetic?”

“Absolutely,” says Martin. “We’re good.”

I’m not sure that’s what they -

“What do you know about the Dark World?” says other-Jon while that liquid green power flings itself around him with wild abandon, looping and glowing and reaching and -

It pierces John like a hook on a rope, and he can no more not answer than he can actually become human the way that Arthur hopes.

I know a lot of things, says John, speaking to the Archivist, because there is no one else here, and answering those questions is all that matters. I’ve been there.

John? he hears far away, distant, barely audible.

It’s fine. This is fine.

“I can feel that. I feel the story in you. How does one go to the Dark World?”

You die. That’s how I did it.

“How did you die?”

I don’t remember.

“Can a living person enter the Dark World and return?”

Not as far as I know. It’s like the Dreamlands - it’s grown from all living things, all worlds, everywhere, and to step into it is to step into quicksand. You will be swallowed, and the more you struggle, the quicker down you go.

There’s silence for a moment, and John hears… his name again, somewhere unimportant.

Another question comes, and it is beautiful. “What if you had an anchor on the outside, still in the living world?”

That might work, says John, who finds, suddenly, that he can think through his vast arcane knowledge with the ease of flipping through notebooks. But it would have to be a strong anchor - the kind that lasts beyond death, that might even assure your souls found each other after you die.

“They can find each other?”

Yes. If the love is enough. It feels amazing to be answering these, open, free, like some block was removed, some door opened, and John doesn’t want to stop. If we had our knife - but no, that wouldn’t be enough. The Dark World is far removed from any living one, and I don’t know of a way to cut an opening through - not that it would be safe.

“How would it not be safe?”

There’s another voice now, shouting, Jon! Jon!

And John knows there’s a difference in their names, and also knows it doesn’t matter.

Because anything could come through. Some dead things should stay dead.

“How could we prevent them from coming through?”

That’s a hard one. Oh, I know, says John, who would cut open his heart and pour it onto this Archivist if that’s what was needed for answers. You can ask my alternate.

“Hastur?”

Yes. He’ll have a way to mitigate that, or he should. He’s been planning this for such a long time.

And very, very small, a tiny bit of John knows he shouldn’t have said that.

Why? He has no idea.

He wants more questions.

He wants to give more answers.

He’d happily answer until he ran out of breath and melted and died.

“Thank you, John,” says the Archivist, and pulls away, and the great loops of beautiful power that throb through John’s soul retreat, taking with them all purpose, and fulfillment, and bliss, and the glorious sense of having answers to important questions.

Bereft, John begins to cry.

Then he remembers who he is, and stops.

“Jon!” Martin is shouting.

“John?” Arthur is crying.

The Archivist is on the floor, on his knees, curled forward, looking up at John through his hair with teeth bared and eyes glowing a terrifying green.

John feels…

John is…

He’s fine, he tells himself, he’s absolutely okay, he tells himself, because he’s still in Arthur, and nothing could pull him free, and this was just… this was just…

Fuck you and your consent! he bellows. How dare you! You fuck!

And the Archivist finally drops that horrible green gaze.

Other-Jon is shaking, violently, hugging himself as though he thinks he’s going to fly to pieces.

John wishes he would. Fuck you!

“I’m sorry,” the other whispers, barely audible beneath Martin’s shouting and Arthur’s shouting and John’s growls.

And fuck, fuck, John can see he means it, see he didn’t plan to do that, see this was no act of maliciousness or malice, but simply a reaction to the existence of Dark World knowledge in John, like iron filings responding to a magnet.

He sees, but that doesn’t mean he forgives. You fucking monster!

Other-Jon’s head is down. John can’t see his face at all.

“What just happened?” Martin shouts, kneeling, pulling Jon against himself.

“John?” says Arthur. “John. Answer me. Please. You’re scaring me.”

That’s putting it mildly, and Arthur’s welling panic helps to pull John's focus out of his rage and back toward his person. I’m fine, he snarls. I… are you okay? What happened?

“Felt him,” whispers Arthur. “Felt him, right there in me, right next to you. Like he’d just stepped into my soul and jammed himself alongside you. It hurt.”

Oh, gods. John’s rage renews. You FUCKER!

“Jon. Talk to me. Jon,” Martin is saying.

Other-Jon hasn’t replied. He’s gasping. He might be crying.

Good. John hopes he is. I hope you’re suffering for that, you fucking malevolent son of a bitch!

“I’m sorry,” whispers Jon. “I don’t understand what… I don’t know what happened.”

You don’t have any damn control, that’s what happened! John bellows.

Other-Jon looks up.

His eyes are human now, completely human, brown and ordinary and pleading. “D… do you know… how to have control?”

That question is absolutely damning for everyone involved in this man’s life, and John suddenly knows why Kayne looked afraid.

Who the fuck gave you deification? They should’ve taught you!

“They… they couldn’t. They’re just… he was just a man,” says Jon.

And he looks so lost that even in the middle of his rage, John is moved.

Moved, but not calmed. You should go and stab that motherfucker until they’re sorry.

Other-Jon makes the weirdest noise. It’s a choke. A laugh. A sob. “I did.” And then he curls down over himself and weeps.

#tma #tma spoilers #malevolent #malevolent fic #tma fic #fic in progress #wip #malevolent spoilers #john malevolent #jonathan sims #the archivist

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a-mag-a-day · 1 year

Note

MAG 79 - hair dying session

Oh, there we have the Potassium in Martin's name!

I'm sad Tim is so fixated on seeing Jon as a villain. I see that at his point it's a natural reaction of him. Jon massively antagonized him. It's still heartbreaking.

TIM "This isn’t office politics. It’s not like he’s had one too many at the Christmas party and started ranting about the Greeks." - Wait, did this happen once? I would fit so well! God I wanna see tipsy Jon infodumping or ranting!

You can totally see Martin's manipulation talent here. It's not straight up backtalk at Tim, it's gently guiding him.

Oh fuck, them stumbling upon warped Not!Sasha gave me serious chills. I love shit like that.

JON "God, I’m an idiot. Smash the table, kill the monster, stupid! Lazy, sloppy assumption. Of course the table was binding it." - That is literally, what the statement-giver in MAG 78 described, yes! It was so obvious.

"All the pieces were there. And I just… I couldn’t see it." - It'll give him that, his job is not to understand. He simply has to observe.

Martin snapping is so much fun! (There a wonderful animatic on Youtube of that scene btw!)

MARTIN "If we were all happy that wouldn’t actually be the end of the world." - MAG 160, they're actually happy; The world ends :´)

TIM "Stay back!" MICHAEL "No." - The Magnus Archives is an office comedy… xD

MICHAEL "None of you are protected down here." - Tunnels being a blind spot for the Eye foreshadowing!

JON "I can’t fight it with a pipe. I’m tired just carrying it." - There we have the hint of Jon being scrawny, getting tired from just carrying a metal pipe is quite an achievement. Also, that is THE pipe :) With his fingerprints…

NOT!SASHA "I’m going to wear you, John. I’m going to wear everything you are." - That sounds very disturbing…

Not!Sasha's statement: Once upon a time there was [talks in third person], but they're talking about themself-trope. We also had this in MAG 29. I liked it there, somehow I don't like it here. It is clear, that it's about itself and that makes it a bit too cringy for my liking. But some things about the Stranger are just cringy and that's alright.

NOT!SASHA "Then one day it was sent to the house of its enemy, which had the biggest eyes you ever did see." - More Institute being all about eyes and watching.

NOT!SASHA "You really aren’t even a shadow of your predecessor. You’re nothing." - The Stranger really loves mocking Jon especially in comparison to Gertrude, does it? It's gonna happen again in the Unknowing.

NOT!SASHA "You’ll miss the Unknowing, of course, but you wouldn’t understand it anyway." - The Unknowing has already been fleshed out. Because that's it in essence. Not understanding what's going on anymore. It comes up in the Unknowing.

JON "I’m sorry. Martin, Tim… Sasha. I’m so sorry. I should have… I didn’t… I’m sorry." - T_T (First name he said is Martin :D)

NOT!SASHA "I wonder, if I wear you, will I really become the Archivist? Rob the eye of its pupil?" - Interesting question, but I also don't think it would work like that. Also Archivist is already referred to as the pupil of the eye!

Hm, the sound of shifting stone happens very quick there, I thought it was longer. However, I think it still does a great job to show what just happened, I remember immediately understanding what was going on. I mean the whole season we got to hear how the tunnels changed, walls suddenly appearing, the floor opening up instead of the trap door. And finally we get to see that old man who's being all this!

An old man you say? I wonder who it could be...

#a mag a day #tma #the magnus archives #episode asks #mod ashes #tma spoilers #lycanlovingvampyre #Mag 79

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sporadic-maunderings · 3 months

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Choice in TMP

Since it's going on hiatus, I relistened to (nearly) all of Protocol yesterday (still have ep 10 to go). And I was thinking about a lot of people saying things like, "They're Desires now, not Fears!" And I don't think that's quite it. What I noticed is that in nearly every case, there is a voluntary act, a choice, that allows the horrors in. And since actions generally follow from desires, it feels like desire is playing a stronger roll in this show.

I've been prepping to run a Mothership campaign for my friends, and the Warden's Guide talks about the TOMBS system of understanding horror: Transgression, Omens, Manifestation, Banishment, Slumber. In TMA, the Transgression was often just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in TMP, it seems like there also has to be a choice made, almost an invitation, for the horrors to Manifest. In TMA, a choice was required to become an Avatar, but not just to run into the Fears. Perhaps something about how the Fears entered this world changed this? Maybe Archivist-Jon had enough influence to create some new rules, or Martin's choice that brought them through echoed into the manifestation?

Anyway, I could be entirely wrong, but I'm going to go through the episodes pointing out the Choice (and where it doesn't quite fit).

Episode 1: Arthur's wife reached out to a mysterious company (we don't know why, but it seems likely it was claiming it could put her in contact with her dead husband) Red Canary chose to visit the Magnus Institute Ruins

Episode 2: Daria chose to get the tattoo.

Episode 3: The Doctor chose to follow the smell of jasmine.

Episode 4: The narrator chose to take the violin (but I am less clear on how choice impacted what happened to Oliver Bardwell; that's a bit that doesn't quite fit)

Episode 5: The blogger chose to enter the contest and to attend once he'd "won".

Episode 6: The mugger chose to attack Needles. (And I find myself wondering what Choice Needles made to became as he is)

Episode 7: DMargolis chose to advertise for assistants AND chose to accept the first rather questionable applicant.

Episode 8: Here, the weirdness started before he made the Choice, but he did Choose to enter the elevator to (attempt to) escape. Another that doesn't quite fit, but still has a Choice.

Episode 9: He chose to take the dice (though it does feel like rolling them may be compulsory in certain instances).

Episode 10: There was definitely a Choice made to create Bonzo the character, but I'm not sure we have enough context to figure out more than that yet.

#tmagp speculation #tmp spoilers #magnus protocol #TOMBS #waiting to be proved wrong

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go-to-the-mirror · 1 year

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This is MAG 131 - Flesh. God, I'm not okay. I'm gonna try have good words today.

@a-mag-a-day hi howdy im sooo normal about this episode.

CWs for canon-atypical discussions of canon-typical self-harm & suicidal ideation.

Canon-atypical bc Jon's like "hey" *does really fucked up thing to himself* "anyway"

I'm swearing as little as I possibly can while discussing this episode /hj.

Anyway, the analysis part is at the end, but I say good words in the rambles.

[Tape clicks on.] (There’s a deep breath. The breathing intensifies, before a determined exhalation.) [Thunk.] (There’s a whimper.) [A wet ripping, as of extracting a blade from flesh.] (The Archivist makes a pained noise. Then grumbles as his breathing evens.) [The tape crackles.] (The Archivist clears his throat as a second cleaving is attempted.) [Thunk] (The Archivist whimpers again.) [Fleshy extraction and tape crackling again]

JESUS CHRIST WHY DOES IT SOUND SO LIKE- GOOD??? HEARTWRENCHING??? Well done to the editors of this episode, and Jonny for the... pained whimpers -- jesus christ -- but my heart, my soul, how am I meant to emotionally recover from that, good lord Jon put the fucking knife down.

ARCHIVIST (Pained frustration) Oh, come on… Everyone else can carve up the Archivist, but when he actually needs it…

This line this fucking line. Oh my god I love this line, I hate this line, this line lives in my brain rent free, this line is the worst and best thing to ever happen to me, this fucking line, oh my god.

Something about the lack of control, mayhaps. Like, he can be hurt by others, he's hurt by other's plenty, but he can't hurt himself, he can't cut off his own finger, he can't make his informed decision that throwing himself into the Buried with only his severed finger is better than staying above and being a monster.

MELANIE (Charged tones) Yes, the bullet was bad, right, but it didn’t make me angry. Anger is… Anger’s been all I’ve had for a very long time. Years. Maybe since… oh, I, I don’t know. But everything I’ve done, everything I pushed for was because I was angry. Angry at being passed over, being disrespected, ignored. That sort of anger, it-it powers you. Right up until it slips out and hurts someone. I hurt someone. And then one day, I suddenly have this thing that takes all that rage, and it holds it, tells me it’s right, that it’s me. It didn’t stay in my leg because of some ghostly masterplan. It stayed because I wanted it.

Right, so, I really like this line because I used to be angry all the time, because of Personal Reasons, and like... that line. Just strikes me right to me core. Anger that becomes you, or maybe you become it. Anger that you love because you love yourself (right?), but you hate because you hate yourself. Anger that feels justified, was justified, but now you're just hurting people.

...

God, I love this show.

ARCHIVIST Oh, th-the blade keeps going in. And… it hurts. Hurts plenty. But then it heals up. Pretty much the moment I take it out. No wound, no scar, nothing.

Jonnnn stop trying to cut your finger off to save the life of someone who you don't even like and who tried to kill you because you think it'll make Basira think you're useful, and Melanie think that you didn't deserve to die with Tim and Daisy, and Martin stop being so distant. Or just so you'll die, or something close.

God, Jon, like I get why he's doing this, and he's not an idiot but I just want... headinhands.

ARCHIVIST I mean, you'd think I'd have a better idea how to do it. All these… all these statements and… (Small laugh) You know who I need? I need the Boneturner. (Sighs) Just reach in and grab a rib. Job done.

I like how he says it, he's very funny, I like him. :3 (no way??? kris likes jon??? crazyyyy)

ARCHIVIST You’re still wearing her face.

yeah um so like Jon sort of watched helen die (?). what's this, 5 people he feels responsible for the death (?) of? christ, no fucking wonder, no fucking wonder he's like this.

ARCHIVIST We’re not people, though, are we? Not anymore.

headinhands. sure, maybe he's a monster now, an Avatar, maybe he's hurting innocent people but christ... Tim's not his fault, Daisy's not his fault, Helen's not his fault, Sasha's not his fault, the fucking bully's not his fault. Some things are his fault, yeah! He doesn't deserve to die for them! Sure, maybe you're not a person, Mr. Sims, but you're an alright monster, you're a fucking alright monster who's going above and beyond for someone who tried to kill you and you don't have to to prove to yourself and Basira and Melanie and Martin that you deserve to live.

I care him.

JARED That’s what it says on me licence. Mind you, the picture’s a bit out of date.

Every day I remember that Alex voiced Jared.

ARCHIVIST Right. But… you know if you do, you're never getting out of this place.

*guy who's only read PJO* I'm getting serious PJO vibes from this.

Like, idk? For some reason my brain thinks "Annabeth" when I hear that line.

ARCHIVIST Take something out. A bone. A rib, probably. S-Something I won’t miss.

JON YOU FUCKING NEED THOSE.

Jon... Jon... those are IMPORTANT. oh my godd "something i won't miss" ah yes compromise the structural integrity of your skeleton before jumping in the Crush-You-To-Death dimension. Such a good idea /s

Where do you want me to start? Growing up? My folks? How ‘bout that growth spurt when I was nine? It left me taller than all the other kids. I hated them, the way they stared.

I'm actually fairly broad shouldered, and somehow taller than a lot of people, despite being pretty average height, and it always makes me feel really weird when I'm around people who're shorter and/or smaller than me. Like I'm looming over them or something. Bodies are weird. I like being tall though, it annoys my middlest sister <3

But it talked to me about bones and flesh and muscle and blood; the bits of myself I actually knew and liked.

Can't relate (transgender)

Some of my mates, the ones I helped find their proper bodies, they listened, and went to feed the hunger.

The... things in MAG 130 reminded me a lot of Jared's victims from the gym, so maybe those were his "mates."

I don’t blame people for thinking that all bones are the same, most people don’t have much experience, but it’s not true. There are good bones, and there are bad bones, and Regan Hasnain had some very good bones in her. They were solid, healthy, and they jumped at my touch. I didn’t doubt the letters again.

How the fuck did Elias know what bones were good and bad- I mean yeah probably spooky eye nonsense, but still? Asjdfsahf

ARCHIVIST That’s it? (He snorts) Hardly worth a rib.

Sorry, mate, we're doing body horror this episode, but like not in the statement... oooh sorry you had to find out this wayyyy, yeaahhhh

(The Archivist makes noises of pain.) [Extended sounds of meat and bone movement]

Here's a moment where the unofficial transcripts are absolutely superior, also here's a moment where I'm like what the hell? The sounds are so??? Disgusting?? /pos. The editors did a fantastic job on this one. And Jonny's quite good at uh... strangled sounds of pain. Jesus, Jon. oh god. it's so. YEA. /pos

Yeah. This episode right? Oh god, Jonny why. Jonny why. Like than you, yk, like 10/10, I like my fictional characters emotionally and physically damaged, but ALSO those noises of pain. They sounded. 10 out of fucking 10.

Anyway, onto the speaking with good words part.

I think a lot about Jon's Flesh mark, and The Flesh in general, because it's one of my absolute favourites of the Fears, and my favourite mark that Jon got, hands down. Because, it's not only got the surface-level, face-value, Flesh thing. You take out the ribs! That's horrifying, Jared reaching into Jon and pulling out his ribs in isolation is horrifying, but it's not in isolation. This happened with Jon's need to prove himself as useful, his belief -- that is supported by the people around him -- that his life is only worth something if he's useful.

ARCHIVIST Fine. I don’t care if you trust me, but I think I’ve proven at the very least that I’m useful. So, use me.

(MAG 133 - Dead Horse).

And The Flesh mark? He got Jared to take out his rib, he asked Jared to do grievous bodily harm to him, because he thinks his life is only worth something, that he should only be allowed to live, if he's useful. If he can "right his wrongs", if he can save Daisy.

The Flesh mark wasn't just the rib, it was his need to prove himself as useful, made manifest. And in the end, the rib didn't even work. "There wasn’t single suitable cut." He 'made himself useful' by saving Daisy, but the rib was useless. He put himself through that for nothing except serving someone else's purpose. Something to be used and ultimately to discard.

#mag 131 #tma #the magnus archives #tma meta #a mag a day #jonathan sims #mag 133 #mag 178 #the flesh #anyway flesh jon rights fr fr #tma spoilers #landscaping-your-mind-chapter-one #cw self harm #tw self harm #cw suicide #tw suicide

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