The Valentine Legacy: 1.3
Welcome back, folks, with another update of the Valentine Legacy, and the last update of Generation 1! That's right, after this chapter, the focus shifts to Raphael and Natasha's kids! There's a lot of stuff happening in this chapter (but less pictures!), so it should be pretty interesting.
---
After that tense night of revelations, all was quiet and peaceful within the Valentine home. Raphael continued to go to work and return home, and had purchased two cakes for his children's birthdays, which were fast approaching. The first one to grow up was little Venus, who was ready to truly learn about the world.
After the candles were blown out, little Venus blossomed into a beautiful toddler, watched by her mother and older siblings. She was very much like her older brother, Artemis, in her personality. In fact, almost identical to him. Yet she was, in her own right, quite an amazing little girl.
After the celebration, the family celebrated with Raphael, and finished off the first cake, preserving the second for the next day, which would be the day Persephone would finally grow into the truly independent age of a teenager.
As Raphael, weary from a day's work, went to shower off and get to sleep, Natasha went over to teach little Venus how to talk. Her very first word was 'Mama', and she learned very quickly to master the skill of talking.
Afterwards, Natasha, made weray herself from staying up late, wandered over to the bed, and fell asleep.
Later that night, Raphael found himself awakened for a reason he could not define. He went and worked out at the barre some, hoping it would help lull him back to sleep. It didn't help. So, he walked over to the bookshelf, and pulled out his secret diary, which was filled to the brim with pictures of his former life in Nibelheim, and letters he had written his now almost certainly missing or dead family that he didn't dare send for fear of giving away his location.
Natsha took the news about my... our family's destiny oddly well... I suppose she always thought we were meant for something more, and was perhaps relieved to find out that we were not merely here just to procreate aimlessly... he thought to himself.
He found tears trying to well up in his eyes as he looked back at the pictures of his adoptive parents helping him walk, eating dinner with him, and so many other pleasant memories. His "mother's" soft blue eyes as she smiled at him... The way his "father" had laughed when he tried and failed miserably to play some sports... The way the entire house was filled with the many varied fragrances of flowers during the spring, flowers just like-
My birth mother... he choked mentally as his eyes fell upon the last page of pictures.
These were the only records he had of his birth parents, for he had never met either of them. He looked next to the picture of Aerith, and found the image of his true father smiling back at him.
He seems so... kindly... And now the curse that befell him has rendered him little more than a pathetic beast... Were it my job to end his life... I don't know if I could...
And thus, in the privacy of the night, the founder of the legacy that would vanquish both of his fathers allowed himself the luxury of weeping for the family he had lost and would come to lose.
However, life within the Valentine house continued on, and the next night, it was young Persephone's turn to come of age. She would now be entering the most treacherous part of growing up yet- the teenage years.
Well, Persephone, you're in for the long haul now! What's your wish? the omnipotent voice asked.
Persephone considered for a moment. "I wish to be the best person I can be!"
After she blew out the candles, Persephone could feel her body growing and changing as sparkles descended around her. When the light show ended, she stood before her mother and younger brother a teenager, looking out with casual ease around the kitchen.
Persephone... wow... you sure grew into your looks, kid.
Thanks! Persephone thought back. And I think I know now what I really want to do with my life!
Persephone had grown into a Pleasure sim, so having fun was her primary objective, followed by making friends, a result of her secondary aspiration, Popularity. What she wanted to do, more than anything else, was become a Game Designer. And now, she was ready to work towards that goal.
Persephone proceeded upstairs to change into some normal everyday clothes to find the room had been rearranged again, and her father had given her a brand-new computer. She immediately sat down on it, and began to look for a job. Luckily for her, there was an opening for a teenager in the Gamer career track, and she took the job.
Afterwards, she walked back downstairs, where her mother was playing pool.
"Uh, mom?" she wondered.
"Yes, dear?" Natasha asked in reply, looking up from her game.
"Erm... I was wondering if I could go out with Pam and some of our friends tonight..."
"Of course, dear. Just don't be out too late. I expect you back here by midnight, you understand?" Natasha replied, nodding her assent.
Persephone smiled, and let out a hissed "Yes!" as she headed for the phone.
Her fingers raced across the familiar phone number of her best friend, her heart racing from excitement. Little Venus was trying to walk with Raphael in the back of the room as her friend finally picked up.
'Hello?' Pamela asked.
"Hey Pam. It's Persephone. Listen, I just got permission from my mom to go out tonight. So, you wanna call up the others?"
'Sure thing! What're you thinking of doing?'
"Probably getting some new clothes. The ones I have are 'meh'. And then going clubbing afterwards."
'Sweet! I'll bring my car around and we'll get gone!'
Persephone's friends insisted on taking her picture in her new outfit, which was in a similar style to something her mother would wear, and suited her quite well. The colors really worked well with her complexion, and she was really happy to have a nice-looking outfit, for a change.
After most of the group bought new clothes, they headed out to a local club. Persephone and Pamela were the first ones out on the dance floor, and were dancing the night away and having a really good time while the music blared around them. Currently playing was "Tik Tok" by KeSha.
I'm talkin' bout - everybody getting crunk, crunk
Boys tryna touch my junk, junk
Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk
Now, now - we goin' til they kick us out, out
Or the police shut us down, down
Police shut us down, down
Po-po shut us - (down)-man
As the two girls danced closer, Persephone could feel the room heat up around her. Or was it just her? Funny, she hadn't had anything to drink, but she was starting to feel a bit tipsy...
Seized by a sudden impulse, Persephone tenderly took Pamela's hand into her own. The contact was warm, familiar. They'd often hugged as little kids, just playing around. But now Persephone could feel her heart pounding beneath her chest, and it wasn't just from the physical exertion of dancing. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins with each pound of the music around her. She knew she had to do something, but what?
Her answer came a few moments later as Pamela's arms wound around her, and she found herself tenderly pressing her lips against those of her friend's, all other thoughts obliterated from her mind. It was Persephone's first kiss, and it was a magical moment. One of the others in the group with them looked on, scoffed, and walked away, but neither of them paid any attention to her.
You build me up
You break me down
My heart, it pounds
Yeah, you got me
put my hands up
You got me now
You got that sound
Yeah, you got me
The two young women parted a moment later, and decided to call off the outing for the night. It was starting to get late, close to Persephone's curfew, and they both needed a break and some time to think. So they left, hoping perhaps for another night out at a different time.
Natasha said nothing when Persephone walked in, but she could tell from the look on the girl's face that she had had a wonderful night.
However, the next morning, reality set back in for Persephone. She was one of the top students in class, and was generally well-liked. However, one of the girls in the group had talked about the previous night, and she had gone from most-liked person to social pariah in a matter of hours. Were she the kind of person who let status run her, she would have been devastated. However, she had inherited her mother's 'whatever will be will be' attitude, and was not bothered in the least by it. Besides, she had more important things to focus on. Like the job she had to leave for in about five minutes.
And speak of the devil, a few moments later, her carpool arrived. Raphael had given her a car that morning as a late birthday present, but she chose to be more environmentally friendly and take the carpool she was being offered. She proved very talented at her job, rising to the top position someone her age could reach within a single day off of two lucky chance cards. With that, she had fulfilled her father's greatest ambition, for her to become an Overachiever, and knew she was ready for the challenges of college.
That night, Persephone turned to her computer again, this time looking for scholarships and admission. She qualified easily for the academic and artistic grants, and was offered admission to the local university in a heartbeat. With that finalized, she was ready to leave her home.
And so, bidding a teary farewell to her loving family, Persephone Valentine became the first member of the legacy to take the leap and attend college. She knew she would face new challenges there, but was quite ready for whatever was coming.
The next evening, the somber mood cast by Persephone's departure dissipated as little Venus was now growing into a child. Natasha was glad to be rid of the diaper-changing days, and Artemis was ready for a new playmate, so he celebrated.
"Blow out the candles, Venus!" Natasha encouraged as the little child attempted to do just that.
She succeeded, and her transformation to a child began.
Venus clapped her hands as she finished growing up, and ran upstairs to get changed while her mother and brother feasted on her birthday cake.
Venus changed into her new 'pretty in pink' outfit upstairs, and discovered after a few seconds of playfully jumping rope that she, like her brother, was a Fitness enthusiast.
I guess that figures, coming from someone named after the Greco-Roman goddess of love... You'd have to stay in good shape...
"Yup! And I can't wait until I'm a teenager and can break some hearts!"
... well, aren't we shrewish...
A car door slammed, and Venus ran downstairs to meet her father. Natasha was serenely studying the stars in the background, trying to prepare for a promotion.
"Daddy!" Venus shouted, practically glomping her poor father.
"Well hey there, Venus." Raphael greeted. "Haven't you just grown up into the prettiest thing?"
Venus giggled, flattered. "Yes, I have! Thanks!"
Raphael smiled at her warmly. It seemed she had inherited her brother's conceit. Where all this arrogance was coming from, he had no idea...
Maybe from the other side of your family... Your adoptive father's father was quite an arrogant son of a bitch...
Maybe so... he thought to himself, sighing as he remembered how quickly his precious children were growing up. Soon, he would be forced to decide which one of them was best fit for inheriting the legacy, and he wasn't sure how he was going to choose.
In spite of her conceit, Venus was able to make friends very swiftly. Though she barely even bothered to remember their names, people just seemed to flock to her. She supposed it was just her beauty and the fact that she was a legacy child that made her so flat out desirable as a friend.
"You know, it would be so awesome to have my own personal genie." Venus sighed. "I mean, then I could get anything I wanted..."
"Yeah..." her friend agreed. "I'd wish for beauty..."
"Psh, I wouldn't!" Venus retorted. "I'm pretty enough! What do I need with more beauty?"
Then she remembered another reason why she called this girl over here. "Hey, you remember Allie? Well, I just heard from Trish who heard it from Sahra that she went and saw that Star... whatever movie that came out, and not just because one of the guys acting in it is hot! How crazy is that? She is such a geek!"
It was at that point that the one partially controlling the scenario forced Venus to go inside and do her homework, for the discussion was really starting to sicken her.
Time passed. And then, one wintry evening, Artemis's birthday came. Raphael was, as always, at work, but one of his friends, Venus, and Natasha were there cheering him on.
I wish to stay just as awesome as I am now! Artemis wished as he blew out the candles, beginning his transition into a teenager.
Within moments, Artemis found himself looking in wonder at his newly grown-up body. He had grown into quite a handsome young man, though he rather disliked the clothing he was wearing. He would get some new threads as soon as possible.
Now all I really need... is friends! Loads and loads of friends.And maybe to learn some stuff too. But mostly friends!
Artemis had grown into a Popularity sim, with Knowledge as his second aspiration. What he wanted more than anything else in the world was to become a Rock God, reaching the top of the Music career track and the top of the charts!
"Yeah!" he cried out, going into a little air guitar solo in the kitchen. Natasha was not amused.
He ran upstairs to get on the computer, looking for an opening in the music career track. When he found none, he then turned his attentions to college searching. He was quickly accepted into the same University Persephone would be attending, and then left for a quick outing to get himself some new threads before he left for school.
He sort of jacked Persephone's car, as she hadn't taken it to college with her, and decided to go out and get some new clothes. While he was out, he met a cute blonde girl working the register named Brandi Stompel. He talked with her as much as she could, trying to find out when she would get off work. No dice, but he did manage to get a phone number out of her, so it wasn't a total loss.
Natasha insisted on taking one last picture of Artemis in his new clothes before he left for school, so he did a strong-man pose in front of the car, acting like he was really hot stuff. Though he wasn't entirely acting, for he had a rather large ego that made him think he was the bomb.
There was a final farewell to his parents, and Artemis was on his way out the door, excited for college, but also a bit distressed, for he knew it could be the final time he saw his family. After all, only the heir would be allowed to return home and stay.
And time rolled on. As loathe as Raphael and Natasha were to admit it, they could feel it in their aching muscles, the wrinkles attempting to surface, the loss of energy... They were getting on in years, and the very day their precious Persephone was to become a teenager, they themselves would age into elders. And all too soon, that day arrived.
That morning, Raphael met Natasha in the kitchen, both of them still in their work uniforms, though they had called in sick for the day.
"No matter what, Natasha," Raphael began, "I'll always love you."
Natasha smiled, embracing her husband back. "I know you do. Thank you..."
And so, husband and wife shared one final embrace before their time to age came.
Venus's birthday was the first to be celebrated. She threw out her arms in welcome at the new age. Her heart was pounding, and she knew now it was her heart she lived by, for she had become a Romance sim, who wanted to become a Hall of Famer. Her first loves were sports and love, and her second love was Grilled Cheese. She had developed quite a weakness for the stuff from years of living with a Grilled Cheese sim.
Venus and Raphael cheered for Natasha as she braced herself to become an old woman. She didn't relish the thought, but knew it was unavoidable, so she blew out the candles, and prepared for her final stage of life.
Though the outfit she had grown into was simply terrible, Natasha didn't feel very different. Slightly weaker, perhaps, a bit less energetic, but her few wrinkles and silvered hair were all that betrayed her age now.
Finally, Raphael came to his birthday cake. The founder was ready, come what may, for this last stage of his life. Surrounded by the smiles of his family in the house, he felt no fear as he blew out the candles.
He could feel the changes almost immediately after he aged. As the confetti fell around him, he could feel the toll years and years of dancing and running after his family had taken on him. He felt tired, but he was no where near ready to die. He wanted to live on, so he could stay with his family for a good long time to come.
Persephone ran upstairs and changed into her new clothes, calling the university, and posing for one last picture by her mother before leaving for school.
As she walked towards the cab, feet freezing beneath the snow, she knew in her heart that she was ready to face college with her siblings, and no matter who became the heir, she would be happy to have been a part of this family.
---
And there you have it! The next update focuses on Generation 2 in college, but before then, there will be a quick little look into what our old friends from Howls in the Dark are doing about Raphael's seeming disappearance from the face of the earth...