1.16 Actually a Lizard

 

After storming away from Chen and Brooke last chapter, Lynx is still too restless to go back home, so he ends up at a quiet little book cafe.

After a while he glances up and notices his sister Epiphany has joined him.

"I come here a lot too," she says.

Lynx narrows his eyes. "Could this day get any worse?"

"What'cha mean, bro? Is my presence so abhorrent?"

"Just shut up," Lynx groans.

"But you're reading Tales From the Mine #12. It would be a shame if I... spoiled the ending."

"What do you want from me?!"

Epiphany grins. "Just chat with me! Tell me what's up."

"My friend was arguing with her boyfriend, if you must know, so I came here for some peace and QUIET."

"Ouch. I see. I see. Home is not quiet, but Bjorn Cafe is... usually quiet. Yes. I can be quiet."

"Good."

Eager to forget about his ill-fated crush on Brooke Valstrom, Lynx tries his luck with Mariposa Fernandez.

She has the insane trait, but Lynx has never given mental illness much thought, so for now he's just ignoring it.

"I know you're secretly adopted because your father is actually a lizard," Mariposa whispers. "I figure that by dating you, I can get closer to the conspiracy and uncover more truths. Will you cooperate?"

"Um. Pretty sure my dad's not a lizard."

"You don't have to pretend around me, Lynx. I already know."

"Whatever. As long as we get to make out."

They seal the deal with a clumsy first kiss.

Epiphany shakes her head disapprovingly. Why are people so desperate and dumb? she wonders.

Astral plays some music for the dead people haunting the festival, somehow unaware that these are fake decorative graves.

Astral's not the brightest bulb in the basket or anything.
 

Later on she randomly encounters Mina Warbler, the daughter of her mother's friend Fjord Warbler. As the girls catch up they learn they are both into music. Mina has her mother's amazing voice, and it just so happens Gateway Glam could use someone with singing talent. Young, bright-eyed Mina jumps at the chance to join up.

"We should get a fourth member!" Mina encourages. "Four is a lucky number."

"Preferably a keyboardist. I'm level 10 drums and level 8 guitar, but I can't do everything," Astral agrees.

Mayor Jonas Beaker, well known for his musical talents, serendipitously shows up a few moments later! On a whim, Astral zooms over to ask him to join Gateway Glam. Is this a joke???

Nope. This is Gateway Glam now. The mayor and three teenage girls.

Fairuza, decked out in her very threatening sim-fu outfit, pulls her daughter aside to express concerns about how... creepy... she thinks this Mayor-Beaker-in-the-band development is.

"Mom, what the hell? Jonas is super cool. Our band is great now. We might even get a gig."

Jonas and Rock are part of the same political party. They disagree on a few things, but always manage to have civil discourse and actually listen to each other.

And here's a screenshot of Lynx gaming in his underwear.

Yup, that is pretty much Lynx's entire day.

Ivy Law, the eldest of Fairuza and Rock's four children, is living just down the street, in one of the many red houses in town.

Ivy and Mikkel are expecting their first child. Fairuza is very excited about that.

Fairuza has plenty of child-rearing tips.

Ivy doesn't think she needs much advice. She had to deal with her three younger siblings for so long, after all. That's my Ivy, Fairuza thinks to herself. So smart, she thinks she knows everything!

Ivy the all-knowing goes into labor during her mother's visit.

Mikkel ran off to work after appearing in only those two screenshots, so Fairuza drives Ivy to the hospital.

Some hours later, baby Lily Law is brought home to her cozy nursery. Snuggling her first grandchild predictably causes Fairuza to roll a wish to have four more of them.

"Your father will stop by in a little while," Fairuza promises. "He's sorry it can't be sooner."

Ivy smiles. "Well he is a Leader of the Free World. He has responsibilities."

For a long time, Lynx has had a surface-level hatred for his sisters Epiphany and Astral, but lately he and Pippy here find themselves connecting over shared interests in literature... as well as their mutual need for quiet time, away from band practices and visiting nieces.

"Why does anyone even want babies?" Lynx grumbles. "All they do is scream and leak fluids."

"Well, they grow out of it eventually."

"Until which point they should be locked away out of sight, not shown off to the whole family..."

"Agree," Epiphany says, with a shrug.






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Etc.: ROFL civil political discourse! Best joke I ever wrote. 10/10

Bjorn Cafe had a makeover from Owly Sims.