Chapter 3 | Chapter 5

Alex and I met at the cafe with a kiss and an embrace. After a few minutes of coaxing, I managed to talk her into going out to the local Italian restaurant for a nice dinner. She knew I was still a “struggling artist” and didn’t want me to spend my money on her, but, eventually, I convinced her it wasn’t going to break my bank account.

We walked hand in hand along the quay, and I told her about how well my paintings had been selling lately, while she chatted about a possible promotion she might be getting at work. Before I knew it, we had arrived, and I quickly requested a table.

At the restaurant, she confidently ordered for both of us, and I approved of her choice. It had certainly been a while since I’d had pasta (since most of my meals came from the pond or my cooler), and I stifled a smile. It would do me no good to tell her about my living situation… at least, not yet. I was trying to impress her, not drive her away!

We flirted lightly while waiting for the food. I blew her a kiss, and she seemed delighted by the gesture. I noticed that the restaurant was filling up quickly, and was glad we had been seated outside in a semi-private corner.

By the time the waitress brought the food, we barely took the time to say thank-you, because we were so engrossed in our conversation. It seemed we had a lot in common, and she was easy to talk to. Easy on the eyes, too, if I could say so without sounding horrible cheesey.

The pasta was delicious, and the date a huge success. We both went home with a smile, and I made sure I tipped well on our way out the door. At the last minute, I remembered to secure another date with her for the weekend, and I told her we could do something fun, but I left out the details. I had a couple ideas, but I didn’t want to give them away just yet.

Early the next morning, I awoke to a huge Summer thunderstorm. Lightning struck, and I felt electrified. Terrified, I ran to Sonia’s house for shelter, because I doubted my tent would suffice.

I was thoroughly soaked, and more than a little bit dazed by the time I got to Sonia’s, and I thanked my lucky stars (it seemed I might have a few of those, after all!) that she was home. She hurried me inside and got me a towel to dry off with.

Through the hours while the storm raged, we chatted happily. I learned why she had cat furniture all over her home – and no cat. Her last cat had passed away several months before I arrived in Forgotten Hollow, and she hadn’t had the heart to get a new one. I could understand the need for a grieving period, even though I’d never really had a pet. We talked about my paintings, and the success I was finding selling them at the Gallery.

By the time the storm started calming down, I was starving, and she was kind enough to feed me. It wasn’t much – just a sandwich – but I was immensely appreciative. It seemed Sonia had done so much for me lately. She had been very instrumental in bringing back my will to live and soldier on.. and I wondered how I could thank her properly.

All the next night, and into the morning, I pondered this. It wasn’t an easy question to answer, that’s for sure.

I took care of my garden, and my bees, and still I thought. By afternoon, the sun had finally made another appearance, and I’d had an idea.

I searched on my phone, and finally found the number for the local pet adoption center. After a long conversation with the man who answered the phone, I finally settled on a little beige kitten named Prissy, and I arranged for her to be brought over to my .. erm.. home.

I cautiously approached the kitten, and was delighted to find it to be wonderfully friendly, if a little too talkative for my tastes. The adoption agent was more than skeptical about my ability to care for the tiny kitten, but I assured him that the cat was not for me, it was for a cat-crazy friend. The agent mumbled about it being “highly unusual” to be giving a kitten to one person just to have it go to someone else, but eventually, I convinced him this cat would definitely be getting her forever home, and he seemed eager to be leaving the area. I wondered why, but he seemed more than a little apprehensive, and kept looking worriedly over his shoulders.

By the time the adoption fees finally changed hands, it was nearly evening, and I regretted my choice to wear my suit coat that day, because it had gotten quite warm in the sun. I gathered up the tiny meowing kitten, and hurried over to Sonia’s for the second day in a row.

The light that came into her eyes when she saw little Prissy made all the trouble getting the cat worth it. I thought I even saw a little tear in the corner of her eye, but I wasn’t about to call her out on it.

She gave me a big hug when she found out I had gotten the cat for her, despite the fact that she protested that she really hadn’t done all that much for me. I completely disagreed, of course. We watched the kitten exploring her new home for a while, and I helped set up the food and water bowls that had been sitting in her cupboards for months.

By the time I left for the night, little Prissy had clearly taken Sonia’s home as hers, and she watched me go from her perch on the top of Sonia’s porch stairs. I gave her one final scratch behind the ears, and even whistled a little on the way home.

The next morning, bills arrived in the mail, and I wondered how the heck they had already gotten so high, when all I really used was a little bit of water for showering. I cursed that Landgraab fellow under my breath, sure he’d had something to do with getting the property taxes mixed in with the rest of the bills so soon. I made out the checks to the necessary parties, and sent them off, thankful I had already saved a bit of a nest egg from selling my paintings.

Then, I hurried to my easel to get some more painting done. I needed to recoup the money I had just spent, after all… and with as inspired and happy as I felt, I had plenty to paint about. Life was going great. I couldn’t ask for more. Except, maybe, for a house. But that would come. I still hadn’t had the guts to apply for the permits and stuff.. and I would have to start thinking about a design for it. Eventually. For now, my mind was focused on my paintings.. and on planning the upcoming second date with Alex. I couldn’t have anything go wrong now, not when everything was starting to look so bright!

Chapter 3 | Chapter 5

Chapter 2.2 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.4

Generation Two: Brown

Appearance: Brown hair, unkempt clothing style
Traits: Loves Outdoors, Loner, Child of the Island
Aspiration: Beach Life
Occupation: Conservationist
House Goal: 20,000 worth

Life Cycles

I start this entry with a heavy heart. A friend and co-worker, Wiki, has passed away. I just got the news this morning. Unable to get any more sleep after that phone call, I elected to get up early and do some household chores.

Washing laundry makes me wish I had an electric washer and dryer, but there are other needs that come before the “wants” – especially now that I’m pregnant.

The pregnancy, however, has been pretty rough, and I’ve been sick much of the time. Which means more chores to clean up the toilet. Just what I need.

Aleki has been doing really well at work, however, and has been getting better paying commissions, which is really wonderful. He really enjoys the work, even if going out to meet the clients can sometimes be very annoying and time consuming.

I’ve lately been working on my Logic skill, as getting another promotion is out of my reach until I gain another point in it. It’s hard to concentrate with the baby jumping around, though.

My brother, sister-in-law, and father stopped by to bring some nice island food for the fridge. Means that I have less cooking to do, which is good when the smells sometimes make me sick.

I took the opportunity to tell everyone the big news. My dad seemed overly happy to hear about another grandkid, and he promised to tell Mom as soon as he got home. My brother and Meilani, however, didn’t seem surprised, and I caught them sharing a secret smile. Makes me wonder if there will be more kids coming for them soon.

It sure was nice to spend some time with family, though, and it helped alleviate the sadness I felt about Wiki passing on.

Aleki has been so helpful around the house since I’ve been pregnant. I only hope it isn’t a phase .. and he keeps it up after the baby is born.

Aleki has won an award – and a promotion – for his hard work. Luckily, it even came with a bonus.. which means that the house expansion we’d been talking about can become a reality. Between his paychecks and mine we’ve been able to save up quite a bit.

So, I called the local construction company, and had them get busy. They assured me they could get everything we wanted done before the baby was born.

They were as good as their word, and before I knew it I had a REAL kitchen. With a stove and everything! I just needed to buy some stools to sit on at the counter, but that shouldn’t be tough.

We also had a real bedroom, too. With room for the baby’s bassinet. Finally, we also had a bathtub in the bathroom, too, and some upgraded plumbing, since our little mermaid would need baths. Just plopping him or her into the ocean wasn’t going to cut it, I knew.

I wasn’t able to do much in the way of work in these final days before the baby came, so I took some time off and worked on my Logic skill instead. I finally got to the point that I should get a promotion when I go back after the baby is born.

Aleki has been browsing parenting forums, and keeps coming in with all sorts of tips from them. I appreciate his willingness to learn, although I am doubtful all those tips will be useful once we get to the hands-on part of parenting.

Aleki was also the first one to try out the new stove, much to my horror. He claimed he was craving mac and cheese, and I had to tell him cravings aren’t really a “thing” for expectant dads like they are for pregnant moms.

Luckily, nothing bad happened, and we enjoyed a nice, actual “sit down” dinner for the first time. I was still determined to eventually get a real dining table like the one I grew up with, but a room for when the little one grew up was a more pressing need.

Speaking of the baby.. Aleki and I woke up in the night, and we just knew it was time. He, of course, panicked, and trundled me off to the hospital as fast as he could.

The Doctor seemed nice, and the check in procedure was quick, but poor Aleki couldn’t contain his nervousness. He ran around the hospital like a maniac, trying to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

The machine made me nervous, being that it seemed very frightening, but the doctor was extremely calm and seemed competent.

Poor Aleki still hadn’t been able to calm down, as I strained to birth our firstborn.

It seemed like hours, but before long, the pain was over, and our little girl, Kali, was born. We proudly took her home, took care of her needs, and fell back into bed, exhausted.

To celebrate our new kitchen.. and the baby, we invited some island friends over for a Kava party. Everyone was amazed at how much the house had changed since I started with a one room hut, and the baby was cooed over by everyone. I got a gold award for the party, which helped my aspiration out, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

The party, once over, left me with a huge mess, however. Just what I needed. Aleki was more than happy to help clean up, however, and we got things back shipshape before you know it.

Kali has been a great baby, and we’ve both been thrilled to be able to work from home to watch her grow. Every day is something new with her, and just recently she’s even been starting to crawl. I suspect we’ll have a toddler before we know it.

Monday arrives with the bills, but they’re not a problem to be dreaded anymore, so I send off the check, and get back to my baby girl inside the house. Aleki is off meeting with a client, but nap-time gives me the moments I needed to check the fish traps, take some pictures of some turtles for work, and have time to do some chores, too. Life couldn’t be better for now.. even though I still miss Wiki!

(A/N: Sorry it’s been so long since I posted anything for these guys! Now that I’m back to playing, it shouldn’t be so long between posts anymore.)

Chapter 2.2 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.4

Chapter Three | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Five

Utel’s garden was thriving, and her belly grew with every day, it seemed. Nork was able to spend plenty of time with his new friends, the Fishermen, and, slowly, Utel was starting to meet the other village women. Everyone seemed busy with preparations for the upcoming celebration, though, and she didn’t want to intrude. She had things to get ready, as well, because she was planning on cooking a vegetable feast for the ceremony, as a thank-you to the tribe. With everything going on, it wasn’t surprising that some mornings she accidentally slept in.

Nork, however, was not impressed with Utel’s lazy mornings. He had gotten used to her herbs on his fish, and eating them plain simply wasn’t the same. The least she could do was get up in time to help him with breakfast!

This morning, shortly after Nork finished cooking his fish and Utel finally got up, Chief Guar showed up with the anticipated news. The Ceremony was set for this evening, at the temple. Neither Utel had nor Nork had had reason to visit the temple yet, and, individually, both had felt they would be intruding to go there before the ceremony to induct them into the tribe. In other words, being finally officially invited to the temple was a thrill.

Utel spent the rest of the morning harvesting the necessary vegetables, fruit, and herbs for her feast, and packing it in baskets. The butterflies of nervousness flew madly in her stomach, and she tried in vain to convince herself that it was just the young one inside her. The trek up the volcano to the temple was undertaken with reverence, and Nork was even magnanimous enough to help carry her vegetables.

The temple was already teeming with activity when they arrived, and the cooking pit was prepared for Utel’s feast. She hurriedly packed the vegetables and herbs in the pit and started them cooking. She then arranged the fruit on the table, and villagers quickly began testing them, remarking with pleasure at the quality of her produce. Utel flushed with pride, and went about meeting the other ladies she hadn’t seen before.

Nork helped ready and light the bonfire with his fellow fishermen, and they looked on happily as the village all started crowding around the flames.

The party continued as the sun slowly set, and the bonfire was enjoyed by all for it’s warmth and light. Having two new members of the village was a huge moment for the tribe, and extremely unusual, so the opportunity for a day off of work was gladly received by each and every member.

Utel called everyone to partake in her vegetable feast, and she nearly quaked with nerves as the entire village lined up to try her offerings.

The feast was well-received by everyone, much to Utel’s surprise, and several women asked for sprouts from her garden to enhance their own plantings.

After the feast, the Chief called everyone to the bonfire, and the men, including Nork, all did their traditional fire dances in celebration of the new village members. Nork told the story of their long Journey, and of Utel’s vision. He even managed to sound less sarcastic about the visions this time.

By the time the Ceremonies were over, Utel was exhausted… and had fallen asleep on one of the stone benches. Nork helped the women with cleanup for the feast, even though it was considered women’s work, to make up for her not being able to help.

By the time everything was cleaned up, most of the village had headed home, and Nork made one more round around the temple, making sure it was pristine. Much to his surprise, some spirits showed up, giving their blessing to the new villager. He started in fright, but then shrugged. Perhaps Utel’s visions were correct. This WAS where they belonged.

On the way home from the volcanic temple, both Utel and Nork availed themselves of the waterfall for a cleansing ritual, then trudged the rest of the way back to their homestead.

That night’s sleep was by far the best they had slept since arriving, and, to Nork’s chagrin, both slept in the next morning.

In the days following the ceremony, Nork and Utel became very popular members of the village.

Nork did small things around the village for the ladies, and one of them, Utas, seemed very thankful.

Nork and Utas spent the afternoon flirting and checking the fishing traps around the village.

Later, they played in the sand together, and she introduced him to some other villagers.

Nork felt completely welcomed, and an idea started forming in the back of his mind.

Every night for the next week, he labored late into the darkness, building and building.

The hut, however, was finally complete. Since they were official village members, Nork knew it was time to solidify their place in the village by no longer living in a flimsy travel-tent.

The hut was just in time, too, since that night, her labor pains began. In a panic, Nork ran for Saelua and quickly vacated the hut to allow for the midwifery. To Utel’s relief, the process was over by the morning light, and she named her daughter Saazul.

After caring for the new baby, Utel fell into an exhausted sleep in the new hut, completely spent.

Despite the fact that infant care was women’s work, Nork showed a sensitive side and helped care for the baby while letting Utel rest and recover. Just holding the young one made his chest fill with pride, and he made a resolution to himself to try for more young ones as soon as possible.

Bonus Out-Take

Poor Utel is tired of being stinky…. (or maybe it was the fish Nork was cooking??)

Chapter Three | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Five

“The Letter” (Prologue) | Chapter 1.2

Caizey stared in disbelief at the letter she held. Was this guy serious? She gets kicked out of her foster home on her 18th birthday, and the last thing they give her is a letter that her foster care agent had apparently forwarded to her from her “family”. She didn’t have a family, so where did this come from? And that wasn’t even taking into consideration the contents of the letter. In a heartbeat, she had gone from wondering what she was going to do with the 100 bucks she had to her name, to furious at whoever this person mailing her was. How DARE they make fun of what she didn’t have by offering her a “way out of her situation”. I mean, sure, she felt completely suffocated by her job at the Gallery, but at least it gave some sort of income. How could she even consider quitting and moving at the drop of a .. letter .. when this job was the only stability left in her life. Frustrated, she stared at the diploma she’d just been awarded in one hand, and then glanced at the letter in the other hand. The bulk of her last paycheck had gone towards the cap and gown she now wore, and – while she had enough money to go out to dinner to celebrate with her high school friends – she certainly didn’t think that was the best use of her last hundred dollars.

Near tears, Caizey plopped down on the bench near the Oasis Springs community center’s doors, put the papers she held down, and dropped her head into her hands. People – mostly happy families headed out to celebrations or overly excited teenagers chatting loudly in groups – streamed past her, heedless of her emotional distress. The last week had been a whirlwind of final exams, and her friends all making college and career plans. Meanwhile, at the last minute, her foster family informed her she would have to find someplace else to be, because they had another new “kid” coming in. So now she was utterly homeless, and pretty much penniless, too. She had thought that, at least, she would have time to find a new place to live after her birthday and graduation. That was obviously not to be the case.

After a good cry, Caizey picked up the letter again, and this time, a paper fluttered out of the envelope that she hadn’t noticed before. She picked it up, and stared at it through her red-rimmed eyes. A ticket? On a train. To this Glimmerbrook place. … Was this guy actually serious? Was there any chance she could actually own her own place and have a new start waiting for her?

Caizey cursed, then looked around her. The place was practically empty now, and there certainly wasn’t anyone who was going to help her with her current predicament. The sun was not going to be up for much longer, and time was running out. She was going to have to spend a cold desert night completely alone and homeless. However, the train station wasn’t far away. Maybe she could just check when the next train to this Glimmerbrook was.

Mind made up for the moment, Caizey picked up her bags, stuffed her diploma and the letter inside a pocket, and began the walk to the train station.

A couple hours later, as the sun was setting, she drug herself and her bags into the train station, only to find the place completely deserted. She set down her bags near a bench, and tiptoed into the train office. Finding the scheduling book open on the desk, she sat down to look through it. There it was – Glimmerbrook. The next train didn’t leave until morning. Nearing complete exhaustion, Caizey set herself down on a bench inside the station, and re-read the letter. Then she read it again. A small bubble of hope started forming inside her. What if…??

No, this couldn’t be real. Could it?? How was she to know if it was real or not? At least the town on the ticket that came with the letter was real, and the ticket seemed completely valid. That was a start. A house all of her own – and a life of freedom. It was almost too good to be true. But, then, beggars can’t really be choosers, as the saying goes. She wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of ever having kids, but the letter did say she didn’t have to have them anytime soon. She read the letter a few more times… and finally, at a complete loss of what else to do, she laid down to take a nap on the bench.

Morning came, and with it, a sense of clarity. How could she refuse to take this .. quest – as the letter called it – seriously. She really didn’t have a whole lot of options at this point in her life. If it was just a cruel joke, she could cross that bridge when it came time. For now, she had a train to catch. Provided the ticket was real.

“The Letter” (Prologue) | Chapter 1.2

Welcome/Contents/Links | Chapter 1.1

My Dearest Caizey,

You do not know me, but I know you. You are a talented painter, and a strong young woman. I have watched you grow through the years, and I have waited. Now, as you become a young adult, it is time. I will not tell you who I am… but that is not something you need to know. Just call me your benefactor. For I have an.. inheritance.. of a sort – for you. It does not come without strings, however, so you are free to choose whether you will accept. 

First, the good news. I have found you a house. At least, it is four walls, a roof, a door or two. You know, the normal house things. It is on a beautiful lot in a small hamlet known as Glimmerbrook. The house was under construction for many years before the company building it went under bankruptcy and I acquired it. For you, it will become home. Should you accept, that is.

For your part, you must do several things. There is a portal near the waterfall behind your new home. Make use of it, and search out a woman named L Faba. She will train you in the ways of Spellcasting. Learn all you can from her. Become a master of Mischief Magic. Learn to duel other Spellcasters, and win. Her colleagues may also be of use to you, but that is your choice. You must also have at least one child, someone to raise in the way of a Spellcaster, someone to carry on your legacy. I would not presume as to tell you who you should pick out as a father for this child, nor will I tell you that you must marry them or even continue a relationship with them. You should avail yourself of the Transcendent Charmer potion to court this father at the Elixir’s and Brews Bar in Glimmerbrook. Timing on this is completely at your discretion.

I also ask that you grow a garden that your heir can harvest from to give them a grounded start to their new life as they set out on their own. For they will. You will remain behind, but they must set out on their own when they are old enough. When they are ready, I will offer them a quest much as I offer this one to you. This garden must contain at least two plants – a Mandrake that you originally took from the wilds, and a Money Tree. Anything else is, again, your decision.

My only other request is that you do not seek out employment. You are talented enough to make money through your paintings and garden. I believe that employment would chain you down far too much. You should be wild, and free to move about as you wish in your own time, not on someone else’s.

I do not believe these things are too much to ask, considering the dire straits you find yourself in, and the opportunity I am presenting you. However, should you choose to refuse, I will not contact you again. This must also be a timely decision, as I only will hold the home for you for the next week. I am enclosing directions to get to said home with this missive. I am not, however, enclosing any information as to who I am and how to contact me. There is no need, as if I need to contact you, I will know where you are, and I prefer to remain anonymous. This must also be your final decision. Once you have accepted this quest, there will be no backing out. The deed for your new home will be transferred and delivered to you in a timely manner. Fulfilling your side of the bargain will be your responsibility.

Choose Wisely. It is only the rest of your life.

Welcome/Contents/Links | Chapter 1.1

Welcome to my cleverly titled “Broomstick Files” challenge. *chuckles* I wanted to play around with the new “Realm of Magic” pack, and this was one of the first challenges I found that piqued my interest. I started the challenge, and continued with play.. and then I took my break from sims. When I came back, I re-read the rules to help re-familiarize myself with the challenge…. and I discovered something rather major. I’d already messed up. Instead of having the heir in the way the rules stated, I had gotten married and done things the way I usually would. I’d built a house that I adored, and had played for quite a while. Because of this, I considered just continuing, but I hate breaking challenge rules. So I thought about just using the sim I had saved from the start of my challenge and just starting over.. but that felt wrong, too. So, being addicted to starting challenges as I am, I made a new sim.. and started COMPLETELY over. Which meant a couple things. One, I needed a new house, because a starter sim couldn’t afford the one I had built for the other sim. And two, I had to change my new signature/header graphic to reflect the different sim. Oh, and it also meant all the pictures I had taken and organized for the beginning of the challenge were useless.

And – just because I’m a glutton for punishment, the threads of a story had already started dancing in the back of my head, and wouldn’t let me go. I had initially planned to just go commentary style, because it’s infinitely easier… but I couldn’t get the story out of my head, even while playing the beginning of the challenge. Everything my sim did just solidified the story, and made things more and more “real”. So… against my better judgement… and after hours and hours of deliberation and arguing with myself.. I’ve decided that this will become my fourth current challenge that’s done story-style.

Chapter 2 | Chapter 4

After another cold breakfast on my cooler, I sat down to really start reading my book on vampires. It was an interesting, but also creepy, read. Finally, I hit a point where my skin was just crawling all over, and I needed to take a break. Plus, my easel was calling to me.

So, I pulled out some canvas and paint and started by painting the cruel beauty from around my land. It turned out far better than my earlier works. I could see that practice was definitely paying off.

I moved that painting to let it dry, got another canvas ready, then decided I ought to spend some time with my garden, too. Always something to do around here. While I was knee-deep in plants, my phone rang. It was Sonia, and she offered to take me into Windenburg on her way there to do some errands.

Thinking about Alex, I quickly agreed, and Sonia headed into town. After a stop off at the gallery to sell my newest work – for a tidy sum, no less – Sonia and I decided to visit the cafe. I, of course, had ulterior motives, and was pleased to see Alex was already working. I introduced her to Sonia, and whipped out a daisy I had brought to try to charm Alex.

Charm her, it did.. but she couldn’t get off work for the evening, so we made plans for the next weekend. With a light heart, I ordered some coffee and pastries, and sat down to a nice meal with Sonia. Sonia slyly commented that Alex seemed like such a nice girl, and seemed to watch her with almost a motherly look in her eyes.

Feeling better than I had in ages, I decided to stick around town after Sonia went home – and check out Windenburg nightlife. It turned out there was quite a party happening at some ruins on the outskirts of town, and I decided to join in on the dancing.

The music was pounding in my head, and seemed to echo my heart… until I noticed that unnerving old Vampire (for, now, I was sure that’s what he was…) who knew my family was also there. Quickly, I tried to busy myself with my phone in the hopes that either he wouldn’t notice me, or he would think I was too busy to talk.

Neither approach worked, and before I knew it, he had cornered me, insisting that we talk. He needed to tell me more of my history, it seemed, and he invited me to his Forgotten Hollow mansion for an after-party coffee.

Initially, I agreed, and we both made our ways home. But after seeing the state of his mansion – and the age of it, I really started to worry for my safety. Before he could answer the door, I hurriedly left and returned to my homestead, thoroughly creeped out.

There was a Romance festival back in the city the next night, and Sonia and I made a day trip of it. She said she had always sworn by the soothsayers there, and something in my head wanted me to ask them about Alex. Unfortunately, the sage had dire news. He gave me some cryptic information, making it sound like I should avoid Alex, but I think I was too hooked to heed his words.

The weekend brought with it rain, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me – and I brought some canvasses to keep me busy while I waited for Alex to get off of work for our date.

Once she was off work, we got some coffee and sat at the tables of her cafe, flirting shyly with each other. She seemed receptive to my pick up lines, and I decided now was the time to make my move.

I declared my feelings for her with the gift of a headily perfumed rose, and I couldn’t hold back a grin when she accepted it. She was busy smelling the rose, however, and didn’t see the expression on my face.

Seemingly charmed by me, she agreed to a walk on the quay in the darkness, and we left the cafe hand in hand.

The time and the conversation flew by and quickly all blurred together. I was enchanted by her dark eyes and coy looks, and she was seemingly as interested in me as I was in her.

By the time we made it back to her cafe, I felt the night couldn’t be going any better, and I steeled myself up for the ultimate risk.

One mostly chaste, but somehow still steamy kiss later.. and Alex had agreed to be my girlfriend.

I commemorated the night with a cheesy picture.. but I was so in love, I couldn’t help it.

The next day, I couldn’t think of anything to paint other than flirty paintings of Alex.. so that’s what I painted. All day. We had agreed to meet again in a couple days, and I simply couldn’t wait to see her again. I was leery to show her exactly where and how I was living, though, so we had settled on meeting at the cafe in Windenburg again.

Time wasn’t going to pass by fast enough, I was sure… But, inexorably, time always does. Soon it was the day of my next date with Alex, and I quickly cleaned myself up and made ready to go.

Bonus: Outtakes….

Really, Vlad.. now is when you decide to start snapping pictures??

… I don’t think that face is going to get you the girl, there, Dusan.

Strangerville sims… are strange. I had to work all my photos in the cafe around this kook.

Chapter 2 | Chapter 4

Chapter 2.1 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.3

Generation Two: Brown

Appearance: Brown hair, unkempt clothing style
Traits: Loves Outdoors, Loner, Child of the Island
Aspiration: Beach Life
Occupation: Conservationist
House Goal: 20,000 worth

Tying the Knot

Cleaning up the beach is a daily chore, but one that I enjoy doing. Work is going great, as well. I really enjoy the science aspect, as well as the conservation aspect – keeping my beloved islands in good shape.

After work, I spent some time playing in the waterfall. Although I did wonder where the other lady got a waterproof cell phone…?

With a promotion, I was able to afford an actual kitchen – or, at least the start of one. I decided to host another Kava party.

First task: making the Kava.

My new niece, Kacy, was one of the guests, as well as my parents and the rest of the family. Kaci is – quite simply – adorable. I can’t wait to have one of my own. I also had invited Aleki so he would have a chance to meet my family before our big day.

Grayson (Rarahu and Kaleb’s son) was in a mood, and his mother tried her best to calm him down. She had no luck, though, and she sent him outside to play in the sand on his own.

Aleki seemed to get along with everyone well enough, which made me really glad.

Meilani had left her newborn, Barry, at home with a sitter, which was probably for the best, because with the crowd in my tiny house, I think the poor thing would have been very overwhelmed.

I’ve started doing a lot of work from home, and they have me out surveying local flora and fauna.

Neighborhood brawl day was a good way to get out some aggression and I had a good time with it. I won most of my fights, but winning wasn’t exactly the point of the holiday.

Work required more logic skill, so I bought myself a chess set, and have been busy learning whenever I can. I love my open air windows, too, because I can be inside and still feel like I’m outside.

For one of my promotions, they gave me a conservationist’s canoe, and it now is moored proudly out by my fish traps – which, by the way, are a huge source of income. They’re always bringing in nice hauls.

Finally, I had a day off of work – and it was a gorgeous day. So I invited everyone out to Sand Simoleon Seafood to celebrate Aleki and I’s marriage. I’m particularly proud of the fact that I’d saved up enough money that I was able to have a “real” wedding, unlike my parent’s getting married by eloping.

Yay! Finally, my days alone are over with. These last few days have been so lonely while I waited for a day off to get married.. but all that is over now.

Barry, once again, was left at home, but Kaci was there again (making a mess, of course.. gotta love toddlers!) … and Meilani had to spend some time with her to keep her out of more trouble.

The restaurant made a gorgeous cake, and everyone enjoyed watching Aleki and I make the first cuts to it.

Then, the traditional sharing of the cake…. and the evening was a huge success. Everyone hung out for a while at the bar and around the bonfire. Aleki and I stayed for a while, then headed home for our first official night as a married couple.

Eating breakfast on the bed reminded me that a dining room table needed to be on my priority list, and we discussed possibilities for Aleki’s career, since he was unemployed. He wanted to do something that would allow him freedom to be outside like my job did for me.. and something that didn’t require punching a time clock. That was definitely going to take some research.

I found some invasive species that needed spraying on some local coconut trees, and I quickly took care of that, all the time wondering what Aleki was deciding. I had also given him his all-important mermadic kelp as I left to do some work around the island, so I was hoping he would take the plunge, as it were, and be a merman by the time I got home.

Aleki was as dedicated as I was to the island, and vowed to help me keep our beaches trash-free.

Finally, Aleki braved the kelp. Later, he told me that the taste of it was definitely not desirable… but the other results were.

He can now swim just like me! And what a beautiful tail he has!

By the time I got home, Aleki had decided on a career. He was a Freelance Digital Artist, so he could be his own boss… and so work when the money was needed. … Which it was. So, in other words, he was working on his first commission when I got home. My paycheck and another promotion allowed us the ability to buy him a computer and tablet that he would need for work.. and a slight upgrade to the home.

That night, we decided it was time…

… And our first try was successful. We have our first nooboo on the way!! Both of us are so excited to start a family, neither of us wanted to wait for very long. Being able to work from home for both of us was going to be so nice so that we can watch our baby grow up without the need for nannies. ….But that’s a little ahead of the game. First I have to HAVE the baby…. and that requires more waiting than I really want… but such is life, right?

Chapter 2.1 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.3

Chapter Two | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Four

The very first thing Utel did upon waking up was to start planting her garden. As sure as Nork was that they were going to get kicked out of the village, was as sure as she was that they would be staying. She had faith in her vision. And her vision told her this is where she would live and raise her children. To do that, she would need a steady stock of food. The best way to achieve that, as far as she knew, was a garden that would produce all year round. The plants she had collected on the trip were a good starts, but she would need others as the seasons progressed.

The Fishermen turned out to be a bunch of jovial fellows, who were more than willing to have Nork join them for the day. In fact, they welcomed him wholeheartedly to the village, which made Nork feel ever so much more welcome.

They showed him some of the best fishing locations around, and they caught a decent haul to feed the village, along with just enough for Nork to take home a fish or two to his hut for dinner. (He had been quick to say he didn’t need more, because his traveling companion wouldn’t eat fish – which ensured several rounds of hilarity with the men.) He said farewell to Brak, Dhok, and Tik, and headed back to his camp.

The sun was setting by the time be got home, and Utel was apparently already asleep, so he built a fire as quietly as he could and cooked his well-earned dinner. He was afraid to do too much to make this a home just yet, but, with Utel’s efforts at gardening, it was clearly already looking like a decent homestead.

In the morning, Utel work up early to take care of her plants. And then she had a thought. They would do so much better in better soil than the sandy beach soil. Perhaps Nork was handy with tools and could make her some raised garden beds? She was more than willing to get good jungle soil from the areas around the beach and move it to their garden, but she had to have a way to keep it here. So, she brought her idea to Nork.

Nork, who was feeling magnanimous after a good sleep and a great day yesterday, agreed to try. He built himself a workbench and started working immediately. He then pointed out the waterfall, trying not to wrinkle his nose too much and offend the stinky Utel.

Utel, of course, knew very well where the waterfall was, but she wasn’t going to tell Nork that. She went and washed up, then spent some time catching frogs and playing in the water. It was a glorious day, and she couldn’t see any reason to not celebrate it.

On the way back, she found some trash on the beach and quickly cleaned it up. She believed in keeping her environment clean – even if it wasn’t at her homestead.

Nork was taking a break for lunch when she returned, and had already made great progress on building planter beds for her garden. Utel thanked him profusely, and offered him some herbs to make his fish taste better.

Warily, he sprinkled some on the fish while it was cooking, and immediately a mouthwatering aroma filled the area. His eyes lit up, and Utel could see her gift was more than payment enough for the garden boxes. The rest of the day was spent in companionable silence, Nork working on boxes, and Utel filling the ones he’d built and transplanting the plants into their new homes.

By the end of the day, they were both exhausted, but happy with the work they had done, and Utel couldn’t help but give Nork a big hug for all he had done. He was surprised, but, amazingly, not upset about her intrusion into his personal space. Both headed to bed full, tired, and content.. a recipe for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning, Nork surprised Utel with a Bee Box. He’d even found a hive and managed to transplant them into the box already. This would mean her plants would thrive.

Utel couldn’t help it. She jumped excitedly into Nork’s arms to thank him for his hard work.. and then wondered if he had held her close that long on purpose.

Not long after breakfast, Chief Guar and Saelua stopped by with good news. The chief had had a meeting with his elders, and after watching Nork and Utel’s work ethics and efforts to make a home, the elders had decided that Nork and Utel were more than welcome to join the tribe officially. A ceremony was planned for a few nights from then, and they were strongly cautioned to attend in their best clothes.

Saelua had other news. She had had another vision regarding Utel.. and this one showed her very pregnant, and very happy. At first, Utel laughed, but Saelua assured her that Nork was the man she should pursue for the strongest child. And Utel definitely wanted her child to be strong and capable. After some thought, Utel decided there was nothing to lose by at least trying a couple times. If the vision was true, the seed would be laid easily, right?

So, after the chief and the mystic left, Utel propsitioned Nork. Being a red-blooded male, he wasn’t about to refuse her, either…

… So the courtship began in earnest.

Once they were both exhausted, Nork dug up a pit for cooking in, and Utel prepared a feast of island vegetables to celebrate their acceptance to the village. It took a while to cook.. but by the time it was done, even Nork couldn’t resist the smells coming from the cooking pit.

Nork tried to remain taciturn, but it was hard when the food was this good. They both ate off of white shells that Saelua had brought them, and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the meal. Then, they retired for the evening.
A day or two went by, and they finally fell into a companionable rhythm. Nork would go fish with his buddies, Utel would garden. Saelua had brought some more plants for her to add to her garden, and it was growing fabulously. Already she was starting to get some decent harvests.

And even more important.. her belly was growing. Sealua hadn’t been kidding when she said Nork was the strong male Utel needed to choose. There was now a baby on the way – even more reason for Utel to be glad for the official ceremony to bring them into the tribe.

Chapter Two | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Four

Chapter 1.17 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.2

Generation Two: Brown

Appearance: Brown hair, unkempt clothing style
Traits: Loves Outdoors, Loner, Child of the Island
Aspiration: Beach Life
Occupation: Conservationist
House Goal: 20,000 worth

Starting Over

So, here I stand, on my very own land. And with nothing but some kelp I have no current use for. Oh, and a conch horn that’s been passed down the generations. Mom mentioned how daunting starting out on your own was, but I didn’t really appreciate it until now. I rack my brain for what to do to start with… and decide that going out to the local bar sounded like a good idea. I invite my friend Leinani to join me, and head across town.

While there, it occurs to me I will need a job.. and I contact the local conservationist society. They are immediately welcoming and want me on board. Apparently our family has become fairly well-known, and they can’t wait to get me started.

Lienani and I chat for a while, and she is quick to commend me on my bravery at starting out on my own with nothing.

Then we cloudgazed for a while, which was relaxing. Something I definitely needed. She then had to go.. so I decided to explore and look for seashells and beach treasures. I ended up spending the rest of the day doing it.

By the end of the day, I was utterly exhausted. And there were more shells to pick up! But I had netted an amazing amount of shells that sold to the local tourist shop for a lot of money. And I really mean a lot. I ended up with about 5,000 simoleons.

Which was enough to build a small hut with just the bare necessities. By the next morning, I was missing home and the comfort of the place mom had built for all of us. But that was the past. .. And the future was here. So I was on my own. I resisted the urge to run home… and headed towards the ocean.

I set out some fish traps I had bought, and hoped they would catch something. Then I went for a relaxing swim.

Feeling much better, I laid out on a beach towel and enjoyed the late evening sun.

I ended up bronzed and beautiful. Which was one point towards my aspiration. Since work hadn’t started yet, I figured I should get started on something productive. Now I had to eat a coconut.

So I went to the local “grocery” stand and bought some produce. I intended to plant a garden with it, so I bought a few extra of each island fruit.

.. Then I ate a coconut. Not sure I liked it raw. So, in the interest of washing the coconut down, I returned to the bar. Only to find out it was bear night. I met quite a few men my age, but I couldn’t tell you what they looked like, due to the bear costumes. I did find out some of their traits, though, and one guy was particularly nice. I ended up chatting to him most of the evening. (A/N: I have no idea why I never took pictures of this event.. LOL)

By the time I got home, I was miserably tired, and went straight to bed.

After work, I went for a swim and cleaned up some trash floating on the ocean. Gotta keep my little lagoon pretty, you know?

Then, I was bored, so I invited over Aleki, the man from the bear suit the other night. To my surprise, he was gorgeous! .. He was also sad. So the first thing I did was cheer him up.

Then, we stood around and chatted. About everything. Since I had started out with nothing, the fact that I already had a home built astounded him, and he clearly approved of my working to keep the island clean and pristine in my career. He was a lover of the outdoors, after all.

I couldn’t resist. I had to know if he was as into me as I was into him. And he was!

… Definitely.

The fish traps were ready by morning, and I made a good haul. Both in the catch and in the money I made from selling it. I re-baited the traps with some of the fish I had just caught.

That night, I invited the family over, and had my first Kava Party. It went well, and seeing everyone was amazing. Meilani is apparently expecting my second niece or nephew, so huge congratulations to her and Austen.

Austen and I chatted about growing up and our new jobs. We’ve both gotten promotions, and are enjoying our chosen careers.

My tiny house was left a mess, but I definitely didn’t regret getting to see my family again.

The next day, I invited Akiri out to dinner at Sand Simoleon Seafood. Austen and Meilani were there again, and boy, is Meilani looking huge! She must be due any day!

The salmon was excellent, and the conversation was even better. Aleki and I really make a great couple.

I invited him to spend the night, and stayed up wondering if I could ever go through life without him. I came to some conclusions.

So, the next morning, I took a deep breath.. and let Aleki know how I was feeling.

Getting on one knee was humbling, but he was definitely all smiles. With a huge yes, my life was changing…. for the better! I know things seem to be going by quickly, but I’m 100% sure this was the right move.

Chapter 1.17 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 2.2