A Shadowed Legacy: Chapter 3.2
Welcome back to A Shadowed Legacy, we've made it to chapter 3.2 which is very exciting. If you haven't read anything before this I highly suggest you do this. You can find the prologue up to chapter 2.4 on my thread at Sims 2 Writers Guild. The rest are here:
2.5 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.10
3.1
***
The two simselves sat on the chairs on the front lawn and looked out over the empty neighbourhood. They could just see the ocean over the crest of the hill and the tips of the tropical trees in the middle of the island.
"So what are we doing here again?"
Nicole shrugged and glanced over at Jo. "We're scouting out the legacy house. Making sure everything's okay."
Jo frowned. "Without binoculars or anything?"
Nicole beamed at Jo. "Well okay, at the moment we're just enjoying this tropical climate and our new home. We'll start the real surveillance later."
The simselves were enjoying their new home though. There was always something for them to do.
"Are you getting drunk before the Shadow party Shannon?"
Shannon rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Dez. "It's just water Dez!"
Although it was just water, the simselves did enjoy the bar.
Although some of them for reasons completely unrelated to the liquids in the bar.
They also had an awesome stereo where a lot of the simselves enjoyed some awesome dancing.
Well, mostly awesome.
"Ooof! I hope no one saw that!" Jo said nervously. "I've got to practice for the Shadow party, can't have any embarassing things happening there."
They also had a piano, but no one but Tina ever got to play it because Tina was always hogging it.
Over at simJessie and simNick's house Honour was finding she had something important to tell her mom, but was having a hard time finding the words.
Finally she swallowed her fear and cornered her mother while she was feeding the fish.
"Mom? I have something I need to talk to you about." Honour stammered.
Jessie turned from the fish and looked at her daughter, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Oh?"
Honour nodded nervously. "Uhm, yea look, you remember Calder?" Honour swallowed hard. "My fiance...the one that..." Honour bit her lip and fought back tears.
Jessie sighed and touched Honour's shoulder gently. "Honey, you don't have to say it. I know." She gestured at Honour's growing belly. "Either you've put on 10lbs all in your uterus, or you're pregnant."
Honour smiled nervously. "You...you knew?" Honour frowned. "This whole time?"
Jessie laughed and in the kitchen Gabe clapped a hand over his mouh to keep from laughing out loud. "Honour, I've had a long life and a few incarnations, in that time I've had seven children." She lauhed again. "I think I'd know a pregnant woman."
Honour grinned and sighed in relief. "You're not angry?"
Jessie shook her head. "Not at all." She smiled shyly and leaned down to talk to Honour's belly. "Not at all little baby!" She cooed a little self-consciously. "How's my little grandbaby doing in there? You being a good boy or girl?"
Honour laughed and covered her tummy. "I think you're scaring the kid Mom, please stop."
Jessie stood up and nodded curtly. "Yea, I really am." She hugged her daughter tightly. "Let's get ready for the Shadow party tonight, hun."
It seemed everyone in town was getting ready the Shadow party that evening. Since, everyone who had just moved to Pearson Bay was invited to that party.
"Honour!" Naida screamed when she saw Honour waddle on the front lawn. Although it was going to be hard for Honour, rasing Calder's baby on her own, Naida couldn't help but be happy. Now they got to keep a little bit of Calder.
So what was this super party that everyone was gathering for?
It was Kiandra's birthday party! Kiandra was finally going to be transitioning into teen and she was thrilled about the prospect.
"Oh Daddy! Princess Kia is going to be so big, and able to manipulate and control so many more people now!" Kia giggled and rubbed her hands together. "This is going to be excellent!"
As Kia blew out the candles Egan couldn't help but be a little concerned about what he had unleashed on the world in his youngest daughter.
Kiandra grew up in an explosion of confetti and then quickly rushed off to change. She couldn't have any seeing her looking anything other than her best. When she came out the party was in full swing and everyone was smustling.
"Honour, is it safe for you to smustle with Princess Kia's neice or nephew in your womb?"
Honour laughed and shrugged. "Sure it is! My mom smustled when she was pregnant with me and Gabe."
"Hmm, that might explain some things." Murmured Kia.
She decided to leave Honour to her awkward dancing and danced her way over to Egan.
"So how does it feel to be big baby girl?"
Kia grinned. "Princess Kia likes being big now Daddy. Princess Kia can weild all sorts of power now."
Egan sighed. "Well, what are you my darling? Knowledge like your daddy?"
Kiandra laughed. "Oh Daddy no. Princess Kiandra is Pleasure and Romance. Princess Kia will have 50 first dates."
"You mean want right?" Kiandra just laughed in response.
Of course, putting Gabe in a room with a bunch of attractive women was more than the boy could handle. He couldn't stop himself from sidling up to Jo and throwing her his charming, winning smile. "Ah!" Jo said quickly, lifting a hand. "Don't even start mister. I know all about you and I am not interested."
Gabe would have been crushed but how can anyone stay unhappy with a smustle trio of women around?
Besides, after Jo turned him down and spent some time whispering sweet nothing's into Nicole's ear, and she didn't turn him away.
But the night finally came to an end, and just as Naida was getting ready for bed she felt a pop in her belly. She stared down at the bump in amazement. As a family sim she was ecstatic to be having a baby, and it was all the more special knowing that in the room beside this one, Nixie was experiencing the same thing.
The next morning Honour showed up at the new Shadow house and anxiously ran the door bell.
Egan smiled and rushed down the stairs to greet her when he came to the door. "Honour, good morning! What are you doing here?" He blushed. "Not that I don't love having you stop by."
Honour waved the comment away. "I get it Egan, don't worry." She smiled reassuringly. "Well, see here's the thing. I'll probably be having the baby soon. I really should have had it by now, but the move messed things up a bit. But, I was wondering if you wanted to be there. For the birth I mean. Also, Gabe's kids, Pluto and Mercury, it's their birthday soon as well."
Egan nodded. "Honour, I would love to be there to see my first grandchild born." He took a deep breath and tried to blink away the tears in his eyes. "It would have meant so much to Amaya, and to Calder to see this baby."
Honour looked away and rubbed at her eyes quickly. "Yea, they really would have." She bit her lip and glanced at the house to try and take her mind off of it. She frowned. "Are you planning on putting siding up anytime soon?"
Egan laughed, glad Honour had broken the sad moment. "We're working on it."
And they were. Eggplant wanted to be Chief of Staff one day, so he was slowly working his way up the medical career track, bringing home as much money as he could, all to replace the lost Shadow fortune. Although, saving lives doesn't seem like the kind of dream that evil-minded Eggplant would have.
"I dream of the power. Holding life or death in my hands each day."
Do you choose life?
Eggplant shrugged. "I'd get fired if I chose death. We need the money. But one day! Oh one day I shall choose death!" He cackled.
He won't. He's just trying to look good.
Of course, with Naida being pregnant and Castor's dream job not being available, they weren't doing as much to add to the family funds. They just spent a lot of time dancing.
And kissing.
"Oh I love you my snoogie bear!"
And being gross.
And talking to unborn babies.
"How's my little slugger doing? You going to be Daddy's little boy huh? We gonna play catch and football and basketball?"
"Uhm, honey, who says it's a boy?"
Castor laughed. "Honey, I think I'd know a boy pregnancy if I saw one."
"Soooo, you and Castor done being pukey and lovey?" Eggplant asked as he neurotically cleaned down the stove for the fifth time that afternoon.
"Oh shut up Eggplant. I know that secretly, you and Nixie do that kind of stuff all the time."
Eggplant scoffed. "Yea, but we talk about one day taking over the world with our alien superiority. Not once have we called each other snoogie bear."
"Snoogie bear, can you come into the bedroom and rub my feet?" Nixie called from the room she shared with her husband.
"Not once huh?" Naida asked with a hand planted firmly on her hip and a smug smile on her face.
"Not one more word from you. "Eggplant growled. />
The next day Honour called Egan up. She wasn't sure she was going to have the baby today, but at the very least Egan could be here to see her neice and nephew age into kids.
When he got the call Egan rushed over just in time to see Gabe and Honour bring the tots to the cake. Nick and Jessie handed Egan and horn and even though they weren't related to him, Egan cheered heartily for the twins.
After all, he did get cake out of the whole thing. He smiled up at Jessie when she came to sit down by him. "I've been spending some time with some pregnant women," Egan commented. "And you look like you're expecting again."
Jessie blushed and nodded. "Well, we have this ridiculous desire for 10 kids, and we'll live forever so why not?"
Egan smiled awkwardly. "Uh-huh. Makes...sense. I'm going to go and get some more cake."
As Egan turned back to the table with more cake in that hand Honour felt a terrible pain rip through her body.
Egan dropped the cake and rushed up to Honour's side. "It's okay kiddo, just take a deep breath. You're going to be fine."
"Holy crap Merky! Aunty Honour's gonna die!" A newly made-over Pluto gasped.
Mercury rolled her eyes and slapped her brother in the back of the head. "No she's not silly. She's having a baby." Her eyes lit up. "She's giving us a cousin! Yay!" She cheered, excited for another playmate.
As Jessie stared at her daughter, screaming with pain the reality of it all hit home. "Why did we decide to have more kids!?" She wailed at the ceiling.
"Tough choice Mom." Gabe said soberly. "Tough choice."
"Shut it boy." Nick said sternly, also painfully aware of the choice he and Jessie had made.
But, as it always is, it was over soon enough and Honour smiled down at the little boy in her arms. "He's so perfect Egan."
Egan smiled and touched the newborn softly on the head. "They both are. What are you going to call them?"
Honour looked at the two new babies, one a boy and one a girl and smiled. "Allie and Kehl." She laughed softly. "They have their daddy's eyes. You know that?" She looked up at Egan with tears in her eyes and Egan found he couldn't speak. He wouldn't have known what to say even if he could, so instead he just kissed the girl he considered a daughter, and stared adoringly at his new grandchildren.
Life was going well for the family. They were enjoying their new beach property and despite their lack of funds, they were happy.
"Daddy are you going to come swimming with Princess Kiandra?"
"No honey, Daddy's busy getting a nice tan going!" Egan mumbled into his towel.
A few hours later Egan stood up to greet Kiandra as she walked from the water. "How was it honey?"
Kiandra giggled and shook her head. "Oh Daddy, you should have come swimming with Princess Kiandra!"
It was at that moment that Egan noticed the very pointed stinging radiating from his entire body.
"Honey, don't take this the wrong way or anything but, there is only one baby in there right?"
Nixie stopped and stared at Eggplant. "Yea..." she replied hesitantly.
"Good, 'cause you're gigantic! I thought there was going to be an army of babies in there just waiting for their chance to strike against their father."
Nixie glared at Eggplant. "I don't know if I should be offended or if I should laugh. So I'm just going to waddle off okay?"
Eggplant just shrugged and settled back into his book.
Now that Kiandra was a teenager she felt it was time she help the family regain some of their lost funds. So she took it upon herself to write some restraunt guides. They sold well despite the fact that the title always started with "Princess Kiandra demands you eat here".
In the nearby room Nixie was plotting to interupt her writing. Or at least, that how Kiandra would undoubtedly see it.
"Eggplant, please get up now. I think your devil spawn is trying to rip out of my stomach!"
Kiandra heard the screaming and rushed into the bedroom. "Oh my jeebus! Princess Kiandra is shocked and horrified green sister! What's happening?"
"My husband's evil child is trying to kill me! That's what's happening!"
"Ugh, Nixie, what's with the melodramatic screaming?" Eggplant murmured sleepily.
"GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED BEFORE YOU I KILL YOU!"
Of course, as soon as Nixie was staring her baby boy in the face she found all of her anger just seeped away. "Oh my goodness." She whispered.
She turned around and showed him to Eggplant. "Look at him Eggy, he's perfect."
Eggplant grinned and waved at the noseless baby. "Hi there little boy. Please don't kill me when you get older to usurp my power."
Nixie was going to reply when she heard a scream through the wall.
His name is Cyrus and it is Persian for Of the Sun. He's got his parents skintone, hair, and Nixie's eye colour (and lack of nose...)
Naida wasn't having any better luck with her husband being awake and attentive for the birth of their first child.
Castor finally did get up when Naida came over and handed him a baby girl. He understood this to me they were having twins. Of course he was midly confused when Naida then set the other baby on the floor.
"Honey, what are you doing? Why are you putting that baby there?"
Naida looked pained and clutched her belly. "I don't know but it still hurts!"
Oh yes, they had triplets. Two girls and a boy. All with Naida's skin and eyes, the boy with her hair, and the girls with Castor's.
The first born was Astrea, which is Greek for From the Stars.
Next was Dysis, which is Greek for Sunset.
Lastly came the boy, Elio, which is Spanish for The Sun.
Castor held up Elio and smiled warmly. "You, little buddy, are going to be a very happy kid you know that? You've got a great family that loves you very much." Castor was really taken with this parenting thing.
With four babies in the house, things got a little crazy. For example, who is this guy?
Well Kiandra, who spends most of her time in her bathing suit, decided she needed a boyfriend. So she ordered this "peon" to date her. She even scored her first kiss from him. And he apparently enjoyed it so much he brought her a pinball machine. That was promptly sold.
And Egan was finding himself utterly taken with all of his grandkids. Any time he wasn't spending locked in his room crafting mysterious things, he was down in the nursery with one of the babies, or over at Honour's with Allie and Kehl.
The other members of the house found different ways to amuse themselves. Egplant spent a lot of time shirtless...
And working on a beat-up old car. They had sold their old one to buy the property and they needed a new one.
And now that the ladies weren't pregnant anymore they decided to show off their newly svelte bodies and prance around naked all the time.
"Dammit Naida! That turret is all wrong! How is that going to be defensible? What happens when our enemies launch an attack?!"
Naida glanced up at Nixie. "You've been spending too much time with Eggplant haven't you?"
Nixie nodded sadly. "His craziness is wearing off on me sis."
Speaking of crazy, time had moved very quickly and before anyone was ready for it, Allie and Kehl had grown up to be a pair of adorable toddlers.
This earned them the chance to play on the llama's, although they were unsure of the new toys.
"OH DEAR WARD KEHL I DUN WANNA PLAY ON DIS DEAPH TRAP!!!!!!"
"Hee hee! Wook Allie, it's a birdy!"
What could a bunch of smustling simselves...
...and Nicole and Gabe making out mean?
It means multiple 'sploding babies time! Yes, that's correct, it was time for the kids to turn into toddlers.
All the exact...
...same...
...time. Except for Elio. Naida dropped him on the floor and wouldn't transition him for some unexplained reason.
"So, Eggplant, I see your kid has some noticeably pointed ears." Jessie remarked as Eggplant tossed his kid into the air.
Eggplant grinned and nodded smugly. "Oh yea, I am well aware. My kids' got the ears!"
The first thing the adults did was change the kids into some decent clothes and fix their hair. First up was Dysis.
Then Astrea.
Last but certainly no less cute was Elio.
And here's Cyrus, the no-nosed wonder with the pointy ears.
And then the simselves and the Shadow family gathered round to have a good time and a good party, celebrating the fresh start the Shadows had made for themselves.
"Blegk! Gabe, she puked all over me!" Nicole complained as Astrea dumped her dinner all over her face. "Seriously!"
Gabe just stared slack jawed for a moment. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."
Nicole's anger melted. "Awww, really?"
"Uhm, can yew put me down now?" Muttered 'Strea, not terribly interested in listening to the adults talk anymore.
Of course, if the family knew what was happening back in Shadow Valley, they would have been less celebratory.
"So why are we meeting the hag again?" Cain asked irreverently as he and Meridius walked out to meet the gypsy woman waiting for them.
Meridius forced a smiled. "Because you fool, she can see things we can't. She can help us find the Shadows." He ground out through clenched teeth.
Cain smiled and cocked a finger at Meridius. "I get it now big boss. We use the hag to find the family, then we kill all of them."
Meridius rolled his eyes. Cain had become insufferably smug and cheery since killing his brother and mother. Meridius was actually beginning to regret getting the brat to do it for him.
"Velk, hello Mr. Shadow. I have come as you ave askt me to do. Vhat do you vwant."
Meridius grinned and gripped the gypsy's hand. "I want you to help me find the Shadow family. The only people who know where they went is Ender and his little band of brats, and they aren't going to tell me squat."
The gypsy eyed Cain, feeling the evil presence rollin off of him she shuddered. She turned back to Meridius. "Vhy should I to be doingk tis for you hmm?"
A predator's grin spread across Meri's face. "Cause if you don't I'll kill you and find another hag to do it for me. And if she won't, well," he shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to keep killing your kind until I find one willing to do want I want."
The gypsy drew her mouth into a hard line and grabbed Meridius' arm, dragging him away from Cain. She muttered to herself and dug around in her bag then pulled out a glowing vial. "You to be givingk dis to the boy. He tell you everydink you vhant. Ja?"
Meridius stared at the potion skeptically. "Truth potion? Really?"
The gypsy shrugged. "I not beingk seer. I not beingk magic map. I beingk gypsy. I give potion. It vork."
Meridius stared at her hard. "It better."
Cain watched Meridius stalk in the house that snuck up to the gypsy. She jumped back in fear and stared at him. "Vhat you be wantingk?"
Cain grinned, still feeling on top of the world from his most recent power trip. "A girl. Nothing too serious. I'm not looking for true love or anything." He laughed. "I don't need or want love. Just a one night stand kind of thing."
The gypsy stared hard at the boy and then nodded. She would give him a woman.
After the woman fell from the sky the gypsy scurried off. Not wanting to stay around while Cain talked with his date. She was worried about what he would find out, but she needn't have worried.
Cain wasn't worried by the girlish giggle, or the fluttery, graceful way she moved. He wasn't concerned about her overly large, dark eyes, or her intoxicating manner, or the odd tattoo on her face. Or, what he assumed was a tattoo.
He snuck her upstairs to his bedroom and - depending on how you look at it - he was lucky enough to not have Meridius see them. Of course, if Meridius had seen them, he would have known the girl for what she was immediately. And she would have understood the feeling she was getting from Cain. As it was, they didn't meet, and no warning was given. So she disrobed and crawled onto the bed with a man who was prophesied to rain destruction down on the world, and she didn't know it.
And as Cain pushed her back on the bed and crushed his lips to hers, he was unaware that he was bedding a pixie, and that their magics were a dangerous combination. But he didn't know, and neither did she, and so the couple proceeded, completely oblivious to the danger they were walking straight into.
***
Well, that's it for chapter 3.2! Thanks to everyone at Sims 2 Writers Guild. You guys are made of win, and to everyone who let me use their simself for my story. Again, a special thanks to cpowellscircus for creating Eggplant in all his awesome goodliness. :) Well, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and check back for more later!