The gentle warmth of the fire washed over Tristan, it's flickering light dancing in his eyes. He'd managed the bath, just. He'd decided to stay away from people until he'd figured out what was happening to him- for all he knew it was just a couple of random occurences, nothing that was even going to happen again. Still, he didn't want to bother anyone with what was probably nothing more than his imagination. The headache was strange, but maybe it was caused by being under a lot of stress. Before he had a chance to get very far in his thoughts, his doorbell rang.
Tristan: "Wh-?"
Andy: "Emily mentioned you weren't feeling very well this evening and wanted me to check in on you. Are you feeling alright?"
Tristan: "Sure. Just a migraine. Can I get you a beer or anything?"
Andy: "Oh no thank you, I'm fine. I have to be honest, Tristan- you don't look very well."
Tristan: "Ever had a migraine, Andrew?"
Andy: "No."
Tristan: "It feels like someone jamming live wires into your brain and using them to run an electric current through it. Don't even get me started on the visual shit that's happening- they don't call them 'blinding headaches' for nothing."
Andy: "Do you need to see a doctor?"
Tristan: "No, I just need to stay out of bright lights and crowded places for a while."
Andy: "If you need another hiatus..."
Tristan: "Just a couple days off should do it, really."
Andy: "That's not a problem at all- take all the time you need. Do you need anything tonight?"
Tristan: "No, I'm all set. Thanks."
Andy: "I'm going to get going now, then. Don't hesitate to call any time if you need anything."
Tristan: "I'm sure I'll be fine."
Andy: "Right. I'll see you in a few days then."
Tristan: "...Beauty sat down to a wondrous feast- tender lamb, roasted potatoes, soup. Then she heard a roar, and the Beast appeared.
'Do you mind if I watch you eat?' he asked in the gentlest voice he could manage.
'I don't mind, Beast,' said Beauty."
Gemma: "I'd mind... I don't like ugly things watching me doing anything!"
Cindy: "Hush, Gemma! Let him tell the story!"
Tristan: "'Do you find me truly hideous?' he asked.
That's when Beauty looked closely at him for the first time. He was a tall, lumbering thing with greyish shaggy fur, a stub nose, enormous horns, and... claws! Big claws."
Gemma: "Now I know I wouldn't want him watching me eat!"
Cindy: "Gemma, be quiet!"
Tristan: "He was dressed in some very smart clothes, though. So Beast had asked Beauty if she found him ugly.
'Yes,' she said, and turned away, for she hated to hurt his feelings. 'But you are truly kindhearted.'"
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Comments
I promised I'd comment more indepth now that I've stopped lurking, so here we go.
First and foremost: AAAAAAAHHHH TRISTAN!!!!!! I know you've probably had this planned from the beginning, but the irrational part of my brain thinks you decided to torture him as soon as I mentioned that he's my favorite character. Because he is my favorite, you know. And now he's in paaaain!! Of course I go for all the abused ones. I have no idea what Andy's evil memory experiments are going to do to him, but good God I hope he'll be okay... *bounces in seat* The flashback bits were awesome. Your storyboarding and execution put me in awe. I've really started looking at this work as a graphic novel, just in an online format, with sims of course. ^_^ You're blending genres and that's awesome... it makes me itch to try something similar (although I don't think I have the storyboarding skills or the patience to pose all of them perfectly the way I've seen it done here).
Anywho, back to the story... I don't think I mentioned how much I love the "mad scientists." They're so crazy and wonderful, especially Jade with her scary eyes and frizzy hair. In my mind her voice is really high and creepy sounding. And, even more frightening... I find Xero and Glass..... kinda hot. (Must be the pale skin and long hair? o.O)
Andy proves himself once more to be a true evil bastard. He's really running the whole show here, isn't he? I literally felt queasy when he kissed Emily this time around. I wanted to start jumping up and down and scream, "Noooo, don't fall for it, Em, he's trying to kill your true love, who is Tristan!!!!" But that'd really get the neighbors talking...
I agree with whoever said Mary is starting to see through some of Andy's bullshit... I started smirking when she rolled her eyes at his back. There's totally going to have to be a confrontation between our heroes and Andy at some point... and that's going to be a real doozy. I'm actually afraid our heroes might not win, I mean, Andy does have mad scientists AND vampires of all kinds on his side. And a giant man-eating plant named Lupita.
Okay, I think I've rambled enough... now I have a few questions I need to ask just to satisfy my curiosity. First off, what song are you quoting in the cover image to this chapter? It's a beautiful line. (I've recognized some of the lyrics in the past, especially the Tori Amos ones -- in fact the whole reason this series caught my attention was because you quoted my favorite Tori song in the cover image for chapter two.)
Also, Tristan's outfit for most of this chapter with the wristcuffs and black nailpolish? *hawwwt!* Did you make that yourselves? If not, could you kindly direct me to where you got it so my male sims can be so stylish? ;)
Finally, I love the touch of the blanket covering Mary on the couch. Was that photoshopped or did you get that to happen in the game?
Okie, I'm done for now. FABULOUS chapter, and I am even more riveted than I was before. It's gotten to the point where I've started checking daily for updates. I'm hoping lengthy comments like this will spur you to work faster so I can receive my Deception Pass fixes more often. XD
Once more, you guys rock. Can't wait to see what happens next.
~ Heather ;D
The song is 'Gloomy Sunday'- I was listening to Billie Holiday at the time I wrote that part out and the line really jumped out at me. Love the song- it's been covered by a million artists, too. I don't know why but I feel compelled to put lyrics in all the preview pictures- I guess because music holds such a fascniation for me (shades of me in Emily, perhaps?), and it's always so inspiring.
Tristan's outfit is one of my own creations this time- I have a serious weakness for guys in nailpolish and eyeliner. *swoon*
I had to photoshop the blanket- I'm fairly sure that
We're working on the next part- we've got *huge* amounts of it finished, but we're working in more scenes and what not. Other than that, I'm keeping quiet about everything else. Don't want to give anything away!
Thanks for the comment, as always!!! I need them as much as you guys seem to need to read the story!
Weeee thanks for the song! *runs to download* I have a fascination for music too... it's the main inspiration for everything I write. All my stories have soundtracks... I wrote an entire novel based on one song, and now I have tons of ideas I'm trying to work into a story of some kind that was induced by listening to My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge album entirely too much in the past three weeks. But I'll just have to see what I come up with for that...
Gosh, you need to put up all of your creations for this story for download... it can be the Deception Pass line of Sims 2 Custom Content! That way we can all download the paraphernalia and have our way with our favorite characters... I mean... *shifty eyes... represses urge to gnaw on Tristan*
Killer photoshop work -- it all looks so real!
I shall be waiting impatiently for the next part, but I'm excited to hear you've got so much of it underway! I'm tres excited to see what's going to happen.
I think there's a great bond between writer and reader -- the reader needs the story, the writer needs to know his or her work has created a connection between them, so that the characters in his or her mind aren't confined to the imagination anymore. As soon as someone else reads it and falls into the lives of the characters, they become real. That's the magic of writing, and the reason why I'm a creative writing major instead of pursuing something that would undoubtedly make me more money.... I need the magic.
Deception Pass is magic. Write on!! :D