Chapter 94: Gnome Magic

McCoy knows children should run and play, but... it's so boring and trivial, sometimes.

When his mind is on a book, there is no choice but to read it.

It's Wren's birthday.

The children celebrate in the kitchen by themselves; the adults crowd around the television in the next room, shocked by local news reports of mummies cursing their friends and neighbors.

There's even talk of closing down the school until it's over.

Of course they can't possibly do such a thing before prom! Priorities, people!

McCoy suddenly realizes how much shorter he is than Wren.

Teen Wren.

Being exactly Wren's age, Nero suffers a sudden growth spurt as well.

"Well that was weird," he says, nearly choking on Wren's cake.

Wren and Nero continue to spend most of their time together, doing nothing constructive.

She sometimes wishes he would grow up just a little, personality-wise... just enough to suit how handsome he is... but then again, that would make him not so fun anymore, and Wren is the type to cling to their childhood.

That rather creepy, unstylish gnome used to be Nero.

It's hard for him to wrap his brain around how much he has changed.

Thinking about it too hard causes him to burst into tears. But as usual, the other gnomes are silent.

Driving lessons from Fischer. Not the best idea, having a neurotic teach a neurotic.

"Every driver on the road could potentially kill you," Fischer warns. "You have to watch closely."

Wren whimpers.

Kirk tries to get Wren interested in something other than the occasional book, movie or video game, but she isn't very appreciative.

"You really need help in the garden?" she scoffs. "Really?"

"The science center has a big botany project coming up, thanks to your mother's findings involving how she powered Paola. I'm just trying to help you..."

Paola impresses the blender and microwave with tales of her harrowing shower experiences.

Nero still hates homework.

"Gnomes don't do this stuff!" he complains.

"But we do," Wren counters, "or it looks bad to our future employers. Or so I'm told."

"I think it's a total lie," McCoy chimes in.

Kirk takes pity on Nero and helps him with his homework.

Spending time with the blue kid is also a good way to make sure he's adjusting properly to sim life, and isn't some kind of psychopath endangering the family.

Since being turned into a sim, more or less, Nero has their brain chemistry; he has rebellious lapses in judgment, and seeks affection and acceptance. He begins to see Kirk as a father figure, whether Kirk likes it or not.

In the back yard. Doing nothing.

"You're good with music," Nero says, suddenly there when he wasn't before.

"I don't play an instrument," Wren chuckles.

"But you still have perfect pitch hearing."

"Did my father put you up to convincing me to learn to play piano?"

"Maybe," Nero admits. Out of character almost, since he's rebellious. "I wouldn't normally go along with any such schemes! But he made me worried for your future."

"Ha ha! Did he tell you unskilled young adults get sucked into the sun or something?"

A simbot in the house. A vampire in the house. A blue guy in the house.

Fischer wonders how Luke would have reacted to Nero, a gnome come to life.

"I don't know about this sun theory," Nero says, "but... I guess I'm gullible. Especially when it's about you."

"I'll be fine."

"Will I be fine, too?"

Wren frowns. "Of course you will... don't worry so much. We're only teens! We don't need to know what we want to do with our lives yet."

Don't worry, Paola is specifically programmed to be gentle with the children.

She isn't going to take McCoy's head off.

Kirk's latest potion has the unintended effect of making him incorporeal.

Yasu's eyes well up with tears. "What... what happened..."

When Kirk informs her that he isn't dead, and that she should have known this from the coloration of his spirit manifestation, she just gets incredibly pissed off.

"You're a genius, Khan!" she screams. "You should know better than to test these things so early!"

"It should wear off soon!" he protests.

Kirk is surprised to find the sun still hurts him in this state.

Being a vampire truly is a curse.

McCoy: cute version. In stores now.

Wren begrudgingly teaches Paola some dance moves. Her single contribution to the android's upbringing.

McCoy's birthday arrives quickly. He did not have to wait long to catch up with his sister.

Teen McCoy.

His painting becomes more serious.

Wren has yet to focus on a hobby, but enjoys listening to her father's music and seeing her brother so intense and absorbed in a craft that doesn't seem to suit his bookish genius.

Birthday hugz.

"You're embarrassing me, Dad."

"Yes, well. You won't stay short and huggable forever."

Soon both of Kirk Khan's children will look as old as he does.

 "Do you think I could ever be normal enough for Wren?" Nero asks suddenly.

McCoy doesn't turn around. "What brought this on?"

"Nothing. Just. A vibe."

"A vibe ain't nothing!"

Nero blinks. "You mean it is, or it isn't?"

"I mean what did my crazy sister say now?"

"Nothing!"

"You know you'll be teased hardcore if you try to date my sister," McCoy warns.

"I'm already teased at school. And they also try to beat me up," Nero says sadly. "But I'm not worried about that. I'm a little worried that she'll be teased more, but we don't have much time in high school left, and your family has a history of not caring what anyone else thinks... which I think she would honor... if I were ever good enough for her..."

"Dude, this is not the conversation you have with the girl's brother. It generates all kinds of mixed feelings." McCoy shrugs."You care about her a lot, so I would be happy if you two were in a relationship. I guess? Because if you didn't care about her, I'd have to kill you!"

"What do you think would impress her?"

"What part of the words KILL and YOU did you not get a vibe from?"

Nero frowns. "You would never hurt anyone."

McCoy turns back to his painting. "Right. Damn me for being all talk."

Fischer is invited to one of the vampire Archer parties.

Pauline doesn't mind listening to the elderly neurotic brag about his grandchildren, and has already warned everyone to strictly not talk about the reluctant vampire married to Fischer's daughter.

One morning, when they are alone, Nero offers flowers to Wren.

"Wow... these smell wonderful. Where did you get them?"

"From behind my back."

"Wha'?"

Nero blushes, turning his cheeks purple. "Gnome magic. Wren... would you go to the prom with me?"

She takes his hands in her own, or he takes hers. They don't recall which.

"Our classmates are going to make fun of us if we don't go to prom, that's true," she mumbles. "They'll say we spent the night together whether we actually did or not. But I think you're just doing this because you want to be more like a sim... because I want you to be more like me..."

"I want to be what you want me to be." He frowns. "I can't go back to what I was. I'm trying to fit in now..."

"Except for the homework?"

"I'm even doing my homework. I want to be one of you."

"You're already family, Nero," Wren promises. "You are one of us."

Nonetheless, she decides to go to the prom with him.

 Yasu dives around town, searching for signs of life.

D=

While she's out, Yasu stops by the tattoo parlor for another tattoo... ...which she administers herself, since no one is manning the salon these days.

It's a purple rose, to go with her gnome. Yasu has it on good authority that gnomes love flowers.

As prom time approaches, Wren worries more and more about the mummies.

"They were spotted in front of the school before. If that had happened during class we'd all be in lockdown for days waiting for them to move on."

"But it didn't, and it was on a weekend," McCoy soothes.

"They might grab us while we're on our way."

"You'll be in a car. Mom's going to drive you there."

"Just go get ready, y' neurotic. Your boyfriend's already in his pink shirt, that has to be like a gnome mating ritual."

"Don't be sick, McCoy."

 The family is too... erm... busy? to take note of Wren's new prom dress.

Going to be late! Going to be late!

Nero thinks about justice while Wren runs towards the school after being dropped off outside.

She doesn't see any mummies around, but she knows they're out there... somewhere...

McCoy doesn't go to prom. It's too silly for his liking.

But since his sister isn't here, he does open up about his concerns.

"We should leave Riverview, Mom. The surrounding military bases haven't been able to deal with the mummies."

"I'm trying to create more effective weapons for them," Yasu says quietly.

"Yes well that doesn't change the fact that currently the only people we can get in contact with online are either holed up in their basements, or already left Riverview. This place has become a ghost town. Hardly anyone shows up for school now; how many other people did you see at the prom who weren't vampires hoping to fight mummies?"

"Our family has helped this town grow for ten generations. I was married here, I'd like to see you married here. I'm not running off at the drop of a hat. Not when your father and I can still help."

"Let the real scientists do the work for once, Mom!"

Yasu glares, having previously been unaware that her own son didn't count his freelance astronomer slash failed chemist father and crazed inventor mother as real scientists.

McCoy's shoulders slump a bit. "I... I'm sorry. But I've done some research on what towns haven't been hit. The mummies have been avoiding anywhere north of the Sim-Sim river. You can look at my findings when you change your mind."

Yasu twitches. What an arrogant little brat, her son is. She couldn't be more proud.

It's quite late when Wren and Nero return from their prom. The ghosts are out.

"That was good." Wren smiles, swaying back and forth a bit, not really swinging.

"I had fun too," Nero says.

"Maybe we could go steady," Wren suggests.

Nero looks at his shoes. The prom was, against all odds, crowded. He was able to observe sim courtship, with its nuance and drama, and is far more insecure than before. How could he possibly think he was ready to be 'normal'?

 "You deserve someone better," he whispers.

Wren glances over at him to reply...

...but sees he's reverted to his second form, and can't think of what to say.

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Etc.: Basically a chapter about how I'm not letting Wren skill anything at all. This is to make it "fair" when she goes off and founds my next legacy, posing as a new young adult in a new town.

Wren is eco-friendly, over emotional, neurotic and virtuoso. McCoy is a genius, grumpy, dramatic, and loves the outdoors. Nero is eccentric, rebellious, something else, and great kisser (his teen trait, lol). I didn't get to choose any of Nero's traits; I would have been allowed to choose the teen trait if he had been doing better in school, though. Also he's a lot scarier looking as a teen in his IF form. He's taller.

So who is sick of seeing that pic of Martin in the background every time something happens in the kitchen? Raise your hands.

The rose is Yasu's last tattoo. I love Yasu's tattoo collection. She has like a sci-fi arm, and then a gardening arm. Melody's tattoos are still my favorite, though. It's a bummer they don't show up on her ghost in any way.