Author Topic: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect  (Read 18051 times)


Offline FrancescaFiori

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2018, 09:04:30 PM »
Stats

Succession Laws
Gender: Strict Equality (each heir must a different gender from the previous heir)
Bloodline: Strict Traditional (only natural born children are eligible to become heirs)
Heir: Democracy (chosen by reader vote; Random, if no votes)
Species: Tolerant (a child's species has no bearing on their eligibility as heir)

Score
To be updated with maddening inconsistency:

Family            :   1/10   0/0 heirs have aged up to YAs
Creative         :   0/10   Memorialized 0/0 founder/heirs and their primary spouses; xx maxed 2 Creativity aspirations
Fortune          :   0/10   Family worth over $x million
Love              :   1/10   1/9 primary spouses with 3/27 unique traits; xx maxed both Love aspirations
Knowledge     :   0/10   Maxed xx skills at least once, including Singing
Athletic          :   0/10   Maxed xx aspirations at least once
Nature           :   0/10   0/13 collections; 0/12 death types; 0/6 emotional painting types; 0/21 careers; 0/34 career branches; 0/13 aspiration rewards on lot
Food              :   0/10   10th point = max the Chef career
Popularity       :   0/10   9th point = 602/600 medal points; Legacy club earned all possible perks. (10th point = 1,000 medal points)
Deviance        :   0/10   0/80 Potions of Youth stored on lot
Parenthood     :   0/2
Penalties        :         0
Handicap       :       1/1 (Extreme Start)
       TOTAL    :   3/103



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Offline FrancescaFiori

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 09:04:59 PM »
Family

  Cherie Sharebears, Founder
   Traits: Loves the Outdoors, Family-Oriented, Genius
   Spouse:
   Children: 
   First Aspiration:  The Curator
   Career:
   Potion of Youth: 

Offline FrancescaFiori

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2018, 09:09:24 PM »
Prologue



Butterflies.



It’s been said the flap of a butterfly’s wings can change the course of history, marking the difference between a tsunami and a sunny day a thousand miles away.



The butterflies surrounding the statue of Madre Cosecha flutter day and night. Each tiny puff of dust kicked up by each tiny, determined beat travels farther and wider than the mind can fathom, stirring the fly who irritates the blue iguana lazing by the riverside,



who plunges into the murky water, creating ripples upon ripples upon ripples that travel to the far bank and rebound back, intermingling with themselves in an undulating grid that weaves a story that maybe no one will hear.



Maybe no one. And maybe someone.



I stand by the statue of Madre Cosecha and feel the gentle beat of the butterflies’ wings and I wonder:  how many paths for my life radiate from this spot? I can choose but one path, and there is no wrong choice, but my heart aches with longing for the paths I will never take.



I want to know. What would my life be if I hadn’t bought that lot in Brindleton Bay?



If I’d never traveled to Selvadorada?



If Daniel hadn’t been working the market stall that day?



If I’d pulled the right lever instead of the left?



Who would I be? Where would I go? What might I discover? If only there was a way to know!



With each choice, with each step, the landscape changes and the paths diverge farther and farther apart.



“Shhh . . . “ whisper the butterflies, “Shhhh . . “.



Madre Cosecha smiles benignly. “Shhhh,” say her eyes.



Even my name, Cherie Sharebears, seems to whisper to me. “Shhhhh. Don’t worry about it. You think too much. Why don’t you just go pet that dog?”



So I do.

He’s a good dog. Adventurous. A dog for taking on long walks down uncertain paths. A dog who knows the right time to yank on a leash to stir a person out an endless reverie. A dog to say, “This way. This is the way. We don’t know what lies at the end of this path, but we need to find out.”



My name is Cherie Sharebears, and this is the path I chose, this time. This is where one of my stories starts.

Offline Shewolf13

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2018, 09:15:25 PM »
Oooo! So excited! I love this start!

Online oshizu

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2018, 09:57:54 PM »
What a wonderful beginning! The "paths not taken" theme works so well with the Sharebears concept, too.
Well, I guess my sim is the ghetto bear, lol.

Loved every screenshot and every word in this prologue, Francesca. It's beautiful!

Offline PeregrineTook

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2018, 08:01:39 AM »
"Two roads diverged..." Nice Robert Frost ideology there!  Really clever connects to the whole cooperative legacy thing!
So we're starting her off with a dog this time?  Cool!  Looking forward to seeing how "life down this path" turns out for her  ;=)



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Offline LenaLJ

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2018, 08:03:20 AM »
So that was 2 out of 3 Sharebears, really looking forward to see how you all coordinate it.

Offline rika1431

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2018, 05:07:00 PM »
Ooooo, I love this intro. The paths not taken theme was really interesting to read, and this was just a tranquil and almost otherworldly beginning to the legacy. I love it, and I can't wait to read more!

I'm really excited about this whole Sharebear thing going on here, it's such a unique and intriguing concept!

Offline FrancescaFiori

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2018, 08:00:57 PM »
@Shewolf13 Thank you! It was fun to write. It's very different from my usual style, which makes me nervous, but it's exciting to try new things.

@oshizu Yay for Sharebears! You are not the ghetto bear! Maybe the streetwise, hip, savvy sharebear, but you have far more class than you give yourself credit for.

@PeregrineTook Thank you, thank you! I didn't start with the dog, he just showed up and I fell in love with him. I even insta-failed the entire legacy to give him a treat before buying the knight statue. :) Oh, well. We're not playing strict rules anyway . . . right?

@LenaLJ Thank you for reading! I'm looking forward to seeing how the collaboration goes, too. It's very fun so far!

@rika1431 Thank you so much! I love the concept, too, and I'm having a fabulous time with it.

Chapter 1:  Baby Steps



The lot, at least, is right. I know that much. Even blank and empty, it feels like home, and while I don’t know much about myself as a person, I do know I crave home.



The only name in my phone contacts is Jasmine Holiday, so I call her. She doesn’t offer friendship, or instructions, or reassurance, but she has something very valuable to give me, and I accept it gratefully. For the next week, my needs will decrease at one third the normal rate. I’m short on time, so this blessing will help me to make the most of it.



There’s a beach, and there are fish, and I’ve got to come up with $200, so that seems as good a place to start as any.



The neighbors arrive, and not wanting to seem rude, I race back to greet them. Justin Delgato informs me that it’s customary to invite the welcome wagon in. “In” to what, I wonder. We both realize the awkward impossibility of the situation and stare at our feet.



Supriya Delgato isn’t much more help, but I’ve got two new phone contacts, and that’s more than I had an hour ago.



And then, the first thing that’s really felt good, and right, and true since my realization that my lot was the right one. Gizmo. He licks my face gratefully, and I believe he might be as glad to see me as I am to see him. He’s hungry, so I break the rules and feed him a treat for $5. This is what was missing, and as soon as he joins the household the path ahead seems magically clear.



The first purchase is, of course, preordained.



The second becomes just as obvious. The third will have to be a bathtub as soon as I can afford it. He’s expensive, but knowing for certain the next step is beyond price.



He’s loyal, and stands guard all night as I fish and plan.



As the sun rises I become hungry for the first time and cook my first breakfast.



And then the bath.



It looks nice, so I take one, too.



The Delgatos prove useful after all, when they invite us out to the Humor and Hijinks festival. There’s a contest, which means there’s a winner, which means money, which I desperately need.



So we join up.



Am I a comedian? I think not, but for $500 I can fake it for a night. An extra skill or two never hurt anybody, either. At least, I don’t think so.



Victory. We take a moment to savor the bright lights and the new heaviness of our pockets, but the loud booming of the fireworks makes Gizmo whimper, so it’s time to move on.



And then, again, that feeling of “this is right.” My fingers in the dirt, and the sun on my shoulders as I pry loose a treasure from the dusty ground. I am a collector, and this is what I was born to do. My heart aches as I immediately sell off the fruits of my labor for an uninteresting wad of cash, but money is precious at this point, and I'm certain now that someday there will be prizes I can keep.



As I rest that afternoon, I dream of a house where every wall is filled with shelves, and every shelf is laden with treasures. The leaves part again, just slightly, and the next section of the path forward is revealed. I know what I have to do, what I want to do. I have a mission, and I can’t wait to get started.



So we travel. Gizmo and I leave behind our lot with the sounds of the sea and the safety of our bathtub, and enter the jungle.



It’s late when we arrive, but there are still vendors with tables full of supplies.



And fantastic things to eat.



And new friends to be made.



The cantina is abuzz as well. I order something called “Espuma Agria,” which I later learn translates to “bitter foam.” It’s bittersweet, though, at least, and tastes like adventure. I end up having several. Drinks, that is, though I believe the adventures cannot be far behind.



This emboldens me to speak with the locals, to start asking more and more pointed questions, and before the sun comes up I feel ready act on the knowledge my new friends have shared with me and strike out to explore this fantastical land. My cheeks are flushed with anticipation (or maybe that’s just the espuma), so I go off in search of my dog.



He’s been exploring trash piles, but I can’t be mad at him. I give him a very mild lecture and a very generous ear scratch before we ready ourselves to set out for the trailhead. The way forward may still be murky, but at least I’ve got a machete now to help hack my way through it.

Offline Shewolf13

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2018, 08:24:58 PM »
Hehe, love Gizmo!  He's so cute ^^  Dogs are totally worth it.

Online oshizu

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2018, 09:55:42 PM »
This is so wonderful, Francesca!
And you are wise to enjoy your adventures before getting saddled with potty training and all the other responsibilities that family brings. ;-)
I'm so excited about "our" adventure. Well, I get to vicariously enjoy the path not taken, right?

Looking forward very much to what comes next. Yay!

Offline reggikko

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2018, 12:13:11 AM »
Y'all make me want to do this legacy thing. I really like the quantum realities aspect of this.

Offline PeregrineTook

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2018, 08:18:05 AM »
The bit about leaving the safety of their bathtub was adorable!
Looking forward to seeing who Cherie ends up choosing as her spouse, but looking even more forward to seeing her Lara Croft/Indiana Jones adventures  ;=)

Offline FrancescaFiori

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Re: A Sharebear Legacy: The Butterfly Effect
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2018, 08:45:42 PM »
@Shewolf13 Amen! Dogs are always worth it. Gizmo's my favorite, and he looks so much like the dog I had growing up.

@oshizu It's probably not wisdom. I just couldn't help myself. I was dying to start the Sharebear Legacy and dying to play the new pack. I think it's worked out okaaaaaay . . . ? But I won't know for sure until later, when Cherie's a bedraggled elder still trying to max her career. :)

@reggikko Doooooo iiiiiiiitttt! Come on! It's way fun, and I'd love to see another possible path for our heroine. We're only a couple of updates in and already she's gone off in wildly different directions. I love it!

@PeregrineTook I got really attached to that bathtub. When you have only one or two possession they seem to take on deeper meaning. :) Both spousal and Indiana Jones adventures coming up!

Chapter 2:  Fortune



Before we can leave the cantina, Gizmo seems compelled to run over and sniff another patron and plunk himself contentedly and firmly by the man’s feet. He is fulfilling his duty, I know, in reminding me that time is of the essence in locating a mate for me. “This one smells nice enough,” he seems to say.



Brooks does smell rather nice, like expensive cologne, and he’s picked up some excellent dance moves from our new Selvadoradian friends, but my collector’s heart is hungering to unearth a treasure to bring home that originated here in the jungle. Brook’s city-slicker sweater and easily-pronounceable name are too convenient, too familiar. The path forks, and here I wholeheartedly choose the more treacherous, uncertain way forward. Gizmo sniffs with disapproval, but dutifully follows me down the way I have chosen.



The decisions from here on out come a little easier. The answers to “Which vine should I slice next?” are much easier to come by than, “Whom shall I marry and spend my life with?” Probably this is because the consequences are much less permanent. I can always go back for that other vine later. I only get one primary spouse.



I’m grateful to new local friends for teaching me how to avoid some of the jungle’s dangers, and to myself for taking the time to hear what they had to tell me. These flies swarm, but do not attack, and I am free to press on unharmed.



Now I can focus on butterfly wings instead of stinging lightning firefly wings. Though, come to think of it, I might welcome the distraction. There's a downside to everything if you just keep looking.



Even with something as simple as opening a chest, I wonder . . . what if I left it alone? It’s contents are no doubt valuable, but also likely cursed. 



I’m just as likely to be rewarded with spiders as I am with wealth.



Gizmo is a help, mostly. He urges me forward. He tells me when he’s weary and needs to rest, which usually means I would feel the same way if I’d take the time to notice. However, his courage leads him to rush headlong into bushes. He’s bitten by squirrels three times before we’ve even reached the temple. I have to concede that I need another companion. I need another head to help me make decisions. I need more hands to unearth artifacts. I need pep talks.



And I need the comforting warmth of another person’s touch.



I’m not going to find that in the depths and crypts of jungle temples.



So I take my treasures back to the marketplace, and my dog back to the safety and shade of our rented bungalow, and I wait for the butterflies’ wings to flap, to see what they will nudge my way.



The temple did grant me a small gift that provides some of the warmth I’m seeking, and perhaps casts a bit of light in the right direction. This time, it’s behind me.



Daniel is a marketplace vendor I’ve not seen before, but I instantly warm to his bronze skin and baby face cheeks. Whether it’s the miniature sun, the steam rising off the jungle, or something to do with my own natural charms, he seems to warm to me, too.



The next time we meet, I’m feeling considerably less attractive, but then again, a damsel in distress is said to be irresistible. I’d had a run-in with a dart on my second temple visit, resulting in alarming green spots and a general feeling of nauseated unease.



He saves my life in exchange for a few handfuls of bone dust.



And then I offer to buy my hero a glass or two of bitter foam.



This may have been a cultural faux pas of some sort.



Nevertheless, he accepts with only a bit more encouragement.



I can’t help but feel that my personal light is guiding me in a very good direction, indeed.



A date happens, in which I may commit one or two more faux pas.



And tell perhaps one too many folk tales about llamas in hats.



I leave the next morning before sunrise, but I promise to call him as soon as I can.



This, as it turns out, is never. I distinctly remember punching his number into my phone, but just as I set off for the perfectly-timed Romance Festival, I find it isn’t there. The number, I mean. I can call up and invite every one of my Selvadoradean friends. Every single one except Daniel.

City-slicker Brooks is there. “Imagine meeting you here!” he exclaims. “This must be a sign!”



“It isn’t.” I insist. I wish him a good night and stubbornly walk away to harvest flowers.



I’m concerned that this really is a sign, though. What if I finally make a big decision and it turns out to be wrong? Can I really be this bad at this? Should I have followed my dog instead of my heart? Is that really the message? I seek counsel from the guru at the festival . . . and find out I truly am doomed. I should have known.