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

[RainBeau]

Awww! Poor Ben Just kick out that nasty criminal instead! I love how you tied in that long-ago encounter.

[ladybug53]

Poor Ben...his ego must be a little bruised . Great chapter ! 

[Swirl-Girl]

I just get the worst vibes from this place! I think it's good he didn't get in. The whole club will be publicly shamed or something. DeLuca get's fired  for being so closely connected, and Ben will be all like, "Praise the Watcher!"
Or my speculation is completely off. It's never happened, but I suppose it could.

[Magz from Oz]

While Ben may feel slightly rejected now, the GOOD part of him will (soon enough) thank his lucky stars that he isn't involved in a club that could be so easily subverted by Mancini.  Besides I thought Ben's R&R was chasing skirts!   

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Dario and by default, his wife, being involved in something so blatantly corrupt I foresee is a future problem and possibly a storyline...

[Seabody]

While Ben may feel slightly rejected now, the GOOD part of him will (soon enough) thank his lucky stars [...]

Just you writing good in capitals gave me an idea for what Schip could involve next... I suspect a Grand Order Opposing Discrimination (G.O.O.D) will be coming soon.

[Schipperke]

Just you writing good in capitals gave me an idea for what Schip could involve next... I suspect a Grand Order Opposing Discrimination (G.O.O.D) will be coming soon.

Good one! 

[Swirl-Girl]

Could I hire them to give Nadia a good talking to? (pun intended)

[Louise56]

I just wonder if it is Carlo Mancini that voted against him. It is a bit too obvious.

[Corgi Cat]

I just recently discovered your stories while looking through the various Dynasties. I really enjoyed Clan Douglas then I read Riches Galore. When I started reading this one I didn't even know it's still going. I've really enjoyed this and can't wait for more.

I will admit that I'm somewhat bummed that I now must wait for the next updates though...

[Schipperke]

I just recently discovered your stories while looking through the various Dynasties. I really enjoyed Clan Douglas then I read Riches Galore. When I started reading this one I didn't even know it's still going. I've really enjoyed this and can't wait for more.

I will admit that I'm somewhat bummed that I now must wait for the next updates though...

Welcome to the story, Corgi!  I appreciate the comment.  Glad you've enjoyed the stories.

It's true that I haven't been posting updates as often as I was.  First there was the broken wrist and lately the save problems I've been having in the game.  But I have a lot of story ideas in my head for Ben, if the game will only cooperate.  I hope to have another update in a day or two.

[Schipperke]

The Dromedary Club Adventure, Part V

Diary Entry

Blackballed.  I had never had to deal with this sort of rejection before.  Most people in my experience were quite friendly; well, except for the villains I met through my work, of course.  But then I wasn't trying to befriend the bad guys and didn't really expect them to like me.  The next morning I was still feeling down.  I thought it would help for me to get out, see people, go shopping.  At the Alchemy shop I ran into my old friend, the French Ambassador.



"Good to see you, my young friend!" he exclaimed.  "It's been a long time.   Ah well, I know how busy you are.  But I've heard about you being invited to join the Dromedary Club.  What an honour!  And no-one deserves it more than you!"

I didn't have the heart to tell him the Club didn't want me.  The Ambassador had given me my very first assignment.  What would he think when he heard I had failed to be accepted by the Club?  Not wanting to run into anyone else I knew, I went and sat in a dark theatre all afternoon, hardly noticing the movies that flashed by on the screen.  At dusk I made my way home alone.



De Luca came over that evening.  I felt so bad as I told her of my failure to get into the Club.



We were in May's outdoor lab.  As May worked, De Luca told me, "Never mind.  I know it's not your fault.  Those Club members and their idiotic political correctness - what were they thinking of, allowing a criminal to join?  I tell you, Dario has really enjoyed belonging to the Club, but he's thinking of quitting, after what happened to you."



May finished up her experiment and turned to look at me and De Luca.  An idea struck me, and I said, "May, isn't there some sort of potion that can give a person different traits?  I'm sure I read about something like that in Nameless' story when they turned all the Evil Sims into Good ones."



"Well, yes," May said.  "It's called Opposite Personality."

"And it would give me the Evil trait so I could donate to Mancini's charities?"

"Yes, it would change your Good trait to the Evil one.  It might also affect some of your other traits, I'm not sure."

"Is it permanent?  Or is there some way of reversing it?"



May said, "It is permanent, but if you took another dose it should change your traits back."

De Luca put in, "Just a minute!  Ben, your father told me that Goodness isn't just an ordinary trait  for you.  He told me that in his people, goodness is an essential part of their basic nature.  I don't think this is something you should mess around with."

May said, "That's right.  Personally, I think it's much too big a risk to take, Ben."



De Luca said, "I agree.  I can't authorize such a dangerous course of action.  Ben, it doesn't matter if you belong to their stuffy old club.  Just forget it.  Now, you get out and have some fun this weekend.  I'll see you at work on Monday."  And she left.

I thought I might have more success persuading May after De Luca had gone, but May said firmly, "No.  It would be a huge shock to your system and I won't give it to you.  Not unless you talk to your father first and get his ok.  I'm not going to discuss it any further.  Now, I've been up since before dawn and I'm ready for bed.  Goodnight, Ben."



Talk to my father?  How was I supposed to do that?  He had taken a bunch of pictures of me and rushed off to Dimension H, saying something about a special project for his favourite forum.  I didn't know what it was all about and I had no way of contacting him, nor did I know when he planned to return.

I was still running things over in my mind as I went downstairs to make my daily charitable donation.



Being rejected by the Club was disappointing for me, but even worse was the feeling that I had let down my friends and the people who believed in me.  And an idea began to take shape.  I made my way back up to May's lab.

Maybe if I hadn't gone to University and discovered my inner daredevil, it wouldn't have happened.  Maybe caution and good sense would have prevailed.  But I couldn't shake the idea that had formed in my brain.  I didn't need anyone's permission.  I was brave, I was daring.  I would do it!

I reached into the cabinet where May kept her potions and pulled out one labelled "Opposite Personality."



For a brief moment the enormity of what I was about to do hit me, and I paused.  But I was brave, I was daring!  I drank the potion.

[RainBeau]

Oh no, Ben! This is not good! Why does he want acceptance so much that he will alter his very personality to get it? Good gracious!

[Louise56]

Oh no! Ben can't be evil. I see trouble ahead.

[ladybug53]

Ohh no ! He didn't drink it , did he ..... I smell trouble . Ben becoming evil ! Oh my .

[Lilygirl]

Not just evil, wouldn't his daredevil trait be replaced with coward? I don't know if University-acquired traits can be influenced by these potions or not.