SEASON 1: OPENING CREDITS
CW: Strong language, adult situations, violence, and reference to overdose (I use the in-game mechanics of the bubble blower but still want to flag it just in case)
Straud Manor, Forgotten Hollow
CALEB
“You know, if I had a completely abandoned mansion waiting for me outside of Glimmerbrook, I damn well wouldn’t be sleeping in a crappy apartment above a broom shop.” Akira’s voice echoed through the house.
“It’s a coffee shop now,” Caleb cracked open an eye and stared at the fae’s boots, “And you do have a mansion waiting outside of Glimmerbrook.”
“Yeah,” Akira smirked, “But my mansion has Titania in it.”
Caleb laughed and then winced. His head felt stuffed with cotton. “You act like being the Queen of the Fae’s brother is a bad thing.”
“I thought if anyone understood complicated family dynamics, it would be you.” Akira offered him a hand, pulling him to his feet.
“Point taken.”
They made their way to the kitchen where Caleb filled a grimy glass with water and sucked it down until it sloshed in his stomach.
“If you hate this place so much, why are you here?”
Caleb didn’t answer.
Akira spread his arms wide. “It would be helpful to know exactly which Caleb I’m dealing with: Depressed Caleb or Depressed Caleb.”
It was a fair question. Caleb set the glass down, his head clearer. Why did he come here? If he wanted Straud Manor, it was his. No one lived here anymore, including his father, who abandoned the place in 1882. Now there were only the squatters who were too afraid to steal, but not too afraid to trash the place.
“Hey,” Akira snapped his fingers, “We got a case if you’ve sobered up enough to come to work.”
Caleb turned around to find his partner smiling.
“I wasn’t that drunk.”
“Do you want to know how many times you referred to yourself as Vatore Caleb?”
Brindleton Bay Country Club
ANASTASIA
“The thing is, film sets are different.” Martin Prowl, movie producer and notorious close-talker, swirled his nectar glass sloppily. “Don’t be surprised if you find it overwhelming. Take it from me. I got age and experience, sweetheart.”
Anastasia’s byline as Blythe August in the first talkie said she’d forgotten more about movies than he’d ever know. But that was the thing about being a 950-year-old vampire actress. You had to do a lot of pretending, even when you weren’t on camera.
“Excuse me. I’ve gotta see about the little boy’s room,” Martin said, letting his glass slip from his fingers and roll on the floor. He tripped on it, and though Anastasia was supposedly Simnation’s sweetest actress, she didn’t move a muscle to help.
Maybe if she got lucky, he’d break his neck.
The catering spread was nothing compared to the warm, slick taste of—
She gripped the wall and leaned against it, trying to get control of her hunger. The only reason Anastasia set foot in Brindleton Bay was because of a celebrity fundraiser. With the smiling, autographs, and pretending to care about the Deadgrass Island Lighthouse complete, it was time to escape this hellhole of terrible memories.
The decision came just as her girlfriend, Jimena, entered the room with a reporter from The San Myshuno Times.
Quick as a whip, Anastasia ran out the other door. She’d already suffered through a conversation with Martin Prowl. A gossipy reporter asking about her plans for marriage was too much.
Her nonexistent plans—
Anastasia was married once.
It hadn’t worked out.
Besides, she had no interest in explaining to her girlfriend why she had a list of aliases long enough to impress the Sim Mafia. Or that she had seen and sometimes caused the fall of empires, tangoed with despots…
…been a despot herself.
The second floor was busy too. Desperate to avoid more mortals, Anastasia slipped into the other ballroom, crossing her fingers that the silent auction was empty.
A sullen-looking girl stood by a registration table in the corner. “You can’t be in here. The silent auction doesn’t open for another hour.”
Anastasia plastered on a fake smile, fanning her hand across her chest. “Yes, well, I need to leave early, so I’d like to bid on something right now.”
The girl cocked an eyebrow. “If you bid on it now and then leave, you won’t be here to collect if you win.”
“Oh, silly me. Why didn’t I think of that?” Anastasia felt her eye twitching. Fucking teenagers. “Let’s skip the whole bidding part, and I’ll just buy something.”
“But the value of the items is—”
“Twenty thousand simoleons. What does that get me?”
The girl seemed to perk up. She gestured at some rare books—sims and their damned antiques—when a 19th century evening gown caught Anastasia’s attention.
It was beautiful, the sort of thing she might’ve worn herself a lifetime ago. In fact, she remembered when this design was all the rage. Lilith bought a matching set for her and Morgyn, and they were the toast of the Solstice Ball. The entire family managed to spend the evening together, not a single stabbing or argument between them. Even Vladislaus had been on his best behavior. Astounding, really, since things so quickly went to shit.
But it was a nice memory, and a mother was entitled to those. “I’ll take that gown,” she said, “Whatever the cost.”
I hope Anastasia can hold on to her hunger. ‘The woman that drank everyone’s blood at a fundraiser’ isn’t a fun scandal to be at the centre of, especially when you live forever and someone will always remember. And it’ll be on the front cover of every cheesy celeb gossip mag for the next six months! Past!Vlad looks cool in that shot; the long hair really suits him. I love the dress at the auction as well, but there’s something heartbreaking about it … buying a piece of expensive clothing, only in an attempt to remind yourself of the one small period of your life where things were less awful.
Ohh no, Mr and Mrs. Pizzazz don’t be the ‘get a real job’ people, let the others go at their own pace and focus on their own aspirations! Agreed, I too envy people with firm boundaries. Like other people can have boundaries AND get treated like human beings? How do they do that? : P I hope Penny can find it in herself to do what she wants to do and not what’s expected of her. I love the description of Henford XD
I absolutely love Alice’s ‘alias’ and the fact that the pub doesn’t even have the money to run a background check , and the reaction of the woman to Alice’s ‘I won’t slip arsenic in anyone’s tea’ : P The werewolf CC looks amazing (if werewolves come to TS4 I’d wishfully hope they’d look like that) but that scene looks terrifying. I wonder what the teeth were taken for? Some kind of magic spell or ritual? Or simply as trophies?
That’s such a Morgyn thing to do, just be like ‘Oh well…it’s much…appreciated’ and then immediately return it XD ‘Heavens, who on Earth thought that scarlet would go with the duck egg walls of the kitchen? Preposterous!’
Toddler Gwen is so cute! It’s good to see Alice doing her best to be a great parent despite all that’s happened with Gwen’s father cheating.
“The woman that drank everyone’s blood at a fundraiser’ isn’t a fun scandal to be at the centre of…” HAHA TRUER WORDS HAVE NOT BEEN SPOKEN. I mean what if Anastasia ended up on the cover of a cheesy gossip magazine ::maniacal laughter:: I mean what if?!?!?!!?
I, too, am shocked by how good Vlad looks in long hair. Short hair, there are only two styles that don’t look crazy on him. But long hair? Chef’s kiss.
<3 glad you picked up on that little moment with Anastasia. She has all the things on paper but she is deeply unhappy and I think a little lonely. Although, this is the worst possible dress for her to get nostalgic about if Cordelia's outfit in the last chapter is anything to go by (more maniacal laughter)
I am also desperate for werewolves! The cc is by Natalia-Auditore and I confess I wrote an entire werewolf plot just because I wanted to use it.
Penny's parents are supremely frustrating and I fear they've given her a bit of a complex. Alice definitely has better boundaries than Penny but she uh... she's got her own crazy going on.
Now as for your speculation about the teeth I think you're asking an EXCELLENT question. I won't tell you which theory is right but hot dang. You're on it.
LOL even in Alternate Universe BBD Morgyn is rude.
I love toddler Gwendolyn too! I'm afraid of her, but I love her.
HEHE WELCOME TO THE ADVENTURE!
AAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHFHFSIHIGWHARGARRRRBLL THIS is your low-key side project? THIS?! Five full minutes of hype with picture shots that must have taken ages to set up, fancy editing with RGB channel shifting, and is that a shot of your simself writing the whole thing down? How is anyone expected to say something coherent??? Gah, I’m just going to send this to other people and yell at them.
That gown… yep, that cements it. The outfits are important. Please excuse while I put my “everyone’s shoes” shoes on to match the “BERNARD! BERNARD! BERNARD! BERNARD! BERNARD!” hat. (Is that Mimsy?!)
As adorable as the book-title game is, I can’t think of a more horrifying combination of words than “toddler Gwendolyn.” It’s going to be chaos, utter chaos! 🙁 to see Alice cut off from her family again, but like, whatever they’re telling her to do re. childrearing isn’t going to cut it. Do they know who they’re dealing with? (And shea butter >> coconut oil, don’t @ me)
Funny, we’re not hearing anything from the MIU while all this werewolf murdering (and murderer-of-werewolf murdering?!) is going on. Idk. Either someone found the vampire book or there’s a really badass veterinarian dentist who’s gone feral.
Lastly.
Alliteration!!
(minor note that you can delete: I was confused by the texts being on Alice’s phone when Penny is the PoV character—consider switching to Penny’s phone)
Then also: throughout this first chapter, I was thinking “aw, man, but they lost Deacon.” But there he is! Dealing with phones like a gnome! YASS DEACON. (ugh, the title just got me, dammit)
Deacon never left us, he was always there, in our hearts…and also being confused by how phones work in the San Myshuno Police Department.
Other things:
1. LOL those opening credits are my pride and joy, thank you so much! I’m going to try and create one for each “season” just to set the tone.
2. Oh the outfit adventures we will have! (‘Everyone’s shoes’ shoes are in fact, the only shoes that have ever mattered)
3. As I said to Snow, I love toddler Gwendolyn but I’m afraid of my own creation. You know, I debated what to do with Alice’s family but I really wanted to write a tighter story this time and have less dangling side character threads so I decided to keep them minimal/estranged. Also, they are not ready for Gwendolyn. No one is. Except for the shea butter shampoo people (like coconut oil do not come up in here looking for a fight because you will get one).
4. Oh I should be clear, Caleb and Akira work for the MIU, so they are technically on the case. I do like your speculation about the vampire book…
5. Alliteration that I didn’t even notice I was writing! 10 points to Slytherin!
6. Thank you for the minor note, I’m going to fix it in the last chapter. It took me so long to realize that the name at the top of the text should be who you’re texting, not your own name LOL. God, you’d think I’ve never used an iphone
That introduction video was SO. SMOOTH! I am in awe of your video taking and editing skills. So much attention to detail, too! Caleb looks absolutely miserable again, the poor sod. I can’t wait to see how everyone is in this alternate universe. Are their personalities the same? Are their relationships? Which parts are similar, and which parts are different? So many questions!
Those paintings are amazing. I love how you’ve incorporated them in the introduction as well as their actual sim counterparts. Did you change their eyes? Or maybe I’m just finally noticing the CC eyes? Something is different.
Also, TODDLER GWENDOLYN! TODDLER GWENDOLYN! Oh my gods she’s going to put an entirely new meaning to the phrase “terrible 2’s” isn’t she?
Was that Olivia Specter? 😮😮
I haven’t even gotten to the actual chapter yet because my work break is over, but I loved the video so I wanted to share this gibberish with you at least 😆
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yay ☺️
Oh Caleb, destined to just be a sad baby in every story! Hehe, I can’t answer your questions without spoilers but I think you will get a kick out of them this time around. Let’s just say their BBD qualities express themselves in some interesting ways. A little bit of the devil you know.
And a little bit of the devil you don’t. (Cue evil laughter)
I did download a bunch of new CC so, yes, everyone has new eyes. I’m glad you love the paintings. It was fun figuring out how do to it. I’ve never made cc before!
Toddler Gwendolyn is to be feared and loved in equal measure. Like Dr. Frankenstein, I am afraid of my own creation.
Gah!!!! You spotted Olivia!!! I thought no one would. You get a prize!
Hmmm we shall see what role she plays in the story… 😉
Finally got a moment to get to the actual chapter! Woo!
Oh geez, Penny. That’s got to be tough, to be stuck in a family of high-achievers while not doing much worthwhile in their eyes. I have great sympathy for both her and her uncle. It’s fine to derive happiness from ambition and moving up in the world. It’s also perfectly fine to want a simple life and be happy with what you have, and not being happy in your career does not make you a failure. Too bad most people don’t see it that way. All the more painful if those people are your family, whose support and approval you crave.
Ooooh Alice is in quite a different position this time around, huh? I wonder if she still has Ben in her head saying crazy things. The arsenic in the tea makes me think that yes, she does have chaos brain. I have chaos brain myself, so can empathise there. 😂
Those pictures of Vlad and Anastasia look amazingly disturbing. I love it. What the heck would someone need 3 wolves’ worth of canine teeth for? 😐
Oooh I thought that girl looked like Cassandra at the auction! So that’s why she was there. Bella does seem to have a giant boundary issue when it comes to work. But if she hates the fundraisers so much, and her kid doesn’t… something could probably be worked out there. It could turn into a parttime job type thing. Also, Bella as a detective/police officer is amazing 🤩
WELCOME! Poor Penny indeed. Let’s hope she finds herself and doesn’t keep chasing after approval that I think we can all agree will never come. But you’re right, it’s completely human to crave that.
Alice is 100% chaos brain all the time, even when she’s the only one in there. It’s what makes me love her so. I, too, am a chaos brain. Yay! Unite!
Vlad and Anastasia are just the ultimate monster mommy and daddy and I adore them. I am actively trying not to respond to your comment about canine teeth but it’s a good question. Why would someone need such a specific number of werewolf teeth?
Cassandra Goth is in the building! I can’t wait until we have a longer scene with her because I just adore her. You’re right about Bella and her boundary issues. I think she would agree with you, but she just doesn’t know how to stop.
Besides, crime never sleeps in the completely made up world of the sims 😉
Chaos brain buddies unite! I can relate to just as much craziness with or without additional voices in there. You continue doing your thing, Alice 😁
Dude, your vids are such mic drops. It’s like BOOM here’s your orgasm and now for some foreplay. Goodness, I don’t even know if I have the mental capacity to read. I just want to re-watch that video 100 times. In a really bazaaro way it made me reminiscent of HBO’s True Blood.
I noticed that the “reflection” I saw of Vlad in the prologue is actually a painting. I’m a dork.
Vlad – he certainly has the wholesome, Renaissance Man image. I adored seeing the scene pan from his very vampiric portraits to his current wholesome image.
I cackled like a madwoman when I saw Alice’s reaction to her toddler’s mess. Oh, Alice. I feel you.
Uh, such a masterpiece.
PS I’m sensing a theme with WP vs. your site. Your site shows that there are 4 (chapters/sections?) links to click. WP doesn’t show that (at least not on the desktop view…). I don’t know if that matters to you or not, but I thought I’d inform you.
:: ducks head :: thank you! Having my machinima described as orgasmic is just…I think I’ve ascended. I was totally going for True Blood vibes! Yes!
Yeah, I have no idea how WordPress viewer works but I think my site is too crazy and has probably jacked it up. I always end up going to people’s actual sites because WP never lists things up to date and formatting is bananas. You’re probably better off just coming to my site and reading directly from there. I am 4 chapters in on this story, soon to be 5!
True Blood/Sookie Sackhouse series was my first introduction to a world with SO MANY supes, and I was mesmerized, so I like that you are doing something similar.
Ugh, WP can be SUCH a mess. When I first joined it marked all my comments as spam, and I can’t help but wonder if it is b/c I have the word “sex” in my user name.
I will def ONLY be reading on your site. It might take me all of April to get to your stories, but I have every intention to read them.
Hahaha. Depressed Caleb or *Depressed Caleb* no joke. Caleb from the videos looks like already chewed gum.
Anastasia – hahaha one marriage was enough. It hadn’t worked out LMAO
Anastasia should have fed on the sullen auction girl. How dare she make Anastasia’s eye twitch?!
Penny’s family does suck. Measuring success by what one does, instead of by how fulfilled and happy one is will leave you destitute in spirit. At least Penny has Alice.
Haha I like that ref to Arsenic & Old Lace :p
Alice has quite an interesting backstory… casing a place… checking loose glass panes and alarm systems… 0.o
Oh, Alice *facepalm*
Bahaha. Both Vatore siblings with their “fucking witches” remarks. Wow though, that’s a cool spell. If you touch it you’ll get my package. Dirty witches is more like it. Or just me?
You get a prize for picking up my obscure theater reference LOL! Its so fun to read your comments because you have already picked up on a number of insane family dynamics! Yes, the Vatore siblings are so alike but please don’t ever mention that in their presence. Also, Alice is my fave hot mess bad ass and I just…yeah…she’s lived a full life. Anastasa DEF wanted to eat that sullen teenager. But maybe it’s good she practiced a little restraint…this time.
I’m cackling bc the song playing through my head when I wrote this scene was that SNL skit with Justin Timberlake “It’s My Dick In A Box”
Hahaha I will NEVER tell them that… mostly b/c I’d be too busy trying to bang Vlad. Like if I were at that theater it would take ALL the effort in the world not to loosen my petticoats and throw myself at him. Ravage me, milord! However thirsty Vlad might be for blood (or REVENGE?) is nothing in comparison to my thirst. Heh.
Alice is just too much awesome and I look forward to more of her.
Considering that the sullen teenager is the daughter of a cop, yes, very good indeed lol.
TALK ABOUT PACKAGES!!!!! LMAO oh my! NOW THAT IS FITTING
The section with Alice & Gwen is adorbs. I’d read a book called Your Hair is Spaghetti. I so would.
Ouch about her ex. What a tool.
The ship in the pirate book is called Cordelia. Hmmmm. Does it make a suitable ship?
Honestly, best book title I’ve ever come up with. Also, yes. Salim is a tool and this is only the beginning.
(HAHAHA CORDELIA SHIP….oh gosh, just you wait. I can’t even answer that bc I’ll give too much away!)
Seriously, you should consider writing a children’s book with that title as aspiration.
Haha, I feel like Salim is going to be that man that I’m gonna hate. Because Vlad is def not that man, and more on that later.
Bahahaha. I look forward to more about Cordelia 😉
I can’t believe it took me this long to get here and read this. Your opening credits video is so well done. My brain breaks when I try to imagine how much time and skill it took to pull that off with the Sims.
I love how we’re introduced to each of the different characters. We get a nice taste of them, enough to pique my interest and fill my head with questions, and then things move on to the next character. My brain is stunned and still slowly taking it all in, but I have managed some initial thoughts.
Vampires can get drunk (this strikes me as dangerous) and water sobers them up? Or is Caleb only like that because he’s young. Regardless, I love how those screenshots sober up with Caleb.
I wish I could give Penny some self-confidence. Why is being a PageTwo Journalist embarrassing? Even though I sense that Penny’s family has wronged her, her distain for them is really something else…
“We don’t have budget for background checks” is something no one in their right mind would ever say to me, so I got a bit of a shock reading that. I can’t imagine. Instead, I’ve people verifying my random overseas school transcripts as if that matters for anything. I’m sure things will be great as long as Alice doesn’t poison the customers with arsenic. I guess other poisons are okay…
I wonder when Alice will bump into Vlad and/or Latimer. They seem to hang around her future workplace. Regardless, Alice seems like fun and an excellent storyteller even though I feel a bit sad that Pink Ruffles’ fantasy world is also plagued by misogyny.
Welcome! Please strap in, it’s a wild ride here 😂😂😂
I do love making machinimas, even though they are a crazy amount of work. But I like to think of my SimLit a little like a TV show so I can’t help myself.
Hahaha yes drunk vampires are a bit of a problem! In my universe vampires need a lot to get drunk and if it’s not enchanted, their body will get rid of it pretty quickly. Basically, vampires are living the dream.
Whew, listen Penny is going through some things. Maybe she’ll gain confidence in herself over the course of the story 😉
Yeah, I felt like Henford-on-Bagley was not the type of place to be worried about paperwork.
Can confirm Vlad and Alice will cross paths soon.
Even Pink Ruffles knows the patriarchy is a problem.
I can’t believe it took me this long to get here and read this. Your opening credits video is so well done. My brain breaks when I try to imagine how much time and skill it took to pull that off with the Sims.
I love how we’re introduced to each of the different characters. We get a nice taste of them, enough to pique my interest and fill my head with questions, and then things move on to the next character. My brain is still slowly taking it all in.
Vampires can get drunk (this strikes me as dangerous) and water sobers them up? Or is Caleb only like that because he’s young. Regardless, I love how those screenshots sober up with Caleb.
I wish I could give Penny some self-confidence. Why is being a PageTwo Journalist embarrassing? Even though I sense that Penny’s family has wronged her, her distain for them is really something else…
“We don’t have budget for background checks” is something no one in their right mind would ever say to me, so I got a bit of a shock reading that. I can’t imagine. Instead, I’ve people verifying my overseas school transcripts as if that matters for anything. I’m sure things will be great as long as Alice doesn’t poison the customers with arsenic. I guess other poisons are okay…
I wonder when Alice will bump into Vlad and/or Latimer. They seem to hang around her future workplace. Regardless, Alice seems like fun and an excellent storyteller even though I feel a bit sad that Pink Ruffles’ fantasy world is also plagued by misogyny.
I am REELING from the gorgeousness 😍 I already loved BBD but your storytelling and machinima prowess keep elevating to godlike! That intro machinima! So good 😭The paintings, the post-processing effects, the chromatic aberration in the screenshots, the sheer technical skill, ugh so amazinggg *Manny devolves into a crying, fangirling mess*
I’m also in awe of how you flawlessly introduce such a bonkers large and complex cast and everything feels so natural and connected. I’m already hooked on everyone’s plot lines! I love how they’re all connected, some overtly, and some still ships passing by (I see you Penny/Anastasia and Vlad/Alice!)
Ok, semi-chronological, semi-coherent thoughts incoming!
I need to get my hands on the Fates’ outfits because they slay. At least get me one of those hats!
Spray-painted llamas at crime scenes?? Ok, Manny already has a number 1 suspect for all the crimes that haven’t been committed yet, and that’s a llama. Like, one singular, ordinary, extremely evil llama.
On Anastasia:
Martin Prowl should stay in the little boy’s room. I think he belongs there.
Is Anastasia haunted by the ghost of Cordelia?? Whose dress she just bought?? 😱 What happened to Cordy and what did Anastasia have to do with it?? I demand answers!
Also, there was an Olive Specter cameo! Love me a sims 2 throwback.
On Penny:
I’m already rooting hard for her. I have a hunch she’s gonna be at the center of everything, and that not everyone she interviews is a crackpot…
On Alice:
Love the hints of Alice’s criminal background. I love it. There’s gotta be a good story there, I WANT TO KNOW MORE
On Bella:
There’s a portrait of Bella and Mortimer in the intro and he’s taking up like 90% of the space and that’s all I need to know about them.
(Also, them already arguing in Anastasia’s background! What amazing detail!)
(Also also, hello Deacon, I have missed you!)
(Also also also, tooth necklace! Werewolf teeth! Crackpot neighbors and werewolf infiltrations! *Manny starts connecting a red thread on a board that will probably be overflowing with threads soon*)
On Latimer:
His friendship with Vlad is already my favorite.
On Caleb:
Love that he cusses out the witches just like his sister
And oof, hundreds of years later, Caleb and Vlad still have some kind of distance…
On Manny:
HYPED. SO HYPED.
Omg! It took me so long to reply bc I was out of town but your comments make my whole day 🥰
Haha, thank you for the Machinima compliments! I’ve learned so much since BBD. I feel like each time I make one, I pick up a new skill. Also cc animators are killing the game! Of course there are a thousand Easter eggs, because I’m not well.
Gahhhhh glad you loved the intros. I limited myself to 6 people with the internal lie that The Strauds would somehow have less characters. As Maury would say: the test proved that was a lie. But I do think I do a better job of tracking the threads and building in the extra voices over time.
I’m very excited for you to be reading because there are a bunch of fun in jokes from BBD and you’ll probably notice some of the cracks in the foundation before the characters do 😈
(Btw I use a ton of cc from Moriel’s dishonored set, so that’s where the Fates outfits come from. Akira and Caleb’s too. They have a ton of incredible stuff)
Interesting that you said one, single, evil llama 🤔
What happened to Cordelia indeed?!?!?!? I mean, I could tell you, but spoilers 😈
Hehe olive specter is such a deep cut. She’s my reminder that things are not quite what they seem with this universe. Also, my original story that spawned bbd and the Strauds had a daughter of Olive Specter as the main character.
I cannot wait to see your thread board, especially as these characters develop!
(Oh yeah, even in this world Vlad and Caleb have problems 😂😂😂😂)
And we’re popping off for real now! Another astonishing machinima setting the tone. Immaculate vibes from the music, (seriously, I need a full Strauds machinima playlist or something), Caleb being a mess while hanging out in the mess, Vlad just happily cooking eggs but only Latimer has a plate, Alice waking up looking haunted(!), the “happy” family pictures on Bella and Mortimer’s walls (I SEE YOUR EASTER EGGS!), Gwen being a tiny terror as always, OMG I DIDN’T REALISE ANA AND PENNY ALMOST MEET (wait, is that Olive Specter??)
The juxtaposition of Vlad and Caleb fighting with Alice caring for Gwen and Vlad caring for Latimer makes my heart hurt and I am already hoping for some sort of reconciliation between them.
Also loving Cassandra’s outfit at breakfast 🦇
And Akira has arrived. The first time I read through, I was sort of meh about Akira as a thirst trap. I mean, he’s pretty and all, but the Fae was never my vibe. However, as I got to know his personality, the vibes are immaculate, and now I. am. into. it.
Seriously, where would Caleb be without Akira? I mean, he’s not doing great right now, but he’d probably be somewhere much worse than a dilapidated mansion full of old memories without him.
It’s so clever how you show Caleb sobering up by the RBG split effect getting smaller and disappearing, ugh, genius!
Everything about Martin Prowl the Notorious Close-talker is making me want to murder him. Ana clearly has supernatural restraint, although I guess being part of the Straud family has taught her a lot about that! (I see you being a dick in the background, Mortimer!)
A million paragraphs of appreciation for “It hadn’t worked out” 😂
SWIRLIES! Ana is using glamour to convince Cassandra to sell her the dress? How did I miss that?
Penny’s family is… yeah. JUST LET UNCLE ED ENJOY SELLING VACUUM CLEANERS DAMMIT
Love the two ladies having tea in Henford. Totally not ghosts, probably.
Sara is chill. And also desperate. But like, at least she’s being sympathetic to why Alice may not be bringing her A-game right now, so I’m glad she’s giving her a chance.
Caleb is… oh boy. “Who in their right mind would choose his parents?”
I mean. No one. But like, you’re also kinda weird so I guess they’re perf for you, Dr. Eyebrows!
Bella and Mortimer… yikes. Honestly, while Bella is not a great mom, I do agree that a teenager should be fine to take a flight alone under the right circumstances. I have a lot of opinions about Mortimer, as you know… but maybe that’s just because “the men in his family die young and tragically”…
“Deacon wasn’t necessarily stupid. He was just…Deacon.” And also a zombie once, or so I’ve heard, so I guess brains aren’t his forte. Dammit, gotta read BBD… I don’t think I’ll make it before Christmas though 😂
Latimer sighed, “You can’t be in a feud with every member of the family.” WATCH ME OLD MAN
Wait wait wait… “Pink Ruffle was a pirate, and her ship was called The Cordelia” *looks at your with my autistic eyes 👀*