#j.j

The Past

For this AU, it’s ambigious whether the events of FNAF 1-UCN even happened. Help Wanted shows that Fazbear Entertainment turned the events of those games into in universe games as a coverup, so here it’s up in the open whether that VR game is entirely fictional or based on fact.

However, something *did* happen in the past that’s important. But I’ll get into that when we get into the characters. Anyway, the The Freddy Fazbear Virtual Experience sold a lot, so Fazbear Entertainment decided to bring the characters to life - by creating test-tube baby merfolk named after and resembling various characters from it (not the weirdest thing they’ve done)

The Characters

First lemme say that each of these mers view each other as siblings. I don’t headcanon all the animatronics to see each other that way, but since these guys grew up together instead of having a programmed backstory, that’s how it’ll be. With that out of the way, let’s go over what each character is, what their Ability is (special power unique to each mer), length/height, and why I chose that sea creature. Starting with:

Freddy Fazbear:

Freddy is a Betta Fish. This is because while the females leave after laying eggs, the males look after them until they hatch, and then a year after that! In other words, they are good fathers

In terms of height, I looked up what everyone thinks the heights of these animatronics are and doubled it, so Freddy is 13ft

Freddy’s Ability is Ability Steal. It allows him to take another’s ability, and he can take and use multiple at a time. HOWEVER, not only is this excruciatingly painful for both (especially the victim), imagine that the ability Freddy is taking is an elemental bite. If Freddy took it, he’d be taking the mer’s jaw and it would replace his own!! This can be reversed, the jaw put back and Freddy’s own jaw coming back, but it’s even more painful for both than initial Ability Theft.

Chica Chicken:

Chica is an Albacore. That’s because according to this website, it’s known as a sea chicken. Chica is 12ft 6in. And her Ability is Sonic Screech - she can use her voice to stun others, disorienting them and leaving them unable to comprehend what’s going on for up to a minute

Roxanne Wolf:

Roxy is a fur sweal. Seals are known as sea dogs, dogs and wolves are related, and fur seals have fur like Roxy. She is 12ft 6in. Her Ability is Special Sight - she can see through walls, and is immune to illusions

Bonnie The Bunny:

Bonnie is a Rabbit Fish. Because he is a rabbit. I couldn’t find a common consensus for a height for him, so no height. As for Ability, we don’t really know any special things Glamrock Bonnie could do, so I’m basing this off of Bon Bon, so Bonnie’s Ability is Tracker - he can track anyone down, even if they are hidden or behind him. It is impossible to hide from Bonnie

Bonnie was initially the bassist for the band, but 6 months before SB, he vanished. The official story is that he escaped, but is that really the truth…?

Also, thanks to a headcanon I have, Bonnie has an australian accent (heard it in a comic dub once, can’t unhear it)

Montgomery Gator:

You may think “Oh! Monty’s obviously an aligator!” But Fazbear Entertainment worried about lawsuits so they decided to make Monty something similar - a Yacare Caiman. These are still strong predators, but they kinda get bullied by other animals, being killed by gang’s of river otters or by jaguars. It’s not an apex. However, if you ask Monty, he’ll tell you he’s a gator, and it’s unknown whether he’s lying or genuinely believes it. He’s 12ft 10in and his Ability is Mighty Claws - while most merfolk do have sharp claws, these are far more powerful than most merfolk’s claws. He wasn’t initially part of the band, but he was promoted to bassist when Bonnie vanished

Oh, but while those are the experiment mers at the pizzaplex by the time of Vanny, they aren’t the only ones they made (also these guys who aren’t from SB have the same personalities as they do in their games. I do not have an in universe explanation)…

Foxy and Mangle:

Foxy and Mangle are Atlantic Thresher Sharks, since they are known as sea foxes! The two were part of a set of triplets, but two of them ended up fusing into Mangle. Foxy is 14ft (I doubled the height of his movie height) and Mangle is 12ft 10. Foxy’s Ability is Mimicry (probably needs a better name) - able to perfectly mimic voices and scents (this is based on two things Funtime Foxy can do). Mangle’s Ability is Wall Walk - able to walk (or slide I guess. Given she lacks feet he can’t exactly walk) on walls or ceilings without having things like suction cups or anything.

Anyway, these two longed to see the ocean, despite never having been there. And when they were 8, they got their chance, sneaking into a truck that was transporting fish from the coast that had been left open. The two of them are living their best lives in the ocean by the time of the events of SB. While their siblings miss them dearly, they all also knew that neither Foxy nor Mangle were happy in the Pizzaplex, and are glad they left for where they can be happy

Ballora:

Ballora is a Spanish Dancer. Because she dances. She is 12ft 4. Her Ability is Minireena - able to summon Minireenas that disappear after a bit (don’t worry, they aren’t alive). She also has her music box sound that she is able to organically make, but it’s usually used as an auditory threat display, and she has the best hearing out of any of the merfolk of the PizzaPlex, though given how loud the place is she tends to get overstimulated. Or, she did, as she is no longer living in the PizzaPlex. But I’ll get to that in a bit

Marionette:

7 years after making the Glamrocks, Monty, the thresher twins, and Ballora, the company decided to make a mer based on one of the younger characters - The Marionette. In the VR Game, The Marionette itself is male while the spirit within it, Charlotte Emily, is female. So the company looked at the merfolk they had, noticed that they had more mermen than mermaids, and made Marionette a girl.

Marionette is a Japanese Flying Squid. The way they lunge and “fly” kinda reminds me of The Marionette’s jumpscare. Given that she’s a kid, her height isn’t gonna be double, but the same as the height of her movie version - 7’25”. Her Ability is Technopathy - able to control tech such as animatronics (in reference to the movie where she controls the Toy Animatronics). About a year before the events of SB, she was moved to a second location, and is thus no longer at the PizzaPlex.

Also, don’t shorten her name. She doesn’t like that. Call her Marionette

Circus Baby:

1 year after Marionette’s creation, Circus Baby was created. She’s a Circus Goby, because her name is Circus Baby. Her ability is Claw, based on her claw she has. I haven’t decided if it’s a fleshy version of what she has as Circus Baby or more like what she has as Scrap Baby, but what I have decided is that it’s retractable and generally isn’t out. Oh! Fun fact about her design in this AU - she has heterochromia! Her left eye is blue and her right eye is green! Anyway, she’s 7ft 2in.

Circus Baby isn’t at the PizzaPlex. You see, when she was 5, a little girl approached her. She thought she was wonderful, she wanted to take her home. Her mother took that literally, and decided to do just that, trying to steal Circus Baby away when her handler wasn’t looking. Circus Baby cried out - and Ballora heard. As Ballora made her way there, security attempted to stop the woman from taking the pup, and it became a tug of war. Circus Baby found herself in the hands of the girl. And her claw came out. Much like canon Circus Baby killing Elizabeth, it’s something she didn’t want to do, something shouldn’t couldn’t control, something she doesn’t know why she did. Some of the security immediately wanted to put Circus Baby down, but others didn’t because she isn’t an animal. Sure she isn’t human but she isn’t an animal! In the confusion, the girl’s mother grabbed Circus Baby in an attempt to kill her. And that’s when Ballora arrived. She heard everything - she knew what Circus Baby had done and why. She quickly and brutally killed the woman. But now security was after them and arguing amongst themselves. In the chaos, the two managed to lock themselves somewhere in a lower level. The employees decided to deal with this later. But when later came, Ballora and Circus Baby were gone. They found a secret exit that led to the sewers, then sealed it up so they wouldn’t be found. The company covered up the incident, but they also demoted and fired every handler that actually saw the merfolk as the sentient creatures, and not as (admittedly intelligent) animals. (Also, I was intentionally vague on the little girl’s fate. Because yeah, it’d be more game accurate if she died but that makes me sad to think about (it’s one thing if someone else comes up with it, another if I do), so it’s vague whether she died or was hospitalized)

Ballora and Circus Baby live in the sewers now. Anyone who gets in their territory hear’s a music box. Any who don’t heed the warning die. Well, almost everyone. But I’ll get to that. They hate living in the sewers, but it’s the only option. Also, due to malnourishment because food is scarce in the sewers, Circus Baby’s design takes heavy inspiration from Scrap Baby

B.B and J.J:

2 years after Circus Baby’s creation, the company decided to make Balloon Boy! And they looked at marketing, and decided it would be better to also make J.J, that way the new additions could be marketed to both boys AND girls!

B.B and J.J are balloonfish (because balloons). They are 3ft 5in and their Ability is Energy Drain. Basically, they can drain the energy of anything that isn’t biological (in reference to B.B draining the flashlight battery). The two of them were moved to another location at the same time as Marionette, and while there, grew inseparable from her, because she made it her mission to care for them

But Eway, what about the other characters? Well you see, they weren’t made by Fazbear Entertainment, but are still at the PizzaPlex

Sun and Moon

Gonna start this by saying that I will not be writing them as having DID because 1. I don’t see them that way and 2. I would get something wrong. With that out of the way, let’s talk Sun and Moon

Sun is a Reverse Jewel Squid and Moon is an Umbrella Squid, two types of Cockeyed Squid. Their Ability is Lightshift - their body and who is in control changes depending on the light level. If there is light, Sun is in control, but once they lights go out, the body changes, and Moon gains control, and when the lights go back on Sun is in control and so on. The one who isn’t in control can communicate with the one who is. They can also sleep while the other is in control. Both forms are 14ft 4in. Sun and Moon are brothers.

When they were only 5 years old, a storm washed them far away from their chorus (yes that’s the word for a group of merfolk) and they ended up on a beach, stranded, and far away from home. A Fazbear Entertainment employee who was on vacation spotted them and decided to take them back to his hotel and once he went back home to bring them to the PizzaPlex. At the time, Freddy, Chica, Roxy, Bonnie, Monty, Foxy, Mangle, and Ballora were only a year old. Both Sun and Moon feel indebted to the company, as if they were left on that beach they would have died. This isn’t a case of “oh they were told that” I am flat out saying if they were not found they would have DIED. And they know it. However, that doesn’t mean they love everything about life at the PizzaPlex.

Sun was heavily traumatized by the storm, as the constant light changing because of being forced above and under water and debris made the two be constantly shifting, but Sun was the one mostly in control. He doesn’t want to go back to the ocean, but he’s also very overworked, being the sole Daycare Attendant since Moon only takes over when the lights go out. Merfolk are hardwired to be fiercly protective of kids, and human kids can trigger this instinct, so putting a mer in charge of the daycare isn’t a bad idea, but only one with little to no help? Especially since after the incident with Circus Baby most employees don’t even treat him like a person? Well, at least the kids do.

Moon on the other hand has it a little better, generally sleeping while Sun runs the Daycare until naptime, and then helping night security. Before Vanny, the daycare’s lights would be out at night, letting Sun get a chance to sleep. Basically, Moon’s conditions are better. However, Moon longs for the ocean. He has vague memories of it. He doesn’t like being confined to a signel building, big as it may be, and he resents the others essentially being used as things to display for the human guests to enjoy, though he still cares about the daycare kids. After the Circus Baby incident, he also had to deal with essentially being treated like a guard dog by the night guards, but then, not long before Vanny, all but 1 were fired and replaced with S.T.A.F.F bots

DJ and Mini Music Man

DJ Music and Mini Music Man (known by the nicknames DJ and Music respectively) are sea spiders. DJ’s Ability is Music Maker, able to make his music from his body like canon DJ Music Man. Music’s Ability is the same, but instead of the dance-beats DJ can make, Music’s songs are all music box songs. DJ is Music’s father. I don’t have a canon height for either but both are double the canon height (DJ is MASSIVE!). Also, neither of them can talk, like at all. So they have to rely on their music and nonverbal communication to communicate (also none of their music has lyrics because of this)

DJ wound up at the PizzaPlex while the search for Foxy and Mangle and was ongoing and he was spotted. When he heard they were searching for pups, he wanted to help, but they misinterpreted his attempts at communicating and thought he wanted to go to the PizzaPlex and were like “sure, why not? A new mer we can advertise.” Music snuck along with him when he was brought to the PizzaPlex. DJ is by far the oldest mer, and looks after all the others. He arrived when they were all pups after all. His size means he can’t leave his area (like canon DJ Music Man) but he’s pretty happy at the PizzaPlex.

The same can’t be said of Music, who crawls through the vents to avoid people. He doesn’t mind being with the other merfolk but he doesn’t like humans and does his best to avoid them, and will attack any that get too close.

Tangle

Tangle is a Basket Star. Now, when I said DJ was the eldest, I kinda lied. He’s the oldest that people know about! Tangle has been here for far longer, trying to keep an ancient evil sealed away. Of course a Pizzaria got built atop where Tangle was, and then that burned down and the PizzaPlex was built over it’s ashes. Not much is known about Tangle. Its Ability is unknown, it’s larger than DJ, it speaks an ancient language lost to time

Vanny, Vanessa, Glitchtrap, and Burntrap

And now, it is time for some lore reveals.

Vanessa was a 20 year old who went diving in the ocean with fancy equipment. She was nearing what seemed to be an underwater temple, and when her group wanted to leave, she decided to invesitgate. A large-eyed rabbit fish mer than appeared on her visor. She named him Glitchtrap because he didn’t speak and he reminded her of Springtrap from that VR game mentioned earlier. Glitchtrap led her further in. She started to get nervous, did she even have enough oxygen? But curiosity got the better of her, and she dove deeper, finding some sort of artifact. And when she touched it, it broke, purple spewing out and absorbing into her, transforming her into a purple and gold large-eyed rabbit fish mer (gold because of the princess in Princess Quest, purple because, while not the case in this AU, I believe the theory that William Afton is Glitchtrap and The Mimic is Burntrap. So the purple is a little Afton reference)

It turns out this was an evil merman who found a way to be immortal. When he was defeated, his soul and body were seperated. His soul was sealed underwater, and his body was moved far inland, what is now Hurricane, Utah. The body was burned, and buried, with Tangle staying behind to watch over it. In order for Glitchtrap to be revived, he needs to sacrifice 10 human children. And now, he can possess Vanessa.

Vanessa is human, but when Glitchtrap is in control, Vanny can switch between human and merform at will. If Vanessa were to be freed of Glitchtrap, she would be able to switch between forms at will and her meform wouldn’t have any purple anymore.

After that encounter with Glitchtrap, things continue as canon until she gets a job at the PizzaPlex itself. The only changes is the material she uses to make the Vanny costume, and this would be mentioned in the emails. She uses a material that can change when she changes forms. And the other change is that this is when Marionette, B.B, and J.J are moved to another Freddy’s location, (much like Vanessa moving up the ranks, Glitchtrap caused this. And it got approved because he sited the Circus Baby incident as proof why they can’t have little mers around)

Once she gets a job at the PizzaPlex itself (before becoming the night guard) she actually treats the merfolk like the sentient being they are. And suddenly she has a bunch of friends, friends she fears what Glitchtrap has in store for.

And then everyone but her was fired, and it was time for Glitchtrap’s plan. Let’s go over Vanny. Vanny is Vanessa while possessed by Glitchtrap. She wears the white rabbit costume to hide her identity, and her mask has a voice changer. She has two abilities - one’s Glitchtrap’s and one’s Vanessa’s. Glitchtrap’s is Mind Control - able to override morality and other such factors to make someone do what you want. This keeps their personalities in tact, just also makes them wanna do what you told them, and once Glitchtrap releases them, they forget what they did while under his control and being controlled at all. It’s also exhausting on Glitchtrap, so Vanny isn’t around all night because controlling Vanessa and the merfolk would drain him too much. In order to activate the ability, Vanny must physically contact who she wants to control. And after the control link is established, Glitchtrap can relinquish control of Vanessa for awhile. Due to how exhausting it is, there are three mers Vanny doesn’t bother controlling: Music, DJ, and Sun. Music already doesn’t like humans and is willing to catch any human for Vanny without needing the control. DJ is too big to leave the West Arcade, so if a victim ends up there she just sends the other merfolk who DJ won’t hurt. And then there’s Sun. Unlike Music and DJ, Sun can talk. And since Sun and Moon are two seperate consciousnesses, controlling Moon will not control Sun. So Vanny instead threatens Sun by staging pictures of Vanessa, to show that if Sun says anything, she’ll hurt Vanessa (Sun doesn’t know Vanny is Vanessa). So he stays quiet, but also keeps the lights on in the Daycare at night to prevent Moon from helping Vanny (until the hourly recharge where the lights go out, but that only lasts five minutes). He can’t sleep because Moon spends the whole time trying to get him to shut off the lights. The exhaustion is also why Vanny doesn’t control Freddy when Gregory is trapped in the PizzaPlex. When Freddy fainted on stage, Veterinary Services said he should be resting the rest of the night (the equivalent to being on lockdown like in game) and thus they think they won’t be able to use him and also, how’s he gonna help the kid, he’s stuck in his room and doesn’t know about him!

Vanessa does not want to do any of this, but sabatoging Glitchtrap ends badly for her. When she’s Vanny, she can feel pain and Glitchtrap can’t, so he can punish her by taking control and hurting her. This happened after Bonnie’s “escape”, where she was off work for a few days and returned with injuries she tried her hardest to cover up. The others were worried, especially Sun. She becomes more aggressive and snippy, lashing out because this poor girl is terrified and forced to commit horrible acts and she can’t ask for help, so scolding the merfolk and treating them like she treats the animatronics in game is just her lashing out.

Vanessa, by the time of SB, is 23, making her a year younger than Sun

But what about the Endos? Well, when trying to create life via experimentation, there’s bound to be some… failures. That’s what replaces the Endos - the failed experiments

Now there’s two more characters, but they aren’t mers

Gregory

Gregory was born on the streets, abandoned when he was only 4. His personality is exactly the same as canon SB. He had no one, not until he was 8, but I’ll get to that in a sec. He is also a wiz with technology, and because he has no documentation, unscrupulous groups hire him because nothing can be traced. This helps him survive, but one time he helped a gang, and when a rival gang attacked he was ratted out. They chased him down to the sewers, where the deathly music box began to play. Some turned back, knowing the legends. Those that didn’t payed the price. And Gregory met Circus Baby and Ballora. They spared him because well, merfolk are hard wired to not hurt kids. But they told him that if he told anyone they would find him and kill him. He admitted that he had nowhere to go so they let him stay the night. Since then, on the rare occasions where he has extra food, he drops it into the sewers. He is also a massive fan of Fazbear And Friends, a TV show using the Fazbear Entertainment characters. Though, for how he’s seen it, you’ll have to wait just a bit. By the time of SB, Gregory is 9 years old. The day he got trapped in the PizzaPlex, he was hungry, he hadn’t eaten in days, and it was raining. Then he saw Vanny, who offered to let him into the PizzaPlex for free. Normally he’d think twice, but running on no food and needing shelter, he accepted. And she did get him food. But well, things didn’t go so well when during the Glamrock’s performance, when most people would be in the Atrium and the music was so loud no one could hear anything else, she attacked him. Then Freddy fainted on-stage, which cause a commotion that distracted Vanny long enough for Gregory to get away. In panic mode, only one thought was in his head - hide. So he hid beneath Freddy’s flowey fins as the tank the Glamrock’s performed in descended

Cassie

Cassie is a little girl whose father works at the PizzaPlex. He used to be Roxy’s handler, so her and Cassie grew to have a sisterly bond, but he was demoted after the Circus Baby incident. Cassie has the same personality as canon, and like in canon, she met Gregory when no one showed up for her birthday. Gregory saw her crying outside the PizzaPlex and comforted her. She invited him to her house after that, and that’s how he saw Fazbear & Friends for the first time. He was secretive about his home and kept trying to stay overnight. This worked for awhile until Cassie’s mom came home and kicked him out. Cassie decided to follow him and she saw him go to a cardboard box outside. This is why Gregory doesn’t just live with Cassie - her mom doesn’t want a strange homeless kid in their house. Still, the two hung out whenever they could. One time Cassie saw Gregory throwing food into the sewer and asked about it. He told her some friends had saved him from a gang and they lived in the sewer (he was as vague as possible). She thought they were imaginary friends and decided to play too, also throwing food down.

She had gotten a message from Gregory on her Roxie-Talkie that a rabbit lady tried to kill him and he was hiding under Freddy Fazbear. She was confused and went to the PizzaPlex, but it was closing when she arrived. A young girl saw her grabbed her, saying going in so close to closing time was a death sentence. When Cassie asked her to elaborate, she said a rabbit woman tried to kill her in there, and if not for one of the merfolk inside she’d be dead. The only reason the place wasn’t being investigated was the hush money her family was paid. Then midnight hit and the doors closed. And Cassie realized Gregory was trapped. She remembered her dad once mentioning a potential secret entrance that led to the sewers, but that it was only a theory he had after two mermaids vanished and suddenly legends of a death-bringing musicbox tone started forming. So, Cassie goes into the sewers, hoping to save her only friend. Cassie is 10 years old during SB

The PizzaPlex

Many aspects of the PizzaPlex are different. For one, you can’t enter unless you buy a dive suit. Yea you have to buy it at the counter after you already paid to get in. Without paying for the suit and the other entry fee, you can only access gift-shops. The suits have 5 minutes worth of oxygen, but you can pay to upgrade it. Now for more specific changes

The Atrium

The atrium is full of walls filled with water so the merfolk can swim in the walls. There are also spots on the floor that are pools of water they can pop out of. The mainstage has a GIANT tank so the Glamrocks can perform. Other than that it’s the same

Fazer Blast

The only big change are various holes on floor of the laser tag map. These holes are covered by metal, but the metal goes away when a mer arrives, so Freddy can help out the losing team but a kid can’t get stuck in the water

Monty’s Swamp

Monty’s attraction is now a massive indoor waterpark like at Great Wolf Lodge or something. It still has the same theming as before, and it has a splash bucket with actual water instead of balls

Roxy Raceway

Roxy Raceway is a boat race track rather than a go-kart one. Otherwise it’s the same

Mazercise

Mazercise is now in water. They have water Aerobics, and the maze that changes is a water maze

Superstar Daycare

This actually remains the same. Except for Sun and Moon’s room which has water in it

Fazbear Theater

This is also pretty much the same but with tanks on stage

Rockstar Row

All the greenrooms are basically small (too small) terrariums for each glamrock. They can be accessed through a door on top instead of on the side

Bonnie’s Adventure Arena

Bonnie’s area is now based on the quest things you can do at places like Great Wolf Lodge. Like MagiQuest. Sign up for some sort of Quest, and you can go through and explore various underwater areas and collect treasures. Bonnie himself will sometimes show up! Or at least, he used to, before he escaped.

Fazcade

This is the same except DJ’s booth being a tank. There is almost no water anywhere, so most mers can’t really move around here

Marionette’s Puppet Show

Replacing Superstar-cade, this was Marionette’s area before she was moved and it was shut down.

Ballora’s Gallery

This was Ballora’s attraction where she would perform. It shut down

Circus Baby’s Entertainment Center

Circus Baby’s attraction, where she would sing and dance and perform. It’s themed after the Sister Location section of The Freddy Fazbear Virtual Experience. It shut down

Kid’s Cove

Foxy and Mangle’s attraction, which had a log ride. It shut down

Veterinary Services

The Parts And Service of this AU. The tank on the stage descends into it until it the top is at ground level, allow the mers to jump in and out. It’s basically Parts and Service but for merfolk and has all the things you’d expect. This is also where the test-tube baby mers were made. Inside are Stasis Tanks. When a mer is inside, a screen outside will display their name, age, species, ability, weight, and length. Stasis tanks are the equivalent to the upgrade area

Utility Tunnels

Unchanged

Rehearsal Room

It has a big tank in it

Sewers

This place is interesting because the way to get in and out is clogged up, so you’d need to go through the trash compactor.

Three Septics: J.J, Marvin, and Jackieboy Man, were all standing around a large moss-covered stone in the middle of a forest in Athlone. None of them were in costume and trying not to get spotted by anyone.

Marvin had a huge book that he was flipping through in his hands.

“Okay, Jackieboy, touch it,” Marvin said, looking at Séan.

“Not a fucking chance,” Séan said. “You saw what that thing did to Chase.”

“He’s fine,” Marvin said. “Got wards all over the place this time.”

“Not enough,” J.J signed.

Marvin looked over at J.J who repeated it for him. He laughed. “No, it’s enough, I got this. Watch.”

J.J shrugged, pulled out his pocket watch and clicked the button at the top. Then he walked over and sat down.

And then he disappeared.

Marvin and Séan just stood there in shocked silence.

Then Marvin flipped through a couple pages. “Huh, that wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Ye fucking think‽” Séan said, spit flying at Marvin a bit.

“Eww,” Marvin brushed off his book. “I got this, don’t worry.”

Séan gestured with his arms to the rock. “Chase is with Henrik, J.J is gone. Henrik is going to kill you, and then me, and I might kill you next.”

“No, if he’s anywhere, he’s between worlds, very easy to get him back,” Marvin insisted.

“Then fucking do it,” Séan said.

“I’m trying, let me work,” Marvin shot back, angling his book away. “Fuck, it’s like you want me to rip him apart when I bring him back.

Before Marvin could start setting up sigils and assorted focusing, J.J reappeared on the rock. Sitting just like he had before. Looking exactly like he had before, but looking very tired.

“Oh,” Marvin said in surprise before snapping the spellbook shut and smiling at Séan. “See? No harm, no foul. Right Jay?”

J.J waited until Marvin looked back at him to fuck him off.

“See?” Marvin’s smile got even more chipper. “He’s got all ten fingers. He looks fine.”

J.J walked over to hold up a middle finger closer to Marvin’s face and stomped off.

“I’m surprised he didn’t punch you,” Séan said.

Marvin was looking at J.J, “Did he have a hickey?”

“You know what, after today, I don’t care what he was up to, I care what you’re up to,” Séan said.

Marvin shrugged, looking smug. “Pretty sure it was. I’m glad he got some time to himself.”

J.J turned back to throw a wadded up piece of cloth from his pocket at Marvin before continuing to walk off.

The magician turned to look at the rock, confident in his test, but he gasped. “No! The rock’s gone!”

Séan was alarmed at first, but saw that there was no more dangerous rock. “Good. Now you can go experiment with something less dangerous than a rock that takes you off to faerie world.”

“Would have been a nice vacation.” Marvin got really disappointed at the disappearance of his new favorite fixation.

J.J continued to head back to the car and just sat in the car. He waited for Séan and Marvin to come back. They’d head off to Séan’s place and pick up Chase from Henrik’s.

But for now J.J sat in the backseat, looking at his new pocket watch. It was different from the one he usually used to work his magic through and take care of people. This one had a stone casing and almost a crystalline clock face.

It felt like he’d been where he was for ages, but it had only been a couple minutes.