When the Zombies Come -- a Cottoneye Decadynasty (COMPLETED)

[MarianT]

ladyaya is right -- I need to wait a few generations before they move again.

[MarianT]

Chapter Ten – A Promotion

Dear Mercy,

   You’re probably the only person who knows how much this means to me – they’re finally letting me play! I’m only in the minor league, but that’s better than nothing.



   Other than that, there’s not much news. We had a burglar the other night. The children ran out to see what was going on. The burglar got away but luckily didn’t take anything.



   Their class went on a trip to the mausoleum. I thought they might find it depressing, but they returned in high spirits, bringing home their loot -- two posters, a hunk of palladium, and a large space rock.



   We did Luke’s bedroom in yellow, which is his favorite color. Since taking the picture below, we’ve added a computer. His ambition is to be an illustrious author, and he’s started his first novel. He reminds me of another child writer I used to know.



   It’s winter here in Lucky Palms. Although we don’t get any snow, we did get a hard frost. It seems strange to see the palm trees against the white.



   Anyway, I’ve been stalling because I have a favor to ask of you. Ever since she heard that you have Qusul living with you, Diana has been wild to come and see you. Weston has figured out a way for her to do it that won’t imperil either of our dynasties (did I tell you he has a 10 in logic?). We’ve told her that she has to make the honor roll and become a teen before she can travel. Most important, she has to be invited for a visit. Can you bear having two teenagers under the same roof? I know she’d like to meet her cousin Aurelia as well as your houseguest.

   I hope you’ll say yes. I’d like for her to meet her Aunt Mercy because you’ll be around a lot longer than I will. (Actually, I enjoy being an elder – I get to hang out in my pajamas and sit in the rocking chair all day if I want to. No more marathons in China for me!)

Love, Artemis

[SimBlip]

I didn't realise it won't snow in certain worlds. The frost makes sense, though. It can freeze in the Sahara.
Weston is a smart cookie. It will be wonderful for the families to be able to visit each other.
That's great news!

[MarianT]

It won't snow in Lucky Palms because I disabled snow. However, there is a way to get snow even with it disabled.

[MarianT]

Chapter Eleven – Diana’s Visit

Dear Mercy,

   Thanks so much for “inviting” Diana to come and visit. She’s been wild with excitement ever since we heard from you, especially because she made the honor roll the same day. I had thought she might fly, as if she were going to France or Egypt, but Weston said he could fix it so that she could travel by magic.



   The morning of her birthday she was ready to leave as soon as she blew out the candles on her cake.



   I reminded her that 6 a.m. was not the best time to show up for a visit and suggested that she pack what she wanted to take. That took a few hours, and at 9 a.m. she was ready to go.



   She was gone for several days (well, you know that), and about halfway through, she sent us a letter, which she said I could share with you.

Dear Mom and Dad,

   This has been the absolute best birthday present ever! Thank you so much for letting me do this. Aunt Mercy gave me a big hug when I arrived, so I felt welcome already.



   Aurelia and I have agreed to be BFF. I was a little shy at first because I know she’s going to be an immortal. It turned out that she was shy because I was 5th generation in my dynasty, and she’s only 2nd in hers. (6th actually, if you count our founder, but I didn’t say anything.) But before long we were having a pillow fight and talking about boys and our favorite computer games and the agonies of having red hair.



   They have a large pond on their lot, so I learned how to skate.



I also got to have pizza for breakfast – not the flimsy, store-bought pizza we get here, but something thick and crusty and cheesy that Aurelia’s Uncle Camillo made.



   Qusul was busy sculpting when I first arrived, but when he finished, he asked me very courteously if I would like to go to the Hill with him in his spaceship. Would I! You’ll be happy to hear that I did not jump up and down, but restrained myself and said yes, I would like that very much.



   When I got in the spaceship, I noticed a suction-cup cat stuck to the rear window. I asked Qusul if he had a cat back home and if he had thought about getting a cat here. Because of his sunglasses, it was hard to read his expression, but I got the impression that our cats are vastly inferior to those of his home planet and also that the thing on his rear window might be a source of power.



   I noticed that his voice sounded kind of tinny and mechanical, so I asked him why that was (okay, not the most tactful question, but I wanted to know). He explained that he and his people usually communicated telepically – telepathically – but he knew that when he came here he wouldn’t be able to do that. So he was fitted with a computer translator and a voice box. I asked him if he could communicate with me telepathically, and he said he could send me pictures, but the sounds wouldn't make any sense.



   I asked him why he was here, and he said that Monte Vista was renowned for its beauty, and he was into photography, so he had come to get a camera and take pictures. We talked about photography, and then it was time to go back. Talking to Qusul was a lot more interesting than interviewing someone in France (although I wouldn’t mind doing that, too).



   Monte Vista is incredibly beautiful, but there’s one thing it needs to be perfect – the two of you and Luke. I miss you all a bunch and can’t wait to see you again. Whoops – I was going to say you could share this letter with Aunt Mercy if you want (although she knows all the stuff that’s in it already), but I don’t know if she’d be offended by that last bit. I’ll leave it to you to decide.

   Here’s what it looks like crossing the bridge from the Hill (which is the downtown area) to get to Aunt Mercy’s.



See you soon! Love, Diana

[smartburn]

Sims and their inferior cats...hehe...I bet Qusul would change his mind if he got to know one of them. *cleans up hairball* Well, maybe...or not.

Nice update!

[RainBeau]

So cool! Nice that she got to meet her cousin and become bffs with her. I like this idea of sisters doing dynasties.

[SimBlip]

The wardrobe... I'm so glad that the families can stay in touch over space and time.
Qusul knew he was one of the reasons Diana wanted to visit! How nice of him to take her for a trip in his spaceship and to answer her questions so readily. His replies were most interesting.
Wonderful update! 

[MarianT]

Chapter Twelve – Worst. Prom. Ever.

Dear Aurelia,

   Have you ever wanted to throw yourself on your bed and just cry and cry? That’s the way I felt after prom last night.



   I was kind of grumpy already when I left the house because I was having a mood swing and because I’d missed my chance to ask Hanson Gilbert to go to prom with me when we got together because I was hoping that he would ask me, only it turned out that he graduated the next day, so of course he wasn’t interested in going to the prom anymore.



   Anyway, I got out of the limo and approached the school and what did I see but Luke sitting on the stoop playing with his little doll. And between me and Luke were the two most popular kids in school, Cliff Hudson and Tabbi Claremont.



   Believe me, I would have been happy for a meteor to land right on top of me at that moment. But it got worse. When we were all at the door, Luke stood up and said, “Hi, Sis.” I really could have killed him, even if he is my baby brother, and already the best painter in Lucky Palms.



   Somehow I got into the gym, but it was awful because I knew that Tabbi and Cliff were telling everyone about Luke. When they announced that I’d been named Prom Queen, I burst into tears because I was so surprised. Unfortunately when I cry, my nose turns red, and then my mascara ran – and stung – which made me cry more. I should have just put on clown make-up; I couldn’t have looked any worse. I was radiating so much misery that no one wanted to dance with me, and I can’t say I blame them. And then someone threw punch on my friend Sherry, so I shoved them and got into a fight – all in all, it was just awful.

   When I got home, I found that Luke had had his birthday, so he’d be going to school with me the next day. I’m embarrassed to say this, but my first thought was “well, at least he won’t be playing with that stupid little doll any more.”



   And then I noticed that he did grow up to be rather good-looking, so I expect all the girls will have a crush on him and forget that he was the kid playing with the doll. So maybe things won’t be too bad.



   It turned out that Luke wasn’t the only one who had a birthday. Dad had one, too – the dreaded mid-life one. He spent about an hour in the bathroom. First, he had to do something about his hair. Mom said he was partially bald when they got married and that he went to a hair restoration place, but apparently it didn’t last.



He decided his old hair style wasn’t quite right, so he had to pick out something else. (And they say I spend too much time looking in the mirror!)



And then he had to check and see whether he’d acquired any wrinkles.



   After that he went over to the closet and picked out a new coat and hat to go with the scarf I gave him. I have to say he’s the best-looking dad in Lucky Palms, and the best dad, too.  He gave me a bunch of bottles and told me they were potent friendship elixirs, to help with my dynasty requirements.  And he told me he was glad I was waiting to get involved with someone because that way I could learn more about the person and find out whether we were compatible. (Oh dear, I’m starting to cry again.)



   To change the subject totally, here’s a picture of the moon over Lucky Palms. I know our mothers exchange moon pictures, and I thought it might be nice if we did, too. I’d really like to go to Lunar Lakes someday – not to live there, but to visit.



That reminds me – how is Qusul? He asked me kind of a strange question when I was visiting – if I was going to be an immortal, too. And I said no, I was in a different kind of dynasty. So he asked how it was different, and I said I had to do ten black ops while you only had to do six. And I know he wanted me to explain, but your mom came in just then. Anyway, I thought it was strange, but it’s probably not important.

   Give your mom a hug from me. Oh, and tell her to watch the game this weekend because my mom is going to be one of the starters! Pretty good for a not-young lady (she’d be cross if I called her old). Your BFF and cousin, Diana

[Toni]

I love how the letters are from Diana to Aurelia now. Sorry about Prom Diana 

[RainBeau]

Ah Diana, I know how it is to be embarrassed by your little brother! And to have the girls have a crush on him too, ugh.

[SimBlip]

Luke is a really nice mix of both his parents.
Diana's remarks about Qusul's line of questioning ties in nicely with the intriguing letter to his Commander.
Can't wait to see what happens next! 

[MarianT]

Part VI – Diana

Chapter One – Snow! And Another Trip

Dear Aurelia,

   I agree – Beppe’s a keeper.

   Dad decided to give us all a present for Snowflake Day – he made it snow!



It’s been cold and frosty here all winter, but because we’re in the desert, there just hasn’t been any snow. But after Dad used his machine, we got quite the blizzard.



   It goes without saying that I made a snowman. (As did Luke and Mom).



   Later in the day, I decided to check out the Winter Festival. It was really pretty in the late afternoon sunshine, with the snow on everything.



   I went ice-skating and took a spill. That guy isn’t anyone important – he’s almost an elder and married.



I tried snow-boarding and really liked it. Mom was okay with my doing it – she knows I’m athletic like her, so pretty co-ordinated – but Dad got upset.



   He got even more upset when he went to wash his hands. I don’t know why suspicion focused on me – I guess he thought (correctly) that because I knew how to repair the sink, I also knew how to break it.



   As a result, I’ve been assigned the job of unclogging the toilets.



   I had a sad surprise when I went to feed Witchitty this morning – he was dead. He was a good bird, and I'll miss him.



   Aurelia, I have kind of a personal question to ask you – no, it’s not about boys, although that topic will come up later. Do you get, um, singed when you do your homework? It doesn’t happen to Luke, although he’s a witch, too, just me. I can whiz through my work super fast, but then when I close up my notebook – poof! It's really annoying because it happens every time, and I can't skip doing homework until I make the honor roll.



   Okay, boys, or rather young men, specifically Hanson Gilbert. He sent me a couple of pictures the other day, and yes, I do understand that people sending me gifts will be a regular occurrence once I grow up. But these were pictures of airplanes, suggesting he really thought about what someone who wanted to be an astronaut would like. I just about swooned when I saw them.



   So when he asked me out on a date, I said yes. Nothing romantic happened, but by the end of the date, we were best friends.



(All right, I admit I threw an elixir at him, but it was getting late, and I still have a curfew. Besides, Dad braved the cold and bees in order to make the potion, so I had to let him know it worked.)



   The next day I took a short trip to Champs les Sims. It’s very pretty, but I think Monte Vista is more beautiful.



   I was hoping to find a cute boy to interview for the school paper and maybe even flirt with, but there don’t seem to be any teenagers in France, or maybe they’re all off at school. I agreed to ask some woman whether she’d be willing to go out with this guy (apparently he never read “The Courtship of Miles Standish”), and I interviewed her instead. She did agree to go out with him, so I’ve completed two of my black ops – Cultural Interview and I Need a Date. Only 8 more to go!



Love ya! Diana

[RainBeau]

Nice chapter, but you do know I Need a Date, as a Travel Adventure, doesn't count as a BlackOp right?

[MarianT]

Three Travel adventures are allowed as black ops in the Townie DecaDynasty.