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

[SimBlip]

*Squeal!* You got Island Paradise and a Mariner Gnome already!!!

I loved Woody's "tourist" outfit. Top man!
Valor is so cool too. I really, really love the updates about them both.
Your underwater shots are gorgeous.
Well done Valor for getting a Simmy! Now, here's hoping that Wooden will gain a director's power seat soon!

Such a wondeful update!

[MarianT]

Thanks! I figured Woden would definitely want a Hawaiian shirt. Valor got the gnome while snorkeling. Oddly enough, the game counts it as a shell.

[hazelnut]

I've just read straight through this story.  I'm not sure how I missed it before.

I love your writing: the conversations with Hunter and Constance were probably my favourite part but I ike all of it.  Bookmarked.

[MarianT]

Thanks, hazelnut! Yes, I really liked Hunter and Constance, too. Getting them together (getting Hunter and anyone together) was a real challenge.

[hazelnut]

I can imagine.  He's not exactly the Christopher Steel of Riverview, is he?

[MarianT]

Chapter Ten – A Mermaid and a Genie

Dear Great-aunt Mercy,

   To begin with, Valor asked me to send this photograph to Claudia with his compliments. He signed it “To my sweet cousin Claudia, With love, Valor Cottoneye.”
 


I’m pleased that she liked “The Shadow of the Kraken.” I liked it, too. I’ll probably make better movies, but I’ll always have a soft spot for my first.

Blog 1 – You’re probably wondering where we found a mermaid in Lucky Palms. Well, Valor went to a costume party on Spooky Day, and who should he see but Ichelle Grimm, who had transformed into a mermaid. It wasn’t her costume – her costume was the maid outfit. No, she’s definitely a mermaid. When Valor told me about her, I couldn’t help saying that it sounded pretty fishy to me.



Blog 2 – I decided to spend Spooky Day at the new hotel in town, the Sparkling Sands. I invited Leanne to go with me, but they wouldn’t let us check in together. So I had to explore its delights all by myself. This was the view from my room.



I checked out the firewalk. There weren’t any cheering crowds like in the brochure, but that was okay. I wasn’t sure that I wanted any witnesses in case I couldn’t complete it.



They have some intriguing art work in the gallery. I may have to return to Isla Paradiso and find some ruins to film in.



The next morning I tried the pool slide.





It was definitely fun, but I think I’ll wait until warmer weather before I try it again. The pool was heated, but the air above it was cold. That didn’t stop me from getting a drink at the bar, however.



There was one sad event the first night of my stay. The lifeguard went off duty after dark, and some poor woman drowned in the pool.



Still, when I left, I was pretty sure that I would return, or maybe visit its parent hotel in Isla Paradiso.



I think the statue is supposed to be of kelp.

Blog 3 – Speaking of statues, I’ve added a Green Orb to my Simmy. I don’t know why they call it a Green Orb, it looks bronze-colored to me.



I just have one more promotion to go before I can get married. And they’re finally giving me decent work outfits.



Blog 4 – When I was going through all my stuff, putting books away and throwing things out so that I’d have an empty inventory when I left, I came across the old genie lamp that used to belong to Mom. I needed one more best friend, so I decided to set the genie free, because if someone releases you from a tiny old lamp, you’re going to be friends forever, right?



Gloria is quite the diva. I can’t help hoping she’ll decide to go into the movies; she could be a real star.



Blog 5 – Just so I wouldn’t forget, I set out all the time machines that Mom made for me. Pretty impressive, huh? I have to wait a few days before I can go to work and get my final promotion, so maybe I’ll check them out.



The next time you hear from me I’ll be a Distinguished Director and a married man. Love to all, Woden

[MarianT]

Chapter Eleven – More Mermaids

Dear Great-Aunt Mercy,

Happy Snowflake Day! I know I just wrote to you, but I thought you’d want an update.

Mom has always told us about how terrible her wedding was – she was afraid Dad might not show up at all, and it took him hours to get over to the house -- so Leanne and I decided to have the party beforehand and a private wedding later. Since it was Snowflake Day, we threw a gift-giving party.



   We invited all our best friends, and they almost all came and brought presents and food.



Mom got in on the action and amazingly no one was distressed by her presence.



Valor was a little upset to find a lump of coal in his box.



Leanne and I both received easels, and Leanne got a game controller, too.



   Given that many of our friends are elderly, I was concerned that Grim might put in an appearance, and sure enough he did. I swear he’s a party animal. But it wasn’t too bad. He came for the paparazzi who’s been haunting our house ever since Valor became a B-List Celebrity. And if he’s the one who falsely reported that Valor had been in a fight, I’m not going to grieve over him. (That’s Mom on the right.)



   My cousin Shelley also invited me to a party, so I went over there later. It was cool being in the same house where Mom grew up. There was even a photograph of her on the wall -- she was a real stunner when she was young. Shelley cajoled me into singing a duet with some mermaid who had recently arrived in Lucky Palms. I’m not sure we were singing the same song, but everyone else was talking, so it didn’t matter.



   I spent the next day catching up on my reading and recovering from the parties. The day after that, I was promoted to Distinguished Director! Yay! And Leanne and I got married! Yay!



And soon after we arrived at our new house (my new house, Leanne’s old one), we heard chimes! Yay again!
But, you know how they say that you don’t really know someone until you live with them? I guess her telling me she liked kelp should have been a clue, but I just figured it was the latest fad food, like kale or pomegranates.



I’m pretty sure my future heirs will be able to manage without supermaxing diving. Happy Snowflakes to all, and to all a good night! Woden

[SimBlip]

Oh, there is so much to love here!

Valor's photograph to Claudia is priceless. I can just imagine how thrilled she must be... and how amazed (envious) her schoolmates will be. Hehe!
It was nice to see the ten time machines. I just hope they didn't devaluate too much before you could take score of this generation.
Rice and confetti for Wooden and Leanne... gulp... kelp and confetti!
Such wonderful updates!

[MarianT]

Thanks! Nine of the 10 time machines stayed in family inventory until just before Woden left. And I guess they don't turn into mermaids immediately because Leanne was talking about kelp about a Sim week ago, and her legs were normal on Snowflake Day, two days before the wedding. You can't see her feet in the last picture, but she's wearing flippers -- hilarious but not very romantic.

[MarianT]

Chapter Twelve – Makeovers

Dear Great-aunt Mercy,

   I’m writing because even though I don’t have much news, I have quite a few pictures. Since we both got some time off work for getting married, Leanne decided to have a full makeover. Here’s her new hairstyle:



Her new everyday outfit:



Her new formal:



Her new nightwear:



Her new athletic wear:



And her new outerwear:



    This is what she looks like when she’s swimming:



And she wears the mermaid skirt from Seasons when she’s on land.



   I never knew this, but it turns out that Leanne’s lifetime wish is to be a Master of Arts, so she’s taking up painting and playing the guitar. I always knew that she was a schmoozer, but it turns out that she’s also charismatic, artistic, an angler, and evil. The last was a bit of a shock – I’ve never known her to do anything evil.

   I’ve hardly seen Leanne in any of her new clothes, because she changed into maternity outfits the next day.



   I thought that I’d feel cramped for space when I moved in with her, but the house is remarkably spacious, much larger than the houseboat that Valor and I rented. It was actually set up for two unmarried people to live there. The first thing we did was to give ourselves even more room by installing two all-in-one bathrooms and taking out the staircases.



   We put in a ladder to the basement, and added a door from the living room. We also put a ladder up to the deck in front, just in case the spiral staircase gives us trouble. We removed the basement kitchen and exercise equipment, and converted that space to a nursery.



   I have to say that the views are spectacular. Here is our house at sunrise:



And this is our view across the lake at moonrise.



   I guess I do have some news after all. Leanne went into labor last night after I went to bed.



We now have a Generation 7 heir, or rather, heiress, Sedna Cottoneye.



We named her Sedna after the Inuit goddess of marine animals. We don’t know yet whether she’ll be a mermaid, and I’m not even sure that Leanne will continue as a mermaid without salt water. Either way, she’s perfect.



   Hope all is well with you. Love, Woden

[Trip]

That sunrise. <3

Congrats on getting to the seventh generation!

[Snufflesxx]

Leanne is very pretty! Shame she's evil, though.

I'm excited at the prospect of a mermaid Cottoneye! Though I bet I'll love Sedna even if she isn't 

[SimBlip]

Welcome, Sedna! Such a gorgeous name and how can she not live up to it? Being raised by a mermaid and the director of Jaws on a most efficient houseboat set in idyllic waters?

[MarianT]

Chapter Thirteen – A Few Birthdays

Dear Great-Aunt Mercy, Cousin Claudia, and everyone else,

   Congratulations, Claudia, on becoming a teenager! Just try not to drive your parents crazy, okay?

Blog 1 – The first birthday was Leanne’s. She didn’t develop any wrinkles at all, no matter what she says.



She did go into a midlife crisis, though. She’s been threatening to divorce me unless she has some candy. I said no, but I can’t keep my eyes on her all the time.



I can only hope that Sedna is too young to be traumatized by the experience. And Sedna is not going to be the only victim of the candy thief. Leanne came out of the water last night, looking beautiful as usual.



All at once, she realized she was pregnant. That’s another sort of birthday, I guess.



Blog 2 – The second birthday was mine. I started out happy…



…until I felt a sharp pain in my back.



But that was nothing compared to the humiliation I felt when I put on my everyday clothes.



   I went to the dresser and began putting myself back together. Here’s my everyday outfit.



This is my formal suit. I plan to wear it whenever Sedna brings home a date.



All you’re going to see of my sleepwear is my robe.



And this is my winter jacket – it doesn’t get cold here very often.



Blog 3 – And last, but by no means least, Sedna had her birthday.



Her favorite color is white, and she looks very cute in it.



She turned out to be a witch like me rather than a mermaid like her mother. On the whole, I’m relieved. Leanne has to go swimming every day to stay healthy. If Sedna had to do that, she could very easily gain as much athletic skill as her great-grandmother Artemis. Right now, she’s just concentrating on walking.



She might take up boating, too.



When her baby brother or sister is born (I don’t know which gender kelp produces), I’ll send you more cute toddler pictures.
Love, Woden

[SimBlip]

Mermaids do not get wrinkles? I wish I could be one!
Haha! Woody's first outfit was hilarious. I also like the line: "All you're going to see of my sleepwear is my robe."
As for Sedna, she is as cute as a button.
I never had a Sim gain athletic skills from diving (yet).
Such an interesting update! Thank you, Marian