"Well, hello there pretty kitty! I was hoping you'd seek me out as I didn't want to scare you. Being a ghost, even after all this time, I still scare myself!"
But Zoe, being Ella's familiar, isn't scared of Sam at all, as she twines herself around his legs letting out a throaty purr.
Sam's in his element as he plays with her, totally content to have another cat in the family.
And Zoe's happy too, meeting a new family member that's more than willing to give her the attention she craves and isn't opposed to some play time.
The fact that he's a ghost doesn't even enter into the equation.
But other family members are having more serious conversations.
"Gramlei, how did you decide on the next town in our journey? Did you just randomly open an atlas, do some research, or ask family members to help you out?"
Smiling, Lorelei thinks back to her early days as heir, after all that drama with her Aunt Marcy was over, and heirship was truly hers.
"I'd thought about possible towns but it was your grandpa that helped make the final decision. His paper was offering to relocate a reporter willing to follow up on a family of ghosts, not elderly ones like our family ghosts, but a true family, with a married couple and their ghost children."
"Right, I remember grandpa talking about the Salas family and how Aunt Kimberly met their son, Antony, and because he couldn't travel, she gave up heirship to stay in MH with him. And I know mom checked on-line to find openings in law enforcement, a town that had both a job for her and Uncle Lucas, and that's how we came to RH. But I'm self-employed as a Painter, working from home, which will give me plenty of time to work on both painting and guitar, something I can do in any town."
"That's true. And your Chase quit his job at the diner to spend more time working on his skills so he can graduate from University faster. And he can attend from any town, so no help there. Have you asked anyone else if they'd like to help narrow down the choices?"
Shaking her head, Odette says, "Not yet. But Merida mentioned that on her first day of school. How I shouldn't worry about heirship and try to make all the decisions myself, that family would be more than willing to help."
"She's a smart one, our Merida, not like your Chase with a genius IQ, but she has an innate sense of the right thing to do, getting to the heart of the matter."
"Yes, she does. She's just a kid, but you know, 'out of the mouth of babes'. That's what I told her when she said it to me that morning."
"Then I think you should follow her advice. If your parents or your siblings find a town that speaks to them, then it's one less choice you have to make on your own!"
But choosing the next town is not on Ella's mind at all.
She's more concerned with what she still needs to do in this town and that's to make friendships and complete her quest, of course.
So she heads to the Winter Festival to work on that, first speaking with one of the Marks brothers.
She introduces herself and finds out that she's speaking with Dyno Marks, but she can tell from his frequent glances at his watch, that he needs to be someplace else.
Then she sees a new face over by the face-painting booths and hopes he'll have more time to chat.
Unfortunately, by the time she catches up with him, he's not in the mood to meet a stranger.
She wasn't sure if he just wasn't interested in music, or if it was more personal and he didn't like teens, or witches.
Maybe he was just late for an appointment or he was grumpy like Eric.
Whatever the reason, she decides it's not worth wasting her precious time on negative people.
She decides accosting total strangers isn't the best idea and looks around for a more familiar face.
When she spots Tyra Harbucks, her mom's partner, she quickly walks over and introduces herself.
"Mrs. Harbucks, I don't know if you remember me, I'm Ella Frio."
Smiling, Tyra says, "I recognize your name of course, but wow, you've certainly grown up! My twins are teens now, so you must be close to graduation."
"Just around the corner, Eric and I celebrate our birthdays later tonight."
'Which means Merida's won't be far behind, she was born the day before my twins, but with her longer life, she gets to extend her childhood a bit longer, from what your mother told me."
"Well, we don't usually do that in the younger years, but she really wanted to earn an 'A' in grade school, and with the snow days this week, and Snowflake Day coming up, well, we've extended our time in town a bit. You know how parents like to indulge the baby of the family!"
"I do indeed," replies Tyra, patting her stomach. "Shirley got away with some things just because Olivier was a single parent and she was a girl. Our twin boys were ruled to death since I was a first time mom, Oliver's gotten away with a bit more than they did, and I'm sure this little one will be spoiled rotten as it's our last. I'd like a little girl, but as long as the baby's healthy, I won't be complaining. Shirley's got three boys too, so she's still Olivier's little princess! And if it keeps peace in the family, I'd rather not take that spot away from her."
Then Tyra's face turns a bit solemn as she says, "But it won't be long before you guys move away. I'm going to miss your family, especially your mom, she's been the best partner. It will be hard to get used to another one."
Nodding, Ella says, "Mom feels the same way and I'm going to miss the family here, but I still have something important to accomplish in the days we have left here in RH."
"Oh, your Unicorn quest! Your mom's been telling us all about it. She said you actually met one and became friends with her, but in order for you to adopt her, you have to make friends with other creatures. How's that going?"
Ella shrugs and says, "Okay, I guess, I'm friends with a dog in town, Jasper Marks, and I've already made friends with our new cat, Zoe. But Lady, that's the unicorn's name, well, she told me I need to take my time and forge 'unbreakable bonds with them', but time's the one thing I'm running short on."
"She actually speaks!?!" Tyra asks astonished.
"Oh no, not the way you mean. She communes with me telepathically. I hear her voice in my head. I know, it sounds crazy."
"Not at all. Remember, my partner's a fairy! But if it's just those two friendships you have to deepen, that shouldn't take too much longer should it?"
"That's the thing, it's not just those two! I have to become a 'friend to all creatures'! And I'm not quite sure what that means. According to my cousin Darren's research, it requires BFF status with three of four creatures, a cat, a dog, a horse, and a Sim. I'm BFF with both Odette and Eric, but I don't even know if family members count or if it needs to be someone outside the family. And I've not even met a horse to make friends with, all the wild horses by the fishing holes run away when I show up to spend time with Lady. And Darren says I can't totally rely on his research because it's all based on fairy tales, myths, legends, and lore."
"So you're here today to make a friend, one you can turn into a BF quickly, just in case you do need a friend outside the family?" Tyra says, her perceptive powers honed by her years on the force. "Well, you're in luck, because I could use another BF!"
"Really Tyra!?!" Ella gasps, using her first name in her excitement. "I'm sorry, I mean Mrs. Harbucks!"
Tyra laughs and says, "If we're going to be on the fast track to BF's, it's okay to call me Tyra." Sobering a little, she asks, "I hate to bring it up, but what if your quest isn't successful, since you have a limited number of days to accomplish it?"
"Well, I'll just have to focus all my energies on learning all I can about my wiccan powers, for good of course, I don't want to delve into the dark arts at all, just not my style."
"That's right, your mom told us that you used an elixir and became a witch! I'd forgotten about that with all the Unicorn stuff going on. You know, maybe you should check out the Museum of Magic and Supernatural. It was mentioned in a case I was working on a few weeks ago."
Ella's breathe catches as she takes in Tyra's words.
Finally she chokes out, "I've never even heard of it! There's actually a museum dedicated to magic? Where is it? Why didn't my mom mention it?"
Tyra thinks a moment, snaps her fingers and says, "She was working on an international case, and I was grounded due to my pregnancy, so I was working on a more local case! A man was convinced that a doctor in town was not only using science and traditional methods, but magic water from the Fountain of Youth. A real crackpot! There was nothing we found to substantiate any of his claims, he did have a peculiar green tinge to his skin, and so did the doctor. But her records proved it was the herbal tonics they'd been using for years, the chlorophyll was building up in their skin. Your Uncle Lucas couldn't find anything that was harmful though, so we ended up closing the case. But I do remember the man ranting on and on saying he could prove it if we went to her magic lair. And that she'd even stolen his DNA for her own unethical cloning program!"
Ella smiles dreamily and says, "The Museum of Magic and Supernatural! But if he was a crackpot, it probably doesn't exist any more than the Fountain of Youth does!"
"Maybe not, but you know, I've always had a feeling that there was more to the case than met the eye. And I must admit, the town, Hidden Springs, was beautiful! We drove up there and it's a small community nestled in the mountains, with breath-taking views, and friendly towns folk. Well, except for the old man and the doctor, neither one of them was very nice. Frankly, I think it was more a case of unrequited love, just a feeling I got, though he was a bit older than her. But Olivier's years older than me and our marriage has been wonderful, so you never know where the magic will strike, so to speak!"
Ella laughed and said, "I'm all for anything to do with magic!"
By the end of their conversation, Ella had made her first friend outside of the family.
And she can't stop thinking about the mountain town Tyra mentioned that has intriguing possibilities.
Before she headed home, she made a quick detour to the LaFontaine home, and spent a few minutes playing tug of war with Jasper.
Their friendship was moving along steadily, and as long as she didn't make any sudden moves around him, he didn't growl or nip at her.
When Ella arrives home, the cakes are ready on the kitchen table for her and Eric's double birthday.
And most of the family is there too.
But I notice Chase and Lorelei are both missing.
I find Chase in the basement working on another potion, so I tell him it's birthday time for the twins.
"I'm almost finished with this one Watcher. I can't wait to see which one I discover!"
"Okay, I need to track down Lorelei and I left Ella waiting by her cake, so don't be long."
"I won't, just a few more minutes should do it."
When I get back upstairs, Lorelei's already joined the rest of the family, though she's in her nightgown.
Then I realize that Rory and Odette are too, as they paint when inspiration takes them and only sleep when exhausted.
As for Lorelei, she loves lounging in front of the TV in her sleepwear, the height of satisfaction for couch potatoes everywhere.
I pull back to get a bigger group shot just as Chase joins them, in his sleepwear too, and so focused on
discovering potions that he's exhausted.
Then there's no time to dwell on that as Ella is enveloped in a flash of light, as her family cheers, claps, twirls noise makers and blows party horns!
And when the light dissipates, there she is, standing before us a young adult!
Her hair's okay, for an upswept do that makes her look old beyond her years, and the clothes are fine too, though the camisole's not going to cut in in the cold weather and the skirt's red, not Ella's preferred yellow.
But it's her trait that startles me, one that hasn't show up in the Frio family before, and probably has now due to spending all that time making friends, as Ella's now a Social Butterfly!
And we all know her LTW, as she's been working on it for what seems like forever already.
Without wasting any time, Eric quickly steps forward to his cake and pauses to make a wish.
"Don't frown so hard, Eric, your face could freeze that way!"
"Watcher! Don't you know it's not polite to distract the birthday person!?!"
"Okay, okay, stop frowning and make your wish already! We all want to see you as a young adult, find out your trait and see what Lifetime Wish choices you have to choose from."
Eric finally blows out his candles as Cinda blows a party horn loudly and makes him yelp!
At Eric's startled cry, both Rory and Chase freeze, not quite sure what's going on.
When these two aren't focused on their specific hobbies or skilling, they have short attention spans.
But no time to dwell on that as the birthday sparkles burst around Eric, and I can already see the grin on his face!
Rory's face beams with excitement again as he's remembered he's at a birthday party and Ella toots her party horn, long and loud for her twin.
And Eric becomes a young adult with that same awful hair covering his face as it did on his teen birthday.
But the hair does nothing to cover the smirk on his face as he announces, "I know my foray into the land of romance hasn't amounted to much so far, but the ladies in the next town better watch out, because I'm now a Great Kisser!"
Ella's laugh rings out as she says, "Were going to take that little mountain town by storm twin brother! The residents there won't know what hit them when we arrive, twin kleptos, one a fairy that's a Great Kisser, the other a witch who's a Social Butterfly!'
"You got that right sis! In fact, taking stuff is going to be quite literal for me as my Lifetime Wish is to Become a Master Thief, just like Founder Claire!"
The room goes silent taking both their comments in and I decide it's the perfect time to pop them both into stylist.
Ella goes first and reverts back to the teen hair style that we've grown accustomed to.
I think it fits her face shape and personality just like it did Torre's Lucy a few generations back.
Then she chooses all new outfits featuring her favorite color, yellow.
She loves the long skirt she aged up in, so just a quick re-color with a lacy tank top in black makes it the perfect outfit for spring and summer in the cooler mountain region she hopes she'll see in the near future.
She's hoping you see her formal at all the social events she's planning to attend in the new town, but in case that doesn't happen, she's showing it off here.
As she reminds me, neither she nor Eric have done much socializing with the opposite gender as forming attachments here wasn't an option for them with a full household.
"But all bets are off in the next town Watcher! Whether I complete or fail the Unicorn quest, I'm going to be positive about the future, focus on my charms and spells, and find someone to share my life with besides Zoe!"
"That's a good plan Ella, simple, straightforward, with no stressful quests to focus on. I like it."
"Well, maybe one or two little quests, Watcher. If I can convince Odette to choose Hidden Springs as our next town, I'd really like to see if the Museum of Magic and Supernatural exists or maybe even find the Fountain of Youth! You have to admit both of those sound intriguing, and what could be more genetically unique than green skinned sims? If it turns out that it is genetic and not just something in the herbs and water!"
"You can discuss it with her that's true. But it is Odette's decision, she gets the final say."
"I was hoping you'd say that Watcher. You know she won't be able to resist a heartfelt request from her younger sister, the one who knew she was the best choice for heir!"
As I mull over Ella's words, wondering what she's setting us up for now, I shake my head and focus on Eric's new look.
With the hair out of his face, you can see his square-cut jaw, firm chin, and steely gray eyes, the whole package making him quite the handsome guy.
"If you stick to kissing, Eric, instead of stealing, and lose the grumpy attitude, I can definitely see you being quite the draw to the female residents of the next town!"
"A back-handed compliment if I ever heard one Watcher! But with my new trait and getting to put my klepto trait to good use with my chosen LTW, I'm not taking the bait. Mom's even given in with good grace about me picking a criminal career, especially when I told her what my options were."
"Yeah, it's a killer being a fairy as you always get those two LTW's, which really only gives you three to pick from. And I agree, Master Thief was your best choice. But remember, there can be consequences to choosing a life of crime, especially if you get caught. You're lucky your mother's almost reached the top of her career and doesn't deal with local crime anymore."
Smugly, he adds, "Something I definitely took into consideration before I chose it!"
Then Eric shows off his formal side too, donning a tuxedo in classic black with a crisp white shirt and bowtie giving him quite a debonair style.
His vibrant pink wings, instead of detracting from his look, add the perfect touch of mischievousness, and will no doubt have female eyes focused in his direction more often than not.
"Practicing for your next romance novel Watcher!?! I mean isn't that a bit much?"
"I could always say, 'despite his kissable lips, his frowning scowl and snarkiness have others running in the other direction, so much so that we know he'll end up a bitter, lonely, old fae!', if that appeals to you more?"
"Ummm, no. I think you nailed it with debonair and mischievous. Though I did like the part about kissable lips!"
"I thought you might."
But as soon as make-overs are finished, Odette tracks down Ella and says, "Tell me more about this mountain town you mentioned to Eric. Is it really someplace I could choose as heir or were you just kidding around because of your new traits?"
"Oh, sorry. I should have spoken with you first before blurting it out like that. But it is a real town. It's called Hidden Springs, and it's known for it's healing waters and incredible scenic views. It's supposed to have a Museum of Magic and Supernatural, where I'm hoping to further my wiccan knowledge and perfect my craft. Or maybe I could find the magical Fountain of Youth that's reported to be there! Even if those things just end up being myths, Tyra says there are towns folk, yes, she really called them that! Anyway there are sims in town that have a greenish tinge to their skin, possibly related to herbal tonics and chlorophyll, but it could be genetic. Uncle Lucas didn't find anything harmful in the tonics, so the case ended up being closed and the doctor involved wasn't charged. But Tyra thinks there's more to the story. So if you still haven't settled on a town, I'd really love for you to consider it!"
Odette simply stares at Ella, trying to make sense of the jumbled information her sister has just spouted.
She disregards the idea of a fountain of youth as just a myth or legend, the museum of magic definitely sounds up Ella's alley, but it's the green skinned sims that have the wheels turning in her head.
She smiles and says, "I'll check into it, but don't get your hopes up yet, as it does have to meet certain specifications." Odette starts ticking them off on her fingers going over the mental list in her head:
"1) a law enforcement agency so mom can continue working; 2) a restaurant for Gramlei, unless she wants to retire, 3) a consignment store so I can sell my paintings, 4) a house available that's big enough for all of us to move into, and homes for you and Eric when you want to be on your own, 5) decent schools for Merida and all of our kids, that's a must! 6) some sort of criminal element for Eric, though no matter how small the place, there's always some crime, especially if you're dead set on finding it, like Eric."
Ella's face falls at this list of requirements and she says, "You have to consider all of that before deciding where we can move? That would push me over the edge from neurotic to full-blown insane!"
Odette says, "Which is why you knew I'd make the better heir. But all hope is not lost yet, little sister. I must admit, a small village tucked away up in the mountains really sounds appealing, the perfect place for dad and I to paint. And it sure would be different than the hustle and bustle of Roaring Heights. Add to that the possibility of a museum of magic and unique genetics, and I think we may have a winner!"
Speaking of winners, I hear music that can only mean one of the family ghosts has joined us for the evening.
Just as I suspected, it's Claire!
"I figured you show up tonight, with Eric following in your footsteps! But I thought you'd be a bit happier about it. Why the solemn look?
"It's a tough life Watcher. Back in SV, I was proud of myself and my career. Pilfering an object or two each evening really helped us make ends meet in those early days. But seeing how far the families come, having several family members who've been on the right side of the law, well, I'm just not as pleased about it as I would have been earlier. Like maybe if Adam had done it."
"Adam!?! You seriously think Adam would have made a good thief?"
Shaking her head, Claire smirks and says, "No. Not Adam specifically, but hypothetically, back in the early generations of our family."
"Oh, I see what you mean. Before all the goodie goodies and police officers who became International Super Spies!"
"Yes. Now, the Frio's have a standard to live up to, a good reputation to uphold. I couldn't let Rae choose Bridgeport because of needing to stay off the laws radar. I know she made it there eventually, Watcher, Adam saw to that. But it still hurts that I couldn't let her choose. I never thought I'd say this, but I hope Eric really knows what he's getting himself into pursuing a life of crime. And I hope it doesn't hurt the family, like I hurt Rae."
Though Claire may be having second thoughts about choices she made long ago, our new heir is not having such doubts.
In fact, I find her rocking on the back deck, looking very happy and proud of herself.
'You're up early or haven't you gone to bed?"
"I went to bed for a bit, but I couldn't sleep."
"You couldn't sleep? You haven't had trouble sleeping since you were a child, your head touches the pillow and out you go."
"Yes, on any other night but tonight."
"What's different about tonight?"
"I've made the choice on the new town Watcher! Ella's little mountain town is a hidden gem! Listen to what I found out on-line about it." With a laugh she says, "I'm so excited, I memorized it!"
Clearing her throat and using her most charismatic voice she says, "Celebrities and the rich flock to Hidden Springs in search of relaxation and escape from the mundane. Many cannot resist rumors of the seemingly miraculous healing powers that linger in the woods and waters. Some of the townsfolk who live in the woods are highly secretive and seem to have a pale green tinge to them. Is it really magic at work?"
From <https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Hidden_Springs>
"And does it meet all the exacting specifications from the list you shared with Ella?" I ask with just a hint of humor in my voice.
"Oh, it meets them, and offers so much more! Listen to this part from it's tourism department.
• Mingle with the social elites at the Redwood Heights Luxury Lodge.
• Experience true balance and well being as you bask in the ambiance of the Crystal Solarium Rejuvenating Waters.
• Take imagination to another dimension of fun and fairy mischief at Fairyfolk Park.
• Or, head to the Silver Zephyr Health Spa to discover world renowned techniques in the fields of health and beauty. "
From <https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Hidden_Springs>
"It sounds pretty amazing. My kind of town, in fact."
"But that's not all I found out about it Watcher! Listen to this little tidbit: When you're in Hidden Springs, you can explore a stunning lakefront, relax at a luxury spa or ski lodge, escape into the woods, or even uncover ancient mysteries at the Museum of Magic and Supernatural. What will you find in Hidden Springs?"
From <https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Hidden_Springs>
"Are you going to tell everyone? I'm sure they'll be thrilled, especially Ella."
"Not yet, Watcher. Mom's still trying to get her last promotion and doesn't need the distraction. And neither does Ella, she needs to focus on her current quest before she starts dreaming about another one!"
"You've got that right! But just between you and me, I hope the mysteries in Hidden Springs are easier to uncover than being a friend to all creatures! This quest is taking a toll on my patience."
Odette's smile grows bigger as she says, "Not finding all your effort worth that muffin?"
"I will never live that down! I was trying to be nice to a little girl. Besides, I only promised to help her find a unicorn."
"Then let her choose adopting one as her LTW, at teen!" she accuses laughingly.
"Okay, you win! What can I say? As a Watcher, I'm a sucker for my sims wishes."
"And we love you for that Watcher. We really do."
Well, not only did Ella make a new friend in Tyra Harbucks, but Tyra ended up pointing the Frio family in the direction of a most intriguing sounding town, Hidden Springs.
And Eric and Ella can't wait to unleash their new young adult traits on the new mountain town with it's own magical secrets.
But we've still got Ella and Eric's graduation, Merida's teen birthday, and a unicorn quest to wrap up before we can head to the serenity of the mountains.
Let's see how the next few days unfold in Chapter 204: Deeper Friendships and an Omen
Coming soon.
