Legacies of the Valley (March 9 -- Sheil) Graveyard

[Shewolf13]

Caught up!  Wow, so much has happened.  Look at all those teens!  Seeing the next generation is going to be fun!

[MarianT]

Caught up!  Wow, so much has happened.  Look at all those teens!  Seeing the next generation is going to be fun!

More teens coming soon!

[MarianT]

Chapter 75

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While Irene works on becoming a Whiz Kid...

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Dmitri tries to become a Social Butterfly.

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Meanwhile, their mother Kathy celebrates Love Day by giving Brian a bluebell.

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And their grandmother Penny sets herself on fire. It turns out that dryers lose their upgrades when you move to a new house.

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"You've got to tell your mother to clean the lint tray," Kathy groused. "You'd think a neat freak like her would remember to do that."

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At last the day came that Dmitri had been waiting for.

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He was a teen now, and ready to take on adult responsibilities just as soon as he reached the highest pinnacle of scouting and became a llamacorn.


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Dmitri planned to join the scientist career, but for now he was mainly learning to be handy.

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Bathrooms would never look the same to him now that he knew how many plumbing problems they could have.

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After his grandmother set herself on fire again (lucky they have a sprinkler system),

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Dmitri watched his mother fix the dryer once and for all.
 
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Besides learning handiness, Dmitri had to start working out. "You and I both need to lose weight," Kathy told him. They went to the Vital Climb gym where she soon became good friends with Sergio Romeo.

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And let's not forget the most important member of the Harvey family. It's been raining a lot this spring, but finally there was a nice day when Teeny could go for a walk.

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She also helped Kathy demonstrate pet training techniques to Hugo Villareal and some guy from Selvadorada. Teeny didn't learn how to lie down, but she did make some progress.

[Shewolf13]

Dryers are notoriously difficult and deadly.  I haven't lost anyone by dryer fire yet, but that's because I watch them like a hawk XD Teeny is just too cute.

[MarianT]

@Any household that has a dryer should have a sprinkler system. Apparently it works on all inside fires.

[MarianT]

Chapter 76

In the Lewis household, the main focus has been on getting Saffron to become a teen.

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After finishing up her Whiz Kid aspiration, Saffron worked to become a Social Butterfly. First she made friends with Irene Harvey, Robin Betancourt, and Peter Bibbler.

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Then she found a couple of adults to befriend -- Kent Marsh and Maru Maldonado. (And yes, that's Dmitri Harvey in the background).

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She also worked on her Good Deeds badge by entertaining Theo.

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He wasn't particularly thrilled by her effort to amuse him while he was locked down in his high chair, though. (Note: given that Theo has the silly trait, he's taken to the high chair well, only throwing his food once or twice.)

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Meanwhile, Sage has been working on becoming a Whiz Kid.

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And so has Xeno.

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At last, it was time for Saffron's birthday.

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She has grown up into quite a pretty teen.

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And who is this wandering around the neighborhood? Wolfgang Munch, most recent winner of the Lottery.

[Shewolf13]

Saffron is gorgeous.  Ooo, Wolfgang huh? Trying to figure out if there's foreshadowing there or not lol

[MarianT]

Saffron is gorgeous.  Ooo, Wolfgang huh? Trying to figure out if there's foreshadowing there or not lol

I don't know about Saffron and Wolfgang, but I have 5 female heirs to marry off, and those lottery winnings are awfully tempting.

[Shewolf13]

lol!  It is, isn't it?  Oh that's right, there are 5!  I need to go back and see all the sims again lol

[MarianT]

Chapter 77

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If there's one thing my dad has taught me, it's to be persistent despite adversity. He's got all these stories about hacking his way through the jungle with a blunt-edged machete and having to use his bare hands when the machete broke. So I guess I can put up with some dumb kid dumping paint all around me while I'm trying to solidify my friendship with what's his name -- Peter Bibbler.

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Anyway, I became a teen. Thanks to my dad, I want to be an Outdoor Enthusiast -- pit myself against the forces of nature, all that good stuff. Mom wouldn't hear of my going off to Selvadorada, though, but I did persuade her to let me go on an overnight to Granite Falls with Granddad. He's been looking for an excuse to go there for a long time, ever since we went one winter when I was just a toddler.

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While Granddad studied the giant statue of a jackelope, I tried to exercise the Maldonado charm on the young lady fishing next to me. "Stop talking," she hissed. "You're scaring the fish away."

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Scared away myself, I went to fish somewhere else.

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I caught a few frogs, too, and went home with the ability to pick up my Outdoor Adventurer scouting badge. I'm just a few good deeds away from making Llamacorn now.

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When Granddad and I arrived home, Dad was taking a shower in the front yard. I made a mental note to refrain from bringing any prospective girlfriends home. Dad's a bit erratic, which is how Mom refers to someone who's as loony as a Canadian dollar.

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I mean, it doesn't even phase him that we have plasma bats swooping around the living room. He brought a pregnant one home from Selvadorada in his hat once, and we've been plagued with them ever since -- also spiders. I'm going to be starting an insect collection in addition to my frogs so I'm cool with it, but Selena gets a little freaked out.

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I'm off to school after my late-night adventure, so I'm hoping Fitz and the Tantrums will keep me awake until 3. Mom doesn't like the headphones, but they're definitely more comfortable than those earbud things.

[MarianT]

Chapter 78

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"I have an A in high school, I starred in our last drama club play -- and besides Mrs. Barrymore says that I can't come back because I used martial arts to defeat the villain rather than having a fist fight -- and I'm as responsible, well-mannered, and emotionally controlled as I can get," Sheila told her parents, "so why can't I just go ahead and become an adult?"
This argument, delivered with a persuasive majesty that Lady MacBeth might have envied, won Sheila her way.
She signed up with a talent agency immediately.

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Later on that day, Vincent took her to a celebrity Meet-and-Greet, where she was able to get an autograph from Thorne Bailey.

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"I was practicing the part of awestruck fan," Sheila explained to her father afterwards. "You never know when you'll need to express a mixture of joy, astonishment, and humility."
Vincent couldn't help pointing out that the other awestruck fan had fainted.
"Too simple," said Sheila. "Anyone can pass out, especially anyone who has the kind of small, insignificant nose that wouldn't be harmed by sudden contact with concrete."

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Even though Sheila was now old enough to move out, she was going to continue living for a while with her parents. There were still things that Vincent had to do. The first of these was to improve upon his singing, which he did in front of the Municipal Muses Museum.

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He also went fishing, hoping to raise that skill, too.

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Once Vincent reached the pinnacle of the singing skill, he began working on video gaming, in the hopes of winning the Ultimate Game Tournament at Geek Con.

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But much as he enjoyed swinging a saber in The R.E.F.U.G.E., Vincent failed to even place.

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Back at home, he found Sheila repairing her digital keyboard. "I could do that for you," he said.
"Thanks, but no," said Sheila. "Would you believe that half the commercials on my agency's books are looking for someone skilled in handiness? I ask you, what does handiness have to do with drama?"

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"I can take care of the sink," Sheila complained, "and I could repair the washing machine, too, if you'd let me."
"I'm not repairing it," said Vincent. "I'm upgrading it, and it's the dryer, not the washer, Miss Do-it-yourselfer."

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Finally, Sheila's big day came. She had passed her audition and was to appear in a commercial for some Voidcritter CD. As she wandered around the studio, she took note of all the actors in costume. How she would love to play in a historical drama or even a sci-fi thriller, but no, today she was to be a Vulpes.

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"I don't really need make-up," she told the cosmetician. "Aesthetitician," he corrected her. "Whatever," she said. "I'll be dressed up like a voidcritter so no one will see my face." "Wrong," he told her. "The voidcritter costume didn't arrive, so you'll be wearing your street clothes."

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When she picked up her script from the Director, Sheila saw that she was supposed to sing something. "They didn't say anything at the audition about singing," she pointed out. The Director rolled her eyes. "It's not Grand Opera," she said. Sheila warbled her way through an inane ditty that would probably stay lodged in her head for the rest of her life.
"That's a wrap!" said the Director. "Don't worry kid, we'll tape over your song. You did okay."

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Since it was Freedom Day, Vincent took Octavius and Sheila outside to look at fireworks. He set off one of his own, a spinner that he'd picked up at the Humor and Hijinks Festival.

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While they were gone, Diego Lobo sneaked into their apartment. Was he really there to wash dishes?

[MarianT]

Chapter 79

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Some families are over-achievers; some are just ordinary. And then there are the Mullners -- over-achievers when you consider the obstacles that Cody and Bethany have to overcome (both picked up a debilitating condition when they were aged up from toddlers to young adults), but otherwise in the under-achiever category.
 
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Young Johan could be an exception. He picked up a scouting badge quickly by trying to catch frogs.

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Becoming best friends with Xeno Lewis helped him max his social skill.

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Cody took Johan with him when he went bowling, and if he'd known that teens Phillip Bibbler and Hajar al-Arabi would be there, he would have brought George, too.

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Then again, the fewer people to witness his mishaps, the better.

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Soon Johan was able to blow out his candles and turn into a teen.

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But George...When he wasn't slumping around the house in the middle of a mood swing...

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...he was passing out with exhaustion after a scouts' meeting...

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...or pestering his grandfather with inane questions. "I texted someone an hour ago and haven't heard back from them yet. What should I do?"
"That depends," said Kent. "What does she look like?"
"I-I didn't say it was a she," said George.
"You said 'them,'" said Kent. "'They' always means 'she,' unless you're gay, in which case it means 'he.' Are you gay?"
"No," said George.
"So it's a she. So if she's in your league -- and I'm guessing at your age, she's not -- you text her back with a joke or something. And if she's not, you wait."

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Meanwhile, Cody has been busy. He spent a day working from home, which meant working on a mural in the park. The extra work paid off, however -- he finally reached the top of the Food Critic profession.

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He got a phone call from his friend Payton inviting him to her birthday party. It turned out that she wanted to have the party at his house.

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Cody had never been in such a situation before. He arranged for Payton to blow out her candles and age up from young adult to adult. But then, 10 minutes later, Payton returned to the cake and blew the candles out again to become an elder. Oops. Anyway, she became his good friend, and the caterer she brought with her left the house with 4 or 5 excellent meals to put in the refrigerator.

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Cue Jaws theme.

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That evening Cody had a close encounter.

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Luckily, it wasn't the closest possible encounter, but Cody did get a view of Willow Creek from a different perspective.
The Mullners are now officially in last place, but Cody can turn that around if he just throws another gold party and maybe starts a new job.

[MarianT]

Chapter 1

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Wow. So I'm ready to begin my own story. I'm taking time here, while waiting for the veggie burgers to finish cooking, to savor the moment.

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Okay, savoring over, and I can get down to what's really going on in my life. Mother was not at all pleased when she found out that I'd opted to become a Musical Genius. She wants me to continue "the Soriano line of great women archaeologists." I pointed out that Raymond was really interested in archaeology, but apparently that wasn't enough for her.

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I reminded her that I've always wanted to be a musician like Dad and Granddad. Even when I was 6, my self-portrait was of me and Dad. That was way harsh, and I had to apologize.

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But the next day, she brought home this truly awful outfit for me to use as formal wear. "I can't do anything about your hair," she said, "but I can make sure you have something age-appropriate to wear on formal occasions." She pointed out that it was in my favorite color, purple. I think it might be time to change my favorite color.

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I made my cousin and good friend Saffron promise not to get married until I was in a place of my own and could dress the way I wanted. For a long time I avoided Saffron because she was always sooo friendly that I thought she was a phony. But then she told me that she was over-compensating because she didn't want the other kids to think she was snobbish because her mother was the national leader. And she told me that she had thought I was snobbish because my mother was a world-famous archaeologist but then she discovered I wasn't a snob at all. Anyway, we're cool now.

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Mother's favorite phrase is "as long as your feet are under my table, you'll do things my way," which is why I'm studying piano rather than developing my musical skills on the DJ turntable and a record-making machine to upload to the computer. "If you have to study music, at least pick a real instrument that sounds nice," was how she put it.

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Now that Mother isn't the Watcher's Sim anymore, I have to be responsible for all the things she used to do -- cleaning, cooking, laundry -- plus all my own stuff. I can't help feeling that Mother would be willing to help with cleaning toilets if I agreed to become an archaeologist, but then again, maybe not.

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To get away, I went off to the museum to play the piano for tips. I didn't make any money, but it was better than cleaning.

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Midsummer Day it was raining in Newcrest, so we went over to Oasis Springs to celebrate in the park there. I slipped and did a face-plant on the water slide, which was kind of embarrassing.

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But when we got home, I got to laugh at Mother and Raymond because I managed to keep control of my umbrella while they struggled with theirs.

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Before I can move out, I have to get an A and become a Llamacorn scout. Thanks to my little brother wrecking my robot project, it's going to take a little while longer to get that A.

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But I got some revenge. One of the things I can do to get my Good Deeds badge (the last one I need) is to help people with their homework. So I signed both of us up for a homework club. It turns out that when I'm in the club I can't get any credit for helping people, but Lucas Munch didn't know that. And because Raymond is in the club, he has to do homework even though he's already an A student. I don't know why Granddad felt it was necessary to chaperon me and Lucas -- we don't have a romantic relationship.

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Now that I'm the Watcher's Sim, I feel like I have to work all the time, but I do get to have a little fun, like a dip in the pool when we're having a heat wave.

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And I got to finish watching the premiere episode of "Peach is the New Orange," even though it made me late for school. Saffron agrees with me that the star is really cute.

[MarianT]

Army Interlude 1

One day a draft notice went out to all the teens in Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, and Newcrest. Their country required their service, and they had to report to boot camp in Strangerville as soon as they became young adults.

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"Does that mean no more homework?" Gunther Betancourt asked hopefully.
"I don't know," said his father. "I never had to join the army. It's something new. You'd better get all your pictures done for the museum before you go, though. There's no telling what might happen in Strangerville."

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Gunther rushed through his paintings and took them over to the Roadstead Museum that had been set up by his grandfather many years ago. Looking at the pictures, he felt older all of a sudden, as if he was looking at people who had lived a long, long time ago. Even his selfie looked to  him like a stranger.

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Gunther arrived at the quonset hut at night. This would be his home for the next few months.

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Inside there was a dormitory for men...

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...and another for women. A sign on the wall said that men were definitely not allowed in the women's quarters, and Gunther backed out hastily.

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There was a note attached to the bathroom door. We put together a sink and a shower/tub combo for you. Don't use the decontamination chamber in the corner if you're pregnant or have an artificial heart. It's keyed to annihilate everything that doesn't have your DNA. Works really well on hair dye, hint, hint.

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Out back were some training dummies along with two washtubs and clotheslines. Gunther had a feeling that he was going to miss the washing machine and dryer back home even if they did break down occasionally.

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Returning to the narrow kitchen and dining area (if you could call a board on a post with a couple of folding chairs a dining area), Gunther met two of his comrades-in-arms, Sheila Marsh and George Mullner. They were cousins, he discovered, and George was planning to make a career of the military. "My grandfather was in the army," he told Gunther, "and he said I might as well enlist for the full term."

Sheila had the same grandfather, but she wasn't at all happy about being drafted. "I am an artiste," she announced dramatically, "and therefore should have been exempt." It turned out that by artiste, Sheila meant an actress, and she had been in one commercial. "Ah, well," she sighed, "this will build up my fitness, which will enable me to take on roles in action/adventure films as well as rom-coms."

"You don't have the right kind of face for a rom-com," Gunther observed.
"That's the meanest thing anyone ever said to me," said Sheila, exiting the room.
"Only child of two doting papas," George explained briefly. "Don't worry about it."

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Gunther hurried out the door to practice marching. If he looked as foolish as he felt, he figured it was a good idea to get some practice in before he had to appear on the parade ground.

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To his surprise, a man approached him who was definitely not marching. Gunther didn't know what he was doing. He'd never seen anyone who moved like that, not even his grandfather when he was dancing.

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"I wonder if there are vampires in Strangerville," he said to Sheila. "I met the oddest-looking guy."
"He's coming up behind you," she said. "And that's not what vampires look like."
"I know," said Gunther, "but I thought he might be the victim of one."
Sheila laughed. "That's not what vampires' victims look like, either."

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"I wonder if his condition has anything to do with that fruit over there."
Gunther looked where Sheila was pointing. The glowing purple fruit certainly looked as if they might cause all kinds of problems.

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When they went inside, Sheila started lamenting the lack of closet space in their dormitories. "I can't fit even a tenth of my clothing in that itty-bitty footlocker by my bed."

Gunther suggested she put her suitcases under the overhanging roof out back. "If it's a desert like Oasis Springs, we won't get any rain for a couple of months at least. They should be safe there."

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Before he could go back in, a strange compulsion pulled him outside again. Gunther's last coherent thought was that he should have known there would be aliens hanging around.

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And his next coherent thought was that it would really be embarrassing to be the first man discharged from the army because of pregnancy.

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The next morning Gunther found that two more of Sheila's cousins had arrived: George's twin brother Johan and her other cousin Cecily Soriano. They were both privates rather than corporals like George, Gunther, and Sheila.

He was surprised to see that Sheila's hair was gone. "I had to get rid of the purple dye in my hair," Cecily was complaining. "That decontamination chamber took off all my make-up, too."
"Well, they told me my hair was way too long," said Sheila. "And they didn't like its different colors, either."

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That evening a sixth recruit arrived in their hut -- Hajar al-Arabi. Gunther thought that he'd never seen anyone so beautiful, so gentle, so totally unsuited to army life. He wanted to take her by the hand and lead her to some secluded glade where they could watch the clouds and talk about what was really important in life and...
George pushed at his shoulder. "No fraternizing with the lower ranks," he said.
"But --"
"You're a corporal; she's a private. Off limits until she's promoted. Or you're demoted," added George.
"Or we become civilians," said Gunther.
"That, too," said George.
Gunther sighed. Civilian life seemed like it would never arrive.

[MarianT]

Army Interlude 2

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Gunther couldn't say that he enjoyed army life -- no one could enjoy being summoned from bed at the crack of dawn
 
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-- but he was getting used to it. He didn't mind doing laundry, which was good, because both the Mullner boys had inherited the slob trait.

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And living in the barracks meant that he got to see Hajar occasionally...

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...even if he did have a tendency to behave like an idiot around her. What had possessed him to show off his muscles? Especially considering that he didn't have much to show.

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But they were gradually becoming friendly enough to play the occasional game of chess, and Gunther felt comfortable enough to talk to her about something mysterious he'd noticed.

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"Have you ever noticed anything strange about Sheila?" he asked. "I've never seen her eat anything -- she just drinks coffee."

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"She's freakishly strong. I mean -- George is a rock, but she was able to take him down in no time when they were sparring."

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"Plus there's that raincoat she's always wearing. Who needs a coat and hat when it's broiling outside?"

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"And don't forget those hissing noises she makes sometimes," said Hajar. When Gunther's eyes widened, she laughed. "She's a vampire, Gunther. It's no big deal. She has a stock of plasma juice to drink."

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"But I agree, there is something strange going on. Go look in the girls' bathroom, and you'll see what I mean."

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

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Gunther didn't know what to say. You might expect something like that in the jungles of Selvadorada, but Strangerville was a desert.

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"And haven't you noticed that the townies can be kind of weird sometimes?" Hajar continued. Yes, Gunther had noticed that. "Talk to Johan," said Hajar. "He's been doing some investigating."

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Gunther felt a severe pang of jealousy that Hajar would recommend he talk to Johan, but he did follow through. "There's a book you should read," said Johan. "I picked it up from that guy down at the curio shop."

"The one with the colander on his head?" asked Gunther.
"According to him, we should all be wearing colanders," said Johan. "Read the book, you'll see."

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So Gunther started reading Avoiding the Watchful Eye. The title wasn't promising. It seemed to Gunther like wearing a colander would be a good way to attract the Watchful Eye, but once he started reading the book, he couldn't put it down.