The Seraphim Immortal Dynasty: A Sims 3 Story LP

[Toric]

It took me a while to figure out Aster was redesigning another sim's house. He just needs to learn to appreciate octopi. If only a statue of Cthulu could fit in his front yard.

And it's adorable that Uriel cares about Billy in his own bitter way.

[Deme]

She is an architect, after all. Though it's technically possible to max the career without ever redesigning a house... I think it's more fun not to go that route. And it will give her things to do and people to be crazy at even when she's no longer the active sim, which is good. In other dynasties, painters seem pretty likely to kind of fade away, presumably because you can think of ways to get them out of the way that are really easy, profitable, and boring, AKA "Plop them in front of the easel for as long as their bodies will support them."

Also, yeah... The very special dynamics of that relationship will probably come up again, but it's good to plant the seeds now.

[Deme]

Man, I am on fire with these! It's mainly because I have a big ol' buffer of screenshots. Pokemon is something I actually need to be playing to write, but The sims, not as much. It's wierd.

Chapter 24: The Wedding of Reed and Aster

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I'm hoping it was Aunt Elaine who took the photo. I really want it to have been her.
Because if this whole 'marriage' thing is going to go down, I...I may need to ask. I mean, she's Reed's mom, but we don't really talk much and she may sort of think I'm crazy because I kind of sort of am. But which I mean 'exactly'.


And she's the one who fixes out toilets. If she gets mad at me for stealing her little boy, our toilet could be broken FOREVER.

"Ummm... Auntie Elaine... I'd like to... Well, I mean, I was planning... Well, we jumped on the trampoline and I guess that's the same thing as planning...And we were talking about stars and rubies and there was a Sandman reference in there and..."

"Aster, what is it? The dishwasher's broken again, and I don't have time to listen all day."
I'm losing her! I'm losing her! Get to the point!
"I want your blessing to marry Reed!"
Wow. That came out in a coherent sentence. I'm totally surprised.

And for a moment, she holds all my happiness in her hands. She holds it and judges its worth. Is it worth more than the possibility of her son one day married to a hula zombie or a goddess brought to Earth to fulfill a wish. Or an alien. Or any of those manic pixie dreamgirl types.
Or even just an ordinary girl, whose life isn't dedicated to a goal neither Aunt Elaine nor Reed will live to see, or will only see the start of. Someone who isn't insane.

"Aster..."

"Your mother is my most precious friend; I watched you grow up. I'm so happy and proud of you and Reed. You didn't even need to ask."
And just like that, she sets me free.

I call up my crew.

"This wedding. Is. On."
I mean, for petes' sake, we've been engaged for like two whole chapters. The fans are bound to be getting impatient.


Mom knows the moment I send out the invitations; there's a sort of magic in the air today. Or maybe that's more of her own natural magic, working on the gardens.

Heck, people start filing in so early -- I better get changed into my wedding clothes!

"Aster! Please, just once... Can you wear an outfit that goes with the day? Just once. For me and your mom."
"What's wrong with jean shorts?"
"Please, change into your nice dress? This is the only time. You just look so pretty, Princess..."
"Oh, alright..."

I can't resist flattery, after all.

I spend a while getting gussied up in my dress.


"We did it, didn't we, Billy?"
"We certainly did. Our beautiful little girl is sure getting married."
"All I can hope... Is that Reed makes her as happy as you've made me."
"I'm sure he will, my angel."


We've set up an area in the back for the wedding -- we can store everything in the family's storage when we're done, since we'll need it for later.


And all the guests file in.


"Vanthe? Why are you crying?!"
"It's -- supposed -- to be -- traditional! And I've never gotten the chance to cry -- it's great practice!"
"I'm glad I could supply you with another first experience, my little doll!"
I give her a hug.
"Get back up there before I start crying for real, ok?"

And so our wedding really begins.


"Aster. You are the light of my life -- you're the most magical person I know, always pushing the boundaries of a world that simply isn't wonderful enough to contain all of you in it. You make everything you see...Special. And I want to be a part of that every day, for the rest of my life. I love you, and I promise to hold and honor and be devoted to you for as long as I live.."


"Reed, you are my Joy. You make a safe place in my world, a place where I'm real and no one looks at me oddly and I'm believed. And you make me feel full of stardust and the wave nature of light. And when the stars have lost their glow and it's the heat death of the universe and everyone's died except me and my mom's family and we wish we could die, floating forever in the inky void of space and somehow, for having been destroyed in fire, it's so cold now... Even then, I'll be warm. Because I got to spend every moment of your life with you, and I got to call myself your wife."
"(I wonder if she knows that's not how immortality works?)"


"And with this ring, I do thee wed."


"And with this ring, I make one of those really derpy faces. Oh, and I thee wed."


Flowers the color of cream and love fall all around us. Rice is thrown.

And we share our first kiss as husband and wife.

"*sniff*"
"Awww...Even you're moved to tears, Uriel..."
"I'm not crying, Ariel!...I just have something --"
"In your heart?"
"Y-yeah, Ok... *sniff* I've just got something in my heart..."



We cut the cake (but do not smash it in one another's faces; I get to buck at least one tradition!)


And everyone's been hungry from preparing all day, so we all get a slice. I mention a proposed new painting technique.

And Dad decides to try it out.

"Billy! Stop breaking physics this instant! I've had enough of these shenanigans after the hot-tub incident!"
"I'm an old man. Time to live life on the edge!"
"X-TREME Painting, Uriel!" My mom chimes in cheerfully.
They sigh.

I pass them on my way to the bedroom.
And then I remember that I had forgotten something.

We never actually made sure my bed functioned as a double bed. It didn't for Evanthe and I when we were kids.


Uriel's solution is to just poke Reed out of bed and let us sleep together there as husband and wife.


Goodnight, Moon. Goodnight, unseen things. Goodnight, Reed, Love of my life.

Aster's Requirements:

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Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[Toric]

"You make everything you see... Special."

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Yup, I'd say that's a pretty true statement.

Also, I can't tell just how much of this

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is real and how much is Aster literally seeing Elaine as the messiah of her happiness.

[Deme]

Well, the picture was of Elaine standing in front of one of the keyhole windows. But I think Aster sees it far less literally than just a matter of camera positioning: it's a lucky shot that reflects her feelings so well -- I was really pleased when I got a look at it.

[Deme]

Chapter 25: Honeymoon

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Hello there, whoever’s reading this. It's Reed. I'm not entirely sure why I was asked to write this chapter in the family history. I mean, I haven't done a whole lot just yet, and I'm not a future immortal...
Oh. Maybe they want to know how I feel about that... A little worried. It's not like I ever hoped to live forever, or anything. I've never given dying a lot of thought. And I figure... Nothing I'll do will be really unusual. And that's fine by me.

Or maybe they want to know about what happened after the wedding. Well, Evanthe decided that she wanted to give us a honeymoon. I know we have a home in China, but I've been thinking about France recently...A home of great art and culture and also beverages that Aster says are named to avoid increasing our rating. I'm not sure what that means, but Aster kind of gets things I don't.
And Evanthe decided to make the call.


And so off we went to beautiful Champs La Sims, France. Evanthe wanted to stay with us...

But her call to adventure and sudden new orange color was too much, and she's ready to find someone's "precious item." While she's there, she learns to clear rubble faster. Because that is a privilege, not a right, apparently.

Aster and I, in the meanwhile, decide to take in the local nectary -- we buy some supplies for Mrs. Seraphim.. Well, I mean, I guess it'd be better to call her... Well, living with both my mom and my mother-in-law is complicated. I'll just call her Ariel.
Either way, my blushing bride and I enjoyed some mighty fine nectar. I'm sure a lot of you wonder why I could marry someone who's... A little off-kilter, and thus a little high-maintenance.
And, putting aside her dazzling, fun-loving, and creative soul... Putting aside the way that she seems to just fundamentally get things other people don't... You know what? I'm not putting them aside. They're the most beautiful things about her.
But... I can give a simpler explanation, if those don't satisfy:


Coconut bikinis. In public. I am the luckiest man on the face of this earth.
"Do you think the museum has moon-people sculptures? They try and send them to earth, but the stone breaks to pieces and just ends up as little, broken shards...I'd like to see one whole, to see what art they dream of on the moon."
I can't decide if it's her or the nectar that's filling me with bubbles...


That said, giving Aster nectar maybe isn't the wisest move I could have made...
"Honey... Honey...
You are not a jungle cat, and I am not an antelope. I just want to emphasize that before you start biting me by the neck..."
"Awww, fine... I'll just have to pounce on you some other way! C'mere, you!"
She laughs and pulls me close, and all the higher functions of my brain short out as I carry her upstairs.


I am sincerely impressed at what the nectary staff allows us to get away with in a public building.


"Secretdoor, secretdoor, secretdoor!"
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm excited about finding a secret door!"
"...Ok, then. Just as long as you're not expecting them to pop up, Beetlejuice style."


Now, Evanthe says she found a grassy hedge maze under there... But I'm not sure I believe it.
I mean, how can those hedges grow without any light. Or water.
"That's exactly what I said, but nooo. Dungeon designers just love breaking the verisimilitude!"
That's what she said.


Aster, for some reason, really wants to head to the graveyard. At night. *gulp*
Well, anyway, it's a great place for stargazing, if you don't mind the haunted-ness.


"A baseball. I came all of this way...For a baseball. The heck. Who loses a baseball in a freaking tomb?!"
"If you lost your ball, wouldn't you send an adventurer after it?"
"I'd go after it myself!"
Well, regardless of her complaints, it gets her a visa level.


Aster and I are still enjoying our tourist life... There's something so nice about a French cafe, watching the waiters walk down the streets in their uniforms and aprons...
And me and my love, sharing a late meal. Life is good.


And Evanthe is still waking up more and more of the poor locals. I guess adventuring doesn't care about jet lag, huh?


"Do these people actually need me to find a way into their shed? Because I think the glowing door might be a clue."
Man, that is a nice foosball table.


She apparently had a bit of trouble with this puzzle... I'm not sure I get it. All she needed to do was pull a torch, and the rest was as clear as day!


"A....A…sarcophagus… *gulp*"
"Come on, Vanthe'. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."


"That's right! No guts, no glory! H-here I go... Oh. Oh, it's just a jewel. I knew that."
"Baby."
"Hey, you try risking your life for once."
"...I'm not even alive."
"Oh, right. Awkward."

The next morning, Aster and I decided to hit up the art gallery.

"This is a terrible painting, you know?"
"...That's a chair, my little shooting star."
"Why do you think it's such a terrible painting?"

Since Evanthe's latest adventure took her there...and back...and there....and back... we decided to meet up for a bit, just hang out and talk art.
And my cooking.
"It's not like it's a secret."
"Man, Reed, are you just going to have more skills than anyone and show us all up."
"Of course he's...skilled. Why else would I have married him?"
We laugh.
"I don't know," I tease, "Maybe you love me?"
"What is this thing you humans call 'love,'?" Evanthe jokes, miming up a more 'artificial' feel than she's ever had.
"Nope. I'm just using your l33t cooking and woo-hoo skills to power my perpetual motion-and-food-and-'motion' machine. It's all a nefarious trap! Keep it on the down-low."

We laugh some more, and go back to talking about the actual art before Evanthe's off for another adventure.


Aster apparently doesn't want to be 'shown up,' so she decides to start working on her photography skill. I won't tell her you're not allowed to take flash photos of the art if you won't.


Ooh, looky here..."
"Aaaaaaaah! They're everywhere! It's a global invasion!"
"He's got quite the commanding air. Let's take him home and call him Remy."
"...You're doing this on purpose."
"No one calls me a baby and gets away with it. Sorry, Uriel...Besides...Aster loves gnomes."
"...I noticed. She even does a morning roll-call."


I don't think Evanthe enjoys it terribly much, but squishing the grapes somehow appeases the credit-card company, so she's got to do it.
Maybe we should just check freecreditreport.com.


But all this nectar-making gets her visa up a level, to her joy...Allowing us to buy...

A house! We did some remodeling for the back yard, to add fun things like a hot-tub and a slide... And to the main house, we added a third floor with an art room and study.


This allows Aster to work on her paintings again, and for the two of us to just hang out and relax. We have a great time.


And Evanthe manages to catch some foreign fish (sadly, however, her real fish supplies -- including everything she was saving for her wish -- were taken by customs.)
She even maxes out her fishing skill! That's wonderful, since the fish in town haven't really been responding to bait all that well.

Eventually, our six days run out, and we go home...
“We left the trunk, didn’t we?”
”Oh, we’ll send someone for it in the morning...”

As for Aster and I, now that we're home...

I think we want our next adventure to be a little different. I'm going to have to start practicing my lullabies...

Aster's Requirements

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Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[Deme]

Awkward silence has returned! I'm trying to get caught up with my buffer over thanksgiving, for the record.
Happy thanksgiving or not thanksgiving, depending on what you're celebrating!

Chapter 26: New Arrival OR The Musical Chapter

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And I'm back in the saddle! Not literally, since I've got no interest in horses, but metaphorically. The saddle is a word and the word is in my brain.
I guess that means that I left my brain, which happens often enough that I could believe it.

When we got back and sent Daddy for the chest quick as a lick (I checked by licking things), Mom managed to go and plant all those new grapes. She was really happy, and the garden's getting much bigger.


And so she decided to share her happiness.

“What’s all this stuff?”
”Well, I thought as a small wedding-present ... We could get you and Reed a puppy! I ordered him from the shelter this morning. I just couldn't think about those big innocent eyes, all alone in the cold, cold shelter...And I just had to make the request!"
"*sigh* I was trying to get her to get a kitten for herself, and then..."
"Well, a puppy's plenty good company! Let's not worry about it, Uriel. I can't wait to meet the puppy."


Evanthe, meanwhile, has been feeling lonely lately, so she invited Ross over. I guess it's my fault, with my lavish wedding and my beautiful husband and my sappy-romantic honeymoon and my parents and their perpetual making out...
I'm sorry, Evanthe. I will build you a boyfriend, so you'll never -- no, wait. I can't invent! I will paint her a boyfriend. I will steal a magic paintbrush that can make any portrait come to life and...
No. Wait. She has a boyfriend. She invited him. That is the argument of this point in the story. They seem happy, anyway...


Reed's working on some other post-wedding fall-out: thank you letters for all the paintings we got as gifts! I guess they know who they were writing for.


And that's when the shelterman shows up with our puppy, Gabriel. He's a Friendly little black-and-tan dachshund. He's so tiny it's absolutely precious; you could fit him in your pocket and be a momma kangaroo!


...Well, I thought Evanthe and Ross were doing well. But when she wants to take things inside...It's not so good. He pulls away.
"There's something that you're keeping back. I just don't know..." He keeps saying.


Apparently it's something in the air. Anti-love fairies? Or maybe Gabriel just didn't want to be picked up by someone he met five seconds ago.

"Evanthe. Aster. Ariel. Huddle."
"What should I doooo?"
"Well, have you tried some sort of orbital mind-control device to summon some sort of butterfly swarm to spell out 'I love you, you idiot'?"
"Let's save that for plan B."
"And plan A?"
"Ariel...I need your help for this one..." Oh, my. Is he...
"He isn't, is he, Aster?"
"I think he is, Evanthe..."
He's singing.
"Tell him about it -- tell him everything you feel."
And now Mom's taking a deep breath to help him out.
"Give him every reason to accept that you're for real. Tell him about it -- tell him all your crazy dreams..."
"Let him know you need, him let him know how much he..."
"Stop, stop, stop, you two! This is serious!... We need to break out the big guns!"
"Awww, but I like 'Tell her about it'..."
"What do you propose, then?"
"We blast 'Just the way you are' from EVERY STEREO IN RIVERVIEW!"
"...I think I can handle this myself, you guys."

"Why was your...umm...Mrs. Seraphim, you know...Singing?"
"It's a complicated story, Ross. Almost as complicated as mine. I... I'm not a real sim. I mean, I am now... I guess you'd call me a sort of magic sim."
"...Really?"
"(big guns, Evanthe. Big guns.) And... Part of that means I'm bound to Aster in very special ways, and I love her very much. I'm not going...to be able to be with you the way maybe we'd like to, because it's jeopardize everything she's worked for all her life. Not now, anyway. But...
If it were entirely up to me...I'd marry you. And I want to know if you feel that way, too."

"Ross Dorman, would you marry me?"
"Yes, I would! And will. One day."

"I hope so, kids...I hope so."


After that, all his hesitation melts away. I think I hear some water running upstairs, followed by a lot of giggling...Followed by chimes. Everyone said they didn't heard chimes, but I totally have heard chimes twice since we got back. What gives?


"Who's a good little fierce doggy? Who's gonna try and bite all the flies, like a good little hunter? Who is it? Oh my goodness, is it you?"
You know, no one praises me when I catch and bite flies...


But it is nice to be greeted at the door by a puppy when you've been off delivering sculptures, yapping happily at the...
Urg... I don't feel so good...


“I think I may be allergic to Gabriel...”
”That’s unlikely, princess. Let's just keep an eye on things."


Even Dad gets involved in the puppy love, painting a portrait of our little friend.


And it turns out I'm not allergic -- not after the way I play with Gabriel, unleashing my wild side!


...But Evanthe's not feeling too well either. She's sick as a dog... I think this is the first time she's ever been sick.
I hope that it's not a stomach bug...


Ha-ha! This absolutely brilliant painting of a swamp as seen through the eyes of an invisible spider allows for me, Aster Seraphim, to complete the proficient painter skill challenge! That's one down, two to go!


Training your puppy starts early -- Gabriel's doing a good job learning to be Non-Destructive, and not chew up the entire house. As much as that toy lying out.
In the middle. Of the floor... Must...fix...toy...Must...Fix... You can't just have a single green chew toy -- that's freaking messy!
"Leave the toy where it is, Princess. Your eyes are bugging out again."
"Oh. Right. Thanks."
Anyway, leaving it there helps him give a safe outlet to his feelings.


But for the rest of his feelings, he must put them into music! Do I smell another musical number, maybe this time revealing the puppy can talk?
...
...No?
I guess that's just a sort of synesthetic moment, then. I could have sworn it smelled like strawberries.

That's when I get the news. Wonderful, frightening, earth-shattering news.

I'm pregnant.
"Called it!"
"If you don't say so out-loud, Uriel, it doesn't count as 'calling.' I think it's more like 'guessing,' or such. Also, congratulations, sweetheart! I'm going to be a grandmother..."
What do I do? What do I do?...No, I'm not sure how covering myself in marmalade and running down the street declaring myself to be the queen-mother would help. Thanks, though.
I know! I tell Reed!

"Hey there, honey. What's up?"
"Reed, it's a little bit funny...This feeling inside..."
"Aster, not that I don't appreciate musical numbers, or Billy Joel, but I think that ship has sailed. But thank you."
"Well, then...How do I say...We're gonna need names -- I'm thinking Orchid for a girl and Heath for a boy. And we're going to need to air out the cradles and I want one of those new-fangled swings and blocks. Can we get blocks? Do blocks do something harmful to the dynasty, even though they could be used to build a staircase to the moon?"

"Are you trying to say... That we're..."
"Gonna be a daddy! Well, I mean, you're going to be a daddy. If we were both going to be a daddy, I'm not sure where this nooboo would be, but probably not in my womb."
"Eeeee! That's wonderful!"
We embrace.


Reed immediately begins reading books about nooboos and pregnancy, to make sure he'll keep his head when the little one's born. That's important -- I probably won't.

And, as it turns out...

I'm not the only one with expectations. My best friend and I are going to have nooboos that grow up together, like Reed and I and Evanthe did.
Let the pre-emptive shipping commence.


"How is my little Rin? How's my favorite birdy?"
"*Squawk* *whistle* Jealous of the dog!"
"Oh, don't be silly. You know I still like you, my little feathered one."
"*whistle* won’t believe. Wanna biscuit."
"But you're perfectly fine for..."
"BISCUIT!"
She sighs and gives the bird a biscuit.
"...Man, you're just totally whipped by that bird, huh, Ariel?"
"Sometimes, I can't help but indulge greedy and foolish creatures; It's a long history, dating all the way back to the beginning of time."
"Yeah, you are kinda a... HEY! You were talking about me!"
"Well, as long as you're the one who said it, I can't help but agree. *giggle*"


My pregnancy's not my only good news: that right there, that wonderful portrait of the way I feel right now, all jumbled up and radiant like mother-of-pearl...
Is my first masterpiece!

Aster Seraphim's Requirments

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Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting (1/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[Toric]

Coconut bikinis. In public. I am the luckiest man on the face of this earth.

I like how, despite his being the young sim least likely to understand just who he's talking to, this guy knows exactly the right arguments to deliver. I like Reed as a narrator, he's the one sane man in a wacky generational group and he loves it so much.

Also:

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Wha.... Buh....... HOW... That is without a doubt the most severe case of female Couvade syndrome I have ever seen. I should be sad that the China-Doll ship is sunk, but I'm too distracted by the debate of whether Evanthe and Ross did something off-camera or magically-living doll girls are parthenogenic to really care that much.

[Deme]

They did something mentioned off-camera. Specifically, they did something I forgot to take screenshots of, but tried to allow Aster to mention. I'll quote the segment, which I guess is one that takes a bit more fore-knowledge of the Sims to get.

After that, all his hesitation melts away. I think I hear some water running upstairs, followed by a lot of giggling...Followed by chimes. Everyone said they didn't heard chimes, but I totally have heard chimes twice since we got back. What gives?

Lullabye Chimes after a woo-hoo are the universally-accepted sign that "Try For Baby" has been successful, and a bun has been placed in an oven. As for the water running...
Well, there are a few places besides a bed that sims can try for a baby/woo-hoo. They include the hot-tub, tree houses, showers, and I've heard some rabbit holes, but I'm not sure... I may have to send Billy and Ariel to check, since they're not really slowing down.

As for the lack of China-Doll...What can I say? By the time I realized that Ross was going to be difficult, though not too difficult, Aster was already pregnant, and I want the kids to be close together.

That said, I'm hoping that maybe Ross and Evanthe actually can get married at some point, though probably when they're both getting on in years, so that he doesn't take up space for long. Maybe we'll get to know him better then.

[Toric]

Ah, I see. I thought the tinkles were just further confirmation that Aster was pregnant. With the giggles being an allusion to another type of invisible fairy that isn't seen. As for the water running, I hadn't a clue. Thanks for the clarification.

[Deme]

Chapter 27: Full House

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"You know, I was thinking about the future."
"What about it, Ariel?"
"We may need more open space, if future generations need the lawn. And, of course, for things like playing around... So I thought I'd compact the garden a bit, and move it out of the way..."
"Well, if that's what you want..."



It looks so small, stretched out like that. I hope we'll find a use for the space.


Dad's enjoying being a pet owner and playing with Gabriel; if the puppy looks even a little lonely, Dad's the first one there.

Anyway, Reed's actually going and doing work now! Or something.

This is his first customer, who wants a wardrobe to celebrate her not being a teenager anymore. Oh, and a haircut. And make-up. And stuff.
You know, I'm kind of relieved that the people of Riverview understand how poorly their lives are arranged, to demand everything.

She seems to like the end result. I'm not sure -- I think she needs big hula lei, and maybe a rubber ducky, and maybe a funny hat.
The funny hat makes everyone cuter.

Speaking of changing appearances...

Seeing the normally slim Vanthe' ballooned up like the baby was a watermelon under her skin is pretty silly. I try not to laugh about it too much -- I'm not my Dad. Or Uriel.

Not that I have much room to talk. I am the size of a house. I mean, it's a small house. But there's a person inside me, ergo I am some sort of building. Or maybe a car.
"Reed, would you say I'm more like a building, or a car?"
"What? Why do you ask?"
"I want to know if I need my tires retreaded and my oil checked!"
"...No, you're good."
I will go to the spa to check.

Ok, so it turns out that humans do not have tires, even when they have people inside them.
Just so you know.


I think Ross is kind of surprised to hear he's going to be a daddy.

But, as a whole, he seems to take it pretty well.


Then again, there's clearly pre-baby fever sweeping like a disease through the house.
"Do you think we could find a new sort of toy? Like maybe a squishy elder god who drives men mad at sight?"

"Aww, no...Baby wants a nice teddy bear, doesn't she? Baby wants a teddy-weddy..."
Clearly, it is a deadly illness that must be stopped.


"By the way...Do you have any spare food I could have?"
"Oh, absolutely!"
Then she goes and walks toward the sim gnubb set.
"...Could I maybe...have...Never mind, dear..."
Oh, the pains of being a mooch in love with your target.


The oldest and the youngest members of the family -- well, mortal and dead members, you know -- got a rare chance to meet. I want you to know that Gabriel was on his best puppy conduct for Mr. Joy.


"They're having a campout. They're waiting for something."
"They're enjoying the night air, Uriel."
"I bet Cavegnome is making up primitive stories about how the stars used to be people of gods. Like that one. I bet that one was a sinister duck who smoked cigars."
"...Yeah, I kind of see it."
"Yeah. I'm sure Cavegnome's making 'primitive' stories like that. All the more reason to hate and distrust him."


"Oh...Um...Hi, Grandpa. It's been a while."
Ok, so let's review. Reed's apparently OK with living in a house with an immortal and a disembodied angel voice and a living doll and me... But seeing his dead grandfather who he hasn't seen since he was a toddler freaks him out?
"Be careful, Reed. It seems things will be getting complicated soon."
"More complicated?"
"...Or maybe it will pass your life over. I hope so. For your sake."

Or maybe that isn't what happened... I may have dreamed it. Because next thing I know, I'm in labor.

The baby is coming!

In between contractions, I notice that Reed's come downstairs in time to lose his head. I thought those books were supposed to be good for something!

After a long time and an epidural from those sparkles (thanks, Sparkles!)....

The world welcomes into it little Orchid. She's totally athletic and disciplined. She likes yellow, goopy carbonara, and Latin Music. I do not yet know her opinion on pina coladas or getting caught in the rain.


And Dad, like, immediately decides to take her for stroll. But she was just born! It's already way too bright for her!
"Get back here, daddy!"


And in the mail, we get... A present from some Aunt named Bernice.
Mom and Uriel get all concerned, but I can figure it out. This is a conspiracy!
A friendship conspiracy?
...PRINCESS CELESTIA is behind this! She's in league with the sparkles.


But regardless of that, her father's only concern is to snuggle her like crazy.


And I get the feeling like Mom's worries about the future have been at least momentarily checked by having a little one around to snuggle. I bet it makes the future look wonderful and scary and maybe with some ice cream.


Evanthe's fishing in our little pond when her labor pains hit. She's been keeping close to home lately...

But I got an opportunity to look at a local gallery. And when I'm looking at then, my mind opens up to see art as never before.

I max painting at last.



And while I'm maxxing painting, Evanthe's wrapping up her son Linden. He's disciplined and perceptive, liking turquoise, crepes, and Latin music.
"What, not Heath?"
"If you like Heath so much, you can save it for later. It was Aster's idea, not mine."

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting (1/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends:
Black Ops:
Portraits:
Sculptures/Photographs

[MeatShield#236]

The pictures don't seem to be working in the latest update...

Edit: Now that I've read it:

LET THE SHIPPING BEGIN!

[Deme]

Sorry. Appears to have been a technical issue with the coding.

[Toric]

A baby girl..... and a baby boy. It looks like the Seraph family may end up with polyester and stuffing in its genetic code after all. What're the odds? (Pretty good from what I understand, given certain probability-altering prenatal care)

Athletic and disciplined. It's nice getting another sane Dynasty sim, but I wonder what Orchid will later think of her mommy's.... unique personality.

Also, sparkles. No homebirth is complete without them.

[Deme]

Chapter 28: We are Family

Spoiler

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She's so precious, my little one. My little fallen star, my Amazonian little hothouse cultivation.

"My cuddly little destroyer of worlds! The one who will lead the armies against those watching above... Oh, but not the readers! No, the readers are just OK!"
"...Well, this will be an interestingly brought-up child."


Though with the magic of magic swings, the job of parenting is 20% easier! That's what it says on the box.
Of course, this involves believing corporate lies. But they are so contented in the swings.


Not that Orchid, between 2 Family-Oriented guys, a pair of doting grandmothers, and me, actually manages to stay in her swing for long.

"Right now, we're kind of stable. This is weird."

"Mom, I didn't even know you had taken all these pictures..."
"Well, some of them came with the wallet, but this one right here of Orchid, Aster took."

So we're taking the time to hang out more, as a family.



"I'm thinking for my next painting, I want to do a visual treatise on the value of underwater cheese graters in connecting Sims to the transcendental power of cheese...Underwater! So they can go all 'blub, blub, blub, that's good cheese'...Don't you think?"

...I guess it's not exactly a strength.
"Well, thank you for sharing, dear heart."

But in the end, my mom doesn't mind. I'm glad to be able to be with her for eternity.


The downside of the swings is that they sometimes get the babies sick '20% easier,' indeed. But it can be fixed by a hug from Grandma Elaine.


It's really nice, when Evanthe (who is off fishing a lot) and I can take care of our little ones together. The thought of having a little life in my somewhat incapable hands gets... A little less scary.
"I think we can actually do this."
"Of course we can."
"We just can't let the betatronic rocket society get in our way!"
"I'll keep a guard posted, Aster!"


And while we're doing that, Reed completes his lifetime wish.
"Good job, kiddo!"
"I'm a mostly grown man. You don't have to keep calling me 'kiddo'."
"I was born before time itself; your mom's like a kid to me, too."
"Yeah? Well, *your face* is like a kid to me."
"...What? No, that wasn't an insult. It's a fact. Don't sweat it, kid."


Elaine's begun making a racket with what we found at the consignment store. It's really an awful lot of racket, at that.... But it brings up good metals and gems, so who am I to complain?


"Hi, Ross. I thought you might want to meet your son."
That's how the meeting starts off... But in the end, Ross leaves before he and his son get a chance to bond. Work, that sort of thing.
In the end, I don't want to say it, but maybe Ross doesn't care. Or maybe he's just no good with babies -- a lot of people aren't. Reed's not one of them, but...


"Hey there, Jade. Catching some tunes?"
"Tunes of evil! I vote we move the stereo over so that there's less space. Push them off..."
...I wonder if this is where I got it from...
In a world where angels are possible, why not magical inheritance?

In the midst of our ordinary days...

Mom finally gets a phone call with an opportunity to learn to plant steaks and patties. What's that? You’re puzzled by steak plants? Boy, you people on computers... Everyone knows that steaks are plants. Get with it.
What stuns me is how long it took!


Oh, and I guess our little puppy isn't a puppy anymore.

Aw, who am I kidding? He's still a precious little puppy to me! Yes he is, yes he is...
Oh, wait. Why am I saying this here? Dogs can't read Simlish!
...They read Spanish. I need to be writing this in Spanish for dogs to read. Hm. But I don't speak Spanish, since everyone I've met speaks Simlish.


Oh, while I was doing this, cakes were set up: it's birthday time!


So first comes up little Linden...


And little Orchid.


Linden looks so much like a paler Ross; I liked the contrast on him, but I think Linden looks nice all the same.


Is it narcissistic to point out that my beautiful little girl looks like a tanner version of me?
Well, I'll leave that for you to ponder while I get cake. Unless they've been lying to me about it.
"Caaaaaaake!"

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting (1/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits:
Sculptures/Photographs

[Toric]

I was going to note how Orchid was the spitting image of child-Aster in her birthday image, but it seems Aster beat me to the punch. Excellent observation skills as always. I'm glad she's on our side.

The Spanish-speaking dog argument actually has some merit, given how much more frequently chihuahuas have speaking roles in today's media than other animals. They've already shared one language with humans, learning another human-specific one shouldn't be so tough. Also, the orangutan in Eddy Murphy's Dr. Dolittle film speaks unintelligible spanish as opposed to the universal language the other animals speak; this is most likely due to it having an odd dialect. Too bad this theory is impossible to test; Simlish is a dead language amongst us readers, so there can be no Simlish>English>Spanish>Dog translations. Oh well, it looks like the family communicates with that dog just fine.

This was a really nice, heartwarming chapter. It centered around the babies, which I thought was sweet.

Also.

Spoiler

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Rock on, Reed. Rock on.

[Deme]

I'm really glad to have that chapter, too... And I am amazed at the durability of Ariel and Billy's respective genes. Still, I hope next gen brings in some genetic variety. Besides polyester.

Chapter 29: Gazing Into the Abyss

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"Woah, woah, woah -- what's all this?"
"I was thinking...About the future."
"And this made you want to reorganize the yard in the middle of a party."
"I'm sorry, Uriel..."
But in the end, Uriel can't be mad at Mom. Not when Daddy and I are sharing a worried glance that, if he had visible eyes, I think he'd be sharing, too.
Because we understand Mom's personal language enough to know...that...'Thinking about the future' is her way of... Making herself smaller, pushing herself aside to spare herself a little pain. Bracing for impact.
"No, no, don't be. It looks fine...Heck, maybe we can use this space for horses one day. Horses are good."
"That is what I had in mind..." She says in a small, sad little voice.

Dad pulls her into a hug, but I have my own worries to deal with.

I've got a daughter to raise. To raise to understand the world.
"You want to keep your memories in a box so that aliens won't be able to rip them out of your skull, OK?"
"Bok!"
"...Maybe Reed should do this..."

And Evanthe likewise, though her lessons aren't as good.

"You need to remember to give a girl flowers. Can you say flowers?"
Silence.
"It's ok, sweetie. Neither can your father."

I swear I hear dramatic music swelling -- a chill spreads through the air, and mom rushes up the stairs. I hear her gasp,
"Elaine!"
After all, apparently the reaper is a party maniac. And Elaine is at least 90 by now.

But no, it's just June Shallow, our neighbor and perpetual party crasher.

Mom sighs in relief. I stare. He's... He's not real. That's the way I can describe him, the 5th dimensional air around him breaking into fractal darkness, darkness which contains only darkness, cold which contains only cold: cold with a color and a scent and a taste, but the color is deathfish and the scent is black and the taste is rot.
He is bigger than the world, behind it all, and the world just has little holes that we can see him through.

"Be gone from this world, mortal – be gone and count yourself blessed for having lived, you wretched thing -- do you not know it? Do you deny it to one like me?!"

"...Azrael. Be reasonable. She hasn't said anything yet."
Mom stands in front of death itself like a proud queen. Like an angel whose words are a fiery sword, and I want to cling to her. Because Azrael, the Grim Reaper, sounds... Insane.

That's what I sound like to people who aren't me, isn't it?

He swivels his head and spots her, and suddenly the power and the madness drains a little.

"Ariel. Ariel. And Uriel, too, of course. Of course, this is. Where I am. Yes. I'm sorry."
"You're not...well, are you, Azrael?" So Mom hears it too.
"I am fine."
She shakes her head as if she doesn't believe him, but lets him pretend.

"Of course. How have you been?"
"Busy. As always busy, as always will be, busy." Sometimes Reed tightens his guitar strings too much, and the tightening makes a noise, a sort of quavering, auditory breaking before a real break occurs. It rushes to my mind in a flurry of images in the darkness of his face.

Mom steers the conversation, and the two talk about music for a little while.
"I need to go. I should not have lingered here, when I have Duty to do. I am sorry."
"Azrael..."
"I am sorry that I will see you again."

Mom watches him fade into a clutch of smoke. She turns to me, and as her figure blurs I realize that her eyes, too, are filled with tears.
"I already knew that, Azrael..."
She whispers as she hugs me.

Mom's the one to take June's grave to the cemetery, while the party finishes.


And Reed finishes teaching Orchid to talk. It was something ordinary, like bicycles...
...But maybe it's better if she learns about that sort of thing...


When Linden’s not with his mother, he’s working on his playing with blocks. I’m not sure I see the appeal – I’d much rather melt the blocks so they’ll fit through any hole, maybe with some sort of liquidizing device.


"We need you to find gems, Ok, Gabriel? And rocks bigger than your head."
"...Yeah, because those are just lying around."
"We'll send the hound to hunt, and we'll see who's right."


Gabriel goes on the hunt!
“Aww, look! He found a really big space rock, bigger than his whole body!”
”…Well, I’ll be…”


And Reed starts teaching Orchid to walk. He's really a responsible father.


Not that I'm slouching! This painting of my daughter is my 30th, so that's another challenge down.


Linden's still fussy about that swing, waking up the whole house, practically.


Evanthe decides to take the opportunity to potty train him.


And, since I'm up, I decide to visit the recently-bereaved Shallow family, in hopes of getting a remodeling job from them. But, snobs that they are, they say things like, "We don't want a madwoman redecorating our home."
...I guess that clinches things, doesn’t it?

Mom, at least, is settled a bit - she's happy to be a grandma, anyway.


She takes Orchid out to the lawn where apparently everyone's having a training party



Gabriel learns to sit! Good boy, Gabriel!


And we finish up Orchid's toddler skills.

"Honey, is something wrong? You've been...really quiet."
"Oh, Reed. I... I dunno. Maybe I'm death."
"What?"
"Not him exactly, but like him. Like... There was something of a broken mirror in him, you know? Glinting off his bones, he was a blackened mirror. All pretty, shiny pieces and sharp edges and... And broken. Dangerously so.
Like me."
"Aster. Look at me."
I don't want to.
"Look at me."
He takes me and holds me for a moment, however counter-active to looking at him that may be.

"There's nothing broken about you. The way you shine to me isn't a broken mirror -- it's a star. A dazzling, shining star that watches the world from somewhere outside of its orbit."
"You...you think so?"
"I love you. Of course I do. Evanthe, get in here and tell Aster she's fine."
"Fine? She's better than fine! Aster, you're the single best person I know, alright? I owe you my life because you... Are an unstoppable force of belief, of creative will, of... Oh, if I find the person who made you feel bad, I am going to make him regret it!"
Maybe there are parts of this crisis I maybe shouldn't mention.
Maybe I should just let this become a group hug of my best friends.

"Hey, guess what, guys? I finally found a kitten that would suit us!"

"Her name is Echo."

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect (9/10)
Supermax Skill: Painting (2/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim, Reed Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits: Toddler
Sculptures/Photographs Toddler (sculp), Not sure about photo

[ReluctantReaper]

love the LP

[Deme]

And your love summons forth a chapter!

Chapter 30: Short and Sweet

Spoiler

Show

WAIT. Stop. Before we go any further, there's something I must show you. Something so mind-boggling it defies description. Are you ready? I don't think you're ready. Your mind will be destroyed.
...But the story can't go on until you see it, so...

Look it how cute Orchid is when she's playing with her bunny! So precious!
I bet your mind is just full of "D'awww," isn't it? I've destroyed your rational mind...
Well, that's OK!


Anyway, apocolyptic things are happening. Dogs and cats...
Are making friends! Though it's possible that they were always friendly, and this whole 'dogs and cats don't like each-other' is a conspiracy, designed to stop people from using pets to keep pets company...
This is probably by the same people who keep putting that metal taste in the water to send gremlins into my fillings as spies...

I bet that animals talk about all sorts of things, like the superiority of ducks as a water toy over sprinklers, which get everyone all wet and my good dress wet, too.

Anyway, I'm still trying to find work. There's no call for architects in this town.
My hand gestures will convince Miss Ruby Broke, or die trying.

"See, this one looks like a bird."
"...I'm not sure how that's going to..."
"Shh. I'm making headway. I throw a German Shepard in there, and I'm in."

1 hand gesture later...

"...How did that... Wait. I thought she wanted a pool."
"Well, the bathroom's where all the water's located. So I need to know how much water she has room for."
"...That's not how... Princess... You know what? Whatever. Whatever it takes to help you max your career."


"It turns out her bathroom can store a lot of whater, but it blocked the way to the toilet, so I brought it all out here."
"...She likes the Anubis lights?"
"Loves them. Apparently, she's a closet egypt fan. Or maybe she's just easy to please."
"Princess, when you find someone like that, you milk it for all it's worth. I say you ask for more money."

Still, the last two levels seem so long...

While I've been at work, Evanthe's been finishing teaching her son his final toddler skills.

And she heads upstairs to lay out her catch in bowls in the upstairs...And it turns out that she's completed her lifetime wish.
Go 'Vanthe!

And also, storytime.

"'Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit...'"
"Isn't that a little mature for Orchid, Mom?"
"It's good to start them young. She'll learn what it all means at her own pace. Besides -- she loved Beowulf, didn't you, Orchid-honey?"
"Hrunting! Hrunting!"
"...And you're cool with this, Uriel? You usually stop me when I pull stuff like this."
"I get to give the Cyclops a funny voice."
"...I see, so that's how it is..."
"Is something wrong, Aster?"
"...Well... Athena needs a funny voice, too. I'll do it."
"Of course, sweetheart."

...


"Uriel, a word?"
"Yeah, Billy? What is it?"
"I've been thinking about things."
"If this is about getting a new gnome, forget it!"
"No, No...There's not... A lot of time left, is there?"
"No. I don't think there is. For you or Elaine."
"So I thought I'd get my affairs in order."
"Your affairs? You've been cheating on her all this --"
"[Billy, we thought you stopped doing this - Ed], Uriel, cut the comedy routine! ... I'm sorry. But this is serious."
"...Alright. What is it?"

"Take care of her, Ok?"
"You know I will. I always have, and I always will."
"...Yeah. You know, when we started this... I was so jealous of you. I just wanted to punt you to the moon, I was so jealous."
"Jealous? Of me?"
"Yeah. You were this powerful, uknowable thing that understood Ariel like no one understands her, who she's loved and needed since the dawn of time! How do you compete with that!"
"Heh. Ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"Hey, I'm bein' serious! What are you laughing at, tough guy?"
"...Because I... I was always jealous of you. The whole stupid time. This big strong man who comes in and sweeps her off her feet... Who showed her this whole new world, who loves her without being made for it... How do I compete with that?"
"...Dummy."
"Idiot."
The sound of laughter fills our house for a brief moment.

...

Another day trying to find work begins. Some days the anxiety, all the waiting -- waiting to see if I can get the job, waiting for everyone to leave so I can perform it... It feels like time itself is around my throat, strangling me.

"That's because you're strangling yourself. It's not a simile at all."
Huh. So time is my hand in disguise? Ah, but now that I have this clue, I can unmask... It? Me? What's the personal pronoun for a part of yourself gone rogue?
Because I need it all the time.


Everything with my parents continues very lovey-dovey.

And Reed and I aren't any slouches in that arena, either.


Evanthe and Ross are...trying. They're really trying their hardest, but Ross just doesn't seem to know what to do with Linden. Maybe he's just not good with kids that age... I hope so.

Because it feels unbalanced otherwise. Like... The two of us, who came into this world like twins, whose lives are bound... Can't find equilibrium.

Because Reed loves his daughter like crazy. He'll play with his daughter for hours,

Taking her for strolls around the neighborhood, letting her point at all the pretty things...

Having tickle-fights when they're done... The two of them are always beaming together.

He's not just busy being a good dad, though. He's also been busy as a stylist. The reports are in: he is fabulous.

I'm... not sure how. I guess they think badmitton birdies are the height of fashion, or something... Maybe due to the natural animosity between fashionistas and jocks means that to steal a sports article for a trophy is the ultimate glory!
I'm not sure, though. I'll get back to you on that.

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect (9/10)
Supermax Skill: Painting (2/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Innapropriate in a Good Way, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim, Gabriel Seraphim, Cyrique Cantu
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim, Reed Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits: Toddler
Sculptures/Photographs Toddler (sculp&photo)

[Toric]

I feel really bad for Evanthe. She's had no end of BUNNY!

...Sorry, residual cutephoria symptoms. Anyway, she's had no end of problems with Ross, to the point that she seems very single-mom and it might be better for her to start looking elsewhere for love. ......I still can't help but hold on to my China Doll ship. Her kid's absolutely adorable, but that's beside the point.

At this point the fact that Aster was measuring the scale for a pool in the bathroom barely phases me. It makes perfect sense to her, I'm sure.

And I'm of a mind that the statue was supposed to resemble a Russian (or its Sim equivalent) satellite, to show the level of thinking that went into the judges' deliberation.

[Deme]

Spoiler alert: Things with Ross are only going to get more angsty. While I doubt your China Doll ship would have really worked out in terms of child-rearing much better (since I'd have had to invite him long-distance every time), it may still produce better happiness results than the current way of things... Well, you'll see what I mean in another two chapters.

[MeatShield#236]

Great, now you've got me curious to see what happens next. Can't wait for the next update.

[Deme]

Well, here's a little something before I go to bed. Also, I now have Late Night, which starts to make its appearance in this chapter.

Chapter 31: Gentle into that Late Night

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Show

Every morning. Every morning. You guys are pains in my nebulously existing rear, you know that?"
"Who are you taking to?"

"The gnomes! They get in the rows of Ariel's garden every morning!"
"I'm sure Dante doesn't mean it..."
"Oh, 'he' means it alright...His desire for suffering..."
"Mom brought most of these home, they wouldn't want to hurt her!"
"You assume them to be creatures of loyalty, like you or I. And in this, you are deathly mistaken. Their ceramic hearts know only evil.
...By the way, Princess, what are you doing out here?"
"...Teaching the gnomes to talk."
"GAAAAAH!"

speaking of Mom's garden...

Someone's getting into trouble! Mom scolded Gabriel for eating those tomatos for what felt like forever -- Mom upset is so rare, it was worth remembering.

But I can't stop and watch that today. I got the feeling...It's just a sense... That something's up with Ross. The town has been changing a lot recently, with the movie studio moving in and all...

But even though he was home when I left, by the time I reach his house, no one's there. I guess I shouldn't worry.

But then I get a call from a guy asking if I wouldn't like to get famous for a painting. I'm not exactly sure how a painting makes one a celebrity -- maybe he melts it with some sort of turpentine and uses the pigments to power a celebrity-generating machine, perhaps in the form of a white dwarf star? Is THIS why famous people are stars?
So I hand it off.

"Thanks. I'll be sure to pass your name around town as a great artist."
...What? What was that! That is a distinct lack of stardom!
And then I get a call from an agent, saying I've made a name for myself and he wants to cover me.
"Cover me with what? Is it fudge?"
"...Ms. Aster, we'll keep in touch. Just do what we say, and you could be somebody."
...I thought I was somebody.

Am I not somebody? Or am I disembodied, but with some sort of psychic power to make me seem tangible?
...
Or... Does he mean I'm not 'real'?

I drive back home thinking about that, and worried, walk down towards the nursery.

The kids have taken to playing with one another, since they've finished all they need to right now. The two look so
The two of them are just so sweet and innocent that it completely derails my worries... Except...
That voice talked about himself (or maybe it was herself?) as a 'we.' That's a little weird for a single person to do.

I'd ask Mom what she thought he meant, but...

She and Daddy are enjoying the hot-tub, followed by even more 'enjoying' the hot-tub. The two of them really are as in-love as they were when they had just gotten married.

The day passes like that, quietly. I hear Uriel saying something like,
"Hey, Elaine. I think Ariel may have left a few plants unattended to before breakfast -- mind taking a look-see?" While I'm painting.

That's why no one noticed it right away; unused as we are to thinking about anyone but Mom in the garden, and anyone gardening late at night, that we weren't looking there.
"...You know, this feels... Kind of... Nice."
"What feels -- Oh."


"Oh. Oh no."
"I've had a good life...But I was still looking forward...To learning more recipes. To seeing my grandbaby --"
"...How dare they!"


"Please...Please, a little longer..."
"..."
"Say something, you rat-fink! Anything!"
"..."
He didn't even look at her -- his unknowable eyes were fixed at some point beyond reality, like the eyes of a doll.
All he did was cut her down with his scythe like a stalk of wheat, and she was gone.

For a moment, it was like she had never been -- the air where she had stood warped into the perfect vacuum. Aunt Elaine...
She never found true love. She spent her final years so quietly...

She only really left one thing to her name, one thing that marked that she ever really existed, from the moment she was gone.
And he was the first one to feel the wrongness in the air, and rush out onto the lawn.

"Mom..."
He was the one who cried out by the garden in the night.
"...Please... Let's give everyone just a few more hours of thinking that everything's Ok..."
"I'll help you...Arrange things."


RIP
Elaine Joy
Beloved Mother and Friend
Always Followed Her Dreams

The silence doesn't last very long. Even the animals figure out that the nice old lady who filled their food bowls is gone.


But I can't concern myself with Gabriel or Echo (even if I love the fuzzballs.)
Because...As much as I've needed people... Tonight's the first night I feel like someone needs me.

His eyes are red-rimmed, even as he clutches in a sob. I hug him, and feel it under his skin, that clutch of feeling crowding jaundice yellow and bruise blue into his throat, even as I snuggle my head into it.
"...She was the person who gave me a place in the world... The first person to tell me I was wanted..."
He mutters.
"I'm sorry."
'I'm sorry. I need you, and I'll say it every day...Even it's worthless.' I think it into him, hoping that the psychic powers I always thought were in the water seep through my filiments.
"I never cared about my birth mother because s-she..."
"She was real," I finish for him. I lead him by the hand out to the deck, where we can sit. Above us are the stars.

"...We exist in a closed universe. Nothing can enter, and nothing can leave. Even when the stars aren't visible, they're just hiding behind the blue sky."
I pull him near, and hear at last that gasp of tears.
"Nothing leaves, because we exist in that universe. Your mom isn't gone; she's only went to circulate among the stars."
"...You think she's watching?"
"Absolutely. The stars have eyes. Point her out to me."

We spend a while, taking his mind off of it, talking about things like that. I meant what I said, though. Really.


Mom came to mourn the moment she woke up. She cried for hours, distraught. I thought she'd have been ready...
"I never should have talked her father into this, Uriel..."
"She would have died the same. Really."
"I should have worked harder to make sure she was happy. There should have been something I could have..."

"Honey." My dad stops her. "She was happy. She loved our family. Come here.

Everything is alright, OK? So keep smiling for her. Stop crying, silly woman."

"I swear to you, it's gonna be OK. (I hope. A little longer, Grim...C'mon.)"

We spend the day taking solace like that, and remembering Elaine.

That evening, I decided that we weren't just going to sit there!

The mysterious man/men on the phone suggested that we go out dancing at The Grind, one of the new clubs that's moved into town. I just thought it'd be good to enjoy an evening out.
This time, we leave Evanthe at home to watch the toddlers, but she and Mom and I will have to have a girls' night out one day.


I bring Reed close; we skip the drinks and just begin tearing up the dance floor, drinking in the spotlight.


Mom...Maybe overly enjoys her drinks.
"Wooh! You go, Ariel honey! Ha-ha!"
...I do not know how Uriel managed to get a drink, but even he seems caught up into the spirit of it.
"Oh, you think that's nice? Ha! Let me show you something, Mister Featherweight!"

"No one wants to watch you dance!"
"Oh, Uriel, dearheart...Don't say things to my husband that just aren't true."

Life is short. Even though nothing can ever leave, nothing can stay 'real' forever, either. I wonder when the moment will be, when even the immortals cease to be 'real'?
Will it be soon? Something about Elaine's death made me think of that.

All Mom and Daddy can do is dance like there's no tomorrow.

I'll get the immortal stats up in the morning, but first...

Spoiler

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A few words for Elaine.
She was the quiet one: the one who, with the exception of her drama in love, never stuck out her head. She spent her days in incredibly boring pleasure after her retirement, and she seemed more than happy to just quietly tend to matters around the house. She was a good, hard worker.
I only really left out one moment in her life, just for lack of screenshots: in retrospect, I regret it. At work, she had a friend. And one day, she had a wish to kiss him (this was after Reed had come into the family). So I invited him to the diner after work... And asked him if he was single. And then, to my sorrow, he was not. And that was the last time Elaine had a wish for love, snuffed in the bud like that.

Farewell, Elaine. I'm sorry we never did find you a man, for all your hard work. Goodbye and thank you.

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect (9/10)
Supermax Skill: Painting (2/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Innapropriate in a Good Way, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim, Gabriel Seraphim, Cyriaque Cantu, Ami Oakley
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim, Reed Seraphim, Linden Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits: Toddler
Sculptures/Photographs Toddler (sculp&photo)

[MeatShield#236]

You, good lady, are very good at manipulating my emotions, especially with that last bit. Kudos to you.

Also, R.I.P Elaine

[Toric]

Poor Reed, family man he is. Good thing Aster's there to comfort him with a very, very moving speech. On the bright side, I can't imagine a happier afterlife than the one waiting for a woman who pledged half her life to helping an angel make everyone in town happy. Not to mention she'll probably have her dad waiting for her. Plus, if she's anything like her dad, she'll be back to visit every so often.

This episode ended on a great note, however. Table-dancing Ariel and Bill. It doesn't get more purely fun than that.

Oh how I wish I could convince myself that the Ross situation getting worse just referred to him moving away...

[Raistlin1040]

I just read this entire LP start to finish and I'd just like you to know that I'm really enjoying it and look forward to seeing where it goes (even if I don't quite understand all the rules).

[Deme]

You, good lady, are very good at manipulating my emotions, especially with that last bit. Kudos to you.

Thank you, I always like hearing that.

Poor Reed, family man he is. Good thing Aster's there to comfort him with a very, very moving speech. On the bright side, I can't imagine a happier afterlife than the one waiting for a woman who pledged half her life to helping an angel make everyone in town happy. Not to mention she'll probably have her dad waiting for her. Plus, if she's anything like her dad, she'll be back to visit every so often.

This episode ended on a great note, however. Table-dancing Ariel and Bill. It doesn't get more purely fun than that.

Oh how I wish I could convince myself that the Ross situation getting worse just referred to him moving away...

I'm glad the happiness of that scene made up for the sadness of some of the earlier ones. These two chapters, 31 and 32, are rough ones; The Seraphims get put through the absolute ringer here, so I'm glad I timed that outing as I did.

Not only is the Ross situation...Sadder... But also, China Doll is virtually sunk, so there's not a back-up, either. I got the message when I was playing that our favorite foreigner "isn't getting any younger, so it might be a good time to say goodbye." In other words, he's on death's door, without any of the time left I'd need to break up Evanthe and Ross and to get him as a love interest and moved in so they would be together at the end.

I just read this entire LP start to finish and I'd just like you to know that I'm really enjoying it and look forward to seeing where it goes (even if I don't quite understand all the rules).

Well, is there anything I can clarify for you? I'd like it if the people reading it had a good sense of what I'm doing and why.

[Aidan305]

Well done, you evoked Reed's loss really well. You had done such a good job of blending him in with the family that I had forgotten that he had originally been adopted.

Farewell Elaine, you may never have found love, but that doesn't mean you weren't loved.

[Deme]

Like he himself said, it's not really a huge concern of his.


...I'm finally able to finish this chapter. I'm so glad for it to be done.

Chapter 32: The Figure in the Dark

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The day began like any other. Well, any other birthday. None of us were really in the mood for a party (And I think Uriel was hung-over), but we had set out a couple of cakes for Orchid and Linden. I was coming back from City Hall with an award in hand -- it's like the one Reed has. Maybe they only have one sort of statue.

I guess I'll start by talking about Evanthe. We of course invited Ross to the kids' birthday; it's only natural, right? While the rest of the evening's action was going on, Evanthe was waiting out in the dusk for him to arrive. And then she saw him. His skin, gone slightly tinged with grey or white, something that turned the warmth of his colors cold. His eyes, lit from within, gone completely gold.

"...Ross. You're a vampire."
"It was my father's idea."
"...I see."
"Are you upset?"
"I love you, just the same."
But that wasn't a yes, and it wasn't a no. Because there are some things that the rules of our lives, that the Immortal Dynasty rules, forbid. After Mom told be about it, she showed me the rules Uriel had been given.
Household Matters, item 5.
"•Vampires, mummies, and SimBots are not allowed in your household..."
They disrupt the flow of time, virtually immortal themselves. TO bring one into the house... Would probably mean certain failure, even if it wasn't against the rules.
"(Too late. I'm too late,)" she whispers as she wraps her arms around him. She had wanted to marry him -- one day, when it wouldn't be a drain on the family.
And now that time would never come.

She cried into his shoulders, and she would not tell him why. His shoulders must have been so cold.


And the rest of us...
Was I in the Dining Room already? Was I somewhere else, and came in through the extra door we installed for easier access? ...The sequence of events slips away from me; the sequence is riversilt and the color of light on water.

The color of light. That's the first thing that I can say existed with certainty. The color of the light was gold.

The color of the light around Daddy.
"...So soon?"
"...This...This a joke, right?"
Uriel's always the first to notice this sort of thing. This time... This time, he felt like the last. Even me, limping mentally behind, understood.


"...I don't think it is. I think it's time."
"G-good one, Billy. And you, too, Azrael. You can come out now, and put things back to normal.... Please?"

Then my mom's footsteps, from the hallway. She knew immediately -- before her eyes could even take in the scene, they were wide with shock and loss.

"Billy," she whispered. "No, please, no..."
"I'm sorry, honey." He gave her a gentle smile.
"D-don't say you're sorry... I can't think..." The sentence goes silent on her lips. She's spent time unimaginable in limbo, and she's had friends who have died.
But she's never been without someone whom she truly loves. She never loved anyone who could die. She's never loved anyone who kissed her on the nape of her neck, or made her giggle in a shower of rose petals.
"There's nothing you'd have to apologize for. I love you."
She tried to smile. The last smile she could give Daddy... Didn't work. Her eyes were too red-rimmed, and the movement of her muscles sent the tears rolling down her face. She hiccuped, in the way of a small child trying very hard not to burst into tears.

And me?

I couldn't say anything. I had to watch them, I had to remember it -- to soak it in like color paletes and the way the light hit my mother's eyes, those big blue eyes with the intensity of a spring sky, when it reflected off her tears; as the tears slid down her face, and lit tracks against her freckles.


"Please. A little longer -- for my wife. Aren't you an old pal of hers? Please. Just let me --"
"There is no allowance."
Death said, calm and still, as if holding something back.
"You rat-fink! Couldn'ta given us a day, could you, you heartless rat!" Uriel snarled. His voice was gaspy and full of tears. "I don't care, but darnit, what about her?! What about him?!"
"...I cannot be merciful. I cannot be altered. I cannot be anything but Death itself," said the Angel of Death, swinging his head upward in a jointless motion. Then he added, in a cracking voice, "Or else. Say goodbye."

Maybe, to Daddy, begging didn't seem important. Not as the scythe came closer and closer, in a moment that stretched thin as spiderweb.
"I love you," he said, as his white figure vanished.
"I...I... Billy..." Mom whispered, to the empty air. "I knew this would happen. I knew... From the moment you kissed me...That you would break my heart.
And you made me love you anyway, and love you forever."

***


"Idiot...You should have taken up jogging. Marathons. Vegitarianism. I hated you, you know that?
I didn't care about you at all. Don't... D-don't you ever believe otherwise, alright? So...I'm not sad, understand, you dead jerk?!"
Uriel sobs as he sets up the grave. Hearing him and Mom cry... Is like listening to rain or piano music. It's like the first tears ever shed in the history of the world, completely without reserve.
It's like the others, with two exceptions. The first is this: a chair, so Ariel can sit here when she feels like it... And the white roses he loved to give her, given back for good.

Billy (Caspian) Seraphim
Who Lived His Life in the Love of Angels

***

Life wasn't allowed to freeze that night. It never is. As if they were ought to remind us of that, the children decided to age up without us.

First Orchid aged up, with a stubborn fiestyness that seemed to say 'No, I'm not getting left behind!' She's a rather Adventurous young lady.




And then Linden, following cautiously after. He's got a clever look, like a little Genius.





While we couldn't put the birthday cakes to good use, we could at least all celebrate their becoming children successfully... After everything that's happened over the past few days, for my daughter's sake, I want to forget. I want to be the sort of insane person who can make the past happen to somebody else. I'm not, but I can still pretend.
But no matter what I pretend, this is still true:


The figure in the night of a crying angel with tatoo wings, weeping for the only man she'll ever love.

Spoiler

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A few authorial words for Billy.
...I don't even know where to begin. He was such a joy to write, right from the start.
And, of course, nothing in this dynasty would have been possible without him. He provided almost all of the portraits so far, and the money for the house on top of that...And Ariel's ice sculptures, too.

And, I think, most importantly, he was the absolute most in-love sim husband I've ever played. He and Ariel couldn't be in a room together without rolling wishes to talk or kiss or woohoo. I tried to show how close and how very much in love those two were, but I don't think I could have succeeded without it being an endless montage of love. I think we'll all miss Billy - the first spouse is always the hardest to see go.

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect (9/10)
Supermax Skill: Painting (2/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Innapropriate in a Good Way, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim, Gabriel Seraphim, Cyriaque Cantu, Ami Oakley
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim, Reed Seraphim, Linden Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits: Toddler
Sculptures/Photographs Toddler (sculp&photo)

Glossary

Spoiler

Show

"...Jogging. Marathons. Vegitarianism": by "jogging. Marathons," Uriel is referring to an athletics skill challenge -- when a sim jogs or runs a certain distance with the athletics skill, they complete it...And, at least according to the game, it lengthens the life of the sim who completes it. The math is unverified for exactly how it does that, though. Likewise, the Vegitarian trait is said to increase the lifespan of the sim. Basically, Uriel's listing things Billy should have done to live longer.

[Deme]

Chapter 33: Moving Forward

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I'm not sure who I'd say has it worst after Daddy died. On the one hand, you had the animals...

They're not as distractable as people, and they don't like change much. They're basically distraught, and it's all we can do to buff up their moods.

On the other hand, there's my mother. And like them, she can't be distracted. The human animal, the secret beast beneath the skin...

My mother wakes up and turns to an empty side of the bed; my mother gardens and stops and sees the dead plants. And I can't think of what to do.


So I paint. When I don't know what to do, I paint. Feelings become brushstrokes. Worries become gobs of pigment on my palate. And the light remains the light, letting itself be bound up warm and friendly.
"And it's my latest masterpiece!"
"That's wonderful!"

"...It's...umm...Your feelings?"
"Don't be silly! It's the inside of the mind of a squished bug!"
"Right. Obviously. It'll take the art world by storm."
"I know, right?"
"Wait...How many masterpieces is that?"
"...Umm...Five or Six?"
"Yes! Aster, you just supermaxed painting!"
"Wooh!"

With that out of the way, the last thing besides portraits I need is to do some more work. Time to bum off my neighbors!

"So, Lindsay, bestest friend... Can I restyle your house?"
"Ha,ha,ha... No. Last time I did that, I ended up with a gym in my attic."
"Attic-Gym was a great idea. They laughed, they laughed...But they'll see! They'll all see!"
They will rue the day they laughed at negative neo-surrealist pointilist celestial landscape!.... I mean... Attic-Gym!
Those fools will rue the day they laughed at a lot of things.


"...It's his obituary."
"They're saying we bought a new car with the insurance money! Those liars!"
"I think they're just kidding..."
"We'll be alright, don't you think? We'll do OK. Just like always."
"Uriel, sometimes I worry about your idea of 'OK,' if you say it's 'like always.' But you're right. We can keep going."


Keeping going means helping the kids with their homework, like a proper bookworm.

Orchid, meanwhile, has some friends to help her with her homework: a boy she forces into hours of tag...



And her own imaginary friend, Cosmos. I don't think they're as close as Evanthe and I were at her age -- I'm not sure that's possible.
"I like how much energy you get from Spagetti. Not to mention, if you eat it with someone, you can pull a Lady and the Tramp. Meet Cute, but with food...That's kinda great!"


"Playing catch, huh? Was it everything you ever wanted, Evanthe?"
"Oh, absolutely!"

And, after a good night's sleep, it's time for my darling girl to start her day with a work-out.

"Honey, that's not going to do anything. You're too young to really get into athletics."
"So what! I can at least get in some practice... And it's never too early to start getting ready to run TO ADVENTURE!"
"Actually, it's exactly too early... Oh, well. Nevermind."
"Ha-ha! Exactly!"


And Reed and I start our morning and my birthday with a little comfort. Now that it looks like things will get better after these hard times, that's something he and I want to celebrate in each other.

Besides, I still have work to do. That level 10 in my career won't reach itself!
I mean that literally. No one's ever asked me to do a renovation -- I'm always asking them. Maybe they think my melting all their clocks is a Dali rip-off? Good artists borrow, great artists steal, you know! It's a conspiracy -- the rocket society is making me have to drum up my own business!



With Elaine gone and a party coming, someone needs to repair the upstairs shower... And we let Evanthe handle this one.
"Maybe you should just stockpile broken things, in case someone needs to max handiness..."
"Oh, that's actually a really good idea, don't you think, Uriel"
"Yeah, it is, Ariel... But I think she's just saying that to get out of doing repairs."

I'm still away doing a bit of work... But when I ask Uriel to check in, he says that everyone's in formalwear.
My party's starting without me!



Gotta hurry back, gotta hurry back....


"Today's patented 'keep my Vampire boyfriend from burning in the sun due to a lack of self-preservation instinct' technique is... Indoor ghost-stories!"
"Keep working it, girl!"

Anyway, it's time for birthday sparkles!

I'm so excited!

Not bad, not bad... I'm not too worried about getting older, so no mid-life crisis for me.


Long kitten is long.

Because it's birthday cat!


And finally, my dear friend.

I think as long as we're aging up together, time isn't going to worry either of us.

"It looks like we'll have gotten through this generation's entry into Mature Adulthood without any sort of midlife crisis!"
"Mother, if you say things like that, Father's absolutely sure to get one now. You may as well have said he's two days from retiring!"
Oops.

Aster's Requirements

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect (9/10)
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Innapropriate in a Good Way, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman, Orchid Seraphim, Gabriel Seraphim, Cyriaque Cantu, Ami Oakley
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, Larger than Necessary Doorstop, Local Artists' Gallery
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

Orchid's Requirements:

Spoiler

Show

Lifetime Wish:
Career:
Supermax Skill: Martial Arts (unless travelling glitch, then athletics)
Building/Property:
LTR:
Best Friends: Aster Seraphim, Reed Seraphim, Linden Seraphim
Black Ops:
Portraits: Toddler
Sculptures/Photographs Toddler (sculp&photo)