crescendo 2.9 part two
PREVIOUSLY, PART ONE happened.
ARCHER: Hey, y'all, I'm here for the party. Happy birthday, sis!
Indeed, it is Noro's, and therefore Archer and Tautou's, birthday, and hence the whole family is back to celebrate!
Glory has commandeered her brothers over to the hot tub.
GLORY: Oh, Luca, it's so great to see you again! Our daily online chats don't compare to seeing each other face-to-face.
JUDE: I don't get daily chats.
JUDE: She looks nice, the type to have daily online chats. I should quite like to become friends with her!
YOU WOULD.
Jude didn't miss much out on much, as the hot tub broke soon after he left to scope out Glory's daughter.
GLORY: Well, this sucks.
LOGAN: Yep.
LUCA: I don't know, guys, I find it nice and relaxing, hidden away out here with no children.
Hmm, yes, I can't fault you for that.
But inside! Where important things are happening!
ANDREW: Why didn't I get a big birthday party like this? I'm awesome!
Awesome as you may be (and he is!), you are not a heir. Sorry bb.
CHANCE: Yay, Mom!
LUCA: Glory's birthday was better.
I know, I know, you and Glory are totally best friends forever and ever, and unwavering loyalty and all that, so I suppose I can't expect you to do more than stand there like the beefcake you are.
NORO: Oh dear, I feel all a-tingle!
NORO: Yeah, that's right - no legacy hair for me! I ROCK!
SUNDAY: Haha, you're OLD!
Never change, Sunday.
Adult makeover! As much as I hate seeing my girls with wrinkles, Noro's still very cute, I think.
Taking advantage of the distraction provided by a house packed with relatives, Noro's children let their true colors shine through.
CHANCE: Uncle Degausser is distracted by cake, which just so happens to be his favorite thing in the world? I SHALL PICK HIS POCKETS!
ARES: Uncle Degausser is leaving now. You have ruined our fun, sister dearest.
BIKO: Spoilsport.
REMEMBER: . . . Jerks.
One last birthday picture, and a game in it! FIND THE BIRTHDAY NINJA!
Daisy stuck around on the front lawn until the next day.
DAISY: Blast you, Jamie, you have turned me into the type of woman that wants flowers! How can I ever face my family again? I'M GOING SOFT!
Now, now, dear, let's not get ahead of ourselves - I'm sure you and your on-again, off-again boyfriend will have another argument on the boardwalk soon enough.
I'm more concerned about the children right now, as I'm still not convinced the trampoline is safe. UM YOU WILL BREAK YOUR NECK BIKO.
I'm even less convinced of the trampoline's safety when this creeper stands and watches the kids for a good while. His expression fills me with dread.
I do feel better about the creeper as Zeph hones his martial arts skill.
Sunday, sensing someone else skilling up, kung fus the door open.
SUNDAY: I am coming for you, Zephyrus!
And so they proceed to duel. Silas? Your kids are fighting to the probable death in front of you, any thoughts?
SILAS: I'm preoccupied right now - Oooh, a star!
He did indeed find a star. I want to say its name is Kristen Bell, but it could be Ben Affleck. IDK, IDK.
Silas' A+ parenting while his wife examines evidence down at the station is also evident when you look at where Emma Kate got to.
The town's jazz club with cousin Alexis, of course.
ALEXIS: That guy's really going to town on the piano, hey?
EMMA KATE: Yeah, whatever. I'm bored, let's go.
Going home to eat a grilled cheese sandwich with your cousin? Are we sure the Grilled Cheese aspiration didn't somehow make its way over here?
Oh no, Sunday, please tell me this isn't going to be a thing. There's a toilet right there! Right behind you! USE IT!
Not only has this update been lacking in Aria, but she also brings a lot of WIN with her, to counteract Sunday's utter fail.
ARIA: You there! Take note of how awesome I am!
Ezra did, in fact, take note of how awesome she is.
ARIA: Your back is gloriously muscled. I'm just going to rub my hands all over it! Ahhhhh . . .
ARIA: He's so pretty. *dreamy sigh*
Back on the homefront, Sunday is suffering through yet more fail. I've done such a good job documenting it so far that I felt no need to cut this picture.
The elderly woman on TV is just aghast at Sunday's fail. Aghast, I tell you!
But enough of that, onto my non-ditzy blonds!
And here are Re and Zeph in their bathing suits. Never say I'm not an equal opportunity ogling-enabler. You're welcome.
There should be some focus on the birthday boy though, which is Ares.
ARES: Am I hot?
This will never get old.
But here's actual teenaged Ares, who rolled the hot-headed trait. UGH HE WOULD. He's cute though!
With Ares grown up, Chance felt the need to recruit Biko as her child-cohort.
CHANCE: So, brother, it's just you and me now. Ares is a teenager, he can make his own money by working at the day spa or something along those line, but you and me, we have to be more creative than that to finance ourselves. Thoughts?
BIKO: Hmm, I don't know, how about trees?
CHANCE: Trees? For money? I can't say I've ever heard of that idea before-
BIKO: Why yes, trees! We could plant them and raise them from saplings and then, when they've grown enough from our careful nurturing, we could sell them to greenhouses and whatnot!
CHANCE: . . .
CHANCE: Trees! Good one, brother!
CHANCE: But seriously, money. We need some.
Silas has also began to start thinking about bringing a little extra money into the household, and used a day that the kids were at school to discuss the matter with Andrew.
SILAS: Since I reached the top of my career as a ghost hunter, I've been feeling a bit unfulfilled. It just doesn't have the same thrill, now that I'm at the top. Which is why I've been thinking of perhaps a different career path.
SILAS: Look at me boogie, look at me shake.
SILAS: So what do you think? Could I make it as a professional dancer?
ANDREW: Maybe don't quit your day job.
Oh, look who it is at school - Degausser's son Dane! His mother is a townie, but I think, aside from her coloring, Dane here looks quite a lot like his dear old dad.
This is Tautou's youngest daughter, Bridget. Like the older twins, Bridget's father is my very own Jackson Wycherley. Who has since married a townie man after splitting up with Tautou. Obviously they weren't destined to be together. I'll be damned if he didn't give me some absolutely gorgeous cousins before he found his true self.
ASHA: Hey, um, I'm one of those gorgeous cousins too.
That she is. Now, where's her gorgeous twin?
Speak of the devil! And I do mean that quite literally, though for once in Winter's life, you wouldn't guess it from this picture.
ARES: I don't like the look of her. Hmph.
She doesn't like others very much either.
REMEMBER: I can take her taunts and guffaws. I can stand tall and she will not bring me down. SO THERE.
To ensure her younger but equally evil half-sister did not go down the same path, Re spent some time helping Chance with her homework.
CHANCE: You've barely spoken to me before in my life, you've always been too busy talking to Zeph. You're scaring me, Re.
REMEMBER: Nonsense. Now, square roots! I bet your teacher didn't cover everything you need to know about those. Boy, you're lucky you have me to help you out there.
ARES: Nobody is allowed to make fun of the good people in my house except me. I need to teach that girl a lesson!
ARES: Look, I'll have you know that that was MY cousin and MY half-sister you were making fun of there. They may be good, but to waltz on in here, thinking you can make fun of them? I don't think so!
WINTER: But I thought you'd like-
ARES: No buts!
WINTER: I just thought you'd appreciate an evil ally, that's all.
ARES: Wait. Evil, you say? Well, things just got interesting here. I think we need a test to prove you're not just saying that. Quick, give me the best stink-eye you've got!
WINTER: Impressive enough for you?
ARES: Yes, I daresay it is.
ARES: Would I ever like to go to bed - but the excitement of having an evil cohort much outweighs my fatigue.
WINTER: There'll be time to sleep later, Ares, we have important things we should discuss into all hours of the night.
ARES: You can read minds?! Okay, you've got to teach me how to do that.
ANDREW: I don't think I much like this influence on my son.
That's okay, Andrew, you've got another one you can focus on. BIRTHDAYS!
BIKO: Oh, how wonderful, another chance to wish for that pony!
Um. *clears throat* Hi.
Sunday, I'm pretty sure you have no reason to be laughing at your cousin at this moment.
Makeover time! He looks a LOT like Noro, and therefore reminds me of his uncle Jude a good deal. Which obviously isn't a bad thing. Oh, and I find it funny that he finally rolled a trait that isn't his mother's or aunt's, and it's unlucky . . . the opposite of his mother's lucky trait. Awww.
NORO: I sense another birthday on the horizon.
Well-spotted, Noro; it's Chance's turn!
Chipmunk cheeks! *pinches cheeks*
Wow. I am pretty much speechless. Um. Right. Traits. We've added flirty to the fantastic mix that is Chance's traits. I'm not sure there's anything I don't love about this girl right now.
Let's not forget that it's Luno's birthday as well.
. . . as I kind of did.
Cute! The eyeshape is definitely from Andrew, though everything else is looking pretty Noro-ish to me right now.
LUNO: This is my life, growing up by myself, forgotten by my family. Awesome.
LUNO: What if they forget about me forever? What about feeding me? I need to eat!
Don't worry, my little flower, your grandma is really, really competent.
Winter came over again, wherein she and Ares locked themselves into the butler's old bathroom to plot. Sorry, I mean, to discuss . . . things.
ARES: I know it's pretty ambitious, but I've kind of been thinking lately that I'd like to try for that world domination thing. So cliché, I know, but the payoff would be worth it.
ARES: There's only one teensy tiny little problem - I have no idea how to go about the whole taking over the world part.
ARES: Other than that, though, it's a completely flaw-free plan, right?
WINTER: World domination seems simple enough, you just have to start at the bottom and build a solid foundation. Like you, you want to be some sort of scientist thing when you grow up, right? Well, use that to your advantage! Gain the trust of your other scientists and then when you come up with a global problem that only you can solve, they'll automatically trust you, thus handing over control of the earth.
WINTER: But since you're kind of a jackass, you'll probably need me to help smooth things over, get your allies and all that.
ARES . . . I would not have thought of it like that.
ARES: Teach me your ways!
WINTER: That's what I'm here for, Cuz.
That, and staring ominously at sleeping toddlers. Um, Silas? Rescue your son, perhaps?
SILAS: What, you want me to pick him up?
That would be ideal, yes.
Andrew decides to take a more direct approach to dealing with Winter's influence on Ares.
ANDREW: She thinks she can come into this family and corrupt my son, she better think again!
I don't know why he reverted to legacy hair while practicing martial arts. Perhaps the sweat weighed down his normal 'do. Regardless, let's forget about Winter and move on to Cain's birthday, now that he has been rescued from his crib.
But not by Silas. He's happy to celebrate his son's birthday, not so happy to take him to said celebration. Ah, well, what can you do?
Andrew brought the legacy hair to the party.
Biko brought his utterly adorable excited face.
And somebody brought home a random vampire I'm 100% certain did not get invited into the house.
RANDOM VAMPIRE: Don't mind me, I'm just here for the free cable.
Um, I won't mind you? I guess? ONWARDS!
Cain! Still Silas with Glory's coloring, I think. I do like the fact that he got the daredevil trait - an insane athlete would very possibly be a daredevil, yes. So thanks, dice, for making sense!
Well, look at that rampant narcissism there. IT'S CAIN'S BIRTHDAY, ASSCLOWNS. IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU.
ARES: Narcissism? I'll show them narcissism, won't I, self?
NEXT TIME, things . . . happen? Things which I do not know about as I haven't played it yet. But I assure you that there will be things, and they will happen. Tantalizing, no?