Chapter 42: Bottled Vampire's Bite

It's winter. This is the second generation I've rolled A Sim For All Seasons, and I just now figured out I can just consolidate the seasonal outfits + decor pics into one. :facepalm:

Racquel is a pretty fly elder. She immediately gets her first ever Street Art commission, which is terribly exciting. She's always wanted to make her mark, and now people are finally recognizing her artistic talent.

She also paints this slightly off-center, slightly unflattering portrait of Josie playing the piano.

Glenda and Zoe build an igloo. They then spend the rest of the day hiding from the world, making out in said igloo.

Blaze and Zinnia also feel like getting away from the city today.

"I found a cool place," Blaze tells his girlfriend. "I want to show you."

It's a deserted fishing pond on the outskirts of the suburbs. No one seems to ever go here. Of course, it's frozen over now, and of course, Blaze makes her skate with him.

"I love it," she tells him. "It's beautiful." She may not like skating much, but she loves the outdoors, and this place is just perfect.

Even the skating is not so bad once she gets the hang of it. (I don't know why that tree is semi-transparent.)

In the evening, they stand on the bridge and watch the sunset.

"You're so beautiful," he says, making her blush terribly. "I love you."

"I love you," she says, once she has her emotions in control enough to speak without tearing up. "I never want to be apart from you."

 It starts to snow lightly. Blaze didn't know it was possible to be this happy.

Elsewhere, Racquel is feelin' like a badass.

"...and then he said that he wants to get married as soon as we are adults and can start a family," Zinnia tells her sister. "Honestly, I can't wait."

Zoe laughs. "You'd better wait! I don't think this apartment can hold any more kids right now."

Zoe turns serious. "Are you guys moving a bit fast? I mean, I didn't even know you were dating a week ago, and now you're talking about marriage..."

Zinnia shrugs, sighing as her avatar gets engulfed by a fireball and dies. "Well, it'll be a while before we're actually married, of course, but I'm definitely not interested in not being married to him, so why wait? Especially if he wants the same thing."

"You know you're exceptionally lucky, right?"

"Yeah," Zinnia sighs. At the sight of her sister's sappy look, Zoe pretends to gag and stands up to leave. "Roll your eyes all you want, Zoe," Zinnia laughs, "but I know you and Glenda are getting pretty serious, too! I saw that love nest you two built..." Zinnia has to dodge pillows for the next several minutes, but the blush on her sister's face is well worth it.

Everyone forgets about Tony's birthday, and he ages up alone on the way home from work. He gains the Loser trait, to go with his other traits: Evil, Loner, Can't Stand Art, and Supernatural Fan.

He immediately mixes a drink from his Bottled Vampire bite....

... and drinks it down in one swallow.

Instead of feeling powerful, though, Tony just feels light-headed. And the heightened senses are making him nauseous. He feels sick, and worse, ashamed. Will he be like this forever, now? he wonders. Is he truly immortal?

Perhaps he should have done a little more research before going through with this.

He realizes he can't go home like this, can't face them asking questions about his sudden change of appearance. It'd be even worse, he realizes, if they don't notice. As evil as he is, he doesn't want to actually kill his family and roommates, but he is fairly certain he doesn't know how to control himself in his current state and he knows he would lose his temper horribly if he's faced with his familiy's indifference for one more day. Growling, he turns his back and sets off at an unstable, nauseating fast run.

Back at home, Racquel chokes on burnt pancakes and does not notice her oldest son is missing. She's more preoccupied with thoughts about how no one in this household seems to know how to cook.

Zinnia tries to remedy this. Her boyfriend acts as willing test subject, trying out her various strange recipes, like grapes pancakes, and watermelon pancakes, and lime pancakes.

"They're delicious," he assures her. These ones are apple, which is not as bad as some of the others.

Much better than the watermelon, that's for sure.

Jonesy has a birthday as well. He expresses some brief concern that now that he's no longer young and pretty, Josie will have no more use for him.

Josie is hurt. "Come on, Jonesy, you know me better than that." In all the time since she first met him, she's never even had the desire to be with anyone else. "You're the father of my children, and I love you," she says. And she does love him, how could she not love him, after all this time? No one else has ever been as close to her or as loyal to her as Jonesy.

A little later, Josie has her own elder birthday. She refuses to let old age and brittle bones stop her from dancing her heart out.

Or snogging her heart out.

Racquel is photographing wildlife in the suburbs one day when she hears a commotion across the street.

Is that... Tony?? Racquel wonders why it feels like it's been a while since she's seen Tony... she feels a funny sort of twinge in her chest and, realizing that she actually missed her son, walks over to say hello.

He looks so handsome all grown up... Racquel thinks. She doesn't question his slapfight with the elderly woman he's with. In her opinion, if he wants to hit old women, that's his prerogative.

"Where have you been, Tony?" she wants to know. "You know you were always my favorite son... Why are you so pale?" Old age has made Racquel a little senile. She honestly can't remember the last time she really noticed Tony at all. Probably back when he was a child, if she's being really honest.

Tony doesn't want to hear it. "You go home, Ma. Or don't, I don't care. But don't try to contact me anymore."

His eyes mesmerize her, bend her will to his own. He doesn't even realize he's doing it, yet. He's still so inexperienced.

But Racquel is old, and weak, and obeys without question. She goes home and forgets she even saw Tony that day.

Josie corners Blaze after he upgrades the toilet. "My daughter says you intend to marry her," she says.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, have fun with that," she says lightly, and leaves. She's never really understood the appeal of marriage, but to each his own, right?

Blaze is in his formalwear from attending an awards ceremony at school. Not only is he the captain of the debate team, he is also now a valuable member of the basketball team. Not captain or MVP, but a very good player nonetheless. Not so bad for a science nerd, eh?

While Blaze is busy with extracurriculars, Zinnia studies hard. The title of class valedictorian will be between her and Blaze, and she wants it desperately. He may be the certified genius, but Zinnia feels she's worked harder and has earned the title.

Hopefully, the principal and her teachers feel the same.

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Notes -

I never know how to end chapters...

I made Tony a vampire because I wanted a vampire in my town. And I thought he'd make a nice-looking vampire, I guess. I don't know. I just really wanted to turn him, lol. And if he turns some other people in town, I wouldn't mind either. I don't know if he will, though, I honestly haven't played a whole lot with supernaturals, so I don't really know how all that works.

Bonus pics!

Oh yeah!