Funnily enough I was reading a back issue last night where you indicated Alex had found the restore key on your computer and wiped half of the story so you had to do it all again.

This time, we can blame the Replicant. See, that villain lives.




Well, now you get both!




Yes indeed. So what is the current line-up as at the conclusion of this tale? It looks like Sally will stay, will Beth/Laurie? G'Eyed? A roll call would be useful.




And therein lies the good bits.




I suspect you would have been more successful than I anyway, if it were possible. I don't really have contact and avoid social media.




As far as we know is not definitive is it. *shudder* I wonder if he kept her bones? GAH! Why am I even thinking this?




Would it work without the context of who the lunatic is? Or would you plan to introduce him first, and then release it later as an origin story?






Well, I'm interpreting it as the Hood could have redeemed her, but he found himself quite liking the limits of his new power, and did not want it to unravel or lose those. He was talking about what he had gained there.

Perhaps he became what Morningstar wanted after all.

I'm also convinced Morningstar was more than just what he seemed to be, possibly a conduit setting all this up anyway (by whom? A mystery), but then I'd really need to go back and re-read all the earlier Herringcarp Gothic chapters (which I haven't since their original posting) to be sure on that.




They have a lot of catching up to do. Out of interest, who is Beth's mother?




I think you did that once with Lisa early on, didn't you? It would have been frustratingly enjoyable in this case though, I am sure.




Some mysteries aren't meant to be solved.




Stories that you tell us you're never going to write!




*nods* I understand only too well, my mother's presence is still scattered around the place, and I don't mean her ashes. I kept her fridge and washing machine. The fridge had a stick of copha in it I just couldn't bring myself to throw out for the longest time. I never used it, but she used to make rum balls for Christmas and that was one of the ingredients. It just sat there happily in the fridge door shelf for the longest time. There is absolutely no logical explanation why I never chucked it, or why I was upset when the washing machine finally bought the bullet (it was very old - twist-knob operated - but worked a lot better than these new fangled ones with buttons and fancy screens). I eventually chucked it - and said goodbye. Makes me smile now.

There are still some bits of my father here and there too, and he's been a long time gone. When I moved into my own place I deliberately brought things out to remind me of them. If you can muster up the courage to tackle the boxes I do find it's nice to have some little bits out and around rather than hidden away.




The Amazons are trying to get free.




See, Corposant Fire is the key.




Ah, that's good. I thought I'd missed something. (Wouldn't be the first time).




And better quality ones for a lot of them too!





Jumbuck: "Are you sure this is a Jumbuck costume?"
The Tailor: "Yeth thir, I'm thure."
Jumbuck: "Looks like a rabbit to me mate."
The Tailor: "You inthult me!"
Jumbuck: *shrugs, and takes it anyway*




LOL, stop gloating. And don't forget Amnesia.

Anyway, if I've learnt one thing from reading the stories here it's that making deals with the Fey is treacherous. I hope the Hood gets to experience that.






Well, not much. I mean who wouldn't want to have an emo kid with grandfather worshiping delusions of grandeur?

Luckily, we know that time-travel and future scenarios are often just insights into "possibilities" rather than "actualities".

Yeah, that's what I'm clinging to.

To be fair, I've forgotten what I had planned for him, or if indeed I every had anything planned.




Good good, proceed.




I think resolving the Citizen Z/Laurie/Beth sup-plot was probably the most urgent in terms of needing a resolution.




I shall endeavour to not be!