BFFS: Moving on up (July 24)

[oshizu]

I laughed at how critical Liberty and Travis were of each other's favorite places.
How hilarious yet not surprising that they got bored during their no-internet, no-computer honeymoon.

Ooooh, I do love your named-based choices of a possible third household.  Lobo or Wolfgang--perfect!

[MarianT]

Sorry, it's not going to be Diego Lobo or Wolfgang, although I could see having one of them make the change. Diego might be interesting.

[MarianT]

BFFs: Transformations

Week 5: Liberty and Travis Lee-Scott

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Soon after they returned home to their rocket ship and computer, Liberty had big news for Travis.

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The days sped by, and before long he was able to greet his son Thomas.

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"I want to have three of them," Liberty told him. "I want a big happy family." Thomas was pretty cute, so Travis was willing to go along with that.

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Harvest Day was a very special occasion, not least because Travis survived an encounter with an angry gnome.

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It was the day that Thomas became a toddler. He immediately starts working on his relationship with the cat, Axel.

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An inquisitive little fellow, no doubt because of his parents, Thomas enjoys being read to.

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Although there's plenty of room for two adults, a toddler, and a cat, Liberty's desire for 3 children means they'll either have to move or add on to the house. Liberty wants to keep her rocket, so that means a second floor.

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Oddly enough, the second floor turns out to be very grimy. "Who's been walking around in the dust?" Liberty asks, but there is no answer. She trades in her cheap vaccuum cleaner for the heavy-duty model. Even so, she and Travis spend several hours before they get the second floor inhabitable.

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Travis, meanwhile, has reached the top of his career as a tech guru. He has become a freelancer. He goes for the big bucks on his first job, developing a video game, but decides not to do that again. He can make plenty of money with smaller jobs and have time to look after the children while Liberty continues her career as an astronaut.

Week 5: Nina Caliente

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Busy with their family and careers, Liberty and Travis were hardly aware that werewolves had been discovered in the forest outside Evergreen Harbor. But Nina Caliente was intrigued.
"I didn't raise my daughter to become an animal," Katrina declared. "I brought you up to be a lady."

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"You brought me up to be a gold-digger," Nina countered. "And I'm not having it. Wolves - and werewolves - mate for life, and that's what I'm looking for. I'm tired of dating men who are either old enough to be my grandfather or bros afraid of commitment."
"If you go through with this, you're not setting one muddy paw inside my house," said Katrina.
"Fine!" Nina shouted in return.

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And Nina didn't regret her decision at all, not even when the only food she could afford was what came out of a cheap cooler.

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Nor when she discovered that a werewolf on the rampage was really pretty scary and not at all inclined to accept an introduction.

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But she did wish that she hadn't left warm Oasis Springs on the last day of autumn. The library, which was the closest place where she could find a bathroom, didn't have central heating.

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Not only did snow drift in from the outside, but there were several large holes in the walls, as if something had smashed through them in a hurry. Nina figured she wouldn't mind the cold so much once she had fur and asked the wolf she'd met if he would turn her. They weren't good enough friends, he told her. And if he transformed every thrill-seeker who came asking, Moonwood Mill would soon be overrun. He recommended that she explore the underground tunnels. "They're dangerous," he said, "but a future werewolf won't care about that."

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But every time Nina went into the tunnels, she found herself in a room full of frogs. Either that or listening to the drip, drip, drip of water from a leaky pipe.  Or both.

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Still she persisted. The last thing she wanted was to return home with her non-existent tail between her legs. "O Mother Moon," she pleaded, "please let me meet my destiny!" And that night, when she went to investigate some growling, Nina ran into a terrible beast who came close to killing her.

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A burst of snow obscured her image in the mirror, but it appeared to Nina that besides a scar from the encounter, she was also drooling heavily, someone might say foaming at the mouth. This was a symptom of werebies. "Make sure you have food on hand," Adolfo, the librarian, warned her.

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At home, Nina confirmed that she was drooling. The scar didn't bother her. She figured her fated mate would find it attractive. But she resolved not to leave the house until the drooling stopped.

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And after a while, it did. Ravenous hunger came in its wake. Granola, yogurt, cereal, yogurt, cereal -- Nina lost track of how much she ate. She could only nap; she was afraid she might die of hunger if she let herself have a good sleep. At last the hunger left her and she was filled with rage. Why was she wearing so many layers of clothing? And what was this stupid hat doing on her head?

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Furious, she smashed the toilet, ignoring the whisper that reminded her she would have to fix it later.

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She smashed the sink too and then ran outside to dig at the ground. The rush of energy was almost unbearable. Nina howled, then ran, and ran.

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Until she returned to her senses at the top of Moonwood Mill's peak. Snow-covered trees surrounded her below, and the world was silent. The librarian had told her that if she didn't like being a werewolf, she could make a cure from the moon petal flower. Nina found the flower, but it only bloomed during the full moon, and above her was the waning gibbous. She wasn't sure that she "liked" being a werewolf, but she would have to wait a while to reverse the transformation. In the meantime, there was a toilet she had to repair.

[oshizu]

i'm enjoying Nina's new life as a werewolf!
Since she's hotheaded, I imagine she and Greg get along fine, LOL!

[MarianT]

Week 6: Summer Holiday

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Since Kayla wants to go mountain climbing, Summer is determined to accompany her, but building her skill hasn't been easy.

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Her career is going well, though, and Summer at last has the lead in a period drama.

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Everyone says she looks like a young Judith Ward.

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The big day is arriving soon, and Summer and Kayla go to Tartosa to pick out wedding dresses.

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But while she's getting the cake, Summer gets a text from her agency, G.R.A.N. Call this wedding off! We're a family-friendly agency, and this does not have our approval!
Summer texts back: Kayla and I are family-friendly, too. We plan to have lots of children.
The next text is a very long printout of Summer's contract, ending with the word TERMINATED.
Summer calls another agency, and they accept her immediately.

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Back at home, Summer asks Sheldon, their butler, to officiate at the wedding. He is thrilled and accepts.

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But during a rainstorm that night, Sheldon goes outside to repair the climbing wall.

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"Not a smart move," says Grim sadly, "not at your age, not at any age, really."

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Summer pleads for Sheldon, saying there won't be anyone to officiate at her wedding tomorrow if Sheldon is taken. "Just a few more days," she begs. "Can I get your autograph?" asks Grim. "I saw you die in that doctor show. Very artistic, and I say that as an expert."

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The next morning Summer and Kayla wake up much too early. They meditate to try and calm down, but it doesn't help much.

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Finally, the big moment arrives. Unfortunately Summer's wedding dress does not. She had planned to wear a black version of Kayla's white dress, but neither it nor the wedding cake make it to Tartosa. On the plus side, Sheldon is still alive to officiate.

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Judith Ward comes to the wedding, but in costume, so no one recognizes her. And Liberty wears a suit with rainbow lapels to show her support. Thorne Bailey comes, too, but he manages to ditch the paparazzi.

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A cold rain cuts short the festivities. Rather than dance and freeze together, Summer and Kayla send everyone home.

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Back at home, they find their cake.

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And Summer gives Kayla her piece out by the climbing wall. "Let's not go anywhere for a honeymoon," she says. "Let's just stay home and get our climbing skills up."

Week 6: Liberty and Travis Lee-Scott

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After a short but successful toddlerhood, Thomas Lee-Scott went from being an inquisitive toddler to a genius child. With parents like Travis and Liberty, he really didn't have a choice.

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Liberty's old bedroom was converted to a child's room. They kept a computer downstairs though, so that Travis could be close to the twins. That's right, Liberty got her wish to have three children, with Samuel and Isaiah joining the family.

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Axel wasn't sure how he felt about Thomas becoming a child. More people to feed him was nice, but the hugs could be kind of awkward.

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Winterfest soon arrived, and Thomas helped his parents decorate the tree. He sang "Zwingle Fibb" with them, too.

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Samuel (holding the present) and Isaiah got up in time to help open presents.

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Later in the day, Samuel helped Thomas build a snowpal.

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Isaiah stayed inside to have lunch.

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And Thomas rounded off the day by playing with his new soccer ball.

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He had school as usual the next day, but Winterfest had definitely been worth it.

[oshizu]

Congratulations to Summer and Kayla on their marriage. Too bad about the rain cutting their ceremony short.

The Lee-Scott toddlers are so cute and Thomas of course ages up to a Genius.
Both households are doing so well!

[MarianT]

Week 6 - Nina Caliente

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Dear Dina,
Mom gets upset when I try to talk about being a werewolf, but I have to tell someone. This life state is ME. My anger always used to frighten me before. I felt like I might explode into a thousand little pieces and never get put back together again. But now it just pushes me into a different form, one that I will eventually change out of.

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And it's amazing what I can do in this form. Kristoff says werewolves don't have to be violent. It's more a matter of channeling energy. Anyway, when I'm rampaging I can zoom through the snow without the encumbrance of coats and boots, and I don't feel the cold at all.

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Kristoff is the leader of the Moonwood Collective pack. In a way, it's ironic -- he's the older VIP that Mom brought me up to marry -- wise, cultured, and relatively wealthy - at least compared to other werewolves. Incidentally, he doesn't think that my looks have been damaged by the scar I got in the tunnels. Kristoff says scars are an indication that one has developed some soul.

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My scars aren't the only thing Kristoff admires. I have to tell you, Dina, being a werewolf has freed up my romantic inclinations too. I don't think there's a man who can resist a werewolf's seductive growl.

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Anyway, Kristoff and I went out a few times, but although he said he admired my passionate soul, he wasn't inclined to act on his admiration. I think he was surprised when I kissed him, especially because he was in wolf form at the time.

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Kristoff immediately took me to his home, so I could see what I might be getting into. "It's probably much shabbier than what you're accustomed to," he said apologetically. "We get most of our furniture from dumpster diving and picking up what people put out on the side of the road. Shopping in malls isn't for someone who might shift when surrounded by noise and crowds, and fine furniture isn't recommended for someone with claws."

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"It looks good to me," I said. "Except for that chair. I can't stand mission furniture -- my mother's house was filled with it." (Note: the chair soon disappeared.)

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Kristoff laughed, and then we exchanged our vows. We're soulmates and he is my fated mate. It bothered me a little that I wasn't his fated mate, but he explained that werewolves have only one, and his was his first wife, the mother of Jakob and Rory. He said that he feels like she approves of me, that he has finally found someone who can make him happy.

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Just so you know, I've taken up painting, and I love it! It was Kristoff's idea. I'm developing a temperament that can't stand to be inside or work in a daily grind. So I've quit my job and use the money I can get from selling my paintings to help support the pack. Also, our great-uncle left me some money on condition that I get married. I didn't marry Kristoff just to get the money, but it was nice to have a dowry.

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And the money has eased my relationship with Lily, another member of the pack. She told me that she and Kristoff were never romantically involved. For one thing she's quite a bit older than he is. But he gave her a place to live after her husband was killed.

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Soon after the wedding, I was able to tell Kristoff that he was about to become a father again. Even though he already has children, I think he's pleased. His daughter Rory has founded a rival pack, the Wildfangs, and his son Jakob seems inclined to join them. Kristoff is philosophical about this, saying it's the nature of werewolves to be rebellious, but I think he would like a child to carry on his traditions.

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And then the next day we almost lost him. I was upstairs taking a nap (being pregnant is exhausting), but Lily and Jakob were able to save him.

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We've gotten rid of the fireplace and put in a thermostat for heat. I added a television, too. Lily and Jakob love the show about werewolves.
Break it to Mom gently that she's about to become a grandmother, okay? And don't worry, your little niece or nephew won't start growing fur until becoming a teenager, if then. Kristoff says it's possible to have a dormant child, even if both parents are werewolves. But we'll find out soon.
Hugs, Nina
p.s. I realize that I keep saying "Kristoff says," but he really is so knowledgeable about this world that is so new to me.

Week 7 - Summer Holiday

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Hi Liberty!
I've been thinking about why you keep asking me if you should have more children. Is it because you want a little girl? I can totally understand your feeling overwhelmed with maleness. I mean, even your cat is male, and then there are all the guys at work.
Anyway, Kayla and I have been talking about having children, and one thing I've learned is that eating strawberries - lots of them - increases the chance of having a daughter. So if that's what you want, load up on the strawberries and go for it!
We have to wait until we've fulfilled Kayla's dream of climbing Mt. Komorebi, though.

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Rock climbing is not my favorite activity, although I'm beginning to enjoy the rush I get from completing a difficult challenge.

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Kayla and I went to Mt. Komorebi a few days ago, just to get a feel for real rocks rather than knobs on a board. I think I'll have to get a different coat for when I attempt the mountain - it would be much too easy to trip on this one.

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We're still at the practice walls. Kayla could have been really hurt if she'd slipped in the snow on our ascent.

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When we returned home, we moved our climbing walls inside. Now that the temperatures are warming up, the air quality in Del Sol Valley is less than desirable. And we should have done this months ago, because they do break down when it rains. Moving the dining room table was a good idea too; it means that Kayla and I actually sit there instead of taking our meals out to the pool.

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Otherwise, work continues. Kayla keeps getting promoted as a personal trainer, but her sideline of putting up reviews and vlogs is gaining her some money and fame. She checks on what is trending, and then goes to work. I've done a few, but Kayla is much more skilled than I am.

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I'm getting used to working with the Well Suited Talent Agency. They want me to do a few more television shows before I break into movies. They think I need to hone my talent some more, which is different from G.R.A.N., who thought I was wonderful until I decided to marry Kayla. I don't mind leaving those bigots, but I do wish Well Suited was more supportive. Anyway, I've made another guest appearance in Residency of the Heart.
Hang in there. Maybe your gang can come for a visit when Kayla and I conquer the mountain.
XXOO, Summer

[MarianT]

This save picked up the aging bug, so I'm going to put it in the graveyard.