Chapter Text
Ned: Jackie wants you to be the Advisor for Knowledge.
Tony: Oh! [pause] Oh…
Steve: Not sure about this one, either?
Tony: Well, no, it’s not that. It’s just - Pentan.
Bruce: [smiling] I’m sure there’s a solution to that.
Peter: Yes, there is. Uh, Jacqueline sort of senses your hesitation, Stony, and she smiles and says,
Jacqueline: You think about it, and let me know your decision, all right?
Stony: [hoarsely] Yeah, okay.
Jacqueline: As for the rest of you -
Gray: Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but it’s just… I have a home to go back to, already, so I wanted to just… let you know that I plan on leaving, before you offer me some kind of position in the palace.
[Pause]
Jacqueline: Well, of course it is your choice, Sir Wakefield. I would not keep you from your home. Sir Bennet, do you feel similarly, about your position with the Watch?
Jak: Yes, I do. I - it’s been my place my whole life, and I’d like to go back to it, if they’ll have me.
Jacqueline: Then I will not keep you, although I would like you to stay, for the formal coronation. However, if it is your wish to leave as soon as possible, then I give you that choice.
Jak: Thank you, Your Majesty.
Gray: Yes, thank you.
Peter: She nods to the two of you, and then looks at you, Pentan. She says,
Jacqueline: I know that it is necessary for you to return to the Academy, soon, and report on your exhibition into the wider world using your magic, but I would hope that, once you are no longer restrained by your scholarly work, you would be willing to return to the palace, and continue to study under Advisor Aila as her intern.
Pentan: Your Majesty, I would like nothing better.
Peter: Jacqueline smiles, and then looks at the rest of the advisors.
Jacqueline: There is still the pulic coronation to discuss, of course.
Peter: And the advisors all nod in agreement. Jacqueline looks around at the four of you, and says,
Jacqueline: If you would like to leave, you may. I do not think you need to sit through this sort of thing.
Ned: Yeah, Jak’s cutting and running.
Steve: Gray is, too.
Bruce: Pentan would like to stay, but seeing his companions who are going to be leaving the Capital getting up to leave the room, he sort of feels compelled to do the same, and so he does.
Tony: Yeah, and Stony glances at Jacqueline before going after them.
Peter: Okay. All four of you leave the council chamber, the doors closing behind you. What, uh… [amused] What do you do?
Stony: So. You’re both leaving, then? Not sticking around for the coronation?
Gray: It’ll be hard enough to find the Legionnaires; I might as well head out now, while there might be some chance of catching up to them. [pause] And I’d like to stop and see about Violet, too, before going.
Jak: And I don’t even know if I still have my job, so it’s probably better for me to get back to Quora while there’s still a possibility Captain Fontayne will give it back to me.
Pentan: You should ask him about the prophecy, too, figure out where it came from.
Jak: Ah, it was probably just a plot device.
[Peter snickering]
Jak: [amused] Besides, we figured it out, and we’re moving past it, so what does it matter?
Pentan: Mm, I suppose you're right. Just my scholarly interest talking, I guess.
[Pause]
Gray: It’s uh - [clears throat] it’s been fun.
Stony: That’s one word for it.
Pentan: I’ll miss both of you.
Jak: Strangely enough, I’ll miss you too, Robes. [pause] And I guess I’ll even miss the bard a little bit.
Stony: [flatly] I’m overjoyed. Try not to think of me too much.
Pentan: And you too, Baby Blue. I hope Violet chooses to go home with you.
Gray: Yeah, well… even if she doesn’t, I’ll be happy, since it will be obvious that she’s found her place. Take care, the both of you.
Bruce: Pentan attempts to hug both Jak and Gray at the same time, which is probably very difficult considering how tall Jak is, but… somehow manages to do so anyway?
Peter: [amused] Yeah, he does.
Ned: Jak grabs Stony and pulls him into the hug, too, because screw him if he thinks he’s avoiding this.
Tony: Stony makes it a point to groan very loudly and obnoxiously, but he doesn’t resist.
Peter: The Quaternity hugs one another in the hallway outside of the chamber, and we fade to black. Again.
Tony: Stop fading to black like this is a fucking movie.
Bruce: Oh, don’t try and say that you don’t think this could be a cinematic masterpiece if done correctly!
Tony: … I won’t.
Peter: Uh, do any of you have a scene that you want to play out, before we sort of conclude this ‘ish?
Bruce: I’d like to see a conversation between Gray and Jak, I think, before they part ways for good.
Ned: What, why?
Bruce: Well, there was always some animosity between the two characters, and I think that this last chapter especially kind of helped evaporate that, so. [pause] I just want to see the two of you shake hands, all right?
Steve: [laughs] Yeah, okay. [in Gray’s voice] “Hey, Jak, sorry I was the worst.”
Ned: [in Jak’s voice] “Eh, it ain’t called ‘It Gets Worse!’ for nothing, pal! Put ‘er there!” [laughing] And we shake hands.
Bruce: [sighs] I was being serious.
Ned: So were we!
Steve: We’ve been sitting here for almost three hours, Doc.
Bruce: We had a cake break! There was a cake break in the middle.
[Ned groaning]
Steve: Let’s just give him something.
Peter: All right, let’s… hmm. Okay. We’ll say that we find the two of you down in the barracks, where your stuff has been hanging out, while you’ve been dealing with everything. And we catch you two just sort of gathering your things, getting ready to head out. Uh, and as you are packing, actually, Westley pokes his head into the room. And he sort of looks between the two of you, and the fact that you have your packs out, and he sighs. He says,
Westley: I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see that you’re both leaving, huh?
Jak: We both have other homes.
Westley: Right. Well… it was a pleasure, having the two of you around. I’m glad that you chose to help the queen. Will you be back to visit, anytime soon?
Jak: I don’t even know if I still have my job on the city watch, so I might be back sooner than you’d like me to be.
Westley: [laughs] With your fighting skills? I’d be glad to have you.
Peter: Uh, he looks at you, Gray, and he says,
Westley: What about you?
Gray: I don’t really know. I’m still technically… y’know. A mercenary. So.
Westley: Right. [pause] Well, if you ever find yourself near the Capital…
Gray: Right. It was good to work with you, Westley.
Peter: He nods, and then he shuffles out of the room, sort of dejected.
Ned: Jak nudges Gray.
Jak: [amused] You just break hearts everywhere you go, huh?
Gray: I - what?
Jak: Oh, please, don’t act like you don’t know.
Gray: I don’t… I don’t know what?
[Jak chuckles]
Gray: What do you mean?
Jak: Still so young. You’ll learn, Wakefield.
Ned: There. Are you satisfied, Doc?
Bruce: [amused] Yes, that was good, thank you.
Peter: All right. Anything else?
Bruce: Uh… something quick between Pentan and Stony, maybe? Like, later that evening, with the sun setting dramatically behind us?
Tony: What is with you and the need for drama?
Bruce: My need for drama? Have you met yourself?
Peter: The two of you find your way onto the balcony overlooking the castle’s training yard, as the sun is beginning to set. I think you decided to go out there to get some fresh air, after eating dinner, maybe, and you’ve just sort of been quietly thinking your own thoughts for a few minutes.
Tony: All right, Stony says,
Stony: Uh… so you plan on staying here?
Pentan: I’d like to. I need to head to the Academy soon, like Jacqueline said, and document my first trip into the real world as a learned magic user, but afterwards… yes. I’d like to come back, if my mother and Jackie would still like to have me.
Stony: I’m sure they’d like you to be here. You’re talented as hell; can’t imagine anyone better to be the next Advisor for Magic.
Pentan: [smiling] Thank you, Songbird. What about you?
Stony: I mean, I have a spot, obviously.
Pentan: I imagine you’d be allowed to stay, even if you didn’t accept the job.
Stony: Well, I’d hope so. I did help the queen claim the friggin’ throne. [pause] Would you… I mean. Would you want me to be here? When you got back from the Academy.
Pentan: What kind of silly question is that?
Stony: … am I supposed to… know that answer to that?
Pentan: Of course I want you to be here. You’re part of the reason I’d come back at all.
Stony: Oh! Right, right. I knew that.
Pentan: I bet.
Bruce: And then Pentan tugs Stony to him for a kiss.
Tony: Natch.
Peter: The wizard and the bard kiss as the sun sets behind them, the sky ablaze with reds and blues and purples, a few stars beginning to shine overhead. And…
Tony: Don’t say we fade to black.
Peter: All right, I won’t. But it’s implied. Uh… okay. Before we move on to our final closing monologue of sorts, I have a question for each of you to answer, as honestly as you can, from the perspective of your characters. Ready?
Ned: Mhm.
Peter: Ned. Does Jak tell Captain Fontayne the whole story?
Ned: … I think he does, yeah. He - y’know, it’s all over now, and obviously there’s a new ruler on the throne. Fontayne might have some idea that Jak took part in that already, so it doesn’t make sense not to tell him everything.
Peter: Doc, does Pentan write to Gray and Jak, and make Stony do the same?
Bruce: [amused] Of course he does. There’s no other choice.
Peter: Cap. Is Gray truly happy for Violet, no matter her decision?
Steve: It… it wouldn’t be fair of him, not to be happy for her. They’ve been through too much, she’s been through too much, for him to not want her to be wherever she feels like she belongs.
Peter: Mr. Stark, what is Stony’s answer for Jacqueline’s request that he become the new Advisor for Knowledge?
Tony: It’s a big ol', “Hell yeah I’ll do it.”
[Pause]
Peter: We cut to a series of brief glimpses into the lives of the Quaternity over the next several weeks. We see Jak and Gray leaving the Capital together, before splitting up at the point in the road where Gray heads towards the druidic enclave, and Jak continues south towards Quora. They shake hands before they part ways.
We see Gray arrive at the enclave, reunite with Violet, who is absolutely resplendent in all her druidic glory. She greets Gray happily, and at his request to return with him to the Legionnaires, she shakes her head, stating that she has found her place with the druids, and that she would not be able to leave them, now. Gray leaves the enclave, true to his word and happy for his sister, ready to return to his own home. Annis, Ben, and everyone else are glad to have him back where he belongs.
In Quora, we see Jak meet with Captain Owen Fontayne, who looks slightly surprised, and then a little annoyed to see Jak again, after receiving no response to the letter he sent, stating that Jak could return home. However, after listening to Jak’s explanation of the last few months, he relents, and Jak once more takes up his mantel as protector of the people of Quora, going out for drinks with Jerry, as he used to. Jerry is, predictably, upset to hear about Garrick’s demise, but when Jak tells him that he died nobly, for someone he cared about, Jerry smiles as says that he wouldn’t have expected anything less.
Back in the Capital, we see Jacqueline’s public coronation as Queen, before the populace of the Capital. Most of the people present for the crowning have no idea as to why Jacqueline is suddenly taking the throne, but they are all aware of who she is, and have no doubt that she is going to be a great queen. They cheer her name, give her their blessings. Gideon Whitlock witnesses the coronation from a window high in a tower of the palace. He does not stay to watch the end.
Pentan, after a brief stay at the palace, returns to the Academy, to tell his professors all about his journey into the normal world. The professors pronounce him learned and ready to join the general populace for true, and Pentan returns to the palace, to take up his place as his mother’s intern. Together, he and Aila work to produce a spell that might give them reign over time, with enough practice. Not to alter anything, of course, but to get a peek into the past, and perhaps the future.
After considering the prospect of taking on the role of Advisor for Knowledge, Stony eventually stops keeping Jacqueline and the rest of the council waiting, and accepts the job. He spends much of the time that Pentan is away studying all of the information that the advisors before him had stashed away, in a large, organized library of sorts beneath the floors of their chambers. He gathers information, forming a network amongst all of the bards that he shares a connection with, paying them for any knowledge that they gather along their travels.
The Quaternity stays in touch, letting one another know what they are up to, of what may come next for each of them. They only do so because Pentan begins the chain, and none of them can say no to their wizard.
And somewhere in the woods, marked by a gray stone, a grave grows over with moss and lichen, visited by many different people, on many different occasions. They all stop by to let Garrick Whitlock know that what he wanted had finally been taken care of. All those who visit his grave hope that he can rest easy, and return home to await whatever’s next for the kingdom of Adren under its new queen.
[Pause]
Tony: So… when’s It Gets Worse! 2: The Electric Boogaloo gonna happen?
[Raucous laughter]
~ END OF TRANSMISSION - LOGGED AUGUST 13th ~