Chapter 17- Returned

Chapter 17- Returned

                It was the day after William had sent Lily Pad Frogleap out the door with Velma. He felt pretty badly about pairing the two, Velma was difficult to live with at the best of times, and Lily Pad could be a downright nightmare. However, he felt oddly light and carefree as well, as though a burden had been lifted.

                William had walked in the doors and glanced out the windows to the backyard. What he saw there froze him in his tracks. He cried out a little in surprise as he began to run. He could hardly believe his eyes. Slowing down, he came to a stop, eyes wide, mouth open.

                The statues had returned.

                Kiley and the maid had followed him out. Both approached the statue garden slowly gazing at the art returned to its home.

                Marcie comes to stand near William.

                “These have never been here during my memory. It’s beautiful,” she said simply.

                “They are.” William answered.

                Marcie genuinely wondered, but didn’t want to ask where they had been. She was sure she didn’t really want to hear the answer she would get.

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                Craig had asked Helen and Peter to come over after school let out. When the two got there, Helen stopped out front to talk to Craig while Peter went to find most of the rest of the household standing in the statuary acting like they’d never seen them before.

                “Do you all come out here to view the statues a lot?” He asked to the crowd in general. He really wanted to fit in and didn’t want to insinuate that he thought what he was seeing was unusual.

                Marcie sat down on the grass, pulling out her homework. William would take care of this one, and she now had an excuse to pretend not to listen.

                “The aliens returned them!” William proclaimed with glee.

                Peter blinked. “The… aliens,” he said slowly. “The aliens returned them?”

                William was glowing with jubilation. “Yes.”

                Peter looked at the ground. Maybe he wouldn’t fit in as well as he hoped after all.

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                Helen was feeling just a mite apprehensive approaching Craig. She and Peter had hung their hopes on this. It wouldn’t do to mess it up.

                “So Peter told me that he told you about our idea,” she began. “The idea where we want to move in here with you.” Helen paused, feeling just a little bolder now.

                “I really want to have the opportunity to get to know you better, we were so little when Mom took us away from here. And we just don’t get along. Mom and I, I mean-“

                “I’ve already talked to my lawyers about Peter’s idea,” Craig interrupted with a smile. “They were supposed to call Kristine this afternoon. I’m not too sure what she’ll say about it, but I think having the two of you living here will be a good thing.”

                Helen let out the breath she had been holding since walking through the gate.

                “I really hope she says yes,” Helen said. “The house is really beautiful.”

                “The house is most of the point,” Craig interrupted again. “The board recognizes that I’m not going to be around forever and they are pressing me to name an heir. Right now, I think you and Peter should have just as much a shot as William. Bernadette is a little too devoted to Kristine for the board to take her seriously. I want the two of you in the house to learn some of what goes into running the businesses in town. It’s a lot of work.”

                This time it was Helen’s turn to interrupt.

                “I thought, and I know Peter did too,” Helen said. “We thought that as the oldest William would be the one to inherit. And Mom said there’s some clause…”

                Helen’s confusion slowed to silence. Craig was thrilled to know that she had attempted to familiarize herself with family matters.

                “William shouldn’t be the only one with a shot just because he’s the oldest,” Craig told her kindly. “I’m not the oldest male, Christopher was. But he would have hated to be tied to the corporation. Christian’s ethics were not what the board approved of. And so it fell to me. Christalyn helps me quite a bit, even though she isn’t the heir. She spent a lot of time when she was younger making sure she knew the basic ins and outs. It wouldn’t be fair to exclude you entirely. You could be a great asset to whomever takes over after I’ve retired.”

                “It’s ok if it’s William,” Helen said. “Really. We’ve discussed it a lot. We were dead sure and quite prepared for it to be him. It’s ok.”

                Craig smiled at Helen kindly. “Peter is in the running, too. And you should learn the ropes.”

                “I’m sorry you can’t inherit,” Craig tried again to reassure Helen that she could be vital to how the company runs. “But, you know, babies. I’m sure you’ll want them and you don’t need such stress.”

                “Surely not,” Helen thought, looking quizzically at Craig. She and her siblings had decided that the corporation didn’t want the family name to change and had decided that most of the males in town were too proud to give up their names in favor of their wife. She had no idea such a medieval practice was still in play.

                Craig caught the look she was giving him and frowned.

                Helen quickly threw a smile at him which Craig returned. He was anxious to begin watching his children to see who was most suitable.

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                “I went ahead and called Mom,” Peter had found Helen and Craig lightly chatting out front. He’d done his best to chat with William before deciding it simply wasn’t possible today. William was too focused on aliens to make much sense.

                “I pulled out all the stops, even shouted a bit for her to get the idea,” Peter was easily able to keep his excitement concealed. He loved injecting drama into his life.

                Helen waited patiently for him to get to his point. She knew all too well that he enjoyed every moment of making her wait, spinning his tale long.

                “Tomorrow,” Peter said happily. “Bernadette will bring all our clothes with her on the bus. Mom doesn’t want us back home!” Given the subject, you’d think he might be a little upset, but it was what the two had been hoping for.

                “Ha! Seriously?” Helen asked as she gave her brother a hug. She was so happy she could have danced. Life with Kristine was hard, despite the nice house. She and Peter had convinced themselves that Craig was really the better parent, that he would pay them attention, give them love, direction, support, take care of the things. Kristine was not easy to live with if you weren’t prepared to worship her, Helen and Peter didn’t.

                Peter pulled back, grinning at her.

                “She doesn’t even want us home tonight,” he exulted. “Says she’s washing her hands of us, that we’re too much trouble.”

                “Tonight?” Helen breathed.

                “Tonight. Do you think Dad will mind? Did you talk to him about it?”

                “Should be no problem at all. We may need him to call her, but he’s already talked to his lawyers to smooth the way,” Helen answered.

                “We can really live here,” Peter said. His mind could hardly grasp the wonderful truth of it.

                “HelsBels,” Peter said, suddenly acting serious. “I absolutely must tell you that your brain is marvelous. Why, if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t finally be leaving the mess behind. You have my eternal loyalty and gratitude.” Peter finished with a deep bow of mock reverence.

                “Did you ever doubt me?” Helen asked when Peter had straightened back up. “What did you expect? To end up on the streets?”

                The two smiled at each other and their good fortune.

                They turned toward the house. Kiley was calling everyone in for dinner, the sun had set, and a large slice of moon gave the house a serene glow. Both had been watching the house from their own windows at Kristine’s for years, longing to one day live there again.

                Peter looked through the kitchen windows as family gathered to grab a plate. He could almost hear the familiar banter, smell the food. His stared so hard his eyes watered.

                Helen stared just as hard at the front doors. She was ready to make this move official and walk in through them.

                “C’mon, Pete,” Helen said starting toward the house. “It’s time we went home for the night.”

                They walked toward the house, Peter with one hand on Helen’s back. Whatever happened, they were finally home.

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                Aw. A sweet homecoming. I know I had made it seem like Peter and Helen were up to something a little more sinister, but, to me, this is a bit underhanded. They didn’t reveal their true motives, and were using their own means to achieve their ends. However oily and wheedling they attempted to be, their goal was fairly pure.

                In my Nothing is Free challenge I had placed a rule on myself that the heir must be male. As I mentioned it in one of my previous NIFC stories, (Generation 5 I believe) I figured I’d better follow it here. I did it because I’m too lazy to open Master Controller and change some poor dudes last name. Also, as it was a genetics experiment I enjoyed seeing Scarlett Red and his lime green hair. Maybe I’m cruel, but it made me lol. And so I stuck to the male inheritor line. NIF and Random Legacies do not require that though… Just an FYI.

Chapter 16- This One Is For You

Chapter 16- This One Is For You

Alternately: To Go Where No Plutonian Has Ever Gone Before

                William had rushed home from school that day hoping it would be the day he would be freed from his cage: The cage his dearest friend created whenever he was in the house. Lily Pad’s hovering and interruptions and interference had driven him nearly to his wits end. He was tired of her constant presence, and her pressure to be someone he wasn’t always entirely comfortable being.

                It had taken him merely a week to go clear through Jackson’s chemistry log. Once he had found the formula he wanted though he had lost heart and almost decided to again try to throw Lily Pad in the dumpster. (Every time he tried, he’d arrive home to find the doll sitting on the floor beside his bed, stinkier, but essentially the same as before.) However, his chemistry teacher was at the library at the same time and offered to help William mix the formula.

                In the end, Mr.Teal had done most of the work as it was further beyond William’s abilities than either had figured on. Though Mr.Teal had taken considerable pride in the finished product and almost asked William if he could look through Jackson’s notebook in his own time. William threw cold water on the hint of a suggestion. He was very pleased with Mr.Teal’s help, but he’d pay him in cash for it, not with such a valuable heirloom.

                Today, he had the finished formula in his pocket. Today, Daphne and Velma were moving out. Today, William would be free from Lily Pad.

                William stopped in the entry hall near the piano. Usually, Lily Pad would come bounding into the room the moment she heard the front doors close. William would then extricate himself from her and attempt to do his homework in peace. It usually didn’t work very well.

                He was surprised when she didn’t show up immediately. It made him nervous, wondering if the doll was plotting something else. When he heard footsteps he’d almost jumped.

                However, it was only Marcie coming in from school herself. She didn’t bother glancing at him as she entered. William went back to waiting for Lily Pad to appear.

                He sneered at little as Daphne entered next. Daphne had been busy all week preparing her house to move into. She was going to move over there entirely the next morning. William wondered why she didn’t just go over there tonight.

                ‘Probably got some new weight-loss infomercial she’s dying to catch on TV. Probably going to watch it on the nice TV here, instead of the second hand one at her new house,’ William thought.

                William and Marcie both had some unexpected comic relief when Daphne stated just how very hungry she was. Marcie was convinced that she didn’t actually eat food, but merely sucked in extra air to feel full.

William thought that she was an alien and couldn’t eat human food and so had to wait for her ship to send her food supplies. As the ship needed to remain hidden, sometimes it took a long time for them to make their regular delivery. He also thought that the ship met her behind one of the giant oaks in the valley, where it could hide more easily.

Both teens had confided in each other their suspicions. Both found the other hilarious.

Daphne was not amused.

                William’s laughter abruptly stopped when he heard footsteps again. This time, though, it was Craig coming down the stairs to see what the noise was about.

                When he learned that Daphne was starving he offered to cook something for her. Daphne generally set something on fire when she attempted to cook. Another thing that William took as confirmation of her alien status.

                William took a few steps, finally deciding that he would go and find Lily Pad, where ever she was, when she slipped into the room and headed around the piano to where he had been. William’s disapproval was clearly stamped on his face. He had a hard time hiding it any more. He had been too annoyed for too long.

                To him, Lily Pad was like that annoying fly that flew around and around your head. First on this side…

                Then on that side, and when you thought you had them they were already buzzing somewhere else.

                Even if you turned to try to keep catching them, your hand would only close on empty air.

                Try as you might, you couldn’t reach the annoying fly…

                It was almost impossible to catch it. Only if you continued to try to get it would you be able to see the pattern and set a trap.

       

                William’s trap is baited and set. He is more than ready for the mechanism to be sprung and his quarry caught and in a form he can dispose of.

                William HATES it when people invade his space!

                William took a step back from the life sized doll only he could see. It wouldn’t do to give his hand away and start yelling at her. He had yelled at her far too much this week. It was probably the reason Lily Pad had waited before she had gone in search of him.

                William smiled widely, hoping Lily Pad would buy it, and the hot sell he was offering.

                “You’re not going to believe it, but that formula Mr.Teal had me helping him with actually worked! He’s going to make a fortune on it and said he’ll even mention me in all the press articles. He said my help was invaluable to him. But this stuff… this stuff is what is invaluable to me. I could hardly believe it when he offered me a flask to do whatever I wanted with it.” Willam’s gushing was so uncharacteristic he was nearly positive he would give his hand away.

                “It’s a potion to make all your dreams come true,” he continued in an awed voice. “I could never in my wildest imaginings ever think this would be possible! It’s almost a miracle.”

                William paused for dramatic effect. Lily Pad stared at him in awe.

                “Wow,” Lily Pad affirmed softly.

                “I know,” he said. “And I’ve thought about it a lot, and I decided that I wouldn’t have been able to even help him if it hadn’t been for you and your help. You’ve been my best friend and biggest supporter all my life. My dream is for your dreams to be real, Lily Pad.”

                William held the flask out to Lily Pad with the widest grin he could muster. Lily Pad hesitated a moment before gently taking it from his hand. She regarded it with the awe he had tried to infuse it with. 

                William had tried to make it the “Too-Good-To-Be-True-Too-Good-To-Pass-Up-Offer-Of-A-Lifetime.” He was surprised when Lily Pad hesitated a moment, looking away from him as she did.

                ‘Drink it. Drink it. Drink it,’ he chanted in his mind, mentally trying to force her to do his bidding.

                “Are you sure, Will,” Lily Pad asked in an awed voice.

                “I’m positive,” he answered her. “Mr.Teal is going to patent this and make millions more vials. I’ll get one then. This… This one is for you.”

                His stomach leapt into his throat as the doll looked again at the bubbling flask. He didn’t want to press too hard or seem too eager. Lily Pad had to drink it without suspecting what he was really up to.

                Time slowed to a snail’s pace for William as Lily Pad lifted the concoction to her cotton lips. William watched the progress of the flask as passively as he knew how. He had worked for this for so very long. He had waited, longed, desired this very moment. He had planned and plotted, schemed and tricked and felt absolutely no remorse for what was about to be done. He knew it was irreversible, and that should Lily Pad ever wish to be in this form again it would be impossible. But he was beyond caring. His goal was at hand, he would triumph.

                As William was unable to hide his contempt any longer, he let out a snarl. Then he noticed that the unexpected had happened.

                Jackson had made no note of what happened once the Metamorphium had been imbibed. Mr. Teal and William had both made conjectures, but this was not anything either of them had come up with in their saner moments.

                A wind had rushed through the room carrying bubbles along with it. It blew and howled, converging in a cyclone around where Lily Pad stood. Oddly, the wind was purple, something no one could have even thought possible.

                William lifted his hands to shield himself. The winds were strong enough to knock several paintings off the walls, yet William could not move his feet to get farther away from the torrent. Squinting, William tried to see through the cacophony of color and light to see just what was happening.

                He thought he could catch a glimpse of Lily Pad amidst the swirl, but he wasn’t sure. It was faint, and the wind and bubbles weirdly distorted what he could see of her.

                The wind ripped at his shirt, but strangely, it only just ruffled his hair. It was if it had rushed in and formed a concentrated tornado in the middle of the room, right around Lily Pad.

                Suddenly, the wind seemed to concentrate itself into a tighter vortex, changing from purple to an almost iridescent lavender. The bubbles rose and swirled more tightly as lights popped and flashed within. For the first time, William felt concern for the engulfed Lily Pad. Just what had he done? Was she in pain? Did he harm her? It was only supposed to change her form. Not kill her.

                With a final, ear-splitting howl, the wind reached its highest pitch yet then seemed to explode in a cloud of glitter, which fell billowy soft slowly to the floor where it melted away like snowflakes, not leaving a single trace. 

                William looked up in awe and beheld a smiling face. Her eyes were the same color as his hair, and her outfit was uncannily like-

                “Lily Pad,” William breathed the word, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

                Lily Pad smiled at him, her grin wide and eyes glowing. She then looked down at herself in wonder, flexing her hands, inspecting her elbows, feeling her abdomen, her neck, her cheeks, her ears enthralled with the feel of her own skin, her firm body. No more was she polycottonnylon blend stuffed with polynylonrayon fiberfill, placing a hand over her heart she felt the gentle thumping, felt her hand move under its life, her life.

                “I’m… I’m alive William,” she said softly. “I’m alive.” 

                “Yes. That formula was created to make dolls such as yourself into real sims. It gives you a spark…” William paused. “It gives you a plumbbob.”

                “So I’m really here?” Lily Pad’s incredulous giggle brought William sharply around to what he felt he needed to do.

                “Yes,” William said. “Yes, you are here. And now I want you to get out.”

                Lily Pad took a step back. A disgusted look on her face.

                “Get out? After all I’ve done for you? Now I’m real and you’re turning me out?” She was incredulous, and angry that he would even suggest it. Hadn’t she proved that she can come back whenever he tries to get rid of her?

                “Yes,” William stated. “I want you to leave this house tonight. You will not return. You cannot return. In this form, your ability to link yourself to me and my home is broken. The door is that way.”

                The hurt Lily Pad felt was terrible. He wanted to kick her out? Why? And what did he know about the link between her, himself, and this house? She could so easily show him that she could turn up wherever she wanted.

                Focusing intently on his bedroom she attempted to teleport. When it didn’t work, Lily Pad decided that she hadn’t concentrated hard enough as she was angered at William.

                Taking a deep breath, she attempted the teleport again. Again it failed. Clearing her mind, she attempted to locate William’s spark outside of herself, to teleport directly to his side instead of in front of him. Again, failure.

                “What did you do?!” She demanded angrily. “Why did you sever our link?”

                “I severed our link in order to get away from you. I’ve had enough of your attempts to be more in my life. It’s over. I’m moving on, and so are you,” William told her calmly.

                He turned his back on her anger, calling out to Velma as he did so.

“Velma doesn’t frighten me. Half educated, I know more than she ever will,” Lily Pad said angrily.

                “Which is why you’ll complement each other so well,” William said.

                “Complement each other? On what planet?” Lily Pad’s tone had turned as sour as her face.

                “This one,” William said.

                “I don’t understand you,” Lily Pad finally relented and asked more gently.

                “You can move in with Velma. She’s getting a place with enough room for both of you. She needs your knowledge of things in books. You need her world experience,” William told her.

                Velma appeared as if on cue.

                “Lily Pad, this is Velma,” he figured introductions were the best place to start. “Velma, this is the favor I had you promise me. Her name is Lily Pad.”

                Both women looked at William a little blankly.

                “Lily Pad needs a place to live, and someone to give her instructions on how to live on Sim Planet, and in Sim Nation. Velma needs someone to help her get her driver’s license, read applications and assist her in making sure bills are paid in a timely manner.”

                William turned from Lily Pad for a moment to focus exclusively on Velma.

                “Look. I know this is not what you had in mind when you granted me a favor. But I need her to get a life without me. I need to be able to live mine without her. I’ll ensure you get an allowance large enough to pay her share of things so long as she lives with you.”

                Velma looked unsure for a moment. She was looking forward to partying hard and didn’t know that she’d have time to babysit some chick William claimed was an alien.

                ‘Hmmm,’ Velma thought, eying this Lily Pad with some interest. ‘Maybe she is an alien. I’ve never seen that skin tone before, perhaps William is right. I wonder what planet she came from?’

                Seeing the resignation in her expression, William sighed with relief.

                “I’ll leave you two to get acquainted then. I need to go do my homework.”

                “So,” Velma asked excitedly. “What planet are you from?”

                William could hear the contempt in Lily Pad’s voice as he walked away.

                “Pluto,” Lily Pad replied. “All the pink people come from Pluto.”

                “Oh, wow,” Velma enthused. “I totally should have known that. Hey, you want to get going? I only came over because William asked me to.”

                Lily Pad didn’t respond, so Velma decided to take matters into her own hands, calling a cab to come and pick them up.

                “Is there not a more Sim Planet friendly way to get around? Do you not have a bike?” Lily Pad whined to Velma.

                There were a few moments before the cab would arrive. Lily Pad wandered through the house disconsolately.

                ‘Where did things go so wrong,” was the refrain that ran circles through her mind.

                “All the excess goes away never to return!” The TV blared behind her.

                “Let’s go!” Velma called out.

                Lily Pad picked up her head and squared her shoulders. For a moment, she was frightened to go beyond the door. She hadn’t been allowed outside without William before, and the world was a large and sometimes scary place. Remembering his stinging words however, she strode boldly forward…

                And raced out after Velma to go where no Plutonian had ever gone before.

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I beg pardon for the endlessly long chapter. I had a lot to get in. Besides, I promised it would get better, didn’t I? I randomized Lily Pad and she, completely unexpectedly, came out really lovely. I actually dithered for a little bit about ‘how could I get rid of someone who turned out to be rather pretty?’ But then I saw all the screen shots where she chased William all over the house and wouldn’t leave him alone for two seconds and interrupted phone calls, and homework, and plot lines… I sent her packing. No Regrets.  Just a little more of this to wrap up my Nothing is Free challenge and I’ll begin Random Legacy Play. This story has a few more twists left, so bear with me please. ;)