The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

Little Things [spoilers]

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Mira:
  Got it last night and read it twice.  It is a fun read, good pacing, must take place with in a
month of the battle.  Some observations;

 Grief has hit Harry very hard, but he is coping, he is also still recovering from injury.  He
is sheltering a number of people, at least one is an Alpha.
Bob has shed his skull and now seems to reside in the castle walls, he also seems to have a
handle on the built in defense system, but he makes mistakes.
Toot is tall and so is Lacuna, their "steel" is made by the svartalves, I think the kitchen appliances must be also because Harry doesn't seem to have trouble with modern appliances now.  It also allows for serious "steel" swords for Za-Guard that are not made quite the same as those made from "bane," though the kitchen counters are made from it, and there is a standing suit of armor in the hall also made from "bane."  Interesting touch, fitting decoration for a castle, but I can't see Harry decorating with one, but left over maybe from Changes when Lea dressed him that way?  Or left over from when Marcone was in residence?  Who knows?  Gremlins can apparently use iron without harm.  A lot of work and repairs still need to be done on the castle, tarps are everywhere.

--- Quote ---Mab's frozen boogers
--- End quote ---

I think Toot is beginning to grow on Lacuna... Mister's age is mentioned by Toot, but also says he is a spry 30 pound old cat. Toot is very intelligent and loyal, though he sounds childlike and Bob treats him like he is a child.  Toot and Harry have a very special relationship, it is real friendship. Toot is trying to understand Harry's grief and what death and loss means, since this isn't something in the experience of Pixies.

All in all a nice little action story and begins to set the stage for Twelve Months and Harry's new life.

Conspiracy Theorist:
“Kringles merry balls!”

Bob is referred to as “Bob the Castle” on several occasions, he does seem to have levelled up to become a mini Alfred. Effectively the Castle has become a smart house, so it is operating exactly the same as the sanctum skull. Did Bob agree to it because it mean’t Harry couldn’t carry him into horrifying battles again, or that it would take some time for Harry to realise it would allow Bob to spy on any woman in the Castle? “Bob the Laser Pointer” might be more appropriate. I note Bob’s signal colour is now blue, not orange I would be concerned if Evil Bob took over the Castle no one would immediately know.

The appliances would confirm that Marcone was indeed practicing magic in secret, burning out of appliances etc would have indicated to others that a mortal practitioner was in residence. This suggests he took up the coin when building the Castle, just after Changes. Previously he moved round from renovation to renovation, and that would have been an obvious tell.

I made a joke about Marcone leaving Stainless steel toilets to discomfort Harry, the Armour may have been exactly that. Marcone would like nothing better than for Harry to try it on. He otherwise moved his stuff out promptly, so it being left would be deliberate. Harry strikes me as the type of person that if you left him alone in a room with a pot of tea, he would put the tea cosy on his head even though he doesn’t like hats.

You do realise that following this Lacuna is now literally sporting a Pixie Cut? Definitely intended.

Toot isn’t just growing in size, he is growing in emotional maturity, the small sprites have no concept of death, but Toot realises that recently he has gained this concept and is starting to exhibit empathy towards Harry, much more than in Battle Ground, and that growth is visible over this story, at the start he didn’t know how to comfort Harry and the end he makes a stumbled but heartfelt attempt.

People are noticing Mister’s age (he should be 17 - 18 at this point) BUT that he is also very spry, and has maintained his weight and strength, older cats lose weight. If Mister is more than he seems Jim is putting out breadcrumbs, his apparent condition and the calendar are starting to get out of sync. He should be partly Gremlin at the end of this story.

Minor theory on Michael confirmed, he is a living saint (together with Father Forthill) so his work for the White God is not over. This makes him more than ever before a future candidate for the Kringle mantle.

Another one-eyed villain, as I anticipated this was indeed Battle Ground deliberately writ small. In this story Toot is definitely Harry writ small, and Lacuna Murphy writ small, which makes his sudden appreciation of mortality very poignant, he is starting to realise his loss of others can affect him, and a near miss means he can understand what Harrynis going through. No Rudy writ small though, thank god, obviously sentient cockroaches do not exist in the Dresdenverse. Mister is Butters? Both are Tomcats, apparently.

Lacuna eats Pizza!

Mira:

--- Quote ---The appliances would confirm that Marcone was indeed practicing magic in secret, burning out of appliances etc would have indicated to others that a mortal practitioner was in residence. This suggests he took up the coin when building the Castle, just after Changes. Previously he moved round from renovation to renovation, and that would have been an obvious tell.

--- End quote ---

Why would it?  There was nothing wrong with the appliances, the fact that Harry was able to use them is new.  It is my belief that they had been replace by the svartalves to operate just like they did in the apartment they built for Molly.  I also seem to remember computers and cell phone use in Marcone's offices.  There never was a hint of modern mechanical inventions and Marcone being incompatible.

--- Quote ---Bob is referred to as “Bob the Castle” on several occasions, he does seem to have levelled up to become a mini Alfred. Effectively the Castle has become a smart house, so it is operating exactly the same as the sanctum skull. Did Bob agree to it because it mean’t Harry couldn’t carry him into horrifying battles again, or that it would take some time for Harry to realise it would allow Bob to spy on any woman in the Castle? “Bob the Laser Pointer” might be more appropriate. I note Bob’s signal colour is now blue, not orange I would be concerned if Evil Bob took over the Castle no one would immediately know.
--- End quote ---
Apparently Bob has taken on the color of Winter, which makes sense. 

--- Quote ---I made a joke about Marcone leaving Stainless steel toilets to discomfort Harry, the Armour may have been exactly that. Marcone would like nothing better than for Harry to try it on. He otherwise moved his stuff out promptly, so it being left would be deliberate. Harry strikes me as the type of person that if you left him alone in a room with a pot of tea, he would put the tea cosy on his head even though he doesn’t like hats.
--- End quote ---
Um, unless the armor was made for a six foot nine man, I doubt that Harry could try it on.  Also since the stainless steel counters had no effect on Harry I doubt that the armor would.  However I do remember Lea dressing Harry in a suit of armor in Changes.

--- Quote ---You do realise that following this Lacuna is now literally sporting a Pixie Cut? Definitely intended.

--- End quote ---
She cut her braid to escape, but we don't know how short, and that is a style, you are talking to someone who wore a pixie cut in elementary school.

--- Quote ---Toot isn’t just growing in size, he is growing in emotional maturity, the small sprites have no concept of death, but Toot realises that recently he has gained this concept and is starting to exhibit empathy towards Harry, much more than in Battle Ground, and that growth is visible over this story, at the start he didn’t know how to comfort Harry and the end he makes a stumbled but heartfelt attempt.
--- End quote ---
That was my biggest take away from the story is how much Toot has grown in maturity, but then he has been through a lot with Harry.  Yes, he had the sense to realize he had to be careful of what he said, because he didn't know the right words and didn't want to cause his friend more pain.  He also expressed how difficult it was for him because this wasn't something he could share with his fellow pixies, they simply have no understanding and it made him sad and he hid it. 

--- Quote ---People are noticing Mister’s age (he should be 17 - 18 at this point) BUT that he is also very spry, and has maintained his weight and strength, older cats lose weight. If Mister is more than he seems Jim is putting out breadcrumbs, his apparent condition and the calendar are starting to get out of sync. He should be partly Gremlin at the end of this story.
--- End quote ---
As I said, my old cat is Mister's age, she has declined some of late, but up until a year ago she was dragging dead rodents though the pet door into the house, and I found a dead bird the other day.  So while it maybe that Mister is more than he seems, he also may not be.  The point of his age has been raised in several stories now, which could mean as you say, or preparing us for nature to take it's course.

--- Quote ---Minor theory on Michael confirmed, he is a living saint (together with Father Forthill) so his work for the White God is not over. This makes him more than ever before a future candidate for the Kringle mantle.
--- End quote ---
Michael does have a lot of pull with the Almighty.. However I don't think he will ever be Kingle.

--- Quote ---Another one-eyed villain, as I anticipated this was indeed Battle Ground deliberately writ small. In this story Toot is definitely Harry writ small, and Lacuna Murphy writ small, which makes his sudden appreciation of mortality very poignant, he is starting to realise his loss of others can affect him, and a near miss means he can understand what Harrynis going through. No Rudy writ small though, thank god, obviously sentient cockroaches do not exist in the Dresdenverse. Mister is Butters? Both are Tomcats, apparently.

--- End quote ---
Or Jim has difficulty changing his style when he writes other characters in the first person.  They all seem to sound alike to me, Toot is a little different, but not much...

One more thing Toot watches a lot of television and movies.. Is Harry able to have T.V.s in his castle?

Conspiracy Theorist:
Things we have learned

(1) do not allow sprites to get into the Froot Loops, it puts them on an uncontrollable sugar high. Lacuna will have been misled by the spelling of “Fruit” which is how Toot spells it and will have been far and away the worst not being used to sugar. Did this habituate her to pizza? She definitely seems to be warming to him. And Toot values her above pizza, she still values him for his teeth.

(2) the Boom is relatively simple in design, using a clock work timer, partly for the simple Gremlins but does this signify another Wizard was behind it? Definitely not Fomor work from Bombshells, and it is sloppy, not Listens work, not Nick’s style ( there would be more torture), nor the Black Court, the Merlin is the obvious candidate blowing up Harry and the people looking to him for protection. Using Gremlins traditional enemies of Sprites is a very Merlin move. Not how Marcone would do it.

(3) Toot can appreciate puns ‘fortnight’ living in a castle for 2 weeks.

(4) Toot and Lacuna really like Kung Fu movies. Date Night obviously, which ends with Lacuna practising what she has just seen on Toot. And Toot is grateful.

(5) Misters senses are as sharpe as a sprites, who can see and hear things bigguns can’t. Whether this is true to all cats or just Mister we shall see.

(6) Sir William? Castellan, the Sprites consider Will to be a Knight, maybe they think Harry made him a Knight, as a knight could make other Knights, if so the Knights of the Bean may have pull with Winter.

Mira:

--- Quote ---(1) do not allow sprites to get into the Froot Loops, it puts them on an uncontrollable sugar high. Lacuna will have been misled by the spelling of “Fruit” which is how Toot spells it and will have been far and away the worst not being used to sugar. Did this habituate her to pizza? She definitely seems to be warming to him. And Toot values her above pizza, she still values him for his teeth.
--- End quote ---

When he risked all for her over pizza I think he won her heart.  I don't think she is going to let him know right away though.  I also think she has warmed to pizza because she does love Toot.. That's the thing about love and marriage you warm to things your partner likes. Now if she can warm to Harry as well.

--- Quote ---(2) the Boom is relatively simple in design, using a clock work timer, partly for the simple Gremlins but does this signify another Wizard was behind it? Definitely not Fomor work from Bombshells, and it is sloppy, not Listens work, not Nick’s style ( there would be more torture), nor the Black Court, the Merlin is the obvious candidate blowing up Harry and the people looking to him for protection. Using Gremlins traditional enemies of Sprites is a very Merlin move. Not how Marcone would do it.
--- End quote ---

I was thinking the same thing, a boom that has a timer as easily adjusted as this one's was, is pretty amateur.  Also one that even Toot could spot, seems too obvious, more like whoever is behind this wanted to warn rather than kill.  Here is another question, could there be a traitor on the inside?  Someone had to have realized that Bob hadn't set the wards to include tiny people like Gremlins.  I can see Marcone in typical mobster fashion wanting to send Harry a message about taking his castle and humiliating him in front of the members of Mab's Accords.  Marcone would of at least have known about the wards on the castle, Namshiel would have understood how they worked, and someone staying with Harry may have been paid to tip them off if he or she spotted a vulnerability.  Marcone would also be smart enough to use the likes of Gremlins, traditional enemies of Harry's pixie army, and as you say not his style so not traceable back to him.

--- Quote --- Toot can appreciate puns ‘fortnight’ living in a castle for 2 weeks.
--- End quote ---
Wonder if he watches Comedy Central on television? ::)

--- Quote ---(4) Toot and Lacuna really like Kung Fu movies. Date Night obviously, which ends with Lacuna practising what she has just seen on Toot. And Toot is grateful.
--- End quote ---

Yeah, he seemed to like the scars she gave him.. OMG! :o  I hope Toot isn't into S&M!! :o

--- Quote ---(5) Misters senses are as sharpe as a sprites, who can see and hear things bigguns can’t. Whether this is true to all cats or just Mister we shall see.
--- End quote ---

I think it is true for all cats, they are predators after all... Dogs as well, sometimes in the dead of night they go charging out the door about to eat whatever is out there I didn't hear a thing.

--- Quote ---
(6) Sir William? Castellan, the Sprites consider Will to be a Knight, maybe they think Harry made him a Knight, as a knight could make other Knights, if so the Knights of the Bean may have pull with Winter.
--- End quote ---
At the very least a vassal of his noble Lord Harry Dresden, which in the hierarchy he understands could mean that Will is one of Harry's noble knights.  After all Toot knows the Holy Knights who work with Harry on occasion so in his mind Will is no different.

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