The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[ladybug53]

Wow ! What a twist to the story . I really thought I would see Ben on a train going somewhere not proposing and getting married . Oh my......what has he done now ! The most unexpected update ever. This was such a great update ! I think my jaw is still at the floor level . 

[Swirl-Girl]

WHAT?!
My bets were on an ugly toddler princess! How did he, what?
Why, the Ben Oliver, married! *etc. sputtering of confusion/anger*

[Schipperke]

WHAT?!
My bets were on an ugly toddler princess! How did he, what?
Why, the Ben Oliver, married! *etc. sputtering of confusion/anger*

Oh, I can't leave you in that state!  May I make a suggestion?  Check the date.  I think that may answer the confusion. 

And if you're still angry with me for pulling this wee trick, don't be afraid to say so!  ... the devil made me do it. 

[Caterina]

Good one!  You got me!    Redbox has a good April Fools ad too.

[Dextra2]

Happy April Fools! Good one Schip! Very funny.

[Beezy]

You posted a fake update for April fools? That's pure genius!  You had me there!

[Louise56]

Just caught up! So many has happened and was totally awesome!
Very funny, Ben a married man! lol.

[RainBeau]

It was kind of spoiled for me by accidentally reading the following comments, but I wouldn't have believed it anyway. The writing style is all wrong.

[Swirl-Girl]

Oh my! I didn't even realize it!
I am so relieved! I thought you had just decided to give up on the story.

[Schipperke]

Oh my! I didn't even realize it!
I am so relieved! I thought you had just decided to give up on the story.

No, Ben and I plan to be around for some time.  We're not done with our adventuring yet. 

[RaiaDraconis]

Mad props to you for a fantastic April Fools joke. I seriously needed the chuckle.

[Schipperke]

And now we return you to our regularly-scheduled programming.

The Real Princess

Diary Entry

The princess was a dog. 

Now, now, don't get mad - I'm not disparaging her appearance or being lookist (that really is a word.  Look it up if you don't believe me.).  My friends know I think all women are beautiful.  Never mind superficialities - if you take the time to get to know a lady, you will find her inner beauty.  No, when I say the princess was a dog, I'm talking about the 4-legged, wet-nosed, tail-wagging type.  Wag, wag, woof, woof.  Princess Patricia of Palatine kennels.  A bloodhound.



The princess came from a long line of champions and best in show winners - true canine royalty, with a most impressive pedigree.   She was en route to her new home with the Egyptian ambassador's household in Monte Vista.  And, dogs not being allowed on airplanes, the princess and I were travelling by train.



It may come as a surprise to some of you to learn that there actually are Sim trains.  It's true that the big passenger trains are a thing of the past, since air travel has become the norm.  But there are still a few of the old freight trains, carrying various goods from town to town.  And it was one such freight train that the princess and I would be travelling on. 

The Magic Town Express had been around a long time.  In the heyday of rail travel, it used to transport large groups of people to Magic Town and back.  But Magic Town was no more.  The famous train had been demoted to a lowly freight train, with just one small passenger compartment which was mainly used by train officials from time to time.  I expected to be the only passenger on the train.

The train was due to depart at 7:10 pm.  The princess and I arrived at the station just before 7.



Princess Patricia would be travelling in one of the baggage cars, where a doghouse had been set up for her.  I filled her food bowl and told her I'd see her later when the train made its evening meal stop (there being no dining car on the train).  She gave me a big, slurpy, rough-tongue kiss.  Not exactly the sort of princess kiss I had been imagining, but oh well.



I left Princess Patricia to her baggage car and made my way to the passenger compartment.  Opening the door, I was surprised to see three people already sitting there.



An exotic woman -



And two rough-looking characters.



I thought I'd introduce myself but before I could get a word out, the fellow in the hat leapt to his feet, barking "Hold it right there!  This compartment is taken."



"But -" I started, only to find myself cut off by the other guy.  "You're not welcome here, mate!  Now why don't you just shove off and you won't get hurt."



Well, really!  This was the only passenger compartment on the train, and it was clearly meant to seat four.  I wasn't any more pleased with their company than they were with mine, but it wasn't my fault we had to share.  Then the woman spoke up.



"You'll have to excuse my colleagues," she said to me in a deep, rich drawl.  "The train usually doesn't have passengers, and we thought we'd have it to ourselves."  She pointed out to her companions that I had paid my fare just as they had, and we would all have to share.



Then she turned to me and said, "My name is Abigail."

I told her my name.  No mention was made of the names of her companions, who in any case didn't seem very interested in getting to know me.  She offered me the seat beside her.



Nobody spoke as the train pulled out of the station and picked up steam.  The woman seemed to be deep in thought.  The two "colleagues" just sat and stared at me.  I sighed inwardly.  This was going to be a long trip.  I was glad I'd brought a book to read.



Diary Entry Ends.


I have to say, I really enjoyed reading all the speculation about the princess.  Somehow you all seemed to know that Ben's princess might be a little out of the ordinary, I wonder how.  I kept reading the various predictions about the princess and wondering if anyone would guess right. 

[Gwendy]

And two rough-looking characters.

Jamie! Adam! What happened to you guys?! 

[MarianT]

We should have guessed -- although if I'd thought of a dog, I would have guessed something smaller and darker, like Incubus. Great April Fools' joke, by the way!

[Schipperke]

Jamie! Adam! What happened to you guys?! 

I don't understand.  Those two guys look familiar to you?