When the Zombies Come -- a Cottoneye Decadynasty (COMPLETED)

[MarianT]

Part Ten -- Neith Cottoneye

Chapter One -- The Last Princess

Dad has decided that it's time for me to become the dynasty chronicler. "I started when I was a toddler," he reminded me.

"Dad, you were a genius," I said. "And you told me your mother didn't like writing much. I think I take after her."

"Write," he said.

"But I can't think of anything to write about," I complained.

"You could tell them how I became an old man," he said. "With a bad back."



"And you want me to show your new wardrobe?"

"No," said Dad. "That's not very intriguing. You could tell them about the party we had for your little brother Justice."



"Okay," I said. "And here is Justice's wardrobe."



"Now what?" I asked.

"Well, you could tell them that despite my heavy schedule, I remain dedicated to my parental duties."

"I don't know, Dad," I said. "You never read me to sleep when I was a child."

"That's because I had to spend so much time tutoring you," he responded.



I was hoping to get Dad to walk me through the rest of this chronicle, but he had to go and do another free clinic. Anyway, my name is Neith Cottoneye, but you already know that. I don't remember much about my childhood (except that Dad never read me to sleep), but I do remember my first day of school. I had an A already, so I spent most of my time making friends with the only other kid in my class.
When I left school, Mom's step-mother Chandell was outside. All of a sudden, she died. It was really awful, the Grim Reaper came and scary music played.



Then, I had to take a different way home because Mom moved the houseboat to a new dock while I was at school. She did it so I would have a shorter ride so I couldn't get mad about it, but it was still upsetting. Our houseboat is the one in the middle.



And the day after that, I went on a field trip to the Mausoleum. I felt like telling the teacher that I already knew about death, but I didn't want to jeopardize my getting on the honor roll. Anyway, one really cool thing that happened was that I found a hunk of compendium at the cemetery. I think I'm going to collect metals. But the next day when I went to school, I couldn't help wondering if anyone else was going to die. Sure enough, I found out that the only other kid in my class, Marlana Hammond, was no more.



I didn't have much of a birthday. I'd been given my first Black Op -- Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements -- and everyone was out trying to find a ruby for me before I became a teen. Actually, it turned out that I could complete the opportunity even though I was a teen, which was good, because no one was able to find a ruby until several days later.



While I was adjusting my hair in the mirror (goggles are a sort of hat, don't you think?), Mom came up to have a talk with me. Not about boys, she said.

"Dad's already told me about the dynasty," I told her.

"That's his side of the family," she said. "I need to tell you about my side."

To make a long story short, Justice and I are the last of the Ichtacas, the family that ruled Isla Paradiso until the colonials came several centuries ago. Apparently, Mom's father wasn't Tariq Scott, like everyone thought, but Rubisel Ichtaca. "You're really a princess," said Mom. "So remember that." I have a feeling that the talk was kind of about boys after all.



Boys and dressing appropriately -- Mom doesn't think I should wear my goggles to the prom.



Even though I didn't have a birthday party, I did get a present -- a sculpting station. (I'm a savvy sculptor now).



And I found a ruby to complete my black op as well. I took it over to the Nautilus Science Center, and while I was there, I stopped at the junk yard to get material for some metal sculptures.



Tomorrow is Spooky Day and Prom, too. I think I'd rather skip prom and go trick-or-treating, but Dad says that going to prom is a Cottoneye tradition.

[Tilia]

I love the steampunk look of her everyday wear!  Very cool and very appropriate for someone who likes to tinker

[Trip]

I never thought about Neith's ancestry that way! Hopefully being distant royalty won't get to her head, or to the heads of any boys that don't mean well.

[MarianT]

Chapter Two -- Spooky Day and After

We didn't have school on Spooky Day, so I went to the Fall Festival. The Scary Shack had a very realistic mummy inside.



I got a pumpkin painted on my cheek.



When I returned home, Mom had a surprise for me -- a hat she thought I might like. I knew she was just trying to keep me from wearing my goggles to Prom, but it was a cool hat. So I wore it.



I was named Prom Queen, but had a lousy time for a while. This guy I thought was cute just walked away when I asked him to dance. Luckily my friend Dorothy Tolliver was there. She didn't have a date either, so we started dancing with each other and the rest of the night I had a great time.

Until I returned home. "Ichtacas don't fall in love with baby-sitters," scolded Mom, and "You can't marry anyone who doesn't have a house," said Dad. "Or houseboat," he added, after a look from Mom.

The only one who didn't give me a hard time was my little brother Justice. He was too busy playing with his blocks.



The next day, I stopped by the Ichtaca mansion on my way home from school. Mom didn't grow up there; she lived with her mother.



Maybe her prejudice against babysitters comes from growing up relatively poor -- but I don't think she wants to discuss that. Dad was more straightforward; the dynasty requires that I move into a house, but he says I can love whomever I want.

Anyway, my little brother Justice had his birthday and became a teen. He says the Watcher told him that she liked his looks and might use him in a future dynasty, but I think he looks a bit like an Irish setter -- a grumpy Irish setter.



All of his playing with blocks has really paid off -- he's been repairing things like the dishwasher and Mom's computer.



And it must have been Justice who put the dye pack in the shower, because I don't know anything about plumbing.



But Mom didn't get upset. She's been in a good mood ever since she finished writing Simlandia's Battle for Freedom. She was really afraid she might not live long enough to reach the end -- she's 96 now, though you wouldn't think it to look at her.



Dad's going strong, too. It's time for him to retire, but he says he can't quit practicing medicine as long as people keep getting sick.



And he's been really psyched ever since he beat up a burglar. Everyone said that burglars didn't bother with houseboats, but I guess that's wrong.



I started sculpting as soon as I became a teen.



I moved up through the career, and I got a new outfit to wear while I was working. The only thing I like about it is the hat, though.

[Trip]

It is a nice hat! Let's hope that it helps her find a boy with a house.

[MarianT]

I'm hoping to find a potent cure elixir or a fountain of youth elixir -- the only boy at her school was another babysitter. Lots of vampires and fairies in Isla Paradisa, but nearly everyone else has died -- cuts down on lag in the town, though.

[Turoskel]

I hope you find somebody suitable for her Marian.

but I think he looks a bit like an Irish setter -- a grumpy Irish setter.

This made me laugh 

[MarianT]

Chapter Three -- An Update from Lovec

Neith has found so much to keep her occupied that she requested me to resume my labors as chief scribe. Truth be told, I have missed the opportunity to express myself. Neith is a young adult now and feels overwhelmed by her new responsibilities. She has grown up to be quite beautiful, even if it is her proud papa who says so.



These are her new clothes:





Soon after her birthday, I made the decision to retire. My intention was to enjoy myself a while after years of diagnosing llama tail and giving people vaccinations that they didn't really want.



Fortunately I died before I could become too bored.



I was given my own laptop, though, so I could continue writing.



Everybody was upset, but I'm glad to say that Neith kept on making her sculptures.



Justice went to his prom and became romantically involved with a nice boy, Lance Christian. He was named Prom King, but shocked the chaperones by suggesting that everyone play a prank. He might have had to face disciplinary action, but he thwarted that by becoming a young adult as soon as he left the dance.



Sue continued to grieve even after the period of mourning elapsed. I think my dying was a blow to her -- she had always expected to go first, even though I'd told her that we Cottoneyes tend not to stick around much past 90 -- we're mindful of our duty to provide a tombstone.



Neith tells me that her mother was beginning to get somewhat confused at the end, asking why Justice wasn't in school when they went to his graduation. Incidentally, not to boast or anything, but both Neith and Justice were named valedictorians of their class.



Justice chose a wardrobe in his favorite color, white. His t-shirt reflected his interest in China. He really wanted to go and study martial arts while Neith picked up a few metals for her collection and perhaps explored a tomb. Unfortunately, they couldn't get visas and have to stay in Isla Paradiso.



Sue died a day later, at the age of 104.



They put her tombstone on the deck next to mine.



Sue confided to me that the worst thing about dying was that she hadn't been able to finish her book. "That's not a problem," I told her. "Now that you're a ghost, you can read what you want anytime." Well, during the night, I should have added.



Neith again responded by throwing herself into her work -- maybe too much.



She also agreed to provide some statuary to the fellows at Smuggler's Cave. I tried to talk her out of it, but she pointed out that I used to go there to do medical outreach.



I was worried that she might end up romantically involved with one of them, but she told me later that although she's best friends with everyone there, she's not likely to be attracted to any werewolves. One of them -- my old friend, Monty Lund -- did have a fairly normal son, normal for Isla Paradiso, that is, which is to say that he's a merman. He's a bit long in the tooth, but Neith decided to take care of that.



She and Gregorio Lund are going steady now.



I had a picture of Neith and Gregorio kissing, but she whisked it away from me. She was also annoyed that I didn't say more about the help that Justice has been giving her, digging up metals for her collection and collecting shells and bottles so she could pick up some diving opportunities.

Oh well, I have it good. I'm still up at dawn, but not to go to work. These days Sue and I have time to enjoy things like moonset.

[Turoskel]

What a nice chapter, glad she found somebody and also nice that Lovec and Sue are happy in their death if that is a good way to put it.

[MarianT]

Chapter Four -- Moving on Up

As Generation 10 approaches, it really is all about the requirements. Neith had her adult birthday and promptly developed a midlife crisis.



She wanted a new outfit, an expensive car, and a new hairstyle. She got all 3, but the car had to be parked on the roof of the houseboat, and the hairstyle only goes with her nightgown.



She also wanted to move. That wasn't possible yet, so she and Justice decided to move the houseboat. This is what happens...When Houseboats Collide (coming soon to a theater near you).



One of Neith's black ops required her to make a brilliant sculpture. The way to do that, of course, is to find the statue in the stone.



The day finally came when Neith could get married. After making best friends with Jaimee Doe, and transforming Gregorio into a human so he wouldn't die of dehydration while she was wooing him, Neith could propose.



Gregorio is evil and unemployed, but that never stopped anyone from getting married before.



Even though Neith was tired and hungry, she knew what her first priority was.



Does anyone want to guess what the baby will be named?

[hazelnut]

Herne?

[MarianT]

No 

[Turoskel]

No idea of names, unless we go full circle and name it Hunter.

It's possible Gregorio wasn't evil before he was a mermaid, I've noticed the game seems to try and always have one evil mermaid so it changes traits, I wish it changed them back when they lost the mermaid scales though, Bob Newbie who has the good trait is now wandering around in my current game doing evil laughs and scaring people so it must have changed him when he became a mermaid. The rate it goes through sims turning them into mermaids I reckon several generations in an entire town could be evil.

[MarianT]

Yes. I've had evil mermaids before, too. In fact, I was very relieved that Sue Scott turned out good. Maybe becoming a mermaid gives you the opposite trait?

[Turoskel]

I think I can safely say that does not happen, story progression at various times has turned members of the evil Shallow family into mermaids and none of them turned good, and this is over several different games.

I think it has more to with being given bad mermadic kelp, only the evil mermaids like Salty Seaworth do that, so I guess it needs somebody for that job, which is pretty pointless in worlds with no dive spots as you can't ask for it anyway

Still I'd take evil over mean spirited, hot headed or Diva any day, at least it doesn't change them to one of those traits.