[Report This]Date: May 13 2023 6:35 AM Title: Getting a Pint Until the Whole Thing Blows Over
Man, I know you've expressed your appreciation for Shaun of the Dead a few times now, but you really came hard with the references in this chapter! I respect it, though, especially that Winchester hanging above the bar, given that the bar's name was a more ... meta reference.
I'm also really digging the whole self-fulfilling prophecy arc this story has taken. Celia had to try to kill Cassie so that she wouldn't turn her cheer squad against her, so now Cassie is going to turn Celia's cheer squad against her. How very Greek.
I also also love Celia's villain logic when Cassie pulled the trigger to the unloaded rifle: You were going to shoot me after I was about to shoot you for no reason, so now I'm totally justified to shoot you for real! Also, the fact that even after Cassie pulled the trigger, Celia still felt she owed her former friend a clean shot to the head was something I found interesting. I said early on that I thought Celia was setting up to be an intriguing villain, and she certainly hasn't disappointed! She's complicated but still pure evil, a combination you don't see a lot of these days.
The escape from the parking garage was also a joy to read. I feel like the action descriptions in this story has been pretty good the start. They're not overly complicated or description heavy, yet really easy to picture. Also, "seeing" Barb kick ass with a samurai sword was pretty badass, and I figured Cassie and she would bond over anime at some point, and that scene was close enough for me to claim that I was right.
Also, it's kind of a small thing, but I was happy that Barb made the realization that she wasn't "even that fat." Words from bullies can do a lot to shape your self-image, and that quick thought shows that her growth as a person during all of this has helped her overcome that.
I'm curious to see how John handles being in Peter's old spot. He's shown a lot more resistance than Peter showed at the start of the story, but how much of that is fueled by grief and anger about Barb's supposed passing and how much of it is just pure stubbornness? It didn't take much for Peter to cave when Celia started tormenting him, but I think that was more smart than pathetic. That strategy contrasts nicely with John's fuck you attitude, although it looks like he may not have to put up with Celia's shit for as long as Peter did.
It'll also be interesting to see what Rhames' response to John's refusal to work on the tram (and Celia's approach to get him to change his mind) will be. He's got much more of a sense of urgency about getting the subway going than Celia does, so he might not be so keen on waiting until John's "broken in."
I mentioned this a bit in my review of the previous chapter, but the Cassie/Peter interactions are really stealing the show! It's not just the smut, but the psychology behind it that really helps these scenes stand out. In particular, it's intriguing to consider how much intention and personal feelings can shift how things are taken by another person. I mean, the idea of being under Cassie's toes, in her cleavage, or in her underwear seemed great to Peter last chapter, despite Celia having done all of those things to him to torment him earlier in the story. But because Cassie cares about and respect him, those terrible things now don't seem so terrible anymore.
And that difference was really driven home in this chapter. Between Cassie dangling Peter in her fingers (Celia really seemed to enjoy dangling and swaying him) and him having to suggest Celia's method of lubing him up to enter the back door (he even didn't mind her spit!), the comparison between how the two cheerleaders handle him and the different way he reacts to each really stands out to me.
And all of that adds something special to their time together. The subtle way in which this is done is really well done, too!
I'm super happy Mrs. Smythe finally got her rent money. If only Barb could have robbed more bars before the end of the world!
Lastly, I absolutely love that Barb's response to being told she has "major good guy energy" is a (slightly modified) Bruce Campbell quote.
Author's Response:
As always a lot of bases to cover!
Celia has her own twisted and self serving morality, while she has some affection for Cassie and Peter and is obviously ready to kill them she wanted to make it relatively painless. The Old Yeller comparison she makes is deliberate, in her way this isn't executing her enemies it's putting down a rabid pet, something she loved at one point but is now ready to part with.
Peter played along with Celia's torture but obviously, even as terrified of her as he is, he never really broke. Like you said it's not exactly brave, but Peter took a pragmatic approach that ultimately paid off for him. John's stricken with grief and is more angry and sad than he is afraid, for now anyway. He also probably won't be Celia's pet tiny for nearly as long as Peter had to, also he has an advantage over Peter in that he has something Celia wants, namely the ability to fix that tram.
Glad you're enjoying Peter and Cassie's relationship. You might say that consent makes a big difference in how much a tiny guy enjoys certain acts.
Some other other odds and ends, we'll see more of Rhames next chapter, he definitely wants out of the city more than Celia does.
Barb has definitely gotten a confidence boost, she's ready to become the hero the apocalypse needs.