Strangetown: Chapter Twelve

[strangetomato]

Warnings: language, sexual situations, drug use, excessive use of powerballad lyrics


Chapter Twelve


Since Ripp was away for the evening, Johnny and Ophelia had rented a movie, and had planned to take the opportunity to spend some time alone together. They'd both been fairly busy, and with their different class schedules, they were often passing each other on the way to class. Ophelia saw Ripp a whole lot more than she saw Johnny, since he spent way more time at the apartment. He never seemed to go to class, and lately, he only left to go practice with his band.




Johnny had been thinking about telling Ophelia about Jayne. Not everything, of course, but just to tell her about her, that they had been hanging out. That's all they were doing, anyway. He was feeling guilty about it, and he thought that bringing it out in the open would solve that problem. Since he wasn't actually doing anything intimate with Jayne, Ophelia shouldn't have a problem with it. He could still hang out with her, while he tried to make his decision. It wasn't something he'd be able to decide for quite some time, and he did have until the end of college, really.




"So, what's up with you lately, anyway, Ophelia? You've been pretty distant."

"Have I?"

"Yes. I'm beginning to think that maybe you don't want to be my girlfriend anymore."

"It's not that, Johnny..." She sighed. "I just..." She had decided that it was time to be honest with him.




"Listen, Johnny. A while back, I had some serious concerns at home. I thought that Olive was... well... I thought that she wanted to kill me."

"You thought she wanted to... kill you?" Johnny arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, I know, it sounds like a bit much, but you just had to be there, to see and hear what I did."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"Well, I did..." She took a deep breath. "Just not to you." Johnny could tell immediately what her implication had been.




"You told Ripp?! And not me?!"

"Johnny, I'm sorry... but..."

"That's what's going on here, isn't it? You and Ripp..."




"What?! No... There's nothing going on, Johnny." Ophelia frowned. "How could you even think that?" Oh, I don't know, thought Johnny, the fact that Ripp would mount anything that moves?

"Are you sure?"




"Look, at the time, I didn't want to drag you down with me. I'm really sorry about leaving you out, and telling you would have at least let you know what's been up with me lately. I'm still really bothered by it, and I'm still really afraid, even though I'm away from her now. The feeling just doesn't go away." Johnny felt really bad for accusing her.




"I'm sorry, Phi."

"I'm sorry too." Ophelia said. "I should have told you. It's not good to be dishonest with each other. We should tell each other everything." Johnny thought about that, but somehow, this really didn't seem like the best moment for him to mention Jayne.




"I don't want you to be afraid, Phi." He placed his arm around her. He felt terrible for spending all that time with Jayne, while Ophelia clearly needed him more. He pulled her closer.




In his arms, she did feel less afraid, just as she always had.




They were in the middle of a kiss when the door flew open, and Ripp stormed into the room, stopping only when he noticed them on the couch.




"Oh, shit! Sorry..."

"Why are you back so soon?" Johnny said, as he adjusted himself.




"Oh, nothing... just the fact that my entire fucking life is falling apart! Nothing to fucking worry about at all." He continued up the stairs, and left Johnny and Ophelia just looking at each other.




"Should we go see what's wrong?" Ophelia asked.

"No. If he wanted to tell us, he would have, I'm sure." He sighed. "Maybe we should just go to bed too. I'm going to go on upstairs and get ready. Do you want to come in with me for a while?"

Ophelia nodded.




"You go ahead. I'm going to grab a snack first." Johnny went on up the stairs, and she went about her business.




After she cleaned up, she finally went upstairs too. Johnny had gone on to his bedroom, and she wondered if he would be asleep yet. As she passed Ripp's room, she stopped by the door and listened. She thought that she could maybe hear him crying. Should she go inside? Considering Johnny's accusations, she didn't want to give him any more fuel for that fire, so she went to check Johnny's room first. He was asleep. She went back to Ripp's door and whispered to him.




"Ripp? Are you okay?" He just coughed a bit. He was definitely crying. "What's wrong?"

"I'm okay, Phi. Don't worry about it, please." Ripp said. "I just had a fight with the General."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No... and please don't come in here."

"Okay." She said. "Let me know if you change your mind." She walked back towards Johnny's room. She could just go in there and crawl in next to him. It would nice to sleep next to someone. She'd be less afraid. But at that moment, she decided against it, and went to her own room. She felt like being alone.

For the next little while, Ripp was pretty scarce.








































Johnny and Ophelia weren't really sure what he was up to, but it certainly wasn't going to classes.




Ophelia's class schedule was really hectic, and she even had a couple of evening classes that semester. She didn't mind, since it took her mind off other things, but it was a lot of work. She came home one evening from class, and was getting ready to work on one of her assignments. She thought she'd take a look at some of her flowers first, so she headed to her room.

Her bedroom was the largest. That was one of the benefits of being the only girl in the house, she supposed. She couldn't complain, though Johnny and Ripp often ended up hanging out in there as a result. As she topped the stairs, she noticed that someone had left her stereo on. That was typical. They often turned it up so they could hear it from the bathroom. Maybe Ripp was finally home and taking a bath.

She entered the room and stopped dead in her tracks.




The room was clearly already occupied.




"Yeah, tell me you want me..." Ripp was saying, and then realized that he was being watched.




"Oh, fuck!" He jumped up. "Shit, Phi! You're home? Can't you knock?!"

"It's my bedroom, Ripp!" She ran from the room, completely embarrassed. He ran after her.

"Wait! Phi!"




"Look, Phi - I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell at you. You just scared me." Ophelia didn't say anything. Ripp reached out to touch her. "I'm sorry."




"What were you doing in my bedroom?"




"Yeah... I didn't really plan that. I just ended up there." He decided against telling her where else he had been.




"Well, you'd better go get dressed, get her out of my bedroom, change those sheets, and for god's sake, do it before Johnny gets home."




"I'm sorry."

"Okay, Ripp."




"No, I'm really sorry, Phi..."

"Really, Ripp. It's okay." She said. "Just, maybe try not to do it again."

"It won't happen again, I promise. God, I'm so sorry, Phi. I'm such an asshole."

"I'm going to have a cup of coffee before I start studying. You look like you could really use one too." She wasn't sure if he was sleeping elsewhere, but she knew that he hadn't spent a whole night in his own bed for weeks.

"Okay. That sounds good." He touched her arm. "Thanks, Phi."




Neither Ripp nor Ophelia said much while they drank their coffee, but it wasn't uncomfortable. They both felt a lot better afterwards.




Pascal and Lola stood in the bedroom that Kristen and Erin shared, and observed Kristen as she lay on her bed. "How is she feeling?" Pascal asked.

"Well, she's pretty much in shock, you know? She hasn't been speaking to any of us."

"And she still has no recollection of what happened at all?"

"Nothing. And also nothing before that either. She seems to have lost all of her long term memories. She has no idea who any of us are, and no idea who she is either." They both sighed.

"I can't believe they did this." Pascal said, morosely, but of course, that was only half true. He didn't expect any better from the Beakers, but he also truly hadn't seen this coming.




Kristen stared off into the distance, seeming to look right through Lola and Pascal. After several days, she had remembered her own name, but that was as much progress as she had made. She would get frustrated quite often, and sometimes woke up very confused and agitated. They had been taking care of her, trying to keep her calm and rested. Lola had even taken a couple of weeks off from her job. She figured that it was the least she could do, since Kristen had been forced to quit her own job. She hoped that this would only be temporary.




"How could we let this happen, Paz?" Lola was stricken.

"We knew it would be a risk when we took it on, Lola. So did Kristen."

"I know, but this?" She felt consumed by guilt. "I didn't think about something like this."

"We're going to do the best we can for her, Lola. She'll be okay."




"Those damn Beakers! I can't believe we have to let them win."

"Well, we can't exactly risk that again, Lola! But we're not going to just let them win. I have to rethink this."




"What can we do, Paz? I'm at a loss."

"Well, as for the Beakers, I have no idea. I'll have to think about it some more." He considered. "For Kristen, I might have something."




"I've been working on this invention. It's still in the prototype phase, but I am running trials on it. It's a helmet that can help to focus your thoughts and clear away any unwanted disturbances. When combined with normal therapy, it has the potential to remedy a number of mental conditions, or at least improve them." Lola listened intently.

"Do you think that could work for Kristen?"

"I have a client right now that I'm testing it on, and it seems to be going fairly well. She was referred to me by the hospital, and she is also suffering from amnesia."




"That's Bella, right?"

"Lola! That's supposed to be confidential!"




Bella was a fairly new arrival in Strangetown, and nobody, not even Bella herself, knew where she had come from. After she was treated by the hospital about her head, she was given some government assistance and an apartment in the low-income housing area of town to help her get herself on her feet.




Bella seemed to be doing fairly well for herself now, working as a secretary in the one of the offices for one of the largest corporations in Sim City. Pascal thought that she seemed to have more money than someone with her salary should have, with her rental payments and everything, but he also knew that she used her looks to get whatever she wanted.




Pascal was fairly unnerved by Bella's stories about her voracious sex drive. Not that this deterred her from sharing them. They did have a confidential client relationship, but Bella would have told him anyway, he was sure. He wondered if her behaviour was somehow related to her memory loss, and perhaps it was just a way for her to validate her existence. Bella herself thought that Pascal was reading way too far into it.

"I just like sex, Mr. Curious." She smiled at him with her most coy gaze, but Pascal remained serious. He knew that Bella also liked the expensive things that her lovers bought her.




By counselling Bella, he was also privy to a lot of local gossip that he really didn't care to hear. Bella's apartment complex was like an epicentre for all the local dirt.

"I'll bet you hear lots of stories from her, don't you, Paz?" Lola, of course, was all ears.

"Well, yes. Not that I care to repeat any of it."

"Oh, Paz. You're so virtuous." Lola smirked. "Genesis Lam lives there too, doesn't she? She works as a maid all over town, so she must see and hear a thing or two. I've also heard that she's been involved with General Buzz Grunt."






Pascal had heard much more than that, but he wasn't about to tell this to Lola. He tried not to let on that he knew anything, and feigned shock. "Dear god! Where do you get all your gossip, Lola?"

"Oh, I have my sources." Chloe being the primary one.

Chloe's exact words had been, "Genesis Lam is polishing the General's brass."




"So, what's the deal with Bella anyway? Do you have any idea where she came from?" Lola asked.

"Lola! That supposed to be confidential! I can't tell you that."

"Oh, come on, Paz! It's just me. I won't say anything." Pascal arched an eyebrow. He knew what Lola was like. She thought she was better than Chloe, but she really wasn't.

"It's confidential, Lola."

"You're too good, Paz. Of course, I love that about you, but it still irritates me sometimes."




"By the way, I like your new glasses, Pascal. And your hair is different too, right?"

"Oh, that. Yeah, I keep forgetting about it. Lazlo's girlfriend, Crystal Vu, was fixing us all up. You should see Vidcund. And Lazlo cut all of his hair off. I could hardly believe it. Now he's moving out to live with her."

"Wow. That's pretty quick. Didn't she just move in with you guys?"

"Yeah. It wasn't that long ago, was it? I hope that he knows what he's doing."




"So, how are the twins?"

"Oh, they're wonderful. Just wonderful." Pascal's face lit up whenever he talked about the children.

"I still have to go see Jenny's too. I can't keep up with all these babies."

"I dropped by the other day. There's quite a resemblance to P.T." Pascal smiled as he thought about his growing family, but he was finding it very hard to smile for long.




His thoughts would always turn to Nervous Subject eventually, and that left him sick with worry. He hoped that he wasn't in pain, or lonely, or afraid. He was counting on Loki's ambitions to be their saving grace, because he knew that Loki would need Nervous to further his research. As long as he was working towards a breakthrough, Nervous should remain relatively unharmed.

That didn't protect him from their many cruelties, however, and there was the nature of the testing itself to worry about too. Pascal was tired from spending so much energy on his concern, and he had Mint too, so he was feeling pretty run down. All he could do was hope for the best, and keep moving forward.




As for Nervous, he was becoming pretty adjusted to his predicament, and lately he was a lot less lonely. That is, it was hard to be lonely since the new voices in his head had arrived. Recently, he had been able to identify four distinct voices, in addition to his own.




The voices didn't concern him, not really. They seemed nice enough. They didn't say anything frightening either, and just asked questions, mostly. Questions about Loki and Circe, and what existed beyond the cold stone walls. Things like that. They wondered about each other, and whether or not they were even separate entities. Nervous wasn't sure about that himself.




Yes, they kept him company, but they also caused him to grow ever more restless. The Beakers had noticed his increased agitation too, and Circe had upped his dosage of sedatives, but it didn't seem to really help any.

Sometimes he just wanted to shut his mind off completely. He really, really needed a rest.




He had also noticed something different about Circe. She was growing increasingly hostile, and had been puking her guts up every morning for days now. Nervous didn't know a whole lot about pregnancy, just what he had been told by Pascal, but he did know enough to conclude that Circe had to be pregnant. The thought made him shudder with fear.




A pregnant animal was one of nature's most dangerous creatures.




"Oh, good! You're here." Johnny had arrived back at the apartment one evening to find Ripp waiting for him in the kitchen. With a bottle of wine. "You're just in time for a drink."

"Ummm, what's the occasion?"




"Oh, no occasion. We're just going to drink this." Johnny was confused. "It is Saturday night, you know. You need to just chill out for once and have a good time. I can't remember the last time we fucking did anything together."

"Okay... sure. Why not?"

"That's the spirit."




"Drink up, Johnny!"




They were already well on their way to drunk by the time they jumped in a cab and arrived at Midnight Flows. Upon entering, Ripp noticed the karaoke machine and flipped out like a child who wanted to ride the merry-go-round at the fair.

"Johnny! Johnny, we have to do karaoke!"

"Forget it, Ripp."

"Oh, come on! It’s fun, Johnny! You know… remember fun? You have to fucking lighten up, my friend!" He rushed over to check out the options.




"Oh sweet fucking llama brains!" Ripp exclaimed. "Too perfect. We’re so singing this!"

"What?! No, Ripp! Just no!"

"But it’s the greatest song ever written!"

"I absolutely refuse to sing a ridiculous powerballad with you."




"Don’t be a pussy, John! It’s funny. I'll sing the woman's part, if that's what's bothering you. You’re going to sing this, and you’re going to fucking like it too! You can thank me later…"

"No! Ripp, I said no!" But Ripp was already starting the karaoke machine.




He cleared his throat a tapped the microphone. "Ahem. Is this on?" It was. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My friend, here, and I are going to sing you a special little number. Isn't that right, Johnny?" Ripp grinned.

"That's right, Ripp." Johnny said with his best fake grin.

"Why don't you go ahead and give him a little hand, folks? He's pretty shy." He laughed.




While maintaining his forced grin, Johnny leaned closer to Ripp and whispered. "I am really going to kill you for this later."

"We'll see about that." Ripp smiled.




"And I would do anything for love, I'd run right into hell and back. I would do anything for love, I'll never lie to you and that's a fact..."




"As long as the planets are turning, as long as the stars are burning. As long as your dreams are coming true, you better believe it..."




"That I would do anything for love, and I'll be there 'til the final act..."




"And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love. Oh I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that..."




"I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of. But I just won't do that..."




"Some days I pray for silence, and some days I pray for soul..."




"Some days I just pray to the god of sex and drugs and rock and roll..."




"As long as the wheels are turning, as long as the fires are burning. As long as your prayers are coming true..."




"YA BETTER BELIEVE IT!"




"That I would do anything for love, and you know it's true and that's a fact. I would do anything for love, and there'll never be no turning back..."

"I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of. But I just won't do that..."

"...I would do anything for love. But I won't do that. No I won't do that..."




"Will you raise me up, will you help me down? Will you get me right out of this godforsaken town? Will you make it all a little less cold?"




"I can do that! I can do that!"




"Will you cater to every fantasy I got? Will ya hose me down with holy water, if I get too HOT? Will you take me places I've never known?"




"I can do that! oh oh now, I can do that!"




"I know the territory, I've been around. It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down. And sooner or later, you'll be screwing around..."




"I won't do that! no I won't do that!"




"Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love. I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that!"




Ripp had been right, of course. Johnny did have fun by the time it was all over. They managed to clear a couple of spaces at the bar in the process too, so they decided to take them.




Once seated, with another drink in hand, Ripp started talking about the situation with the General. "Buzz is dating this woman, and now he wants to get re-married. What a stupid fucking idea. He told us over dinner, and then expected us to be happy about it."

"Well, he must be pretty serious about her..."

"Johnny! He never did get divorced. My mother's legally dead, but that doesn't mean she's not alive, does it?"

"Well -"




"Yeah, I know. I know. She's not coming back. I'm not a fucking idiot. But how can he just move on?! I never did! I never stopped loving her - none of us did! She was his wife - our mother! How could he just get over her?"




"But, Ripp... didn't your mother leave him for another man?"

"Of course she went fucking around on him! What else was she going to do?! It's a basic fucking necessity of life! If someone was denying you food, you'd somehow find some, wouldn't you?"

"Well..."

"He married her, Johnny! He made a fucking vow to her to love her forever, and he didn't keep it! He was the one to break it, not Mom! He stopped loving her!"




Johnny just frowned, and began to think about marriage. It was a really big deal, and not something to be taken lightly at all. How was he supposed to make such a huge decision? He pondered his situation until Ripp continued.




"I would never do something that fucking selfish! He never should have married her. I would never, EVER, make a promise like that if I couldn't keep it!"

"But, Ripp..."




"Yeah, I know. I sound like a fucking idiot talking about monogamy - but, Johnny! I'm not fucking stupid enough to think that I could ever promise anyone that! I wouldn't lie about it. To myself, or anyone else. Let's face it. I'll never get married."

"That's weirdly romantic of you, Ripp."

"And now, he's going to try it all over again... and he expects us to just welcome the new girl with open arms. Well, fuck that!"




"I'm feeling pretty messed up, Ripp. You must be completely loaded by now..."

"You can't hold your liquor for shit, Johnny. I guess your alien ancestors probably didn't even know what the fuck alcohol was, so it's okay. Of course, being bred from generations of military dickheads, I hardly have that problem. I mean, yeah, I'm getting pretty fucked up too. I won't lie about it. But I've also been trying a whole lot fucking harder than you have."




"Well, time for another drink..." Ripp said. Johnny tried to steady himself with the handles on the faucet.

Back at bar, Ripp turned to Johnny. "I'll get this one. What do you want?"

"Another gin and tonic?"

"Good choice... better make mine a double, sweetheart."




Things degenerated quickly from that point onward. Like any soaring high, it was destined for a crippling low. It ended in tears.




"God, Johnny." Ripp said. "I didn't drag you out here to get all fucking depressing on you. I just wanted to forget about it."

"It's okay, Ripp."

"I can't deal with this. Why can't my family be more like yours? The General hates me. Tank fucking hates me. Nobody really talks to each other..."

"You can talk to me."




"Well, thank god! I'd go fucking insane. I have Buck, but I hate to burden him. He hates to see us all fighting."

"Say whatever you need to say..."

"It brings me down, Johnny. I thought it would be better once I left home, but no... it doesn't all just fucking disappear. Tank is here, judging me. The General still judges me. I was never fucking good enough for him! I'm a failure. A wasted effort. They think I'm just a burden on them. I can't remember the last time Buzz showed some fucking interest in something I did... I don't think he ever said that he loved me."

"Surely, he did, Ripp -"




"No! God no, Johnny. He didn't. He doesn't... Fuck! Fuck him."

"Ripp..."

"I don't deserve to be loved, Johnny. I'm a fucking terrible person."




"That isn't true."

"It is! I'm awful. I can't even stand myself. I know you think it too..."

"Ripp, no. Yes, I do get irritated sometimes, but I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't think you were worth it."

"Really? You mean it?"




"Sure, I do. And you do deserve to be loved. Don't say that. I love you. You're my best friend."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, Johnny. I... love... you too. I..."




And with that, Ripp had passed out.




It was surprisingly easy for Johnny to lift Ripp up off the floor and drape him over his shoulder, his long hair trailing down Johnny's back, even with the dead weight of his unconscious body. He carried Ripp to the cab, with his breath heavy on Johnny's neck, and his day-old stubble scratching him uncomfortably. What was much harder for Johnny to shoulder was the dawning knowledge of how deeply troubled his friend really was.

And this was before the General had even disappeared.







(Continue to Chapter 13...)

Comments

[hidden-kitten.livejournal.com]

:O You crazy, non-pillow-fighting maniac! I LOVE IT. I loved the string of pictures about Ripp's downward spiral, I love he and Johnny sticking together, and I especially love the pregnant animal. Nervous's sad puppy face nearly had me in tears :(

You shame my attempts at storytelling. Totally shame me. I put up a few more of Pleasantview and they are shamed into travesty by your Strangetown. :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Also, I didn't know you have more Pleasantview posted. I'll have to go check that out.

Yeah, the montage of Ripp's debauchery was fun to put together.

Johnny and Ripp always stick together. Did you really think that some jealousy and bacon omelettes could come between them?

The Beakers are breeding. *cue ominous music*

[hidden-kitten.livejournal.com]

Jealousy and bacon omelettes? That's the breakfast of champions...and disaster!
I'll be putting a Pleasantview link in my next story post to thesims2 (if it doesn't implode by then) with my 5.3 update of the SelfSims, so it's easy to miss for now.

And of course I enjoy this, it's engaging!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm, jealousy. Tastes good.

Okay, I'll watch for it. It's in a separate journal, right? I must have forgotten to friend it. I was hoping to follow that.

Ah, thanks! *smile* It's much more fun to write when people are following it and reacting to all the plot twists.

[hidden-kitten.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes allsims. I'm so used to it that I often forget that people don't associate me with it automatically. I mean, neither name is like the other like those cutesy names.

I think jealousy would taste like burnt mints. I don't like mints and I don't like burnt.

[ricamarcella.livejournal.com]

I LOVE the prolonged Johnny-Ripp karaoke sequence. It made them look so loveable, and you feel so glad Ripp has Johnny. And it's rare to find such inspiring (and complexly developed) friendships in a Sims fanfic. The superficial melodramas of lovers, bastards, and mortal enemies are a dime a dozen... but what you have here are friendships and family relationships that are realistic, while still being interesting and exciting!

The Beakers are breeding?! God, you'd better not use cheescake. Originally I thought Loki had impregnated his wife with Nervous' genes, but apparently it's really their kid. I wonder whether the wickedness will be passed down.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I love the animations for the karaoke interaction, and I knew that I would have to use them for something. They really just seem a bit too over the top to be taken seriously, so the idea for them to do it mockingly came up (or partly mockingly, since Ripp is really pretty sincere about it). They really do have a great friendship, and I love to explore the dynamics between people. Thank you.

*grin* I have already used cheesecake way too much in this story (you'll see), so I'll probably leave that to chance with Circe. I also wouldn't rule out something with Nervous, since I didn't specify the details of this pregnancy. I just said that they are breeding. And Loki is definitely up to something.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Circe's preggers? Oh dear. And poor Ripp. I hope he can come back, how hard this must all be on him.

I hope Kirsten recovers. Poor girl.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, Circe is pregnant. Wouldn't you love to have the Beakers as parents? That poor unborn child.

Ripp would be in much worse shape if he didn't have Johnny and Ophelia. Now that he's opened up about it a bit more, maybe he will be better able to deal with it.

Kristen should be fine. She has the other singles girls to look after her. She's pretty resilient. Just give her some time to bounce back.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Oh, it was so lovely to come back from playing the asylum to see that you had posted an update!

Hey, Phi and Johnny finally messing around! I still can't help but feel that they won't last much longer. Those two tend to end up together in most strangetown stories, I dunno, I just don't think they have it in them. It seems as if they both have a lot of unshared secrets between them, too many if they're supposed to be in a real relationship.

I feel like the series of pics of Ripp's crazy antics would never end. It was like the engergizer bunny, keeps going and going and going. Of course, you can always blame a want to repress any bad thoughts for his constant drinking and sleeping around. On the other hand, messing around on someone else's bed is just plain ol' nasty. I'd have to slap a bitch!

Poor Kristen, but I'm sure Pascal will make good on his invention to fix her up. Plus, Bella Goth! That hussy! Heh heh heh. Voices in Nervous' head cannot point to anything good. :(

Ok, I downloaded Meatloaf's song as you suggested, and when I got to the karaoke song, the lyrics you wrote matched exactly what I was listening to! It freaked me out! I had started it for a second time randomly, but the lyrics were perfect in sync! It was so cool! The karaoke shots were very amusing to see, plus only real men sing love songs in public. Drinking to forget your issues is no new thing. It just sucks that Ripp has to resort to that.

What do mean "before the General disappeared?" What the hell? Is this a cliffhanger or a typo?!?!?!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Did I put that Johnny/Phi moment in there just for you? Well, no, but there you go. I can see why they are usually together in most Strangetown stories. They start out that way, don't they? You're right about the secrets, though. It's not a good thing for any relationship, but Ophelia did make a start by opening up to Johnny. We'll have to see if Johnny does the same, or instead continues to collect the confidences of others without returning the favour.

Was that sequence excessive? *grin* It was a lot of fun. In a number of those shots (the pink bedroom and the hot tub), Ripp is in the female greek house. Others are taken in parts of the Wasteland Lounge, where the SPs play (getting it on in the washroom is very classy, Ripp). Yes, it keeps him busy and distracted, doesn't it? And he realized that he'd crossed a line on the bedroom thing, once he got that slap in the face and was able to step back and see what he was actually doing.

Yeah, Kristen will be okay, just not quite herself. Yeah, Bella Goth, the unrepentant sinner. Well, she is a romance sim with no attachments in life, so can you blame her? The voices in Nervous' head are significant, of course, and could be related to a number of things.

Oh, nice to hear that you downloaded the song to listen along. That's fun. I thought I might have been overdoing it with the amount of lyrics, but I really wanted to fit all those pics in (I had twice that many, so I was actually being fairly selective).

Yes, only real men sing love songs in public, and then cry their eyes out. Ripp, of course, didn't need to get drunk to end up crying, but it made it more of an inevitability. These guys are also in college, so the drinking wasn't just about forgetting his problems. He really just wanted to have a good time and bond with Johnny (we know that Ripp is aware of how irritated Johnny has become with him lately).

That last line is most definitely not a typo. It's heavy-handed foreshadowing. *wink*

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

I totally forgot to mention how much I love that Nervous is developing voices! I can't WAIT to see where you take that! :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, I have a nice little payoff for that one... you'll see. ;)

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

DAMN YOU!! Pascal does all the "tell and no show" about twins and makeovers and. . .I NEED to see it. GIVE IT UP TO MEEEEEE!!!!

Phew. Sorry about that. *sips orange juice* I know, I know, all in good time but damn. How much more can I take?

I loved the string of "what's Ripp been up to" pics. The random foot coming out the side of the bed cracked me up.

I see know what you meant by things getting complicated, what with all the breeding. Curious pods abound and now Circe is with spawn? And I liked what another comment noted: could there be Nervous dna in the mix? Ooh, what a great twist THAT would be. And just freaky enough to be something the Beakers would do, too.

I love the intro of Bella, too. And all the gossip. Lola is like me, dieing to know MORE, MORE, MORE! (and I know Pascal loves teasing her with it)

The Ripp/Johnny/Ophelia friendship thing just gets better and better. And too funny that you used a Meatloaf song. I was just jamming to "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" the other night. *singing* There ain't no coupe deville, hiding at the bottom of the cracker jack box! *clears throat* Sorry, I just couldn't resist. (ooh, now I have an ear worm--*hums and tries not to burst into song and terrify co-workers*)

And don't think I didn't notice that last line. Very interesting, the General disappearing like that. . .

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I will show you those alien babies in the next chapter, I promise. I felt that it would have been too out of place in this one, since I had already included that little aside about Bella there, and so many other things were going on. It's coming. *smile* I'm excited.

Yeah, that little series of photos was fun to do, for sure. I love those random limbs that poke out of the bed. Too funny. Also, Ripp's feet always seem to be the ones on bottom, I've noticed. Is this somehow connected to his laziness, I wonder?

Well, Loki has been doing SOMETHING with Nervous' DNA, hasn't he? There certainly could be something freakish going on there.

*smile* You're worse than Lola. Yeah, more than anything, I really needed to mention the birth of the babies to keep the timeline in order, but I like teasing you with a little preview too. I'm not sure how much Bella will play into the overall story yet, but I have a few things in mind (you might be able to guess at least one of them). *wink*

Johnny, Ripp, and Ophelia are bound together in so many ways, many of which they have yet to realize. We will, of course, see this develop further. Nothing like a true crisis to bring people closer.

I'm not sure of the exact moment that it occurred to me to use that Meatloaf song, but I was pretty excited about it. As Ripp said, it was just "too perfect". I really think it is a great song, and it certainly fits the emotional tone of that scene.

Well, I was really hoping that someone would notice it. It's to prepare you for things to come. Yes, very interesting. I wonder why someone would just disappear like that.

[jessicus.livejournal.com]

Poor Nervous looks so naked without his mowhawk. Circe is pregnant and you introduced Bella into the mix and all in one update. The pictures you take are still great (the last one especially!).

"Like any soaring high, it was destined for a crippling low. It ended in tears."

And how!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I miss the mohawk too. Perhaps he will one day have a chance to grow it back.

I've had Bella there for ages, and was worried that I better introduce her soon, then this amnesia plot just bubbled up, and it was all so obvious. She'll weave in and out of the plot, I'm sure.

Thanks! That last photo worked out well, and it was tricky, since almost any other angle would make that look like the silly romantic "leap into arms" interaction that it really is. It works as it is, though it would be better if Ripp's head wasn't upright. Close enough.

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

I'm getting so I read these updates, then go away for a bit and come back and hopefully I can write something coherent other then ;lakhdfl;idoptiwerenmjl;!!!! Okay then.


"I don't deserve to be loved, Johnny. I'm a fucking terrible person." And there I see the crux of Ripp's problems, poor thing. Talk about looking for love in all the wrong places. Ripp doesn't realize how good a friend he's got in Johnny. The montage of party-ing out of control was great. I love the one shot of him looking up towards the camera with the cup in his hand. That sort of sums everything up. The shots of them singing karaoke was great too. You really do capture some great expressions sometimes. You must take pictures about every three seconds or so.
I know you have said you pick out the songs for a reason. This was a great one for both Ripp and Johnny. Especially when Ripp is singing the line about sooner or later you'll be screwing around and Johnny sings I won't do that. I hve to wonder if something didn't click in his mind when they sang that part. (I love this song, by the way.)
Oh, and Ripp, screwing ladies in a friends bed is so very, very wrong! Ophelia may want him to disinfect the mattress as well as change the sheets!

Oh, goodie! Nervous is developing multiple personalities! How wonderful!(end sarcasim) And Circe is pregnant. Oh yes. Circe is enough of a bitch all on her own. I can not imagine how she'll be with pregnancy induced mood swings. I fear for any child that grows up in that household.

And this was before the General had even disappeared.
You just love doing this to me, don't you? You will keep me on pins and needles until the next post. Guh! Not that I like the General at all but still...Guh!

And now I have to go because in Real Life it has been snowing steadily since this morning and there's got to be at least 3 or more inches out there now and I have to go shovel it out of my driveway. :P
Great update as always and you know I'm just waiting for the next one! Very soon now someone has to Save Nervous!!

Heh, heh...I spelled "sarcasm" wrong, but considering how I misspelled it, I think I'll leave it. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*smile* Glad to hear that. It's nice to see an emotional reaction.

Yes, poor Ripp. He's really very sensitive, and tries to keep that hidden (with good reason, considering his home life). His behaviour does make him feel better, but also often leaves him feeling worse about himself too (like with Ophelia). I don't know if I agree about him not realizing what a good friend Johnny is, because he partly does, but maybe not the full scope of it.

Yes, the song is very appropriate for both of them. Johnny was definitely thinking about what he was doing with Jayne when Ripp was talking about marriage too. I'm glad to hear so many people say that they like the song, since it's awesome. *smile*

I really like that shot with the drink in Ripp's hand too. I was able to get that drunk looking pose because he's lazy and spaces out like that all the time.

I really do take a lot of photos. It's practically all I do when playing Strangetown. Sometimes I have a plan, and know the look I'm aiming for and other times, like the karaoke, I'm just grabbing what I can. I liked the difference between Ripp and Johnny's singing too. Since Ripp has way more creative points, he's better at it, and Johnny has that confused, uncomfortable expression for some of the shots. That worked perfectly for the characters and situation.

Disinfect the mattress? What, pray tell, do you think he was doing in there, exactly? *giggle* Well, it could have been anything, really. Ripp does it all. He's lucky that Ophelia has a preternatural level of understanding and empathy for others, and she didn't have to think twice about forgiving him. Johnny would have had a fit (and Ripp may have been in his room too. Who knows?) Also, the phrase "screwing ladies" made me laugh a lot. Classy and vulgar, all in one sweep.

We don't know that it's multiple personalities, though that's definitely one option. He's also on a lot of unidentified medication, remember.

Yes, that likely won't improve Circe's temper any. It will, however, make Nervous more sympathetic towards her (not that this will help him any).

Yes, I love leaving those little hints and teasers, but this one is more to prepare you for things to come. The Grunt family is headed for some (more) trauma.

I feel your pain about the snow. We're being dumped on too. It's going to be a brutal winter here this year. Lots of shoveling ahead for me.

Sarca-SIM! *grin*

[dothesmustle.livejournal.com]

Okay, okay, Ripp and Johnny have the CUTEST relationship ever. Ever!

The karaoke, it was...insanely adorable.

I like that we're getting to see Ripp's softer side. Why he acts like a booty sometimes!

Nervous, poor little Nervous. Hopefully Circe will be nicer when she's pregnant. I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN! I can't wait to see how Loki and Circe's genes mix. I've never done it myself. :P

I have to go play Strangetown now!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, they are rather cute, aren't they? *smile* Johnny and Ripp provide each other with a certain balance, since they both tend to veer off into their own extremes. Ophelia rounds out the group nicely, as the peacemaker and general bringer of calm. She, of course, needs them to keep her from becoming too withdrawn and melancholy.

Ripp's sensitive side has made an appearance before, like the night that Ophelia called him over to confide in him as a teen. He is pretty emotional.

Unfortunately, Circe will not likely get any nicer in this case. Poor Nervous. He's getting closer to a way out, though.

I've seen some nice results from Circe/Loki breeding, so it has a lot of potential. And Loki's genes are just crazy, period.

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

Oh man! That was awesome! :)

I love how you keep introducing the different Strangetown characters to the story. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Pascal and Bella Goth. He's her therapist/psychiatrist, right? At least, that's what I understood. This subplot between Kristen, Lola and Pascal is very interesting. Can't wait to see what's next for them.

I agree with what others said about the series of pictures of Ripp's unhealthy lifestyle. They were perfect! You didn't need anything else to say, for the images spoke a lot by themselves. And the karaoke expressions were adorable!

Whoa! So many babies! Are you implying that Vidcund had twins?! And Jenny also had a baby! (I think you mentioned that in an earlier update, but I'm not sure!) and now Circe of all people! Man! This will really complicate the plot, not that I mind, of course.

I love the relationship between Ripp, Johnny and Ofelia. I think that friendship is underrated in fandom in general, most people just focus in the romance part and forget about family and friends. It's refreshing to see a story in which two friends are just... two good friends :).

I must admit I was a bit afraid that Johnny and Ripp would become "intimate" after their little party (because I've read a ton of fanfiction with that plot), but as always, the direction the plot took was awesome. Poor Ripp, that kid is really alone (or thinks he's alone).

Awesome as always! :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do want to keep all the characters involved in the story, at least in some way. There are obviously several that stand out as the "main" characters, but every resident of Strangetown has a role to play here.

Pascal is acting as a therapist to Bella, while he's running trials on her with his invention. It's to benefit her, but also to test the effectiveness of the thing he's working on.

I did think that it would be nice to let the images tell the story there, and that was the longest stretch of photos without text that I've used so far, but I like the effect (like a montage in film). I might use that technique again if another suitable situation arises.

I love the expressions from that karaoke interaction. The little details like the fist in the air and raised arms are nice too.

There are lots of babies, and I plan to introduce the Curious/Smith babies in the next entry. It will serve as a sort of recap for that bunch, and bring a character into the spotlight that hasn't had a chance to express herself much yet.

Yes, I really enjoy exploring the friendship of those three. It's a large part of this story, as you can see. I don't think that friendship and romance are always mutually exclusive though, and the various types of love that one person can experience for another can blur together and shift over time. For these three, the underlying loyalty to each other as friends is very important, and it shapes their actions more than anything else.

Well, Johnny and Ripp did become intimate in one sense of the word, didn't they? As for anything more than that, I couldn't see it, at least not at this point in time. I personally have no objections to Johnny/Ripp romantic plots at all. For me, and this story, it would have to be grounded in logic and in keeping with the characters too. I hope that you don't have any objection to gay relationships in general. If something is conceivably in character, anything could happen, since I really do think that this is perfectly normal.

Yes, Ripp does feel very alone, and he relies on his friends to fill this void. Luckily for him, they're good at it.

Thank you. :)

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

I hope that you don't have any objection to gay relationships in general. If something is conceivably in character, anything could happen, since I really do think that this is perfectly normal.

I've just re-read my comment, and I've realized that I unknowingly implied that I'm against gay relationships! Man! Talk about a badly constructed phrase!

Of course I don't object to that kind of relationships.

I apologize.

What I meant is that if there's something I can't stand in fandom, is this tendency of considering that any couple of good friends (regardless of gender) MUST fall in love (or at least have sex), even if there's no "chemistry" of that kind between them.

Of course, if the plot and character development justify the change from friendship to love, that's adorable, and I actually love to read/see stories like that. That's why I'm enjoying your story, because you explore the relationships between the characters in a realistic way. You actually acknowledge that feelings change with time, always supported by what happens around them.

It's just this way of thinking like "ZOMG! X and Y are standing in the same room! They are both eating a chocolate ice-cream! And they are even breathing the same air! Therefore, they are surely fucking each other!" that gets on my nerves.

Perhaps that's why I'm not involved with most "fandoms".

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Okay, good. I wasn't really getting a strong anti-gay vibe from you there, but I'm quick to defend those sorts of things, as I'm sure you've noticed. No need to apologize. :)

You'll notice that nothing happens that fast in this story! It might be excruciatingly slow in some cases, but I completely agree with you about letting things develop over time in a natural way. I completely agree about chemistry too, and it's not always so easily reciprocated either. Like the thing between Tank and Ophelia.

I very much like to see the development of relationships over time, and I love all types of complicated relationships. That's why the Grunts appeal to me so much as a family. There is so much going on there between them.

I couldn't agree with you more.

[franwi.livejournal.com]

This was so good. I love Ripp, Ophelia, and Johnny's friendship - complications and all. It's nice to see Johnny and Ripp having a guy's night out. I like how Johnny's realizing that his friends aren't betraying him behind his back, but instead he's been blind to the problems they've been dealing with. It's almost like on some level he's been sticking with sane-Jayne and imagining the worst of Phi and Ripp so he wouldn't have to face the truth. His friends are stuck in a dark place. I hope they won't pull Johnny down with them, but does Johnny have the strength to help them out? Seems he's still their light in the darkness, but now Johnny's got his own dilemmas as well. I can definitely see Jayne becoming Johnny's sunny salvation, she's sweet and relatively angst-free compared to Phi and Ripp. I just wonder what path Johnny will choose.


I actually laughed at Circe being pregnant. That's so evil. I feel a bit sorry for the kid - I'm imagining some Draco-type offspring warped by his parents aspirations and hatreds. Seems like the Beaker-Curious war could continue for a good long time now. And I wonder about the voices Nervous is hearing. I'm hoping Paz can come up with a new plan. But knowing now the lengths Pascal will go to to help Nervous, it probably gives Loki good leverage against his rival/nemesis. If Pascal makes any scientific breakthroughs, Nervous could make a nice bargaining chip for Loki to get his hands on Curious research. Seems Pascal needs his own piece of leverage - and soon!

Ripp screwing some band groupie in Phi's bed made me want to smack him good! But I loved his downward spiral and those pics. And even though he seems to lack moral fiber, at least he feels bad about it! ;)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Johnny is something like the parent figure in that friendship, isn't he? Which makes a lot of sense, since he's the one with a stable family (or any family, in the case of Phi). He really wasn't seeing what they were going through, since they weren't being open about it, and also choosing to turn to each other instead. You're right about Jayne seems like a breath of fresh air after all that, and it must make Johnny feel carefree to be around her. But Johnny won't feel comfortable turning his back on his friends completely, so he has to somehow navigate between the two.

Yeah, it's fun to laugh at Circe throwing her guts up. Finally, she gets to feel some pain! Growing up in that family would definitely be bad for a child.

You really do have to wonder what Loki might do to Pascal when he finally finishes up what he's doing in the tower. He really does hate him, and eliminating the competition would be an excellent way to get ahead. Pascal needs a new plan.

Ripp was such a mess by that point that smacking him would be too cruel, and it's not like Ophelia to do such a thing. I'm sure that Ripp had no idea what day of the week it was, or what time of day. That's where a week-long bender will likely get you: rock bottom. He did feel quite bad, and if Ophelia hadn't forgiven him, he would have felt like the worst person on earth. It was like he needed her to forgive him for everything, to prove that he was worth forgiving.

[ricamarcella.livejournal.com]

Wow, you really think it all through, don't you? The characters' relationships, I mean, down to each individual incident. How Ripp needed Ophelia to forgive him that one time, or else he'd see himself as completely worthless. How Johnny likes being with Jayne because she's "normal" and there's no pressure on him to do any helping out or life-fixing.

Are you a professional fiction writer? You seem to think your characters out more deeply than any Sim writer I've ever read stuff by. And I've read pretty much every Strangetown series out there on the net. I especially like how you include absolutely everyone in town in your story, down to Bella, though of course not to the same degree... but there's a suggestion that even the minor characters have stories of their own, though they aren't explored.

My only critique is... what happened to Olive? Why didn't she kill Ophelia like she was planning to? And what motivated all those murders? (I know that what motivates the Beakers' evil is scientific ambition, but Olive's mind is like a dark room. All I can tell is that she destroys everyone she meets, without giving any reason for why. Sort of like her true love.) But then I wonder what kind of love villains feel. Whether Olive really loves Nervous, or if it's that corrupt kind of love of wanting to make your kid exactly like you. If she saves him she'll probably want to turn him into a psychopath like herself, ruthless and powerful. Bet that's what Loki and Circe want to do with their kid too, by (possibly) giving it Nervous' supernatural abilities.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent critique, because I have been holding back on Olive, but I won't be for much longer. The answer to your questions, and more, will all be revealed shortly, as well as some movement forward with Olive. Olive really is a psychopath, though, and her actions are harder to understand than most other characters. I wouldn't want to say that I could fully understand her, would you?

I'm not a professional writer, but I have been published in a number of small capacities, and it's something that I aspire to do. My goal is to eventually write a graphic novel (my partner will do the image element). This is good practice, since it has a similar balance between images and text.

Thank you for all the kind words.

[maybemabel.livejournal.com]

Wow. I just read through all of your stories, and they are incredible. I can honestly say with no hesitation that these are the best Sims stories I have ever read! (Though there are some others that I really, really enjoy, too. :))

Things I love:

- How you work in all the character most people don't bother with, like General Buzz, PT9, Olive Specter (though it makes sense most people don't include her since she dies the first time you play that house!), the Singles, Loki and Circe, and so on.

- Your very unique takes on all the characters. I love what you've done with the Grunts, and am very interested to find out more about Bella.

- How family and friendship is just as important as romance in your story. Particularly, I love the Pascal-Lola relationship, the whole Grunt family and the Ripp-Johnny-Ophelia friendship.

- The hints of alien culture! That's really my favorite Sim thing to read about. I love all the unique takes on it, particularly pixel_and_bean's and madame_ugly's. I'm very excited to bring in some aliens into my neighborhood, as well as my own Sim fantasy race (goblins). I haven't written up any stories yet, but I'm thinking about it!

Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm friending you and can't wait for more!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! That's very lofty praise. I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so much. Now I'll have to try extra hard to make sure it stays that way. :)

When I set out to do this, I decided that all the characters would be used, at least in some small way. I really enjoy the dynamics of a small town, since I come from one, and even if you don't get to see what goes on with everyone all the time, the rumours and local mythology keeps you aware of all of those characters. Strangetown has such a variety of interesting characters, so how could I leave anyone out?

I did have to take liberties with how long Olive would live. She won't live much longer, but I couldn't just let her pass silently away like she does in the game.

It's fun to explore the characters and family relationships, since there are so many factors to consider. I'm glad that you've enjoyed this take on the characters. I really enjoy looking at friendship, since it can often be much more complicated than romance. And family... well that's the most complex relationship of all. That's why I love the Grunts so much. They have all these issues between them, but underneath it all, they are still a family, and that does keep them together.

I really enjoy reading the different takes on alien culture too, and I love the stories of pixel_and_bean and madame_ugly. I highly recommend them. I'm not much of a science fiction writer, so my own interpretation of the aliens may be fairly simple in comparison.

You really should consider writing your stories and posting them! It's a lot of fun, and I would be interested in reading them. Your goblin race sounds really interesting. You should go for it!

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

AHHH!!! There's so much to say!!! *flails* I absolutely LOVED Ripp's downward spiral and his talk with Opheila and Johnny. It just showed how much they're all friends despite anything that comes between them. :) And the karaoke??? That was AWESOME. I love that Johnny is always there for Ripp no matter what. :D

And the Kristen stuff is interesting! I can't wait to see what you're going to do with a blank slate. ;)

And the General is missing???? *jumps up and down* This is just so great. :)

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Oh and I forgot! Bella Goth!! Eeek. :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Hoorah for Bella Goth! I'm still not sure if she'll ever get a larger role in the story, but she'll definitely make an interesting side character, at the very least.

I really love the Goths in Pleasantview, especially Mortimer, so you never know if I might decide to go off on a subplot where he shows up looking for her, or something. I have no immediate plans for anything like that, but I'm not opposed to maybe doing some neighbourhood crossovers to spice things up later.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It was fun to show what Ripp has been up to, rather than tell it. The thing about Ripp's activities that most people seem to be missing, is that he didn't go out and start doing that after the fight with Buzz - that's what Ripp was always doing, we just haven't seen it. It does gets a lot more excessive and non-stop after that fight, though, especially the drinking and "bubble blowing".

Those friends stick together through thick and thin. :) I really like their unconditional solidarity and love for each other. And the karaoke was just plain fun, especially how Johnny was so embarrassed to do something that silly, but is powerless to stop Ripp from getting things his way (as usual).

The plot thickens. :) And it's not all good...

[kin-thalas.livejournal.com]

Poor Ripp tries to forget his sad life with all that crazyness... and fails terribly. Good Johnny is there.

[aeonnox.livejournal.com]

"You're going to ruin them if you paw them over like that." Ophelia said. "They bruise easily."

"Sorry. I couldn't help it."

This was from a previous chapter, I think... but given Ripp's downward spiral here, it just bounced back into my head... :( Poor Ripp.

Loved this. I'm stuck, reading your chapters all day long, I'm hooked :) And you've posted a new one today! awesome. fantastic stuff.

[smilehostage.livejournal.com]

i'm LOVING the photography in this chapter. the montages were spot on. i really wanna hug Ripp sometimes. always one of my favourite Strangetown boys.

[missgan.livejournal.com]

BELLA! Wow, I'm so glad to see her, this is going to be good! I guess this means that there are possibly more appearances from Pleasantview characters in later posts? :D

Oh gosh, pregnant Circe? What a nightmare.

The powerballad had me in stitches! I'm definitely going to download that song now! Poor Ripp though, he's really falling apart...
"Oh, nothing... just the fact that my entire fucking life is falling apart! Nothing to fucking worry about at all."
And he's being really dramatic about it too, hehe!

[ohflark.livejournal.com]

I don't see where Johnny gets off on calling Phi out when he has been just as distant as she has been and he is the one that is out with some girl that his father is trying to set him up with.

I guess Johnny just kind of pisses me off.

awww Bella Goth! I love her.

everytime I see Nervous subject I get sad. He looks so miserable!

The karoke was the best it made me laugh a lot.

It is good to see Johnny and Rip as best friends again and not at eachothers throat. They really needed that night out :)

[pnkpnthr334.livejournal.com]

The karaoke scene was GREAT! Poor Ripp, but I'm glad Johnny is there for him.

I hope Pascal can come up with a plan to save Nervous before it's too late.

[simstate.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Chloe's exact words had been, "Genesis Lam is polishing the General's brass."
-- LOL - you have such a way with words

And - cliffhanger! Oh no! I was just starting to like your Gen Buzz! Ripp is going to be so messed up!

[(Anonymous)]

So I've gotten this far, simply because I can't stop reading, and I am just flabbergasted. The story is so well put together and the characters are so deep and involving, honestly, I'm actually cursing my own mortalness for having to sleep now! I'll definitely be reading more tomorrow, thanks again, this has really brightened my day. <3