Aran Legacy - 1.1
Part of the founder challenge at legacy_writers. Sim by simrenity.
Warnings: None! Perfectly safe for work. Safe for babies, even. Feed your children my update, all right?
And so, in the middle of a forest that never had many trees, there was a house.
Being in the middle of a forest that didn't even deserve to be called a forest was not good for the house's self-esteem, and so it grew dilapidated, ancient, and uninhabited.
However, the last item was one that no one seemed very certain of.
This uncertainty resulted in one Veronica Walton ringing the doorbell of one run-down house.
She had been on her feet all day, going door to door to try and sign up members for the Gardening Club she was starting, and she was nearing the end of her route.
And since it was a damp, gray, soggy, mildly depressing, wet wet wet wet day, she was in no hurry to spend the rest of the afternoon in the "great outdoors."
So when there was no immediate answer to the doorbell, she was burning shoe-rubber down the sidewalk when she was stopped by an AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL FANTASTIC AND ALL-AROUND PERFECT ALL HAIL SIMRENITY woman in purple.
"Hellooo!" Said Veronica, faking her well-practiced smile and cheery voice. "My name is Veronica Walton, and it's very nice to meet you!"
The ALL-AROUND PERFECT woman smiled. "Likewise," She said.
There was a brief, awkward pause, before Veronica ventured to ask: "And you are...?"
"Virginia Aran." Her voice was a little quiet. Almost as though she was speaking through a veil of shyness rather than a veil of whatever-the-heck-fabric that thing was made of.
At any rate, Veronica pushed onwards with her sales pitch. She had to. This was her job- no! Her duty. (Seriously. It's not her job. Her job is working as a professor at the local community college.)
"So, Virginia! I wanted to extend an offer to you!"
"An... offer?" Virginia said, with notes of fear, confusion, and B sharp in her voice.
"Yes! An offer. You see, I'm with the Gardening Club of Hasting Heights." Said Veronica, with some flourish. Virginia gave a nod of respect to Veronica's flourish, and Veronica continued.
"We at the G.C.H.H. are always looking for new members. So, if you're interested in applying, you can just let me know." She passed Virginia a scrap of paper with a phone number written on it, and Virginia quietly tucked it away.
And then there was an uncomfortable silence.
And then Veronica really wanted to go home.
And then...
And then Virginia started jumping in a puddle like a two year old child.
Veronica kind of stared. "Should I be seeing this?" She thought to herself, between Virginia's hysterical peals of laughter. "Is-- is this illegal?!"
Veronica wasn't sure about the first two questions, but she was sure of one thing: this puddle-jumping made her very uncomfortable.
And Veronica's favorite method of dealing with uncomfortable situations was to change them to her liking.
"Hey, Virginia..."
Virginia turned from her splashy revelry to address Veronica. "Yes?" She asked.
"Well, I was just wondering... uh, you know that thing? That's over there? You know, um, away from your little... puddle?"
Virginia did not know, and could only muster a bewildered stare.
"No, seriously, look! It's just over... at that place." Veronica said nervously, her words kind of, y'know, sorta starting to, uh... fade, or something... along the lines of... "QUICK, LOOK OVER THERE!"
Virginia complied.
Virginia got wet.
Veronica was pleased! Why? Why did wetting Virginia with a water baloon make her so happy, yet Virginia getting wet through splashing made her feel distressed?
This is a question the world may never know the answer to. Thank goodness for that.
And Virginia was oddly amused by the whole thing. Another oddity the world may never know the answer to.
In fact, Virginia and Veronica formed their own special friendship club that day. With their own special friendship signals, their own special friendship water baloons...
And their own special friendship revenge.
(Veronica cried out "no! No more!" and Virginia only laughed. It was more of a giggle than a maniacal cackle, but you know, it was laughter all the same.)
And they probably were on some kind of drugs at some point, as well.
(Veronica laughed. "It's like-- it's like you were pretending to be in a gang!" Virginia laughed. "I know- but--" and Veronica interrupted, "But you're NOT! We're not a gaa-aang, we're just a cluuub!")
But maybe not. You never know.
Their shenanigans were interrupted by three people walking past, seemingly searching for something. When they saw Virginia by the side of the house, they called her over.
"Hey. I'm, uh... Music," the man said, mumbling his name almost under his breath. "And I wanted to know if you've seen Veronica Watson around here, somewhere? She's got dark skin, and dark hair in a little... what's it called, Skitleé?" He turned to ask the pink-shirted woman behind him.
"A braid?" She suggested, her voice full of exasperation.
"No need to get so aggro about it." Said Music. "Yes. A braid. Have you seen her?"
Virginia smiled, and nodded. "Yes, she's just out back."
The other woman stepped up to Virginia and initiated a dance off a conversation.
"So, your house looks pretty run-down. Are you broke?" The woman asked.
"Well..." Virginia mumbled. Wasn't that kind of rude? Or was it rude not to answer? Oh, social engagements. Why must they exist? (The answer is "to torment Virginia," for the record.)
"Well, you don't look like you're that poor," The woman continued, with Virginia interjecting a grateful thank-you, "But your house is really pretty much a mess. And you have no garden to speak of! How can you join our garden club without a garden, anyway?"
"I wasn't sure about joining to begin with." Said Virginia.
"If you say so," Said the woman with a shrug.
"Hey! Lamia! Are you harassing Virginia? 'Cause Virginia is looking pretty harassed from here!" Veronica called out.
"Uh, no!" Lamia replied.
She turned to Virginia and gave a quick smile. "If you ever do need some extra cash, you could work part-time at some of the clubs down the road. They always can use a hand." Lamia said this with a conspiratorial wink, and ran off, leaving Virginia with her suggestions.
Virginia was certain that she needed more money. But she wasn't sure about working part-time. She needed a full-time job!
So, she turned to the ever-mystical newspaper of hope. Hope... for CHANGE. Or a job, or whatever. I don't know, this isn't Jane Eyre, okay? She's not going to get a job as a governess.
But the newspaper did, indeed, grant her a promise for change. A promise... to be able to work for a newspaper writer and do his or her bidding.
And the mystical newspaper never broke promises.
Neither did the mystical newspaper extinguish kitchen fires. It's not THAT mystical. You get what you pay for.
"Yes!" Virginia cried exuberantly. "My flames! Burn! Burn! Burn! Hahaha!" She shrieked with laughter.
That essentially creeped everyone out. So, one of them called the fire department (and the local insane asylum, but they refused to take her in. "Not our challenge, not our problem," they said.)
They soon all then decided that the best course of action would be to leave. "BYE VIRGINIA!" They yelled as they ran from the hot, burning house. They may hang out with a crazy lady or two, but they're no fools!
The fireman who finally arrived on the scene, Destry, turned to Virginia when the fire was finally out. "Well, you're all safe, now!" He said with a smile.
"Yes, yes... thank you." Said Virginia.
"What? Is there a problem?" Destry asked.
"No, I suppose not." Said Virginia with a small sigh. "Goodbye, then."
"Uh, yeah. See you later."
Virginia walked outside, leaving the door open in order to air out her house. (Windows? Virginia doesn't need WINDOWS.)
Virginia was soon flagged down by a lady whose eccentricity of dress that even exceeded her own.
"Miss?" The lady called to her.
"Hello," Said Virginia.
"Hello, indeed!" The woman smiled. "Listen, dear, I have a message for you."
"From the garden club?" Virginia inquired.
"No. From the great beyond." The lady stated with nonchalance. "But the garden club probably wants to talk to you too. It's worth asking." She added after a moment of thought. "At any rate: 'you must go to the bowling alley immediately. Work at the bar. Give... people... juice!'" The last part of her message was pronounced with great difficulty, and then the woman put her hand to her head. "I'm sorry. I feel faint. I have to go. You should heed the message, dear. Farewell!"
"Goodbye." Said Virginia.
Well, she thought, who am I to go against the great beyond?
-----
I hope you enjoyed it. Apologies for its brevity! I didn't really have the time to write more.
Virginia Aran is named for the mother of Samus Aran, the main character of the Metroid Series. You'd better believe there's going to be a Samus and Ridley in this legacy!
Next time: Virginia goes to the bowling alley and fulfills her destiny! Well, she at least makes out with a guy and DJs in her swimsuit, anyway.
Skitlée is by skittlebox, and Music and Lamia are by music_simbol. They were their entries in the Founder Challenge. A lot of people's entries are townies in the neighborhood Virginia lives in, actually. Maybe yours!
If you end up liking this, and want to add it to your friends list for future updates, please add celliesims. There is nothing exciting at mirablu for you to add.