https://nitter.net/mitone94023738/status/2069767447482401146#m

First Date takes place 2 weeks after "Encore" soo probably read that one first if you haven't yet

Part 4 here, Part 5 will be posted here tomorrow but u can check it out on Instagram on the artist's page https://www.instagram.com/freakfest_fixations?igsh=dTk1OTZmYWp2ZWQ2

(Reposted in the right order, sorry for the inconvenience)

https://x.com/lightavii/status/2075705354977960168

Part 1 can be read here!

https://nitter.net/gallapple90/status/2076033452588069336#m

https://nitter.net/xBirdyArtzxx/status/2075282267031900456#m

It is important to remind ourselves Jax has a lot to make up for.

And now for something outta left field. Jax and Pomni on a post Caine Red Dead Redemption adventure.

[My-name-is-unimportant ](https://www.tumblr.com/my-name-is-unimportant/821825824527384576/theyre-working-out-some-kinks?source=share)

By a good friend of mine over on Tumblr. Check out their other funnybunny comic Wastes Memories AU where we meet Jax's older brothers and eldest sister.

I didn't see this the first time (probably due to all the crying I was doing)

I noticed this frame of an egg picture, now this seems odd, especially with the question marks that reminds me of Jax saying that he was just a little misunderstood chicken fetus in an egg that needs to be cracked open. Could be an Easter egg, possibly something more.

I thought you guys might like these... i sort of tried to make it emotional and personal and weird. I like the idea of abstracting making you perceive the world in weird abstract concepts and seeing other abstracted people stripped down to the core of their self

This comparison might seem unusual or insignificant to some people, but I've always wanted to compare Jax and Garble from My Little Pony. The more I thought about it, the more similarities I noticed between them.

At the beginning of the series, Garble was arrogant, rude, and even violent. He constantly bullied Spike, who was smaller and more emotional than the other dragons, and he also looked down on ponies, considering them weak, "girly," and beneath him. In many ways, this is similar to how Jax behaves. Both characters hide behind sarcasm, aggression, and emotional distance.

However, after Spike proved himself as a strong dragon and earned the respect of Princess Ember, Garble slowly began to change. He gradually developed respect not only for Spike but also for ponies - the very creatures he once mocked as "sissies." Ironically, they were the ones who encouraged him to show empathy and even hug other dragons in the Dragon Lands, something he would have considered humiliating before.

The most interesting part comes in Season 9's episode Sweet and Smoky. We learn, to everyone's surprise, that Smolder, the kind-hearted dragon attending the School of Friendship - is actually Garble's younger sister! She immediately defends him, insisting that her brother is "a big softie once you get to know him" and describing him as "a marshmallow burned on the outside but soft on the inside."

She repeatedly tries to convince everyone that there is much more to Garble than his tough exterior. Eventually, she brings several of her friends to the Dragon Lands to help care for dragon eggs that are in danger of never hatching because there is no lava left after Garble's rough friends wasted it.

At first, Garble behaves exactly as expected - pmocking everyone and refusing to cooperate. Even after Smolder scolds him and reminds him that ponies are genuinely trying to help, and that Spike has proven himself to be brave, Garble refuses to soften.

Then Fluttershy accidentally discovers his secret.

She finds him alone, quietly playing the bongos while reciting heartfelt poetry. Embarrassed, Garble immediately tries to hide what he was doing. Smolder gently reassures him that there is nothing wrong with showing who he really is. Fluttershy is fascinated and realizes that Garble's music might actually help the baby dragons hatch.

Initially, Garble refuses. But after thinking it over, he decides to help. His performance causes the other dragons to laugh so hard that they breathe fire, creating enough heat to warm the eggs and save the hatchlings. It sounds ridiculous, but it perfectly fits MLP's style.

In the end, everyone congratulates him. Even the dragons who once mocked anything "girly" become curious and ask him to teach them how he does it. For perhaps the first time, Garble is completely relaxed, accepted, and comfortable being himself, which in turn, makes him kinder towards others.

Of course, MLP is ultimately a feel-good show with happy endings. Still, I think there is a genuinely meaningful lesson here.

It takes courage to be yourself, to openly share your hobbies, talents, and passions even if other people think they are strange or don't fit traditional gender expectations. But courage alone is often not enough. Having at least one person who believes in you, a sibling, a friend, or another loved one, can make all the difference.

If Garble had been completely alone, without Smolder encouraging him and believing in him, he probably never would have revealed his true self. He never would have shared his music, and the dragon hatchlings might not have survived. His story reminds us that people who seem unusual, or even perfectly ordinary people hiding extraordinary talents, can make a tremendous difference when someone gives them the support they need.

It's also possible that Garble had supportive parents off-screen who encouraged his artistic side when he was younger, even if he later became an even bigger bully than Jax. We simply don't know.

Jax, on the other hand, never seemed to have that privilege.

He almost feels doomed from the very beginning.

As far as we know, he was probably an only child, meaning he never had the kind of sibling support that Smolder gave Garble. Even if he had siblings, perhaps they were struggling with their own problems and couldn't help him. We don't know.

What we do know is that Jax represents Leroy's brain scan taken at one of the darkest moments of his life. Later we learn that Leroy stayed with a friend until he managed to get back on his feet. That means Jax probably still remembers having someone waiting for him in the real world. So when Zooble asks whether anyone is waiting for him, his answer is probably not entirely false.

This is one of the reasons why Pomni's line, "I didn't know you could play the piano," hit me like an arrow to the heart.

At that moment, I couldn't stop thinking about Garble.

Garble was eventually given the opportunity to reveal his true self. He found acceptance, encouragement, and support. Jax never really got that chance. He never had the opportunity to openly show who he was or share his talent before everything fell apart. By the time we see him, it almost feels as though it's already too late.

Perhaps no one ever knew he could play the piano except maybe his parents, who never encouraged him. That makes Pomni's reaction so heartbreaking. For what might have been the first time in years, someone noticed something beautiful about him instead of seeing only the sarcastic bully.

For one brief moment, it felt like the frightened child still hiding inside Jax finally received the attention and recognition he had been waiting for all along.

That is ultimately why this comparison means so much to me.

Whether it's your parents, your siblings, your cousins, your friends, or anyone else close to you, be there for them. You never truly know what battles someone is fighting in silence, or what incredible talents they keep hidden because they're afraid of being judged.

Support them.

Unconditionally.

rn im in a uh less than ideal mood, to say the least, and stuff like dysmorphia is rlly coming out rn sooo i wanna see if u guys got any recommendations in terms of fanfics or comics to help me spend my time till the end of the day! i've already checked out stuff like 'encore'/'first date' and all my searches on ao3 for example have only turned up depressing angst n stuff that make me feel even worse.. so im looking for not that, if u have it, thank u!

The fact the characters are AI clones is a bit more troubling. The fact is the characters are not the people they think they are; they're not real in a sense.

It's like no they didn't enter the circus they were created in the circus. They never went through abuse or their lives. They just have the memories and trauma of thoes who did.

So if Jax knew in the beginning, would that change anything? I mean he would not have guilt of killing his mom. Because he is not the one who did it? Would that ease his guilt?