Strangetown, Here We Come: Chapter Thirty-Two

[strangetomato]

 

Previously on Strangetown, here we come...




















Warnings: language, sexual situations, partial sim nudity, taxidermy of large wild animals, and some twisting of canon backstory (and there's nothing you can do to stop me).


Chapter Thirty-Two





He wasn't a bad man.

He kept telling himself that.




He wasn't a bad man, he was just a weak man, and women were his weakness.




All women. Any women. It didn't matter. One bat of a seductive eyelash, and he was putty in their hands.

Well, almost.

He wasn't pliable enough to agree to set someone up for an alien abduction.






That had taken much more convincing.




The Caliente sisters.

He'd always been completely entranced by them both, ever since they were children together. They were so beautiful, with a hint of exotic otherworldiness that he could never quite figure out.




He still relished the memories of playing doctor and post office with them under the gentle sunny skies of East Veronaville.




Then, into their teen years, he'd had his turn with both of them. As far as sexual intiations went, he couldn't have asked for any better.

Nina, especially, was always a willing partner in his explorations. They had some good times together. He missed those days.




For most of his adult life, he had moved around for school and for work, and he wasn't ever really all that sad to pack up and move on. He looked forward to a new town, and new blood, fresh conquests, but part of him always wished he could return to Veronaville.




But it was as they say... you can never go back.

Now he could never, ever go back. Not even to Pleasantview, since he had essentially kidnapped a woman and taken her away.




Here, to Belladonna Cove.

It hadn't really been kidnapping. Bella had gone willingly. She had thought it was romantic, being swept away like that, and she was impulsive. It had worked in his favour.




Yes, she had gone with him willingly. She was in love with him, or something close enough to it, but he knew his victory was a hollow one. She would never have chosen him if Mortimer was still alive. He had been everything to her.

Even dead, if she knew... if she remembered...

I maddened him. What did Mortimer have that he didn't? Bella should be his. She was his. They were meant to be together. Nobody could understand him like Bella. She was the one.

The only one.




When had he traded his sanity for his love of Bella Goth?








He hadn't expected it. He had been prepared to do as they asked of him, and nothing more.




Then, once he had her inside his condo, he figured he may as well go ahead and try his luck.






But she rejected him.

Nobody ever rejected him.






He apologized, and she had graciously accepted. She could have left, then and there, but she didn't. She forgave him.




Why had she forgiven him?

That surprised him, as did his reaction to it. He decided that he couldn't go through with it. He changed his mind.

He decided that he'd be going back to Dina and Nina with bad news. He'd do without the ultimate wish fulfillment. After that, he couldn't do it.




So, instead of showing her the new telescope, Don made them some coffee.




They sat together, and talked about life and love, and also, to his own surprise, loneliness.




How was it that she understood him so well?




But Bella had still wanted to see what he had invited her over for. She was looking to buy Mortimer a new model of telescope, like the one Don had, and that was the whole reason she'd dropped by. She wanted to see it, and what was he going to tell her? The truth?




So they went up, for just a brief moment.

He thought he could get away with a quick look, tell her the telescope was acting up, and that would be that.




Then she insisted she could get it to work. He had protested. He had opened his mouth, ready to confess. He was about to stop her, to blurt out the whole sordid plan, Dina be damned.

He really had been. He wasn't a bad man.




Could he have prevented it from happening? Could he have done things differently?






His guilt was slightly lessened by the fact that he had at least attempted to try to stop them from taking her.








At great cost to himself.




That was how he had met Circe Beaker. In the hospital. Once she became aware of the fact that he was also in the medical field, she had taken him to her office and offered him the option to do her a favour, to help her, and she'd see that he'd be freed from his condition.




His pregnancy. The thought sickened him, even now.




It wasn't something that the doctors were normally able to do, with the nature of alien pregnancy, and the difficulty of access. It was risky, and not condoned by the hospital, but Circe had assured him that she was capable of performing the task, and none would be the wiser. It would have to go under the radar, but she could make that happen.

So he had agreed, in exchange for doing some work for her. Many things could be said about Circe, but he couldn't call her a liar. She had been true to her word, and so he had been obligated to do his part in return.




At the time, he'd asked about Bella, but Circe had looked at him as if he had ten heads. There had been no Bella. There had never been any Bella. He'd been dropped off by a concerned citizen, alone.




Stricken, he had blurted out the whole thing. Perhaps it had been the hormonal imbalance, but he nearly fell apart at the seams, right there in front of Circe.




Circe merely smiled, and told him that he shouldn't speak of such things, even if they are true, and that was unlikely. He was overwhelmed. Perhaps it was all a trick of his unconscious mind, she suggested. He wouldn't want to speak of something like that to the wrong people now would he?

He should not repeat it.




Looking back, this still seemed to have been good advice. He had listened to her, and he continued to listen to her.

He hadn't told anyone. Not even the detectives that kept showing up at his doorstep.




So then, with Circe's help, he had gone back home to Pleasantview within days of the abduction, and nobody was the wiser. He went back to his normal life.

But not really. He could never go back.




After that, the guilt came to him a little more each day. His every thought was about Bella.




Every day, he fell further into her spell.




It consumed him.

He'd even considered telling Dina and Nina that he no longer wanted his "reward." He considered telling them to shove it where the sun don't shine, but well...




He was a weak man.

It hadn't made him feel better. It had made him feel worse. He continued to suffer under the weight of his guilt, until Cassandra had come into his life.




She was so much like Bella.




He wanted her. He'd treat her right this time. It would absolve him, he had thought.




They took things slow. He didn't sleep with her, despite how much he wanted to.

He respected her.




Well, to a point.




He had decided, though, that she was going to be it for him. He'd settle down with Cassandra, and she might not be Bella, but it would be the next best thing.




Then, after he had already asked her to be his wife, he discovered the truth.

He found her.




Bella.




It had been Circe who had told him. She had taken pity on him, perhaps?

No, that seemed unlikely. She undoubtedly had her reasons.




He didn't know her all that well, but he did know that much about Circe. She always had her reasons. Any fool would pick up on that fact.






So carefully, cautiously, he had entered back into Bella's life. She had no recollection of who he was, or even who she had been herself. No Mortimer, no children, no past, and no reason at all to distrust him or refuse him.




There was a temporary pang of guilt, where he considered telling her the truth, and bringing her back to Pleasantview, but then she would know what he had done, and what he was.




He was a bad man.

No, he wasn't a bad man. He wasn't.

He wasn't, but the results were the same, either way.




And if he told her, he would lose her.






He was a weak man. So weak.




He felt bad about Cassandra, he really did, but he didn't care enough to go through with it.






Poor Cassandra. He really had cared about her. Really, he had.

Hadn't he?










He thought he had, but when the time came, he couldn't do it.

The wedding was a disaster, and it came crashing down all around their ears, but it was worth it.

It was all worth it.




His whole life seemed to be falling apart at the seems, but at least he had Bella.

Nothing else mattered as long as he had Bella.






And now, here in Belladonna Cove, they would be happy.




Bella was finally his.

All his.




"Is it her, dear sister?"

"Yes, I do believe so."






"Dear little creature. She's so much like Jocasta, isn't she?"

"She's the spitting image."




"I always knew in my heart she would return to us one day. Jocasta may have left, but I always thought the girl would feel the pull."




"She's so clearly one of our kind, and our daughters must always return."




"This is her heritage. This city was built on the backs of our founding mothers, whether or not the citizens even realize exactly what that means."

"Does Bella even know, I wonder? I doubt Jocasta would have mentioned us. She wanted to leave it all behind, and the girl surely does not remember. She was so young."

"That will come. What matters now is that she has come back."




"Yes, but who is that swarthy young lothario with her? I don't remember Mortimer being nearly so well-tanned or even half that rakish."




"He wasn't, my pet. He was whiter than goat's milk."




"Yes, and sourer than goat's blood, but how I adored that man."

"Yes, it's truly a shame that he has passed on from this world."

"So what do you suppose we should do, deary? Should we approach her?"




"No, let's wait. There's something not quite right about this. That isn't the Bella I remember. Even factoring in the effects of time, something has changed about her."

"Yes, you're right. I sense that too."

"Not only that... she looks different, don't you think? Her face..."

"Hmm, yes. Now that, I can't explain."

"Well, nevermind..."




"We will bide our time and wait. Then, with more knowledge, we will know how to proceed."

"Always a wise course of action."




"Still, I will see to it that no harm comes to her in the meantime."

Kimberly Cordial watched as her sister produced her wand from inside her jacket. Even without the enchantment that prevented mere mortals from witnessing the act, her deft movements would have been difficult to detect.

"Just a small enchantment," Samantha said, "and that should be enough."

"Yes, sister. That will do."














"Be well, dear niece."




"Be well, Bella."

---

Notes:

It feels good to finally get more of the details on this out in the open. I was holding back while I worked out some of the nitty gritty details, and there's always a chance I'll want to change it again, but I figured it was time to just put it out there. There are more sides to this story than Don's, of course, but it gives you some of the facts (as unreliable as his POV may be).

I've been trying to find some common ground between the canon backstory information provided from all three sim games (well, I'm approaching Sims 3 a little differently, as you'll soon see). The continuity of the three games is a bit of a mess, but I've come to accept that and have tried to find my own logic within it. For Bella's story, I've used most of the details of the EA interview with Bella (including her having a therapist), and I've even considered elements of the Sims 2 PSP game (though not many, because it's WAY off the original game). It's been fun and inspiring.

The idea that Bella is descended from witches was first suggested by cindyanne1 as a rumour that she remembered floating around in the Making Magic days of Sims 1, and it's an interesting one. I'll admit, at first I scoffed at this and was slightly annoyed at EA's overuse of Bella imagery (which was becoming fairly nonsensical by AL), but then I decided to embrace the meta side of it all and just go with it. In my mind, Belladonna was actually Bella's grandmother, who was a politician who helped to build up the city which bears her namesake, but was also a powerful witch in those parts. She played both sides, as witches have come to do in this modern world.

Simgaroop has also used Cindyanne's theories in The Broke Legacy, with an emphasis on Michael Bachelor (if you haven't already, you should check it out). I'm taking a more women-only approach to the witches. I've also decided that it's something you're born into rather than something you pick up from a witchy BFF, and thus altering the backstories of the Cordial sisters to fit this angle, and I also invented that family tie between them and Bella (I'm working under the assumption that their family tree is a fake, a cover story for their life on the non-witch side of the tracks).

Realistically, this will probably be the last update for the rest of the summer. I still have that short mini chapter that I should be able to post in the near future, but I'm expecting that changes in living arrangements and life in general will keep me from the computer, and that's not really a bad thing. A break would be sort of nice right now. I'm thinking of buying a netbook so I can easily type away while enjoying nature and travel, so maybe I'll get some writing done. I might even come back with chapters and chapters ready to go. You never know.

Anyway, thank you for reading! Have a safe and happy summer.

P.S. I love Circe. I didn't really realize how much until I started decorating her office. Anyone who can taxidermy a wolf is okay in my books.









  (Continue to Chapter 32.5)

Comments

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

OH, Hell yes. I needed to see this on my flist today. ^________^

This was delicious. I loved seeing Don's POV, and finding out exactly what happened was great,. Those Caliente sisters are so fresh.

(I also love that Don knew them when he was younger! That's awesome.)

I didn't realize that Circe had that wolf taxidermied. I thought it was Don's and was wondering what it was doing there.

The Cordial Sisters are so fierce. Their outfits- AMAZING. The black one is especially great, I love using it on Mary-Sue.

Bella's backstory is awesome. I love what you've done with it. I also love the way the sisters speak. ^__^

And Don's evil alien abduction abortion makes me sad and angry at the same time. :(

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

YES.

HOLY CRAP, YES.

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, this was great! So much fun to finally see more of your ideas about this part of the story. Bella-stuff is fun, and I see several elements here that I've used for my story too, it just makes sense with the vague backstory that you do get from Pleasantview and in part Strangetown. All these little hints that EAxis left there to be found. I like mysteries. <3

Also, Don getting abducted and impregnated is just SO RIGHT, somehow. He just... deserves it. I first saw it when someone used Don as their guinea pig for a Multi-PT hack, I don't remember who it was... Then shortly afterwards it happened autonomously in my game. So I had to include it in my story, too.

A little sad that he had an abortion, but... knowing Circe, she actually grew it in a pod somewhere and that's probably that alien kid that we saw in one of the previous chapters... with one of the Nervous clones? Hmm...

Also, Bella's face not being quite right... Is she a clone, like lots of players like to think? The PV Bella and ST Bella do have slightly different faces, though I like to think that was simply an oversight on EAxis' part... not expecting the players to bring back the "real" one in PV and have a good look at her face.

Well, anyway, great chapter. Nice use of Belladonna Cove and the Cordial sisters! Also, I just love Circe's office. Like my husband said, the comic book picture on the wall behind her 'looks exactly like the kind of crazy shit Circe would have in her office'. :)

Oh, and the snow globe, I've had that in my game for a while and used it in the beginning of a story that I didn't get very far with, 1-2 years ago, but this time I sort of forgot about it. D: Oh well, maybe I'll get a chance later, it's such a cool little piece of CC/salvaged stuff.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

*claps* I love it!

And OMG the Cordial sisters even LOOK like Bella... it totally fits!

Count me in as another who likes your Circe. She's sooo evil but she's soooo cool! I also think she likely gestated Don's spawn in an incubator or something... even if it never comes into the story it seems like something she'd do, lol!

I hope you have a great summer and go ahead and treat yourself to that notebook. You deserve it! :D

[simsinthecity.livejournal.com]

^_^

I always thought of Don being a more manipulative character, actually, instead of being the putty in the other party's hands.

I really like the handling of Bella's abduction :D

ChildDon looks an awful lot like simgaroop's version of TS3 Morty. Maybe that's why Kaylynn likes them both? And the Bella-Don-Cass love triangle reminds me of Bella-Morty-Kaylynn, too O.O

Have you ever mentioned that Circe can taxidermify (?)? I don't remember but it could have just escaped me.

Yes, but who is that swarthy young lothario with her?
I LOLed at the irony xD

*pulls out Makin' Magic box from forever ago*
There's a picture of Bella with one of those old school TS1 wands (with the green plumbbob tip) on the back of the MM box. I'd guess that's part of the rumor's origin.

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

NICE. As much as I love JRO, I'd been missing the other parts of your story. This was a treat.

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I AM SO CONFUSED.

And you're going to make us wait the whole summer for us to find out what is going to happen next? DAMNIT! D:

Well, have a nice summer and I hope that the change in living arangements works smoothly for you!



...I miss you already. :P

[bakememuffins.livejournal.com]

Update! With Don. Even though I don't like Don that much, you gave him a nice POV of things.

Hey Don, I know you're weak but you're weaker than I thought!

What's Circe's doing anyway? Trying to ruin his life (and Bella's)?

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

That was an interesting approach to the whole Bella mystery (I see I'm not the only insane one who's trying to make the canon of the three games fit anymore! :D). Don is really a pathetic man, selfish and unable to do the right things due to his weaknesses.

I think those traits are going to kick his sorry behind in the future, especially now that the Cordial sisters are involved. What did they do to Bella?

Now I see why did he end up working for Circe, but I wonder what did he have to do in exchange of terminating his pregnancy (I assume)? Considering he's a Doctor, I wonder...

Have a very nice summer! :)

[sullivansims.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

This was great! I love how you've been able to use the Maxis back story but work with it and make it your own.

I have to say though, that wolf totally creeped me out. I thought it was alive and was wondering if it was supposed to represent Cerberus or something!

[showercapfrog.livejournal.com]

I LOVE cindyanne's explanation of Bella, and was wondering if you'd use it in your story much like simgaroop has (although you did seem to be going down a different path).

Also, Circe is hardcore. I love her to bits. I want to marry her so that she can taxidermy stuff. Or else have a LIVE wolf in her office.

Don is like a twisted version of Ripp. He's just had less friends to support him and care about him, and he's ended up being a lot more messed up even though he's essentially a good person.

Also the Cordial sisters look incredibly freaky. HUGE EYES AND HUGE MOUTHS ARE FRIGHTENING.

[blissy-lettuce.livejournal.com]

;__; I love you. I needed this SO BAD after a horrible day at work. I feel my faith in life itself being restored. *wibble*

I loved Simgaroop's take on Bella - and I love this one too!! I know bringing witches into the mix had to be a hard jump for you - it is a big step to pull in magic, let alone aliens - and I think that Circe's interactions with Don really hint at just how evil she is. Every time I think that she has done as much damage as she can some new detail about her emerges and makes me shudder. Ophelia's aunt may have been crazy, but Circe is just... *evil*. No wonder she has the poor blond wrapped around her little finger!

As always, I'm loving this. I swear to you your writing is up there with my other favorite stories - of all time - including the James Herriot series and Pet Shop of Horrors. If it was a book, I'd buy it and snuggle it every night.

[simultaneities.livejournal.com]

"She's so clearly one of our kind, and our daughters must always return."

This line and the picture below it are win.
I love this take on the screwy Maxis storyline. I agree that they completely bastardized Bella and I'm glad you're trying to make that remotely sensical while sticking to the canon.

Random, thy name is lafemmedulac

[lafemmedulac.livejournal.com]

Thought I'd share with you in my ongoing-while-I'm-reading comment that I squealed when I saw you updated. I haven't squealed in years :)

OMG BELLA POST!!!

I've become a bit of a Bella whore ever since Sims 3 came out, even though I can't play it XD

And Don always amuses me. I'm not exactly sure why he's always so sex-crazed in my mind, so I like to hear other people's opinions on how he works.

Where did you get the Bella/Mortimer snowglobe-type-thing? It's so nifty...

[simtarts.livejournal.com]

The wolf was stuffed? O_O

Great update. Every time I see a story with witches I lament yet again that there will probably never be an Apartment Life for mac. Or a Freetime, for that matter. These Cordial sisters are totally new to me. Neat!

[mae-o-nays.livejournal.com]

I hadn't made the connection, but that little picture of Bella looking through Don's telescope (not a euphamism, as much as it sounds like it) plays beautifully into your SHWC canon, doesn't it? Will we see the Caliente sisters in Strangetown sometime soon? What with their family tree, and everything.

This little update was just ...lovely. It's always fascinating to see someone else's interpretation of the few hints we're given, and this was so well executed.

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

OoOOoOOOOoooooooo... New storyline! Great :D


However.. I kinda feel like we need a "Catch-up" post.. you know, to see the big picture of it all! I know that kinda makes me sound disrespectful and ungrateful, but I am a great lover of this story, and I just think that it could be daunting for new readers - maybe old readers too, who missed a lot - and a post explaining where the characters are all at would be brilliant for me.


Hope you have a Fantastic Summer, Good and happy times all round!

*Hugs*

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Oooo :D I loved this. :) I love Don and the Caliente sister and I love what you've done with the history and the witches and everything. AWESOME. :)

[kin-thalas.livejournal.com]

Wow. Great Bella/Don Backstory. And Don being serious in love with Bella is a nice thought. Also Don being alien pregnant.

Also the witches... What the hell is going on there? Niece??

Go, do the next update!

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Hope all goes well with your summer!

Be safe and have fun (and have fun writing ideas!).

[wildchild111.livejournal.com]

That was amazing. I loved how Don's story progressed

I 'm more or less caught up now.

[half-pace.livejournal.com]

Any more in the works?

No More Anon

[pants-on-fyre.livejournal.com]

So I'm back! It feels good to be back.