Though our dear founder's husband may be nothing more than ectoplasmic residue, her siblings and parents are still very alive and very present.
Lucien: Umm, grandpa? Why are you glowing red and looking kind of like a demon?
Vlad: Oh, umm, no reason. I'll just take my laptop and go.
(Voice in the background): But that's
my laptop!
Pippin: Okay, Lucien, ignore your grandfather becoming the Emporer of Evil. Let's focus in on why I had you come here.
Lucien: Hello, Sheila. I'm Lucien. I love your purple hair. Purple's my favorite color.
Sheila: Really?
Lucien: No, it's not, but for your sake, sure it is!
Pippin: Well played...I guess.
Chysm: Pippin!
Pippin: Yes, Chysm?
Chysm: You aren't forcing my boys to find potential spouses while I'm distracted with Arienne's toddler skills are you?
Pippin: What? Me? Do such a thing? Of course not. It hurts that you'd even insinuate such a thing. I'm merely helping the boys become more familiar with their home town.
Chysm: Okay then. As long as you remember that
I'm in charge of their upbringing.
Pippin: But of course! Well, I'd best head back to the park and see how Tipton's doing.
Pippin: Tipton, I thought I said meet
girls.Tipton: Well, teens are technically not yet adults, so these are "girls."
Pippin: Okay, that might be true, but these girls will age up quite a while before you and will most likely already be in relationships when you age up.
Tipton: Perhaps, but they also have something girls my age don't have.
Pippin: Umm, I'm almost afraid to ask, but what might that be?
Tipton: Physics textbooks! We're having a study date later.
Pippin: Tippy, you party animal. I wonder how Lucien's doing.
Lucien: And to quote one of my favorite poets, "You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey."
Cara: Wow, that's so beautiful.
Lucien: I know, right? I wrote that myself.
Cara: You said it was by one of your favorite poets.
Lucien: Yes. I dd. I am one of my own favorite poets.
Pippin: Wow, that's much better than the red shoes line your mom uses. You're also better at spending time with the ladies than your brother. He took that phrase to indicate he should spend time with his aunts.
Tipton: And so you see, the reason they don't have the lights on is so that the paint on these ancient masterpieces does not fade and erode.
Amella: That's really fascinating!
Ezzy: Hey, I'm just here so I have an excuse to make mom babysit, so can we cut all his high IQ nonsense and just go for ice cream?
But while the boys were finishing up their quality time with their respective interpretations of "ladies," our central lady figure was having quality time of her own.
Dorren: Gotcha! See? Instead of taking you to bed, I'm taking the bed to you!
Chysm: Back atcha, ghostboy!
The next day found the boys attending Drake School of Life and Learning.
Pippin: Well, they weren't the only young boys who were significant that day.
Lucien: I sense a disturbance in the Force!
Tipton: That just your relationship panel recognizing the birth of our half-brother.
Lucien: Half-brother? How is that possible?
Tipton: Sadly, I don't believe we cover biology nor relationships until our high school years, so you'll just have to wait for those answers.
Pippin: I've subtly prompted a young lady to come home with you, Lucien.
Lucie: Score!
Pippin: Would you like me to do the same for you, Tipton?
Tipton: No thanks. I'm planning to better myself through new experiences by joining the after-school athletics club.
Pippin: Athletics club?
Lucien: He means ballet. Oh! School's out!!
Lucien: So, this is my house, Renae. What do you want to do first?
Renae: Homework.
Pippin: This would be one of those Dolan kids. She's a keeper, eh Lucien?
Lucien: She just might be.
Renae: I'm sorry, what?
Lucien: Oh, umm, red shoes?
And in the world of Dragon Valley romance, Berucca has hooked up with this old guy...whose name I didn't write down...
But a day filled with half-brother births, school and learning, a date turned homework session, and a genius dancing ballet came to a close. The next day brought school for our young men once again.Lucien: Come on, Tipton! I want to walk Renae to school. Oh, and you can walk her sister.
Tipton: Ah, I've attained wingman status.
Angie: Hmm, you must be Tipton. My sister did mention that you had the look a young Harold Potter.
Tipton: Oh...well...yes. Yes I do. And may I say you look like you stepped right out of a table-top role-playing game.
Angie: Thanks. I think?
And while these ladies may prove to be important parts of the future of this storyline, a couple of other female characters contributed significant news to this update.Pippin: Dulcinea has announced that she is pregnant!
Pippin: The father is Mason Sackholme, who briefly married someone else, but then had a falling out, got back together with Dulci, moved in with her, and now they expect a child. However, another Schlick-Wainwright daughter had some child news. Specifically, Chysm's youngest was finally aging up to child.
Arienne: Pippin! What did you do to my hair?
Pippin: It's just a glitch. I can fix it.
Arienne: No, I meant I wanted to learn how to do it so I could torment my brothers.
Pippin: ...anyway, let's go do your age-up makeover.
Arienne: Well, I've aged up and changed clothes. Can I go take over the world now?
Pippin: Well, maybe you should at least finish elementary school first?
Arienne: Hmm, school. A nice place to meet impressionable young people and bend them to my will. I like how you think, Pippin.
Pippin: Umm, than you? And may I mention how scared I am for Dragon Valley?
Arienne: As well you should be.
And so, with budding childhood relationships, a founder who no longer has to each toddler skills, and the potential overthrow of Dragon Valley's government, we bid the family goodnight.
