Wait Wait Wait Oh My Godddddd So Zdog Didn't Trick Him With The Mask??? He Would've Died If They'd Gotten

wait wait wait oh my godddddd so zdog didn't trick him with the mask??? He would've died if they'd gotten away cause the noise meant the mask was busted??? OH MY GODDDDDD THEY COULDVE GOTTEN AWAY!!! Poor spider really does have the worst luck 😭😭

and that means Q actually trusted spider not to run away to a degree, there was never a tracker in it, he thought spider would willingly stay with him, omg i bet in his twisted mind he really does view this as a "betrayal" bc he thinks he was trusting spider brooooo

And then zdog's comment about rey taking the beating from "dear old dad" would Q have beaten spider out of anger if rey got away??? 😭😭😭

I'm not emotionally ready for the next chapter, especially how Q's gonna act. Is he gonna be pissed at spider and treat him worse or will he feel at least a little guilty and try to win back his trust?

Another snippet from Chapter 30 of Silent as Shadows... 🥺

🕷️💙✨

“You got me good, Z...” Spider said with a scowl, crossing his arms and glaring at the tattooed recom. 

Zdinarsk bit down with her sharp teeth, snapping a bright pink bubble before finally turning her head to him with a raised eyebrow and spat back, “Oh yea? How’s that, punk?” 

“You didn’t tell me it had a tracker...he even told me there wasn’t one...” Spider said slowly, “You’re no better than him.” 

Zdinarsk’s ears flattened back, and she narrowed her own eyes into a glare. She stood and planted a hand on her hip, looking angrier and more serious than Spider had ever seen before. Without skipping a beat, she jabbed her finger into his chest and growled, “Normally I’d LOVE to bust your chops, kid, but you can tone down that bad attitude because you have shit luck.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Spider asked incredulously. 

“The mask doesn’t have a tracker in it.” Zdinarsk hissed, “That alarm was for a ventilation failure, genius.” 

Spider’s blood went cold, causing an uncomfortable prickling to spread through his body. He’d listened intently when Zdinarsk explained how the mask worked. The maintenance, fail safes, warning signs...he’d listened to every detail. Despite what the squad might think, he wasn’t so stupid to take the risk of running away if he knew he would die from asphyxiation along the way. He knew Rey’ka would never forgive herself if something happened to him when they tried to escape...he had to stay alive for her now too. 

“It’s probably the dry air up in these damn mountains that caused it. Just be glad Rey’ka took that beating from dear old dad for you...” Zdinarsk huffed as she crouched back down and tossed her remaining gear into her back with no real order, “Least he didn't cut up that pretty face...” 

Spider was still frozen without being able to find a decent comeback. Like how it was their fault this all happened in the first place? That Rey'ka wasn’t one of them? That she was their prisoner? He couldn’t believe Zdinarsk was making him feel GUILTY for the results of First Blood. Then again, how was this blame any different than what he was used to growing up? Wasn’t everything his fault? At least to Neytiri and McCosker...everything was always his fucking fault... 

I love her. I'm so hyped for SAS!

Dance like no one’s watching! 🩵✨ Or let them watch and be jealous… 😄

I need to draw this lady more…who’s excited for the return of Silent As Shadows? ☺️💙🐞

Here's a little sneak peak at a comic I'm working on

📢TW for blood!📢

Poor Spider's in trouble! Any guesses what happened to him?

Aw yeah you know what that means? We're getting to see Tsu'tey and Eytukan in a flashback or in the Tree of Souls! Could be in Avatar 3 or possibly 4!

I'm imagining a scene where Jake or Neytiri are discouraged by the war with the RDA and they go to the tree for guidance and we get to see Eytukan and Tsu'tey offer advice and comfort! I hope Neteyam and Grace will be there too!

Via @jonlandau on Instagram: “Avatar” actors Wes Studi (Eytukan) and Laz Alonso (Tsu’tey) have returned to set for motion capture! They are expected to reprise their roles, though in way way that remains unclear at this time.

so little "MJ" is still in control. Better than the "Miles" personality, but I'd like Spider back! I'm glad "uncle Lyle" is taking care of him though, I'm sure he'll warm up to him quickly. I wonder if having the age-regressed personality get taken care of and actually treated like a child instead of treated like a nuisance like McCosker and Neytiri will be healing for Spider's inner child in a way. I hope they can fix poor Spider's brain!

🕸️🕷️ Weaving the Web 🕷️🕸️

Chapter 11: Third String

It wasn’t Quaritch’s intention to fall asleep. The knocking on his apartment door woke him out of a deep slumber. He had no idea how tired he was from fighting the legal system for custody of a ‘non-citizen’ then physically fighting with the kid after he almost caved in a man’s skull. Then there was the conversation with Nash McCosker…the asshole who supposedly took care of Spider in his younger years.

Whoever was knocking on the apartment door was persistent. Quaritch rubbed his eyes and looked down at the boy bundled up in a recom-sized blanket on the couch next to him. Again, seeing Spider like this made him forget he was actually sixteen-years-old. The boy was still sleeping soundly. Heavy sleeper, Quaritch thought to himself as he slowly stood as carefully as possible so as not to disturb Spider.

He wasn’t sure who was going to wake up: Spider, Miles, or MJ.

Quaritch was rooting for Spider to come back to control but the obvious second choice was the little one. The thought of dealing with Miles before his coffee might make him add a little whiskey to his morning caffeine fix.

The third set of knocking was louder and starting to get on the colonel’s nerves. He looked at his watch as he walked out of the living room/kitchenette space to the short hallway with a narrow closet for his jacket and boots. Shit . It was after 20:00. Not only had he missed both lunch and dinner in the mess hall, he’d gone radio silent with his squad practically all day.

The incident in the mess was the night before at dinner, Quaritch spoke with Ardmore then McCosker, then stayed up all night until he was alerted Spider woke up from sedation. He couldn’t recall what time that occurred but he’d caught the tail end of breakfast when he ordered Spider food after leaving solitary confinement. Then he learned about MJ…they talked…then Quaritch watched the boy until he fell asleep.

And then Quaritch must’ve fallen asleep. He hadn’t realized how tired HE was from dealing with the shitstorm. Well…it was worth it. The boy was worth it…

”Boss!” Wainfleet said when the apartment door finally slid open after Quaritch pressed his thumb to a small scanner next to the door. “You are here. The squad and I been looking for you. Lopez stopped by here an hour ago, but he said you didn’t come to the door.”

Fucking hell, how did Quaritch sleep through that?!

”Sorry, Lyle, I didn’t realize how tired I was…” Quaritch said, feeling a weird embarrassment akin to getting caught sleeping on the job.

”No worries, boss, just wanted to make sure the kid didn’t go full psycho on you.” Wainfleet said with a relieved chuckle. He nodded over Quaritch’s shoulder and asked, “The kid in there?”

”Yea…” Quaritch sighed, stepping back into the kitchenette so Wainfleet could come into the apartment, “He’s still sleepin’…where’s Ja at?”

”Infirmary, I think. Rec room next now we found you. Mansk was talking about a card game at dinner.” Wainfleet said to lighten the mood, “Seems convinced he can kick everyone’s ass with that natural poker face shit.”

”Hey!”

Both the recoms showed their surprise in tail flips and ears twitching at Spider’s sudden shouting. Quaritch turned around and both of the recoms stared at the boy. Spider was sitting up in the tangled blanket nest and frowning.

”You said a bad word!” Spider snapped, pointing straight at Wainfleet.

Quaritch and Wainfleet stared at the boy in silence. Of ALL people to call someone out on foul language, Spider wasn’t the one. Wainfleet was completely dumbfounded and it showed on his face. On the other hand, Quaritch had the confirmation he needed to know who was still in control. Wasn’t his preferred first choice but it was better than dealing with the alternative…

”You’re right, MJ.” Quaritch said after a few seconds, “Sometimes adults use those words without thinkin’ about them first. Your…” The colonel paused and stared at his second-in-command for a moment before looking back to the boy, “Uncle Lyle didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

“The fu-…” Wainfleet started but was quickly interrupted.

”MJ, your uncle and I are gonna talk outside. You good?” Quaritch said, putting a hand on Wainfleet’s shoulder to start pushing him back towards the front door.

”I’m kinda hungry…” Spider said with a yawn, fidgeting with the blanket the same way he did with the hospital gown the that morning. Like he was afraid to say it or be a bother.

”I’ll find you something. You just stay there and be good, ok?” Quaritch asked, giving him a comforting nod.

”Ok. Thank you, sir.” Spider said with a gentle smile. Yup, this was MJ for sure. Spider wouldn’t humiliate himself acting like this and he was sure Miles didn’t have the mental control to keep up the innocent facade. Before Wainfleet could start rambling like a confused idiot, Quaritch pushed him back out the door completely and pressed his thumb to the scanner again to close it.

Wainfleet stared at Quaritch, wide-eyed and the obvious question could finally be said out loud.

”What the fuck was that?!” Wainfleet asked, quickly following up with, “That’s not the usual bundle of teenage angst or the psychopath. We dealing with another personality?!”

”Yea…seems so.” Quaritch said, pinching the bridge of his nose at the obviousness of the answer.

”When did that happen?” Wainfleet asked, his surprise turning to concern. “Is this one dangerous too?”

”Hell, Lyle, he just called you out for cussin’. What do you think?” Quaritch said then paused with a sigh. Maybe not dangerous like Miles, but he could present a different kind of threat. He’d revisit those thoughts later and he continued, “He’s got a young mentality. Doesn’t know anything about the war with the Na’vi or even who his parents are.”

”Shit…” Wainfleet said. What else could he say? In truth, it made memories of his own genetic predecessor come rushing back at the revelation that Spider had a ‘young child’ side now. It made him think of two people he hadn’t thought about since waking up in his recom body. The beautiful, and incredibly understanding, fiancée and barely one-year-old daughter left on Earth when his human equivalent rotated out to Pandora. Fuck, the daughter was well into adulthood now and no closer to relocating to Pandora, the whole reason he was there.

”I’m gonna get you security clearance for this apartment.” Quaritch said, referencing the door that was currently only accessible by the colonel and security override in case of emergencies. “I need you to stay with the kid while I find Ja. I gotta see those brain scans again. I’m no damn doctor, but might be good to try and get some done while he’s like this. I’ll let Ja make that call.”

”Of course, boss.” Wainfleet said instantly. The colonel didn’t even have to give an explanation for why he’d need to babysit; the corporal would do anything his friend asked. He smiled as the colonel turned back to open the apartment door and remarked, “MJ? Reminds me of Spider-Man.”

Quaritch shook his head but was secretly ecstatic Wainfleet had something he could relate to the boy about. A warm feeling spread throughout his chest seeing the boy still sitting on the couch, swallowed up in the folds of the blanket he’d pulled up over his shoulders. He walked in and crouched down to the boy’s level, “MJ. I need to go talk to another friend of mine then I’ll get you some grub, ok? I won’t be long. Lyle’s gonna stay with you until then.”

Spider nodded with a bright smile. It was bittersweet seeing the boy so happy. He must have been a really sunny child before his life went to hell. Quaritch gently patted Spider’s head, unable to stop his own smile when the boy let out a quiet giggle. He was a good kid. Who had a lot of bad things happen to him that he didn’t deserve…

Wainfleet walked into the living room and stared at the bright-eyed boy as Quaritch disappeared out into the corridor and the door slid shut behind him. Spider’s smile faded when the colonel left and he clutched at the blanket, staring up at the corporal with an uneasy shyness. Wainfleet could not believe this was the same kid he’d wrestled into submission the night before or busted the chops of on a regular basis and got it back in spades.

”Sooo…” Wainfleet said slowly, not sure how to break the ice. He sat down on the empty side of the couch and noticed Spider leaning away slightly as he looked down. His ears went back; he felt bad for what seemed like scaring the kid just by being there. Wainfleet cleared his throat and smiled, “Who’s your favorite Spider-Man?”

”Spider on the left.” Ja said as he and one of the neurologists who wasn’t afraid of taking on Spider’s case brought up a selection of MRI scans an an illuminated screen, “Miles on the right.”

Quaritch had learned more about the brain in the last couple weeks than he knew in two lifetimes, but it wasn’t enough for him to fully understand how vastly different they were aside from the array of colors. And goddamn! The scans looked like they were from two completely separate people. Not two personalities sharing the same brain.

”Spider’s brain activity is fairly textbook. The only abnormality, and I honestly wouldn’t even call it that, is heightened activity in the parietal lobe. That part of the brain is responsible for spatial and sensory awareness. We’ve all seen how he can run though the jungle out there like it’s nothing. He’s very aware of his surroundings.” Ja explained as he ran his finger over certain parts of the scan lit up bright yellow to red.

“Yea, kid knows it like the back of his hand…” Quaritch commented as his eyes moved over to the vastly different scan of Miles. Parts of the brain that were lit up more evenly towards the front for Spider were dim shades of dark blue for Miles.

“Miles has heightened brain activity in the frontal and temporal lobes. Personality, behavior, long term memory retention. All that is stored between the two. What is incredibly concerning, sir, is the extreme lack of activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and overactivity in the amygdala. The former is responsible for decision-making, whereas the latter’s main function is emotional control. Primarily fear and anger.” Ja said with a sigh.

”Fear?” Quaritch said, going over every tussle with the kid since he first showed up, “Miles ain’t afraid of jack shit, he’s made that clear.”

“Sir, people act out violently, if not more violently, when they’re afraid versus when they’re angry. Miles’ personality may not acknowledge fear, but he may subconsciously be acting on it. Even though Spider is the ego - the primary personality - he doesn’t have the same mental responses as Miles. When Miles is in control, parts of Spider’s brain that aren't regularly stimulated become overstimulated. Aggressive emotions are just one part of it.” Ja continued, trying not to let his personal feelings of respect for his commanding officer get in the way of being the medical voice of reason.

Quaritch rubbed his hand across his chin as he considered what to do next. Ja could tell the colonel was hesitant but remained silent while he thought it over. It was still inconclusive if Spider had any preexisting conditions that might have only been exacerbated by the neuroscanner. Without any medical records to speak of, Quaritch cursed under his breath when he realized the only person who knew about Spider’s health growing up was Nash McCosker.

”You said this new personality-…” Ja started.

”MJ.” Quaritch interrupted. He was distracted going over in his head how another conversation with McCosker would go now that the man knew who the recom was.

”Yes, MJ.” Ja corrected, adding the colonel’s defensive tone to his list of shocking things to dissect later, “You said he has no memory of previous RDA activity?”

”He doesn’t have memories of anything. He just remembers being under the care of, or lack thereof, that son of a bitch, McCosker.” Quaritch said with a low growl. Saying his name out loud made him even more angry with the poor excuse of a father.

”It would be wise to get an MRI while MJ is the controlling personality. The more we know about his condition, the easier it will be to cope with it.” Ja said, genuine sympathy in his words and tone.

”Cope…” Quaritch repeated. The word felt like a slap to the face. He only knew the kid for a month but it seemed he spent most of his young life ‘coping’. With being orphaned. With the people who raised him. With a planet that would rather suffocate a human.

“I’m not trying to overstep, sir.” Ja said, “And I sure as hell don’t mean ‘cope’ like Spider is an inconvenience. I just-…”

“It’s all good, Ja.” Quaritch said, knowing his medic didn’t mean or say anything to offend him. He clapped a hand on Ja’s shoulder, “I know this wasn’t what you signed up for but I appreciate all the extra time you’re puttin’ into the boy.”

“Of course, sir, I’m a marine but, regret to inform you, I am a doctor first.” Ja said with a forced smirk. Spider was his patient. The fact that the colonel had warmed up to him only added to him providing the best possible care he could in this entirely unknown medical phenomena.

“MJ’s jumpy but I can get him through it.” Quaritch said as he pressed his fingers to his neck comm. After a moment of static to connect the devices, he heard a mumble of Wainfleet’s voice and said, “Lyle, bring MJ to the med bay. We’re gonna get in a scan while he’s still here.”

Wonderful news. A reminder to fellow digital artists to use an ai-poisoning program such as Nightshade or Glaze if you're able to and opt-out of ai-sharing in your tumblr settings!

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