#tiny can

This is the last post on this simblr/tumblr for a while. The Boys and their mentors entered the Therapy Game 2.0 (= inZOI) I got my hands on the Creator Studio where I can already enter Build Mode and the Character Creator! The new tumblr/ZOIblr where I will post about their future adventures is -> here

Since the corrupted Therapy Game save file made them forget everything, we will start with a whole new story line!

If you won't follow us there: Thank you so much for participating!

tumblr is my safe place. And it's you who make this possible. Thank you also for your patiece. For kindly answering my weird questions and polls. I'm autistic and I'm having a very hard time acting properly and I often failed and made people mad.

And If you'll ever miss the Boys, check their -> pinned post hub with all the links to the 30 chapters with hundreds of episodes ö.ö (You can also find lots of additional facts about the Boys and their friends there. Also our other stories.)

This story alone contains 1716 posts! Not all of them full episodes though. 'Underwater Love' started end of July 2022! And went on and on for 2 Years and eight months! Unbelievable! Some of you might know I deal with ADHD and this is a huge achievement for me. And I'm still so obsessed with them ^^'

I leave this simblr with 376.310 given likes (in ~ 12 years though ^^') I don't know how many I've received for my 3886 posts, but I'm thankful for each and every one of them <3

So, I won't log in here as soon as I start inZOI. (Since it's a completely other blog and I won't log back and forth ö.ö) Which will probably be sooner than expected! I'm trying to get my hands on one of the keys that drop from 20th March on. And if I'm lucky, I can enter Create a ZOI again and build mode! (Edit: as mentioned above, I was lucky!) I'm over and over baffled again how well my timing was! I think it turned out quite well with the story and we can leave the Boys with a good feeling. There was a time when I feared they'd get sucked ingame against their will and that would have left me with a heavy heart. So them all entering of their own free will was a relief for me and I can move on. And I still have the possibility to come back anytime (= the manage to get out of the Therapy Game) Not only the Boys needed a break. I'm so utterly fed up with the Sims 4 but it was impossible for me to leave without the Boys. So I hope inZOI and maybe also Paralives will keep us busy for a while until I calmed down again ^^' I say 'hiatus' but it's also possible that I will never touch the Sims 4 again. I can't tell right now. But maybe I'll miss the goats and log in anyway hahaha

We still had a lot of fun :3

'When I first saw you, I was deep in clear blue water The sun was shining, calling me to come and see you I touched your soft skin and you jumped in with your eyes closed And a smile upon your face Você vem, você vai, você vem e cai E vem aqui pra cá porque eu quero te beijar na sua boca Que coisa louca Vem aqui pra cá porque eu quero te beijar na sua boca Ai que boca gostosa

After the rain comes sun After the sun comes rain again After the rain comes sun And after the sun comes rain again'

Smoke City - Underwater Love

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

Last Episode before our inZOI hiatus!

Great A'Tuin II reached the Boys home planet. Jack's odd feelings had been right. He never watched the stars again with Vlad and they never returened back to their home in Tomarang.

After Jonathan packed everything together and stored the pods with the Boys in the ship's cargo bay, he contacted Rubyn and she told him the coordinates for the STaCKs in San Myshuno.

The Boys would be safe there. The STaCKs are occupied by droids and no 'meatbag' dares to enter them without their consent. The Doctor would monitor the Boys until Rubyn and Jonathan found a way to bring them back.

Jonathan connected Tiny Can to the computer to take a look how the Boys are doing. Rubyn: "This doesn't look like the Therapy Game! What have you done, Tiny Can!" Tiny Can let out a blue streak of excited beeps. Rubyn: "A new save? This isn't just a new save! You've made a whole new game!" athena: "He means well. They will do just fine, I'm sure. He couldn't leave them in that corrupted save file after all. I mean, it's still corrupt and they still forgot everything - and can't get out because they even forgot they're in a game... But look how beautiful that new world is! Ah, I envy them! You outdid yourself, Tiny Can!"

Rubyn informed their inner circle about what happened. And not anyone sees the latest happenings as bright and exciting as athena. Not only will the Boys forget about literally everything, now they'll also find themself in a complete new universe! (Not that they'd even notice anything of that though... ö.Ö')

It was a muddy, grey day in Moonwood Mill and Greg took Noxee for a hike to the Moonwood Cliff above Lake Lunvik. To distract her from her sorrows.

But she was heartbroken about losing her Babies. Greg: "You won't stop crying, won't you?" Noxee sobbed: "When I imagine them - all alone..." She cried again. Greg sighed: "All right then."

They went home to the hospital wing of the bunker, where Greg fell in love with Noxee, and made love one last time. After they'd enter the game to join the Boys/their Babies, they will forget each other. But they'd faced worse. Far, far worse. Greg: "Nothing will keep me from you. I will find you - and make you mine again." Noxee: "You better do. I love you, you know." Greg: "I know."

Meanwhile at Hummelshain Castle/Tartosa. Rita: "When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?" Francine: "When the hurly-burly's done." Dtui: "When the battle's lost and won."

It's clear that Dtui, Kiyoshi's mentor, and Francine, Jeb's grandmother, won't leave their Boys unattended. They are just too nosy - and curious. Even though they'd forget too - they'd find their way. At least it won't rain on the inside in that new game, right? Francine left Dtui and Rita alone to say goodbye. Rita will remain in this realm - to keep things going. Francine had already brought the heartbreaking conversation with Jules behind her.

Rita and Dtui don't worry too much though. They are as old as the dinosaurs (Jack says that, not me!) and this new adventure will only last for a blink of the eye to them.

Leander and Wesley brought their dog Baby Ogg to chestnut ridge. They are supposed to enter the game too. Genji will take care of the Boys' animals and Baby Ogg.

All of the Boys' mentors will join them in their new adventure. Only Genji, Ji Ho's mentor, will swap his place with Wesley. Wesley and Leander survived their hell together - and remained conscious. So the resistance hopes this will help them to remember in the new game too and help to bring the Boys back.

Aww and look! Kiyoshi and Jack's horses seem to be back together again! Ach, but Jeb and Jack's were so cute together! Maybe they'll form a throuple? Or even add Sai's horse for a quad? (More about their horses in our spin-off The Stables)

And this is how the Boys and their mentors (minus Genji, plus Wesley) entered the Therapy Game 2.0 ...

'When the night has come And the land is dark And the moon is the only light we'll see No, I won't be afraid Oh, I won't be afraid Just as long as you stand Stand by me

So darlin', darlin', stand by me Oh, stand by me Oh, stand Stand by me, stand by me

If the sky that we look upon Should tumble and fall Or the mountain should crumble to the sea I won't cry, I won't cry No, I won't shed a tear Just as long as you stand Stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me Oh, stand by me Oh, stand now Stand by me, stand by me

Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me Oh, stand by me Won't you stand by me'

Ben E. King - Stand by me

The perfect song for the last episode. It was also OST from the movie 'Stand by me'. MV linked above is with scenes from the movie. It reminded me of how Vlad, Saiwa, Ji Ho and Jack started this story as teenagers 2 years and 8 months and 1.715 posts ago. I watched the MV again and imagined them as the main characters and I cried. Even though I will still have them around in inZOI and I won't loose them, somehow I do. I played The Sims for ~ 25 years, oh my. Adult Vlad, Jack and Sai for over ten years! It was a wild ride for sure. Thank you so much for participating! I will make an extra hiatus post after this one. The link to our new tumblr/zoiblr is -> here. (It's still empty though ^^')

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

Jack and Jeb are trapped in the Therapy Game now too. They forgot. That had been the reason why the Night Shadow, Conny, Jino and Val hadn't been able to log out. They forgot it was a game and thought it was their reality. It didn't even come to their minds that it was possible to simply log out. Is this a new 'feature' after Tiny Can broke? Since there weren't any bug reports about this on the Therapy Game's help forum, it only seems to affect this one save file Tiny Can had kept - because the Boys' counterparts from another universe had been sucked in. And poor Tiny Can had been so devastated about this that he kept the save save - even though he thorougly broke - until Future Jonathan was able to program Tiny Can and build the log in setup and made the Boys and him meet.

Sai is so upset. Just right after their first woohoo Jeb vanished without a word! Saiwa: "Jeb and Jack could spent years in this game while we spend days or weeks to figure out how to get them out there again, forget about us - they'd change! Don't try to stop me. I'm logging in too. I don't care if I forget. I just want to be with Jeb." Said and stomped off. But no one stopped him. Ji Ho looked at Vlad and Vlad looked at Kiyoshi. There was no need to talk. They knew they all wanted - needed - to follow Jack and Jeb into the Therapy Game. To be together. That's what Future Jeb wanted them to do after all. None of them cared if they forgot about this world. All of them did well in the Therapy Game. They just needed to get the Night Shadow, Conny, Jino and Val out of there - to take their place. But how?

Kiyoshi and Sai weren't able to think clear anymore, so Vlad and Ji Ho went to the bridge to contact Jonathan. Even though Jonathan was worried, he almost immediately agreed. They already came to terms with the fact that somehow someone in their future had planned all these events and they just had to play along. All strings lead them to this time and place. Future Jeb and Jack had contacted them to stay together. Future Jonathan programmed Tiny Can and sent him back where the Boys found him in the temple. And Future Jonathan invented the setup on the planet where they could join the Therapy Game save. So they were quite positive it would all turn out well. Why else all the effort? Jonathan: "So, how do we get the others savely out of the game? We can't risk getting themgetting brain wrecked."

As if Jack was speaking to him with all his crazy ideas and weird plans, Vlad remembered that Indiana Jones movie they'd watched together - multiple times. Where Indiana Jones replaced the idol with a pouch full of dirt of the same weight - without the mechanism noticing it.

Jonathan: "This sounds crazy - but it could actually work! You are somehow connected with them. The same Boys - just from different universes. Which lead to Tiny Can's mistake of sucking them in the game in the first place! *Jonathan pondered for a while* If we could fake another short circuit on Tiny Can and send you ingame without the Game noticing, it might weaken the data from the game just longe enough to get them out and give them their memories back - and we can send them to their universe - to Jett and Jet! There a pods in the storage of the ship. Bring them down here. We will keep you save in them - until we'll get you out of the game. Just one thing before you come down here. Don't let Kiyoshi and Saiwa see Jack and Jeb like this. You two come first and help me get them in the pods." Vlad and Ji Ho agreed. Though it would be hard for them too. Jack is Vlad's best friend and Jeb Ji Ho's.

Ji Ho and Vlad briefed Kiyoshi and Saiwa, packed the shuttle with the pods and went down to meet Jonathan.

It was hard to see them almost unconscious and barely able to hold up. Since it was clear the game wouldn't cause any interferences and spit anyone out by itself, they could savely dislodge them from the portals and put them in their pods with their gear still on - so Vlad, Ji Ho, Saiwa and Kiyoshi could enter the game.

Seeing Jack in a pod again almost broke their hearts. It reminded them of the time when Jack was in his coma and they'd been so afraid and worried... But there's no way back for them anymore. They'd soon join them.

Then the shuttle brought Saiwa and Kioyshi. Saiwa said goodbye to Jonathan. Too short had their reunion been. Jonathan: "We will meet again and I'll keep you save until then. Don't worry. It was all meant to be, hm?" Saiwa hugged him tighter: "You will find a way. Everything I know I learned from you. Contact Rubyn, she'll know where to ... eh ... 'store' us and she can help you." Kiyoshi was still having a hard time leaving Jack and Jeb's pods behind to enter the game. He just hopes it all goes well and he can meet all of the others savely on the other side.

They all put on their gear and stepped in the portals. Ji Ho, the eternal sunshine, tried to reassure them: "We will be fine, hm? And we'll be together. That is everything that counts."

Lenny made sure that the pods are ready and Tiny Can beeped sadly. It was all his fault. If he hadn't had a malfunction, this all would't have happened... He will do everything in his might to make the Boys' time ingame an utterly amazing experience! Jonathan: "Ready?" They all nodded in anticipation and yelled: "READY!" Ji Ho started to sing one of his Siren's Songs, because Future Jeb had asked this of him in his message and Kiyoshi tried to connect to his demon and deity powers to try for a save passage. Anything will help.

Then Jonathan caused a little forced interference - not to little - not too much ö.Ö' And the Boys logged in.

Then he called Skully, who was watching the portal. Did the others make it savely out of the game? They did! Before Skully started the transporter beam to send them back to their universe, he made sure the Night Shadow, Conny, Val and Jino did remember who they were and if they are ok. The Night Shadow: "That was a rad game!" Jino: "Can't wait to go home and meet Jett and Jet again. I missed them so much." And Vlad seemed jealous about Ji Ho's comment. Jeah, they are fine! Skully pushed the button and they vanished.

Jonathan heaved Ji Ho, Vlad, Saiwa and Kioyshi over to their pods, loaded the pods into the shuttle and he, Tiny Can and Lenny went back to the ship. To bring the Boys back to their home planet...

You know the day destroys the night, Night divides the day Tried to run, Tried to hide Break on through to the other side We chased our pleasures here, Dug our treasures there But can you still recall, The time we cried Break on through to the other side

I found an island in your arms, Country in your eyes Arms that chain us, Eyes that lie Break on through to the other side Made the scene, Week to week Day to day, Hour to hour The gate is straight, Deep and wide Break on through to the other side - The Doors

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

On their way to the crossroads to meet the Demon (Conny/Kiyoshi), Jack and Jeb mulled over about how crazy it was that Val and Jino are getting married here! Every distraction was better than facing the fact that the others had been ingame to long and forgot about their real lives. And that it was their fault the Night Shadow, Conny, Val and Jino had gotten sucked into the game when Tiny Can broke after rescuing them. They need to get this fixed, no matter how.

Jack: "Don't worry, hm? Kiyoshi is a deity and a demon. And if Conny is anything like him, he will remember me/Jet. I'm his fated mate after all. He'll help us getting Jino and Val out of here and he'll make them remember. And then we are going to grab the Night Shadow and we're back on the ship for dinner! Let's keep a little optimism here."

They went over to the crack in the ground and summoned the Demon. The earth trembled slightly and black smoke emerged ö.ö

And when the smoke dissipated, it left a grumpy Demon. Jack: "Conny! It's us! Please say you remember!?"

The fire in the Demon's eyes extinguished and he looked fondly at -Jett? The Demon/Conny: "By the seven gates of hell - you are here. I started to doubt ... didn't know what was real anymore... thought I was losing my mind. But you came. I held on because of you." WHAT? Was this spicy book about Conny and Jett real? Or inspired by a real love between them? ö.ö

Poor Jack! While Jeb was trying hard to keep Conny at bay and filled him in about what happened and needed to be done, Jack was leaving.

Jeb losened Conny's grip on him and ran after Jack: "Jack! Wait! You know this isn't real! And that Conny isn't Kiyoshi, right? Let's just focus on our task." Jack blinked, twice: "Are we done here? I need to go home." Jeb was confused, but it was to be expected that Jack wouldn't take this well: "Eh - sure. Let's grab the others and we'll head home." Jack wasn't sure what this guy was talking about. He needed to go home to Lou. And Caleb. In Goldshire.

Jack: "Look, I'm busy. My men are waiting for me and I have a fight tomorrow. See you." Jeb: "Please don't do this to me!" Gods - the shock that Conny wanted Jett must have sucked Jack into the game too! Poor Jeb! Now he has to get 5 people out of here. But at least the Demon remembers. The wrong person though - but! Jeb needs to stay focussed and work with what he got. Otherwise none of them is going to make it out of this save! Jeb knew that arguing with Jack in his state now would be futile, so Jeb let him go. He knew they would find him in Goldshire - with his 'men' Lou and Caleb ö.ö Once they'd gathered the Nightshadow, Jino and Val, they'd go there and convince Jack to leave with them and everything would be fine, right?

The Demon has certain demonic powers, so he was able to teleport them right to Flamingo Island, where Jeb expected the Night Shadow - since Saiwa was last seen there.

The sky lit up when the Night Shadow was spotting Jeb/Jett and Conny/the Demon.

What a relief. Jeb doesn't even care if the Night Shadow was with Jett or Conny or all of them in their universe. He just wanted to finally get them out of here so he can go back to his Vanië! He'd had enough of this nonsense. And when this was over, they'd go back to their home in the Otherworld and do nothing of this save-the-world crap anymore - at least for a good, healthy amount of time! Jeb: "We talked this through. We grab the Night Shadow, then head back to the castle - you make Jino and Val remember and then we grab Jack - eh Jet - in Goldshire and get outta here. No dawdling." The Demon: "Whatever you wish, my love." Jeb sighed.

... Skully: "Aren't you going to finish?" Jeb/Jett blinked, twice: "Hm? Finish what?"

And the record player blared Hotel California from the Eagles:

'Mirrors on the ceiling, the pink champagne on ice And she said, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device" And in the master's chambers, they gathered for the feast They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast Last thing I remember, I was running for the door I had to find the passage back to the place I was before "Relax, " said the night man, "We are programmed to receive You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave'

Only a few minutes have passed on Great A'Tuin II since Jack and Jeb went ingame. And after all those blurry images passing by in a timelapse, the broadcast suddenly stopped.

Ji Ho: " 'We forge!'? Is that Jack's way of telling us they'll soon be ready? That was fast!"

Kiyoshi started to feel nauseous: "I think there's something wrong. There are three stones left. They wouldn't have carried them there if they weren't intended to use them. When we imagine one in the exclamation mark and two near the top, it becomes a 't'." Saiwa: " 'We forget'! But..."

Vlad started crying and even Kiyoshi thought he'd just crumble and die. The game had sucked Jack and Jeb in too. So the Night Shadow, Conny, Jino and Val weren't able to get out since they'd got sucked in because they became a part of the game -and their character's storyline. They forgot their real life. Saiwa, back in leader/captain mode: "We'll contact Jonathan. Tiny Can needs to get Jack and Jeb back. We can't sacrifice them to rescue the others."

Outtakes After all this back and forth with their counterparts, poor Jeb doesn't even know anymore who his love interest is...

And then Giga Byte was there (I didn't dress her like that ö.ö). In the beginning of this story (~ 2 3/4 years ago), I turned her, adult Vlad, Ji Ho and Jack into their teenage versions to playtest the Highschool Years pack. (That's how this story started ^^') A few weeks later, Giga turned into Saiwa as we know him now. The adult versions of the four of them (here are pics of adult Ji Ho and Vlad) already played in our 'The Family Business' story together, and - minus Ji Ho - in our 'Love Hurts' story.

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

After Sai woke up, he went to his little computer corner and tried to work for a while. But even though he spent hours there, he didn't get much done. He's still in the aftermaths of his first woohoo and high above on his fluffy cloud of bliss. This was by far the best thing that has happened to him is his whole life. He must have scared Jeb a lot by blissing out - Jeb's biggest fear was to hurt Sai - and Sai has no idea how to face Jeb after scaring him to death and being the cause of his meltdown...

Taking a look across the cargo bay, Sai saw Ji Ho and Kiyoshi sitting in front of the open transporter chamber ö.Ö' What is this now again? Why didn't they consult him? Oh - right. He was out. Not the leader/captain anymore. No member of this crew. And not having to wear these unspeakable uniforms anymore! Just a mere passenger on this ship. He wouldn't have to deal with this madness anymore.

But he could still ask, right? A little interest in his friends wouldn't hurt. But when Kiyoshi told him that they'd found the meteorites and future Jonathan's setup and that Jeb and Jack currently are ingame to get the Night Shadow, Conny, Val and Jino out, Sawa's heart sank. Saiwa: "We didn't even get the chance to say good bye..." Kiyoshi: "Don't worry. They'll be back in no time. Ingame time runs faster and they just have to go in and show them how to get out again."

Ji Ho: "Poor Tiny Can still isn't fully fixed, so we have to pay extra attention. As soon as the four of them log out, we need to send them back to their universe - to avoid ... eh... whatever happens when our universes collide ö.Ö' Since we can't exist twice in the same time and place, you know?" The first ingame pic plopped up on their monitors. Ji Ho: "Ah look, they're at the castle! I wonder what Princess Jihovere and her King are up to. A lot must have happened since the others got sucked in. Too bad it runs so fast. But Jeb and Jack can tell us everything once they're back."

And really, Jeb and Jack made it sucessfully back ingame. They logged in near the castle. So they should be able to rescue Jino and Val first. Which should be easy.

They found themselves locked up again. Just like Jack the first and second time he logged into the Therapy Game. But this time, Jack knows what awaits them. Jack: "Don't worry. This is just another arena fight. I'll go easy on you." Jeb hates fighting. He hasn't forgotten when he had to spar with Vad beyond the Veil...

After the gates were opened, Jack and Jeb did their fighting thing and they're happy to see that Jino and Val were sitting at the podium, together with the Queen! Jack's heart skipped a beat and he made an extra effort to impress her.

Then something unexpected happened... Jeb produced a laser gund and shot at him??? Jack hissed at Jeb: "What are you doing? That's out of character!" Jeb whispered back: "I don't know! Something is off!"

When the fight was over, the royalty praised their creative approach, but none of them was overly startled about the laser gun. Weird. Jack and Jeb had more urgent matters to adress anyways. Jack: "Val, Jino - we're here to get you out of this ga... *Jeb coughed* I mean: out of here - and back home. Just say 'out' and we'll beam you back. Sorry it took us so long!" Val: "What are you even talking about? The castle is right over there. We don't need your help." Princess Jihovere didn't even give them a second look.

Jack: "I know this sounds weird. Don't you remember your good friends Jet and Jett? Look at us!" Princess Jihovere: "My king, we need to go back home. There's still so much to prepare for our wedding." At least Val looked a bit torn - but he still didn't believe Jack: "I really don't have time for this. The Princess - my bride - needs me. I have to leave." Jack: "Val. Vlad! Look at me. It me, your soulmate. Your best friend. There was an accident and you, Jino, Conny and the Night Shadow got sucked into this game! We need you out of here. Please trust me, hm?"

The Queen has heard enough: "No one is going to mess with this wedding! We are planning it for weeks now! The whole country is waiting for this day!" Princess Jihovere: "Please don't listen to them. You belong here - with me." Val: "Of course I do. Don't worry."

The royalty left. Jeb and Jack sank one one of the benches. Jeb: "How is this possible? When we played, we still knew who we were. We just - played - our role..." Jack: "I fear they'd been ingame too long. And this is a corrupted save after all. They didn't even detect that laser gun as something wrong for this setting. *Jack sighed* What are we supposed to do now? I don't even know if it's able to 'force' them to log out?" Jeb: "It might utterly mess with their brains when we do this now. They'd think they'd gone crazy. Or even worse." Jack: "Right. Let's not forget when Ji Ho almost died after the game kicked us out. Gods... We can't even contact Jonathan and the others because Tiny Can is still not fully fixed. They won't even know we have troubles here. The game runs so fast for them. They just see a blur of pictures." Jeb: "Shall we log out and figure out a plan?" Jack: "What if this causes another issue with Tiny Can and we can't log in again? They'd be trapped in here for who knows how long. Weeks or months have passed here already. It really shouldn't be any much longer given they've already forgotten everything of their real life." Jeb: "Then let's check Conny next. He is a demon here, just like Kiyoshi. He might have resisted. Or if not, we could - make a deal with him..."

If you missed our Therapy Game chapters, they are -> here (Part 1 - Development) -> here (Part 2 - Ingame) and -> here (Part 3 - Murder Mystery)

Outtakes

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

Ji Ho gave a rough direction where the meteorites could be found and the Boys (minus Saiwa, since he was out of the crew - in mutual agreement), Jonathan and Lenny took a shuttle down to the surface. Axl, the Axolotl, Malfoy and Skully are watching the ship.

Ji Ho was in awe: "What a beautiful little planet! And so much water. Too bad I can't swim here." Jack: "Actually it's a moon. It's circling the planet. You can still see it behind the rocks. Over there." Ji Ho: "Oh there it is! It looks so close!" Kiyoshi: "The water is probably toxic anyway. Look how it glows ö.ö' " They walked for a while and took in the view, the colors and the strange flora. Jack: "Is it still far?" Ji Ho: "We must be near, but I'm starting to lose the connection."

Vlad sighed. He knows what that means. He can barely keep himself together doing all this bond magic without being able to find some release... So he took Ji Ho a bit away from the others and put everything in his kiss - so they could finally find the meteorites and this torture would end.

After poor Vlad had regained his compusure, they went back to the others. Before they left though, he had to promise Ji Ho they would continue what they started in their quarters once they were back on the ship...

Ji Ho lead them around a rock formation not far from where Vlad had kissed him. And really... Ji Ho started running: "The meteorites! They are here!" Jack was just as excited and followed him suit. Vlad was concerned. Why are their meteorites contained? Who put them in there? Kiyoshi must have thought the same. They almost yelled at the same time: "Be careful!"

There was a full setup that had been built above a glowing crack in the ground. The meteorites in two bubbling tubes, held by bioluminescent roots -that looked exactly like those from Kiyoshi's tree! And there were two portals under a huge glass dome that started to rotate when they came near.

Jack: "How is this possible? It's like a modified Therapy Game setup. Who built this? And who knew that we - and the meteorites - were coming here?" Vlad: "This could be a trap..." Jonathan checked the main interface. Jonathan: "I was able to log in with my password. Not even Vanië knows it..." Jonathan checked the code for a while. Jonathan: "It's just like with Tiny Can. That's my signature code. Just more... advanced. I also must have built this - in the future. Somehow Future Me knew the meteorites would land here." Jack: "Amazing. And weird."

Jeb: "So Future You - or maybe Future Jack and Me too - seem to want Jack and me to enter the game frome here? But why?" They went over to the crack in the ground. Jonathan: "Maybe this place is special somehow? The roots seem to consume the matter from the crack and lead it to the liquid in the tanks with the meteorites." Jeb: "This actually spares us a lot of time and effort. We should get Tiny Can down here and get ingame to rescue the Night Shadow, Conny, Val and Jino. What do you think, Jack? Ready?" Jack: "I was born ready!" Jonathan let out a shaky breath: "Ok, then. Tiny Can and I will remain here while the others should go back on board. Even though this all looks very reassuring and high-end - we shouldn't take any risks and cause interferences between our universes. Vlad and Kiyoshi - we stay in touch while you recalibrate the transporter beam so we can beam them back to their universe as soon as they step out of the game. You need to have an eye on the monitor all the time. Ji Ho and Vlad can take turns with you. But it shouldn't take long - since ingame time runs faster."

Kiyoshi didn't want to make it hard for Jack, so he just reminded him of his promise to be careful. Jack: "I will. I want another round in that cake after all ;) " Jack didn't want to make it hard for Kiyoshi either.

And when Kiyoshi and Jack kissed goodbye, Jeb's heart went heavy. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Saiwa after their first woohoo... It can't be helped. They will get the others out of that game and be back soon - hopefully. Sai probably won't even know they'd been gone. Even if they'd spent hours ingame, only a few minutes would have passed here in the meantime. Jeb doesn't even know what to say to him... Instead of taking Sai in his arms and take care of him after their first woohoo, he panicked - and left it to Jack... What do you say after an encounter like that? After messing up their first woohoo, it was everything Sai had ever wanted ö.Ö'

Ji Ho went over to Jeb and hugged him. Ji Ho: "It will all be well in the end, hm? We found the meteorites - and after Jack and you rescued the others, we can go back home. We are all going to stay together - always." This should probably sound cheesy. But when it comes to Ji Ho, Jeb goes all squishy. It was like hugging a ray of sunshine. And he believed him. Jeb blinked his treacherous tears away: "It will. We will *Jeb hugged Ji Ho tighter* Until later."

And then Kiyoshi, Vlad and Ji Ho took the shuttle back to the ship and sent Tiny Can with their equipment back to the moon's surface.

Jonathan, Jack and Jeb connected Tiny Can to the setup. Jack and Jeb put on their gear and stepped under the dome.

Jack: "We can do this!" Jeb: "See you on the other side!"

Jonathan: "Ok. Starting the Therapy Game save in 3 - 2 - 1...!"

And then they were gone. Jonathan: "And now we wait." Jonathan just hoped they'll do well. Even though Saiwa was determined to leave everything behind again and go with him - Jonathan knew he would kill him should something happen to his friends - especially Jeb. He would figure something out to make him stay with them. From what he'd seen over the past days, they love Saiwa regardless. Despite being so upset about his betrayal. Saiwa was lucky to find such good friends - and someone to love. After all that had happened to him. And maybe Jonathan could even stay with them in the Otherworld. The Council wouldn't find him there. They'd be safe.

'Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids In fact, it's cold as hell And there's no one there to raise them if you did And all the science, I don't understand It's just my job five days a week A rocket man A rocket man

And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man Burning out his fuse up here alone'

Rocket Man - Elton John

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-29

Outtakes

Lenny distracted Jonathan from his gloomy thoughts. He is hungry - again.

Jack is disenchanted and disappointed. As exciting as it was to talk to Tiny Can, he'd expected more of the AI Therapist.

Sai went back to sleep again, he's exhaused from crying and reliving his worst memories. And Ji Ho and Jack decided to play a bit. But the only 'game' available is a boring puzzle... Jack: "Oh my, I don't know what's more boring. This puzzle or our therapy... Have they never heard about gamification? Or fun? Or to make it a bit more interesting?" Ji Ho agreed. Though the insight about Vlad and his own locked away feelings was interesting. Maybe he should follow and explore these thoughts a bit deeper.

Suddenly Saiwa was wide awake: "What did you just say, Jack?"

Jack: "Uh - probably something wrong? You finish the puzzle, Ji Ho, I go and run."

Saiwa: "No! That's actually brilliant!

Gamification! The Game!!!

We combine the AI with our game and make it a Therapy Game!" Jack and Ji Ho: "..." (Haha you can see how Jack and Ji Ho's brains are working ^^') Saiwa: "And not just for us - for other creatures too! This would have been so helpful when we'd been so scared and alone! And who knows? This could be a sucess and we'd make money to pay Rubyn and the others back!" We barely get to see Saiwa this excited ^^' But here some of his main interests meet, his love for games and computers - and being there for others and help them.

Vlad went back home to grab Saiwa, Jack and Ji Ho's content they'd already had created for their game over the last months and then they started their epic gathering to develop the:

For the computer game they'd planned, Jack already made the concept art and design, Vlad wrote and Ji Ho composed the music and soundscapes. They are going to feed all this to Tiny Can and see what kind of 'gamification therapy' he'll create. How exciting! (For me it really is! Imagine this: a game that also is a therapy - supported by an AI! How amazing would that be if you could see the things that make you suffer from a distance and you'd find solutions for them by doing insightful AND funny AND interesting quests! You'd gain helpful new habits and get rid of unhealthy ones by playing a game! Where I live it's so hard to find a therapy place. We have to wait up to a year -.- I do have high hopes in AI. You could go by your own pace. And you wouldn't even have to leave the house!)

After a very long gathering, Ji Ho and Jack relaxed in the hot tub. Jack's pain is thanking him. They sat silent for quite a while, lost in their thoughts. Very unusual for Jack, but his brain is running on hyper speed now. He's so excited :3 And Ji Ho was pondering about his locked down feelings. The Bond made it easy for him to love Luci. They had a whole different approach to each other. While his relationship with Vlad was doomed from the beginning (their story in (kind of ^^') short -> here).

The only ocassions where Ji Ho was really comfortable with Vlad was, when they touched and made love. And this is also a benefit of the Bond and Luci because Ji Ho hated being touched in the beginning. After all he'd seen at the House of the rising Sun in the slums of Sulani. But Luci had approached him slowly and tenderly. Ji Ho shared his thoughts with Jack: "Do you think this might be a way to become more comfortable with Vlad and finally be able to love him? And to find my buried down feelings?" Jack: "I think that's brilliant! At least one of us learned something in that therapy. When you charge the Bond later, just try a bit more and we'll see how it goes."

A little later Vlad came down: "Uhm, I'm leaving now. The Bond..."

Ji Ho left the hot tub and went over to Vlad to charge the Bond - and try his new theory... They embraced each other as usual and then Ji Ho tried to kiss Vlad.

But Vlad moved his head aside and whispered: "I want nothing more than you - but not like this." Vlad's breath ghosted over Ji Ho's still wet skin and made him shiver.

Vlad still has his principles - not to forget his foolish pride. No way he's going to have a plain physical relationship with Ji Ho - without love. There is no 'two out of three ain't bad' or 'it's better than nothing' in Vlad's world ^^' Only 'it's all or nothing'. He would do anything for Ji Ho, but he won't - and can't do that. It would break him apart. That does not mean it was easy for him to not give in and leave. Vlad really is the master of self control ö.ö

And then Vlad left. Ji Ho seems a bit piqued after Vlad's rejection ^^'

'I can't stop this feeling Deep inside of me Girl, you just don't realize What you do to me

When you hold me In your arms so tight You let me know Everything's all right

I'm hooked on a feeling I'm high on believing That you're in love with me'

Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede from the OST of Guardians of the Galaxy I

Outtakes

He will be mine, oh yes, he will be mine.

Yang Mal: "Can we grill our corncobs now?" 🌽 Saiwa: "Uhm - sure ö.Ö'"

Ji Ho checking the mail... 📬 Who might have sent that letter when Ji Ho looks like that?

Tyalindo watching the sun set 🌅