The Cottoneye Witches of Monte Vista -- FAILED, Please move to Graveyard

[MarianT]

Chapter Three – Two More Birthdays and a Prom

Dear Woden and Valor,

   I was sorry to hear that you had to break up with your girlfriend, Woden. It’s not easy being in a dynasty, with all its rules and regulations. Your case made me check our own rules, because Virgil made friends with his step-daughter at a party recently.



   Luckily, it appears that our spouses can have children from a previous marriage. Virgil has been working on his skill, and has completed the board-breaking challenge.



   I got to spend some time playing with Claudia before she had her birthday.



She was very proud of herself for blowing out her candle.



We found some clothes for her in her favorite color, orange. Here is everyday:



Her formal, which she’ll probably never wear:



Her nightgown:



And her winterwear:



   After she picked out her wardrobe, Claudia decided she wanted a different hairstyle. This is what she chose:



   Basil’s prom was the same day as her birthday. He wasn’t enthusiastic about it.



“You pulled me out of photosynthesis for this?” he complained. Usually teens run to catch the limo, but Basil walked, very slowly, and leaving reproachful daisies behind.



Needless to say, he did not enjoy prom much. He got into a couple of fights, but was named Prom King anyway.

   The last event of the day was Janet becoming an elder.



I’m beginning to realize how hard it’s going to be to watch the people who have helped us grow old and then die. Beppe turned 90 today. I’m not sure Aurelia realizes how little time the two of them may have.

Anyway, I’m glad to hear that the two of you are doing well. I’ll look for your books in the sports section. Love, Great-aunt Mercy

[SimBlip]

"I’m beginning to realize how hard it’s going to be to watch the people who have helped us grow old and then die."
Aw! And one day it will be Woden... 

[MarianT]

Chapter Four -- Arrivederci

Dear Woden and Valor,

   Knowing that something is going to happen doesn’t make it any easier. Only yesterday, Beppe was working on Claudia’s child sculpture, doing brilliant work as usual.



   It was a typical Sunday, with Claudia playing in her dollhouse. We have since found some wallpaper with orange butterflies on it, which she likes better than dinosaurs.



   Virgil was training Basil in the martial arts. He said the poor kid needed a break from sculpting all the time, and produced as evidence Basil’s latest creation, a being none of us had ever seen before.



   But I think Virgil decided he would rather lose to a teen-aged boy than to an elderly woman. Janet is good enough to beat him now, sometimes.



   Beppe always enjoyed playing with the dollhouse, too. He was always a child at heart, and that makes it worse. He got up to go get some supper, and that’s when he died.



   The Grim Reaper showed up just as Claudia was going to bed and of course she couldn’t sleep.



   Even though I knew this was coming, it broke my heart when Beppe pleaded with Grim.



   Aurelia cries every morning when she gets up.



Rest in peace, Beppe Bianchi Cottoneye.



   That’s all for now. Love, Great-aunt Mercy

[SimBlip]

Knowing that something is going to happen, doesn't make it easier...
So true, so sad. Immortality is both a blessing and a curse.

R.I.P. Beppe - Is the cemetary on the home lot? The tree is beautiful.

Also, Basil's sculpture... is that an octopus?

[MarianT]

Yes, the cemetery is on the lot. That's a magnolia -- I think it came with WA?

And that is an octopus, but I think it's based on something that came with Ambitions. I don't have Island Paradise yet. But my first thought was "wow, did that come with the patch?"

[Rhoxi]

How can a daisy be reproachful, I wonder? I don't know, but I love it!

[Turoskel]

This is the part I find harder with the immortal dynasty, watching the spares die, the townie one it all seems more natural and then you move on and start a new life, this one you are always in the same place with all the memories attached to it.

I've never seen that octopus before either, and I had 3 sims Ice sculpting non stop at one stage, must be rare or new, it does fit the Island Paradise theme though so maybe it did come with the patch.

[MarianT]

Chapter Four – Fan Letter

Dear Cousin Valor,

   I just saw The Shadow of the Kraken and I think you were awesome, much better than that guy they called the star. I think you should have been the star.

   I was wondering – would you be interested in marrying me when I get older? And if not, could I be president of your fan club? And could you send me an autographed picture, and sign it “Your Cousin, Valor,” so the kids at school will know I was telling the truth when I said we were related?

   Grammy Mercy says as long as I’m writing to you, I might as well include the latest batch of pictures. This is one of me, just finishing my first Black Op, to write a research paper on the supermarket.



   I didn’t finish until late, and then I had to ride my bike home even though there was a full moon and zombies were out. I’m not as brave as my dad, but I think it was pretty brave of me to do that, don’t you?



   This is my dad. He spends so much time meditating that he can levitate now, and even teleport places. He’s been to China, but he says when I get old enough, he’ll take me to Egypt and help me find canopic jars. I’m planning on becoming a doctor, so I think ancient organs are interesting rather than gross.



   This is my mom. She’s very good but also very soft-hearted.



I say that because she was still crying about Granda Beppe even after Dad cured her with his Moodlet Manager.



   Speaking of Granda Beppe, he still faints when he sees a ghost, even though he’s one himself now. I think the ghost who scared him is either Great-Granda Carlo or Great-Uncle Camillo.



Granda Beppe was married to Grammy Aurelia. She’s a scientist and works very hard, even when she doesn’t have to. I’d like to be a scientist, too, but she says it would be better if I was a doctor, because of the Dynasty Rules.



   The founder of our dynasty is Grammy Mercy. She is very beautiful, even though she is very old, so old that she doesn’t know how old she is.



That’s me again, asking her if she’d ever been to Bridgeport. She said no, that one of the Dynasty Rules is that we have to stay here, although we can go abroad and to university.



   There are a couple of other people in our house. One is Basil Stockton, the person I’ll probably marry if you turn me down. He’s a PlantSim, so he’s very agreeable, even about things that you’d expect people to get upset about. Like, he doesn’t mind sculpting lots of ice statues so he’ll be able to do ice portraits of me and Dad. And he doesn’t mind having to marry me when I grow up, and he doesn’t even mind it that he’ll have to quit being a PlantSim.



   Because he’s a PlantSim, he’s got some funny ideas. I pointed out that an icy toilet would be very uncomfortable to sit on. He just laughed, because he doesn’t have to use a toilet at all.



   His mother also lives with us, although Basil says he doesn’t really have a mother; he just calls her that because she harvested him. Anyway, she painted my portrait, and she also spars with Dad to help him supermax martial arts. It was fun watching them the other night while I was pretending to be asleep.



   Anyway, I’d really appreciate the photo. Could you sign it “To Claudia Cottoneye, Your Cousin, Valor?” So the kids will know it was sent to me personally?

Thanks, Claudia

[Magz from Oz]

Poor Claudia.  It's tough being a dynasty Sim and your future spouse all planned out.    I'm really enjoying the crossovers between these dynasties Marian.  You write them so well.

[Rhoxi]

Aw, updates from a kid's perspective are always so much fun. Hm, I wonder if Basil is really as "agreeable" as she assumes. Surely even a plant sim has a will of his own!

[SimBlip]

Sweet, sweet Claudia! She's so totally in awe of Valor. I hope he sents her a photograph with all the right credentials!
Aw... Basil would have to give up his true nature to fit in? That's sad.

[zachlot7]

Shes so adorable!

[MarianT]

Chapter Five – A Belated Thank-You

Dear Cousin Woden,

   Grammy Mercy says I should have written you a thank-you note a long time ago, but I’ve been very busy. I do really appreciate your sending me the autographed picture of Cousin Valor, and my friends at school were very impressed.

   Grammy Mercy also wanted me to congratulate you on your wedding and on the birth of a little girl. She thinks Sedna is a beautiful name.

   What have I been busy doing? Well might you ask. I got a chemistry set soon after Valor’s picture arrived, and I’ve been working on potions. I plan on studying science in college, but Grammy Aurelia says that logic will be good preparation, especially if I plan to go into medicine.



The problem with chemistry labs is that sometimes they blow up.



   Dad had a birthday while he was in the middle of sparring with Janet. He said it was no big deal, he’s not even having a mid-life crisis.



Janet beat him at Sim Fu, and decided to reward herself with a new dress.



   The next day, I had a birthday. I couldn’t wait for a party, so it was “just” the family – that’s a party right there!



Of course, they all had to take a picture of me in my underwear with ugly hair.



I played around with hairstyles for a bit. I wanted something long and flowing and romantic, but Grammy Aurelia reminded me that short hair would be more practical.



Grammy Mercy promised me some new bedroom furniture if I would listen to her suggestions for my wardrobe. I said okay, but things had to be orange. This is what we decided upon.

Everyday:



Formal:



Nightwear:



Athletic:



Swimsuit:



Outerwear:



   And this is my new bedroom:



You can’t see them, but the chemistry lab and Janet’s easel are still in there.

   Apparently, getting older hasn’t made me any better at chemistry. But it’s all in the cause of science.



   Take care, and give Sedna a great big hug from me. YLC (your loving cousin), Claudia

[SimBlip]

One day, a cute little girl... next day, a striking woman.
I like Claudia's new hair style. It accentuates her high cheekbones.
Is it me or has she been quite frugal with the colour 'orange'?

[MarianT]

Solid orange makes me think of prison jumpsuits, plus it might be Claudia's favorite color, but not her watcher's.