alicealicee

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 64)

“State your name for those gathered,” Judge Rudolf demanded in a firm baritone, looking not at Margreta, but at the crowd before them. Margreta did not answer and looked as though she did not realize she had even been asked anything. A second of silence passed, then when it was evident she would not answer she was struck in the left arm with a baton by one of the human officers. A gasp, excited and distraught, shot through the crowd upon hearing the sickly, hollow thud.

A cry of hor...

End of Year Hiatus

Hi, I'm sorry to say that owing to significant life events and needing to properly allocate my attention AYP will be going on another hiatus following this next chapter. It is not the end of Volume 3 like I had planned, but it is both the longest chapter in the series so far (at roughly 30 pages), and also contains what I think to be its best writing so far. I feel it's a good place to rest for the year.

I apologize for the frequent hiatuses, but it's the only way I can work. Each chapt...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 63)

“We are gathered here today before the eyes of justice, which so graciously offer to show us the errors and deviations which we cannot see in ourselves; to look upon us, unclouded by judgment or personal bias, and see within where the truth lies. Regardless of the verdict rendered today, know that it is delivered without malice; it is solely because we wish to preserve this garden for our children that we must sometimes prune it.”

The judge concluded his speech and reclined back int...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 62)

The session began with a terror which had until now never visited Aster's household. A civil officer— a human attaché of the state's police force— was standing in the doorway, looking Aster's father over with piercing eyes. This gaze was intensified by his diminutive glasses and their circular lenses, which seemed to focus his eyes in a way that you could be sure he was looking right through you. Beside this man stood Marienne, a cordial smile on her lips, eager as ever to begin the sess...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 61)

A horrendous guilt had made its nest in Aster's heart. For a week— that is, a week of real world time— Aster had dutifully furnished this nest with no end of woeful, self-hating, wretched thoughts which the guilt consumed like fire of oxygen. It eclipsed the happiness to be made of the successes that came out of the residency— which had in all respects been a monstrous hit. In place of the Cherubs, Marion's old bandmates in The Sluggers came to fill in, and the shows had proceeded with ...

Sylvia Dance

At long last it is finally finished! Please enjoy the splendor of Sylvia in motion; the first animation I've ever done!

I've attached a version with the full song below, in case you'd like to watch Sylvia dance on loop for hours.

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 60)

Several days rest was all the band got before the inaugural night of their residency had come upon them. It was an intermittent rest, whose peace was disturbed by an ever increasing amount of demands and requests. Shop owners the square over were asking the band to come visit more frequently— being seen in their shops was good for business— but even Sylvia struggled to keep up with all the free food, amongst other gifts they received. The band as well was whisked away to Kyrietone the day...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 59)

The session had approximately reached its mid-way point when Mareby-Roquefort burst through the door of Studio A's control room. Behind him followed Neil Applegate, who entered the room with a look of total indifference, like one walking into a doctor's appointment. Mareby-Roquefort threw out his hands in grand fashion to announce his entrance, but Neil was already walking past him.

“Neil Applegate,” he said, extending a hand out to Vincent. “I'm with A&R at Kyrietone.”

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 58)

Aster knew that she would never be a mother. Such an existence was as distant to her as the stars were in the sky. Yet, walking with the group towards Cherry Lane Studios on that cold January morning, she couldn't help but feel she had joined their sorority in at least one way— watching the things you nurture grow up before you know it.

This was to say that to Aster, it seemed like only yesterday the band had taken its first few, innocent, wobbling steps. Awkward, fawn-like steps whic...

Sylvia Dance WIP

Further work on the Sylvia animation. This is a fun project, because I can't really draw, let alone animate, so it's neat to actually see it come together. Further work must be done on her bow's perspective and un-stiffening her legs, and probably beat matching her to the music better.

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 57)

A dead quiet fell across Aster's bedroom as she and Cecil settled into their positions— Aster on her bed, Cecil awkwardly on a chair closer to the staircase. Aster's room had no door between it and the stairway entrance— only a curtain hung for privacy by Sylvia— and so the light sounds of jazz and poetic murmuring floated up from the shop into the room; the only thing preventing total and absolute silence.

An acoustic guitar sat next to Aster, which she did not touch. At the end ...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 56)

Riding on the tumultuous winds of the previous day's events, the Love You Forevers— energized by a new sense of purpose— convened to discuss the dire need of practice for the residency and their first album, whose session loomed only two days away.

In the storeroom of the shop, they had gathered and taken their positions around two couches which Sísí had commandeered from the shop front. A buzz of conversation roiled outside, as Sísí greeted the return of the old bohemian regula...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 55)

Cecil had set off for Floyd's shop that afternoon with all the excitement of a man being led to the gallows, and— as he entered— none of the desire to keep living.

“Cecil!” exclaimed a man sitting opposite Floyd. “It's been so, so long!”

This man, from beneath his meticulously cut blunt bangs, smiled as though someone had murmured the funniest joke in the world. Sísí was beside him, her lips pursed in a smirk as though she were the one who had told it, but said nothi...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 54)

Marion ran his thumb over the elevated bumps of his knife's handle, distracting himself as he and Aster waited outside the administrative building for Sylvia to tender her semester's resignation. He was leaned against the brick facade of the building, watching with little interest the student body passing over the campus, when his ear was caught by the nervous chattering of several of them passing by.

“A fight?” asked one student in great excitement to another. An indistinguishable ...

Schedule Update

Welcome back! Starting today, AYP chapters will be resuming their regular weekly schedule until the end of Volume 3.

Royal Road postings resume next week, so I will be catching this Patreon up to its five advance chapters by posting Chapters 52 & 53 today, and 54 & 55 next Thursday.

I have a few goodies in store as well: I've been working on a debut single for the Love Your Forevers, which I'll start posting behind the scenes of shortly, as well as a delightful Sylvia danc...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 53)

"I can't believe you got the cops called to the store while all my men were outside! You think it's easy making a getaway that quick? He just couldn't have had a normal party, could he? We could've had some food and put on some music, but no."

"Doesn't it look pretty in the snow?" Sylvia murmured, ignoring Marion. With fond eyes she took in the campus which had become such a regular sight in her life this past year at Peppermint Plains Community College.

Her eyes traversed the rol...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 52)

In the chambers of Cherryaire's heart was loaded a bullet—

“You never know when it will come,” said an old man to a young lady. He had snatched her dainty wrist in time to save her from an unseen truck rounding the corner.

“It can be taken from you like that!”

With stunned, terrified eyes, the girl watched as the truck hurdled past, the shock of which brought her to tears.

“I'm sorry!” she croaked, shuddering violently. “I'm late to school on a...

Cherry Lane

Many apologies for the late posting, I've had a bunch of personal thing which to slow progress on finishing this, but here you are— the band outside of Cherry Lane Studios!

Posting Hiatus

Hi guys, I've recently been starting to suffer burn out, so to afford myself time to properly write and flesh out Volume 3 posting will be on hiatus for a little while. Billing will be paused, and April's drawing will still be delivered in a few days.

Thank you again so much for your support up till now! It really has motivated me these past few months— it's been the most productive/consistent writing period I've had thus far. 

I will be returning from hiatus with a finishe...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 51)

Aster hesitantly raised her eyes to the man, who immediately looked back down at her.

His joyfully pursed lips then burst into a sneer of delight, beaming.

“There's my band!” he growled, devouring them with his gaze. “I cannot tell you how happy I am to have you meet with us— God knows how many others were probably trying to do the same!” he exclaimed, and reached out to shake Aster's hand, who was immediately before him.

“A pleasure to meet you,” he said, rece...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 50)

“They're not real.”

These words ricocheted through Aster's furious mind, inciting yet greater degrees of anger the more she thought upon them, like snarling little solar flares upon the roiling hate within her.

She looked about the group sitting around her— her bandmates, Floyd, and Mareby-Roquefort. She was more keen than ever that morning on observing every facet of them, as if to disprove whatever notion of doubt Nancy could have seeded within her mind by observing their ...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 49)

Like a hand swatting through mist, the sanctity of Aster's life was at once untangled, the little stability within it feathering through the fingers of fate.

Euthanization was something that Aster had never expected to deal with in her life.

It was what happened to other, unfortunate people on the news. It was a punishment, the sad result of a washed-up life. She could not reckon with it at her doorstep.

An endless list of considerations and questions suffocated her thoughts...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 48)

As she had dreaded, Aster was stolen away that night, snatched from a sleepless, dreamy haze. Her head was replete with anxiety, muddled with musings on the countless developments of the past two weeks, which she was eager to discuss with Nancy.

Nancy however, made haste to return Aster home, promising her that they would have plenty of time to discuss at their next meeting.

Aster turned and looked out the window, lethargic in her anxiety.

The scenery outside blurred past as...

Sunny Day Sylvia

Volume 3 Cover

Finally finished! I wanted to preview this earlier but I was away on vacation for the first half of the month

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 47)

“Marion, is there not a more appealing way of going about this?” whined Floyd, peering out of his shop's window. Through it, he observed as a formation of Marion's gang stood watch, keeping at bay a large and restless crowd.

“How else are we supposed to do it?!” Marion shot back, insulted by Floyd's embarrassed tone. “You wanna have 'em all just stand in the shop?”

“Of course not!” he laughed incredulously. “It just looks so... obscene having the shop guarded by ...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 46)

Floyd's excitement in waiting for that evening's broadcast of Willie Cooper's show was so great that, by the time the group had arrived at the station that evening, he had scarcely even remarked on the complete state of ruin in which Mareby-Roquefort had left the shop.

“It's absolutely trashed!” Cecil yelled as they departed from Sylvia's van, agitated at Floyd's apparent lack of concern. “God knows how much they stole!”

“Even the Johnny Vallerie cutouts!” Sylvia added...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 45)

“I'd like to introduce you to Samuel, my assistant,” Vincent began, motioning to a young man sitting behind the mixing desk. Samuel was fresh-faced and eager, and looked to be about the same age as the band members. This instantly established a silent rapport between the two groups, though Samuel was keen on displaying deference to his boss, and was anxious to attend to his every task.

“Although he hasn't been in charge of many sessions himself yet, he is still an admirable engine...

All Yesterday's Parties (Chapter 44)

It was as if an invisible hand, born of elation, had lifted the dismal drapery of the world clean off.

No longer did the smiles of passersby appear unsightly and noxious, nor did the busy clamor of the street irritate her with its noise as it so often had.

Instead, wherever Aster seemed to look she saw things in a new light, embellished with a heightened vividness.

Even the dull winter sky hanging above her like a plain of dreariness seemed revitalized by this new emboldened...

Aster and Sylvia - Savoy Ballroom