I have only recently noticed your update of PEW side stories, and i have several questions about it i couldn't ask in the comments- the Ao3 banned me or something(?)
So the first question is Zestial in your story and decorations. In the original he is nothing more then a decoration, which has no much impact for plot. But in your story he has much more proactive position that we haven't seen yet. The problem is- i can not visualise him as a character in yor story. I mean: he is old, british, has interesting way of speaking, close connection to the royal family, and he is fond of spiders(i dont think he is a spider himself, he looks to different to other spiders in show). Also(as we see in this chapter) he is strategic mind, a puppeteer, a dangerous diplomat, has sense of humor and ability to observe and oversee for several possible steps ahead. The problem is- so far it looks like a lot of diffirient characterisations that do not work well together. I mean: with all of it he must be old enough to know the city of London as Londinium, the Roman province. But in the same time he must have flexible and interesting mind to adapt new ideas and things. Personally i think he isnt a sinner- he is an eldrich horror beyond human comprehension (i dont get it)
Also, i dont understand what happened to lute according to this chapter: is she still in her Harpy Form, or did she somehow shapeshifted back to old Lute without wings after she was hugged and regained concioness?
And last but not least: why have you cuted out such a thick piece of plot and published it in semi-uncanon list? Or this is just non- canon at all?
Anyway, good luck, i hope you will not abandon this, this is huge piece of work
I don't know why you can't comment on the Ao3, maybe something has gone wrong with your account?
As far as Zestial, you're right about most of his characteristics that you've mentioned... but I don't exactly see why you think they don't work together. Zestial is very old, centuries even. He has had a lot of time to learn many talents and see the world change. In many ways, he's not all that different from Adam, who has also sat through history and adapted to the new normal of modern life. The main difference is that Zestial chooses to present himself quite differently, as I've implied in this chapter. All the 'puppets' speaking to Vox and Velvette were just Zestial mimicking their dead employees. He's fully capable of articulating himself in fluent modern english... He just chooses not to for effect. Its a power play and a private joke for him. Nonetheless, I can confirm he is a sinner in this story, in former chapters I have made some references to his mortal life.
You don't understand what happened to Lute this chapter because the Vees didn't see what happened to Lute. these are things that will be revealed next chapter.
As for why this chapter wasn't part of the main story, is simply because I didn't consider it 'required' reading. It was, truth be told, a short diversion that I wrote because I was having writer's block on the main chapter and needed a break. For the actual narrative of PEW, reading wise, I have a vision for that reading experience and this chapter was not part of it. It's just bonus content that's 90% just a recap of chapter 35.
I have no intention of abandoning this story, I just don't write as fast as I used to.
