Uh. Yeah. I’m just gonna fling this at this blog like a frisbee and run away again.
Ismael wakes up to the sound of his wife’s phone ringing. This happens a lot; some travel agency keeps calling her at all times of day and night to offer all expenses paid trips abroad, so long as she does some photography work for them. Normally, the adventurous couple might even go for it, but they’re extremely reluctant to leave newborn Karla behind.
For a moment, he stands, feeling oddly dizzy and discombobulated. There’s a nagging feeling, like there’s something that he needs to do, but can’t quite remember…
…Right. Of course. The research.
It must be destroyed.
It’s a simple enough task to destroy the genetic samples he’s taken, since the amateur scientist has ample access to hydrochloric acid, and an even simpler one to burn what few notes he has written down. He kept them scarce so that it would be less likely for someone to stumble across them, but that paranoia now means that there’s hardly anything left for him to destroy.
As soon as he’s finished, he feels…good. Calm. Accomplished. But also oddly dizzy…
He’s unconscious before he hits the ground. In the morning, he’ll think he got caught up working on some breakthrough and passed out from simple exhaustion. A thought will cross his mind that whatever he was working on was important, but he will dismiss it in his rush to get back to the main house. If Catherine were to wake up, she’d worry about him. He will be very sure that this is more important than whatever his project was. He will not think about it again.
In other news, Karla is now a devastatingly adorable toddler!
Look at her! Another Brienne clone, but with some throwback Frio-red hair. D’aww, you almost can’t tell she has the grumpy trait.
Ismael can’t help but worry if the constant presence of restless ghosts will have an impact on his daughter’s development. After all, he hopes for her to take after him in the genius level IQ department.
Speaking of a traumatized childhood…
Rather than rushing the innocent child away from witnessing her grandfather’s death, the maid just sits there like an apathetic bump on a log.
Maid: Preventing psychologically scarring experiences wasn’t covered in my contract, sooo…
The whole family rushes in to sob as Grim shows up. Karla just sits there in befuddlement as, again, no one moves to remove her from the room.
Jared: About goddamn time, you lazy bum! You got any idea how long I’ve been waiting to kick the friggin’ bucket?! And hey, kid, what in the hell are you crying for?!
Catherine: I’m not crying, I’m hiding my face because you look like you’re naked right now and it’s making me really uncomfortable!
Grim: *long sigh*
Jared: Get me the hell outta here, spooky.
Catherine: Oh plumbob, Dad, why do you always have to be such a jerk!
Grim: *even longer sigh*
Maid: Umm, this is really sad and crap, but can I request a raise because of emotional damages or what?
Despite her protests otherwise, Catherine is in fact upset that her ancient father has passed on. She’s also upset he didn’t live long enough to see his soon-to-be second grandchild. (because yeah, she’s pregnant again)
He was always a big jerkface, but he genuinely loved all of his grandchildren. Or maybe that’s just because the only one he really met was too small to yell at.
Even as she throws herself into raising Karla properly, she’s plagued with doubts. Both of her parents are dead, leaving her with even more responsibility than being head of the household already gave her. Should she tell Bedivere about his alien heritage, or keep up the lie of claiming he’s simply “adopted?” Her parents always insisted that it wasn’t worth the risk, but her guilt over the deception has only been growing since she first confirmed Bedivere’s childhood assumptions. Not to mention her bizarre dream conversations with Alia The Amazingly Cryptic Unicorn.
She has no idea what to do, or who it’s safe to confide in. She wants to do right by her family, but she doesn’t know what the Right Choice is.
Bedivere is horribly depressed too, over the lingering grief of Tiff’s passing as well as his father’s. But in his case, his habit of politely going outside the house to burst into tears catches the attention of a random empathetic bystander.
Tahiya Shalut only left Al Simhara because she had to attend an artist’s convention. She never anticipated that taking a few hours to sightsee would end in her meeting a man so polite, so in touch with his emotions, so…enchantingly green.
Bedivere thinks she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.
Bedivere: She’s so talented, and beautiful, and her voice is like music! I think I’m in love! Do you think she’d be willing to come visit me?
Catherine doesn’t say anything; he’s so excited that he doesn’t need her input to keep talking. She tries to feel happy that her brother has found love, but she can’t help but wonder if this means that he’s going to move out too, to start his own family.
At least he’s still babysitting Karla, and imparting valuable martial arts tips.
Bedivere: Now remember, most people say that this is dishonorable, but if you really want to beat someone go for the crotch. Understand?
Karla: Guh.
Some random winter moments:
She might not be able to ride Danger in this weather, but Catherine makes sure to take plenty of time to socialize and groom him.
Ismael tries not to be judgemental, but he thinks Raven Goth should really know better than to leave her infant daughter out on the porch in this weather.
(And yes, StoryProgression really did name Bella & Mortimer’s first child “Raven Goth,” because apparently in this universe the Goth’s are really trying to be Addams family ripoffs.)
He makes this suit look good.
This adorable moment would probably be cuter if Catherine wasn’t dreaming about cuddling her horse.
Some people would say that fishing at night in the dead of winter is a bad idea. They might even say that anyone who does it is certifiably insane, and probably about to die of hypothermia.
Bedivere has a word for those people, but he’s too polite to say it.
D’aww, lookit the little gremlin.
Okay, so it’s only been…almost a year since I last posted??? I don’t even know you guys, I really planned on finishing this last fall but it. Didn’t happen. Whoops?
I am so very sorry to all of you who have been waiting so patiently, and thankful to anyone who’s still reading! I won’t promise anything, because I know I’ll just break that promise, but I’m going to try to be more regular about these updates.
Moving on…
The last member of Generation 1 is officially dead. 😥 Jared really hung in there, I think he was somewhere in the area of 108-109 years old.
That scene with Bedivere and the Egyptian tourist was completely unplanned by the way. He was out fishing, I saw her, I though “Ooh, she’s pretty, let’s introduce B to her,” and they immediately found each other attractive. It’s fated to be! At some point, I’m going to have those two crazy kids get married and let them roam free at the mercies of SP, but I’m still undecided on when that’ll be. Let me know in the comments: Do you want Bedivere to stick around for a while? Should he take off as soon as this whole “alien arc” is resolved? I’d like to hear your takes on it!
As always, thank you so much for reading/liking/commenting! This blog wouldn’t still exist if it weren’t for you wonderful, wonderful people!
-Mo ❤
Oh, and Catherine recently reached 100,000 LTH milestone, which nets my greedy point-dragon self another point to hoard!
The Gallant Legacy 