#sims 3 story

“Raj!” says Cookie, trying to hobble after him in her towering heels and tight skirt. He turns around at the top of the stairs, his determination to get as far away as possible undiminished by her doleful eyes and quivering mouth.
“Where are you going?” she says. “Have you forgotten we’re supposed to be having drinks with Bronwyn and Graham?”
“I’m going home,” he says. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you this evening, but I’m in no mood for socializing. I hope you’ll forgive me. ”
“But- I don’t understand!” she says. “What happened to make you so upset? What were you and Lincoln Porter talking about?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow, after I’ve calmed down,” he says. “I’ll ring you, alright? Now, go back to your friends and enjoy the rest of your evening. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I just need some time alone.”
“Raj-” she says plaintively, but he is descending the stairs without another word or glance in her direction, and he doesn’t look back when he reaches the bottom, either.

After the performance Cookie and the two other ladies in the ensemble are encircled by a fawning knot of devotees, and Raj sees an opportunity to approach Lincoln Porter. Lincoln is a multi-millionaire property developer, and Raj used to count him as a friend and business associate before his incarceration. Lincoln gives him an affable smile.
“Looking sharp, Raj,” he says. “How’re things?”
“Good, good,” says Raj. “Where’s Jasmine tonight?”
“At home. She can’t handle going out at night anymore, she gets tired too easily,” says Lincoln. “Did you know she’s pregnant? Seven months.” He adds proudly, “It’ll be our third.”
“Congratulations, my friend,” says Raj. “That’s wonderful news.” Lincoln gives a modest smirk.
“Are you here with anyone?” he asks.
“I’m here with Lavinia,” says Raj. Lincoln raises an eyebrow.
“You’re here with Lavinia Cook?” he says. “You’re dating?”
“We have been spending some time in each other’s company, yes,” says Raj.
“Well, well,” says Lincoln. “You sly devil.”
“How’s business?” asks Raj, not wanting to talk about Cookie. He has never felt the compulsion to share details of his private life with other people. Lincoln talks about his ideas for expanding into retirement homes and student housing, which he says offer “relatively stable cash flow, high occupancy and good liquidity.” Raj nods sagely.
“You’re still on the Chamber of Commerce, aren’t you Lincoln?” Raj says. “Because I made an application a few weeks ago to rejoin and I haven’t heard anything back yet.”
“Ah, ” says Lincoln. “Well. I thought you would’ve heard by now-”
“Heard what?” says Raj. Lincoln makes a slight grimace.
“I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, Raj, but your application was rejected,” he says.
“On what grounds?” says Raj. The room seems to have become a few degrees cooler. Lincoln can feel goosebumps pimpling his skin.
“Moral and ethical grounds,” he says.
“The hell are you talking about?” says Raj.
“You were convicted of a felony, Raj,” says Lincoln. People are starting to turn around and stare at them. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t my decision-”
“I was the founder of the Chamber of Commerce in this town,” says Raj. “Without me, this place wouldn’t even have any fucking commerce. I put this town on the map!”
“Raj, I’m sorry.” says Lincoln. “If it had been up to me-”

Cookie has come  hurrying over, her eyes huge and liquid in her flawlessly made up face.

“Raj, what’s going on?” she says. “You’re making a scene. Everybody’s looking.”
“In that case, I’d better leave,” he says. “Delightful to see you again, Lincoln.”

After their game, which Isaac wins effortlessly, they sit down with their drinks in the karaoke area. Mia has now drunk three beers and is staring into the depths of her fourth. She is feeling even less sociable than she was at the beginning of the evening. It’s as if each beer has provided an even thicker layer between herself and the rest of the world. 

“I wasn’t sure if I’d actually like bowling, but any sport where you get to drink beer is okay in my book,” says Milo.
“Yeah, it was fun,” says Jackie. “It’d be nice to get together for a bowling night once a month or so. What do you think, Mia?”
“Yeah, whatever,” says Mia.
“Where did you learn to be so good at bowling?” Milo asks Isaac.
“I used to bowl every Friday night back home in Lucky Palms,” says Isaac. “I was even on a team. We called ourselves ‘4 Guys, 12 Balls’.
"Ha!” says Jackie. Mia doesn’t respond. Milo and Jackie and Isaac chat until Milo starts yawning and Jackie apologetically says that they have to be getting home; Milo has to get up at 4 am to go to the flower markets.

“What do you want to do, Mia?” asks Isaac.
“Jump off the nearest bridge,” says Mia.

Isaac rubs the back of his neck helplessly while Jackie and Milo exchange a look.

“A word, please Mia,” Jackie says. She steers Mia towards a corner.  
“Babe, listen. I think you need professional help,” says Jackie, above the breathy falsetto of the girl on the stage trying to strangle Blue Bayou. 
“Fuck off,” says Mia.
“I have access to a lot of specialist services at the hospital. Why don’t you let me-
"The comment about the bridge was a joke,” says Mia. “We don’t even have any decent bridges in this shitty backwater, in case you’ve never noticed.”  
“Okay, but I’m still worried about you. Will you let me make an appointment for you with one of the hospital’s grief counselors, at the very least? Just one appointment. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go again-”
“I do not need a grief counselor, for fuck’s sake,” says Mia. “I’m dealing with shit just fine on my own. I came out tonight, didn’t I? I’m socialising again. That’s progress, isn’t it?”
“Babe, you said you felt like you were cursed. That’s not progress.”

Mia gives her a sullen smile.

“I was only wallowing in self-pity, just like you said, ” she says. “I’m fine. I’m going to have a couple more drinks, then I’m going to go home. With Isaac. As long as he doesn’t get shot or stabbed beforehand, of course. That was another joke, by the way.”

Jackie sighs and shakes her head, looking her up and down.

“Will you just think about talking to someone about what you’re going though?” she says. “Just like, give it some serious thought? For me?”
“Why?” says Mia. “Why is it so fucking important?”
“Because I love you, is why,” says Jackie.

“What are you talking about?” says Jackie. “Why is Isaac going to die?”
“Because people I get involved with die horrible, violent deaths,”  says Mia, giving her a wounded look from beneath her fringe. Jackie was proud of Mia for getting out of the house tonight, and had hoped it represented a kind of turning point; she knows she is selfish, she knows Mia is hurting and needs time to heal, but Goddammit she also wants her fun-loving, irreverent, loud, cursing, inappropriate bestie back. She decides to adopt a no-nonsense tone.

“What a load of crap, Mia,” she says. “Look, I know how terrible the last month has been for you, how Noah’s death must have made you revisit a lot of very painful memories, but that statement simply isn’t true. Besides, Noah was a criminal. The odds of him dying a violent death were pretty high, and had absolutely nothing to do with you. Please stop with the self-pity. You need to start celebrating the fact that you’re alive, surrounded by people who love you-”
“I don’t care what you say,” says Mia. “I’m cursed. I know I’m cursed.”
“I’m the one who’s cursed, having to sit here listening to this rubbish,” says Jackie. “Snap out of it, Mia. Otherwise you’re going to lose Isaac too.”
“He’d be a lot better off, ” says Mia morosely.

Thursday 7.35 pm

Mia and Isaac are on a double date tonight with Jackie and Milo at ‘Balls to the Wall’, a Bowling Alley-slash-restaurant-slash-entertainment venue that has not long been open in town. It’s a month since Mia and her mother Nanette have returned from Paris, and the first time Mia has been out in public with Isaac. They’ve fucked a few times, but Noah’s death still feels like a heavy rock lodged in her heart, and most nights she would rather just sit on the couch under a blanket and binge-watch her favourite soap operas and reality shows. She has come to realise that one of the reasons she loves her soap operas so much is because their endless nature rarely provides the viewer with any closure. Mia finds this comforting, and very relatable.

Isaac has revealed himself to be an expert bowler.

“Oh my God,” says Jackie, “He’s got anotherstrike!”

Isaac does a little victory dance, while Milo grunts in admiration.

“Yay,” says Mia dully. “Whose turn is it now?”
“Milo’s,” says Jackie. Milo climbs to his feet with very little enthusiasm. Isaac asks if they would like him to get them all a drink. Milo says he’ll have a beer.
“I’d love a  lemonade,” says Jackie. “Nothing stronger because I’m on call.”
“What would you like, Mia?” Isaac asks.
“I’ll have a beer too,” says Mia, and then adds as an afterthought, “Thanks.”
“He’s a sweetie,” says Jackie after he’s out of earshot.

Mia’s bottom lip juts out.

“Yeah. He doesn’t deserve to die,” she says.

Bowling Alley by @minasavenue

Sonia’s mouth moves soundlessly, the coldness in her father’s eyes robbing her of coherent speech. Violet steps in to rescue her, her arms outstretched, her voice dripping with honey. “My name’s Violet, Mr. de Prima,” she says. “I’m so glad to finally meet you!”
After a few moments’ hesitation Frank shakes her hand, while Sonia avoids making any further eye contact with him.
“I was just telling Sonia how much I admire these lovely old brownstones,” Violet says. “Have you lived here long?”
“Nearly forty years,” says Frank tersely. He turns to Sonia. “Sonia, please answer my question. Where-”
Violet slips past him and up the stairs. Sonia feels giddy, as if she has just stepped off a roller coaster.
“Sonia!” says her father. “I demand to know what’s going on!”
Sonia throws her shoulders back and lifts her chin. Then she pushes past him to follow Violet inside.

“Here it is,” says Sonia. “The house I grew up in.”

Sonia has decided not to bring the children to her parents’ place today. It’s Apollo’s day off so Constance has come over to babysit. Sonia’s parents will be upset they were denied an opportunity to see their grandchildren, but Sonia figures their disappointment will be a mere drop in an ocean of regret by the time the day is finished.

“It’s just as I expected,” says Violet. “A bastion of middle-class respectability." 

Sonia walks towards the steps then pauses.

“I-” she says. Violet waits. The water is close by, and seagulls wheel and cry mournfully overhead.

"I think I’m going to vomit,” says Sonia.
“No you’re not,” says Violet. “Just breathe.”
“Can we go?” says Sonia. “I’m serious. This was a really bad idea-”

The front door swings open to reveal Sonia’s father Frank, energetically waving. “Hello, my dear!” he calls out in a jovial voice. Sonia waves limply in return. Violet smiles as widely as her distrust will allow. Frank stares at her as she and Sonia climb the front steps.

“Who’s this, Sonia?” says Frank. “And where are Roy and the kids?”

[previous]

“You’d really do that?” says Sonia. “You’d really come to my parents’ with me?”
“If you’re ready to tell them the truth about your marriage, and the truth about us,” says Violet. “But I don’t want you to feel pressured-”
“I want to tell them,” says Sonia. Her teeth are gnawing at her bottom lip, which has started to tremble, but her voice is clear. “I want to tell them. I’m sick of living like this. I’m sick of feeling ashamed. I’m sick of not being able to stand up and look my parents in the eye and say ‘This is who I am.’ I’m ready, Violet. I don’t want to live my life as a lie any more.”
“You don’t have to decide immediately,” says Violet. “You can take some time to think about it-”
"No, I’m sure,” says Sonia. “I’m sure. I love you, Violet. With you by my side, I can do anything.”

️‍

“Well, I’d better be heading back home before Saoirse calls out a search party”, says Roy. “Thanks for dinner, hon. I’ll be over at around 2.30 tomorrow to pick up Angus and take him to the game, okay?”
Sonia is stacking the dishwasher and doesn’t answer.
“Right, then,” says Roy. “I’ll just go and say goodbye to the kids and then I’ll be off.”
Sonia waits until they hear his footsteps creaking above their heads and then turns to Violet.
“So now we know why he bought a new Ferrari,” she says.“To bolster his poor ego.”
“So you don’t believe him either?” says Violet.
“Not a single word,” says Sonia.“I knew it wouldn’t last. Any fool would have known that.”
“Why don’t we invite them both around for dinner?” says Violet. “Then we’ll find out for sure.”
“Over my dead body.”
“But if they’re not together anymore-”
“He’d probably pay her to come with him, just to perpetuate the lie,” snorts Sonia.
“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” says Violet. “I mean, you wanted Roy to go with you to your parents’ place tomorrow, which is also perpetuating a lie-”
“It’s not the same thing!” shouts Sonia.“Why are you on his side?”
“I’m not on his side,” says Violet. “I’m just making a point. And don’t scream at me like that. I know you’re stressed about seeing your parents tomorrow, but there’s no need to be such a bitch.”
“Sorry,” says Sonia sulkily. They hear Roy yell out a cheery “BYE- BYE!” from the hallway, and then the front door slams. Sonia turns away from Violet to wipe down the counter tops. The raucous throb of the Ferrari’s engines as Roy accelerates through the gates makes the window frames rattle.
“Babe?” says Violet, after the noise has receded. Sonia turns around, her face a mask of rigidly controlled emotion.
“I want to come with you to your parents’ place tomorrow,” says Violet. ”If you’re ready to tell them the truth, that is.“ 

Today is Wednesday and Bunty has spent the morning ‘Wardrobe Wrangling’ with a group of farmers’ wives in the nearby hamlet of Butterfield, an hour’s drive from Appaloosa Plains. The poor things have no idea at all about layering, a critical life skill in Bunty’s opinion. She advises them to play around with proportions and textures, and now that the colder weather is coming she suggests they experiment with wearing two coats together to create ‘a warm and edgy vibe’ while milking the cows and feeding the livestock. They could also wear fishnets or neon tights under their dungarees for a ‘fun, playful look’! As always, the ladies seem stunned by her knowledge and expertise, and Bunty leaves feeling as if she has truly made a difference in their lives. Volunteer work is so satisfying and fulfilling!

A soft rain is falling as Bunty zooms along the town’s perimeter and towards the intersection that will take her back to Appaloosa Plains. She turns left and has been driving for ten minutes when she notices with a stab of dread a red warning light flashing on the instrument panel. Why do these annoyances always happen when one is in the middle of nowhere, with no garage for at least ten miles! Bunty pulls over and kills the engine, noticing that it has stopped raining. She gets out of the car and tries to call Ian, but he isn’t answering his phone. She leaves a terse message then calls Douglas. Douglas isn’t picking up either. Honestly, the men in this family are like waiters- neveraround when you want them!

“So did you do your assignment yesterday?” Phoebe asks Anya. “Or did you end up doing Roy instead?”

“I didn’t see him at all yesterday. And I handed in my assignment first thing this morning,” says Anya.

“Can you not smile while you’re eating?’ says Phoebe. “It’s creepy.”

“Sorry,” says Anya. “It’s just…he rang me last night and told me he’d bought us tickets to Broken Simlish’s concert. In three months’ time. In Paris.”

Phoebe’s eyebrows converge beneath her heavy black fringe. Anya slows her chewing.

“Do you know what’s happening?” says Phoebe. “You’re being love-bombed.”

“No I’m not,” says Anya. “Roy’s just a very generous person, that’s all. And he has money, so it’s probably not really that much of a big deal to him-“

“Your very first date with him lasted twenty-four hours,” says Phoebe. “You’ve already met his kids. And his best friend! And his ex-wife! Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“It tells me that we enjoyed each other’s company,” says Anya. “A lot. And I’ve only met two of his kids-“

“It should have told you that things are moving too quickly,” says Phoebe. “What’s going to happen tomorrow? Is he going to ask you to move in with him?”

“Oh, come on,” says Anya. “Seriously-“

“Buying tickets to a concert in Paris is just way too over-the-top. It’s another red flag. So is assuming that you’re still going to be together in three months’ time. He’s starting to sound like a narcissistic arsehat.”

“He is not. He’s a kind, generous person, that’s all,” says Anya.

Her phone dings. Phoebe’s eyes narrow triumphantly.

“Let me guess,” she says. “A text from the Love Bomber, telling you how much he loves you and can’t live without you.”

Anya stares at her screen. Phoebe is right about it being a text from Roy. She feels a dopamine-laced little bubble expand in her chest as she reads. She places the phone gently on the table and picks up her grilled cheese sandwich.  Not even the expression on Phoebe’s face can dampen her elation.

“Roy just asked me to be his date for the Sports Agent of the Year Awards on Friday night,” she says.

“That absolutefucker,” says Phoebe.

[previous]

“Who were you talking to on the phone earlier?” says Anita to Joël as they gather around the kitchen bench for hamburgers and salad, prepared by Saffron. “I could hear you laughing all the way upstairs.”

“Just Roy,” says Joël. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

“How are things with his new girlfriend?” Anita asks, with a trace of a smirk.

“The latest is that he reckons he’s in love with her,” says Joël. Anita’s smirk erupts into a full-blown snort. Saffron drops her hamburger back on her plate, her eyes cold pale blue shards.

“I do notunderstand you, Mother,” she says. “A week ago you were criticizing Roy for supposedly only being interested in Anya for one thing. And now he’s proved that he isn’t, you’re stillputting shit on him! He can’t win!”

“Saffron, there is no way he’s in love with her,” says Anita. “He’s proved nothing. All he’s done is mistaken lust for love.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” says Saffron. ”Maybe it’s true. Maybe he really is in love with her. God. Who are you to act so smug and superior?”

“A person cannot possibly be in love with another after only spending a day with them,” says Anita. “How can you properly know anyone after only a day? Does he even know what her favourite colour is? Or her favourite band?”

“I think I’m in love with Anya,” says Roy.

“You thought you were in love with Saoirse,” says Joël. “…and look how thatturned out.” 

“I was in love with the ideaof being in love with Saoirse,” says Roy. “And with her freckles. I still miss her freckles. She had freckles everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Plus she introduced me to the greatest sex act ever known to man, so for that I owe her an enduring debt of gratitude. But even though the sex was awesome, there was still something missing. It was always…I dunno. I never felt she was committed 100%.”

“What about Naomi? You were totally in love with Naomi,” says Joël.

“Naomi cast some sort of spell over me,” says Roy. “I was powerless to resist, dude. She’s like one of those mythological sirens who used to lure sailors to their deaths. Or Satan. Every time I kissed her, an angel would have an aneurysm, I swear to God.”

“So what’s the deal with Anya?” says Joël. “Apart from her physical attributes.”

“Being around her just makes me feel good,” says Roy. “And she’s just so cool and down to earth. It didn’t even seem to bother her that first night when I couldn’t- ”

“Couldn’t what?”

“Nothing. And she was amazing with Henrietta, Henrietta loved her and you know what Henri’s like, she thinks everyone’s beneath contempt. And she’s affectionate, dude. I fucking love that. And it’s like she knows exactly what I’m feeling about stuff without me even telling her. Like we have this connection, you know? I’d always heard people talking about their connection and I always thought it was a huge wank but now I know exactly what-  

“When you couldn’t WHAT?” says Joël. 

“Dude, it was her father’s fault! He rang her just after we got back to my place and told her to make sure to use a condom. So, yeah. That was it. He got in both my heads, the evil fucking bastard-”

“So the first night you spent with Anya, you couldn’t get it up,” says Joël. “Dude.”

“Listen, Dropkick, I more than made up for it last night,” says Roy. “But the whole point of the story was, it didn’t even matter. Like we just really enjoyed each other’s company, somehow she still made me feel like a total baller-”

“Erectile dysfunction’s a growing problem,” snickers Joël.

“Ha-fucking-ha.”

“You could start a club. Except it would probably be a flop, and nobody would come.”  

“Glad you’re enjoying yourself at my expense, dude.”

“Yeah, it’s not hard,” says Joël.

Roy: Hey dude! What did you think of the pic? I was trying out a new angle. Do you think it’s better if I emphasise girth more, or length? I mean, I’m equally blessed in both departments, so-

Joël:I don’t know and I don’t care. Jesus. What the hell is wrong with you? STOP WITH THE DICK PICS, YOU PERVERTED SICKO.

Roy: That’s offensive. They’re not just pics for one thing, they’re art. They’re dick masterpieces, dude.

Joël: I’m too tired to have this conversation right now. Hey. When are you going to give me my car back?

Roy: When I get my car back, duh. Which might not be for another couple of days. What’s the problem? You can drive Anita’s car.

Joël: I don’t like Anita’s car.

Anita’s Chrysler belonged to Jim, Anita’s deceased ex husband. Joël yells at Brutus who is digging a hole in the lawn. Brutus ignores him.

Roy:Tough titties. Hey, speaking of titties, did I tell you how Anya has the most perfectly symmetrical areolas? And they’re like this amazing pale caramel colour. Everything about her’s incredible, dude.

Joël: So you’ve told me about a million times. Why don’t you send her your stupid dick pics instead of annoying me with them?

Roy:Because she’s supposed to be doing some assignment that’s due tomorrow and obviously if I send her dick pics she’ll be too distracted and horny to be able to concentrate.

Joël:Obviously.

Roy: Besides, her pyscho father would be just the type to go through her phone. If he saw I’d sent her dick pics he’d probably try and have me arrested or something.

Joël: Have I mentioned before how well I think I’d get along with Anya‘s father?

Roy:Shut up.

Joël:Youshut up.

Roy:I think I’m in love with Anya.

Joël: No, YOU shut up.

Joël: I’m sorry, what did you just say?

“Can you believe we’ve spent over twenty-four hours together?” says Anya. “That’s amazing!”

Her head is resting on his stomach, her breasts pillowing his victorious and exhausted cock. He can tell by her voice that she’s smiling.

“Yeah,” he says. “It’s been a pretty wild.”

“Especially the last few hours,” she says.

“What can I say?” he says. “I’m just like a sexual carnival ride.”

He can feel her giggle reverberating through the hollow of his navel.

“You can stay another night, if you want,” he says. “No pressure. But the offer’s there.”

“I’d love to, but I can’t,” she says. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s no big deal,” he says.

“I’ve got an assignment due on Monday that I’ve barely started-“

“You don’t have to explain,” he says. “It’s fine.”

“I’d like to lay here a little longer though,“ she says. Within a couple of moments she is asleep, her breath quivering against his skin. He strokes her back as softly as he can. He doesn’t want either of them to ever move. 

“I think you’ve done this before,” says Roy as Anya struts past him and then strikes a pose, her hand placed coyly under her chin, hip bones jutting almost as sharp as her cheekbones, her breasts gently chiding him for last night’s uselessness. I’m so sorry, breasts! thinks Roy. I’ll make it up to you soon, I promise!

“I’ve modeled in a few fashion shows at school,” says Anya. “We all model each other’s designs. We can’t afford professional models, obviously.”

“You look very professional to me,” says Roy. He continues to try and communicate telepathically with her breasts.

“Do you want me to model anything else?” says Anya.

“What I want,” says Roy, “is for you to turn off your phone and follow me upstairs to the bedroom.”

“My phone’s out of battery. But I don’t want to go to the bedroom,” says Anya.

“You don’t?” says Roy. Heat is prickling across his skin, but no longer in a horny way. It feels related to the shame he felt last night, and also to the time he dislocated his shoulder and his hopes of a professional football career came crashing down around him. The rude, burning shock of life treating him unfairly, his expectations being dashed. He needs to get shitfaced drunk, that’s what he needs to do. He wonders if Crystal can slot him in tonight, if she’s by some miracle had a cancellation….

“Nah, let’s do it here instead,” says Anya, bouncing on top of him.

Transcript: 

Chi: Thank God!!! My luck isn’t that terrible. But it seems like Hoang Nhat Minh has never known how to be not rich though, I envy is life

Chi: I still remember the first day we met, mom kept nagging me to befriend hm cause our friendship would have benefited me after graduation

Chi’s mom (Huyen): This outfit looks great on you

Chi: Let’s skip the formality, I know your name, I know we study in the same school, I know your class. Most importantly, I think your best friend likes me

Chi [thinking]: I approached him with ulterior motive. I did run a background check on him, so I could tell him exactly what he wanted to hear

Minh: is he that obvious?

Chi: It’s easy to tell, he isn’t exactly discreet about it. Bao told me his ideal type is Tran Vu Lan Chi though

Chi [thinking]: I ended up using his best friend’s crush to bond with Nhat Minh. I wasn’t interested in Gia Bao at first but I still gave him signals, but thanks to this method I successfully became close friend with the rich guy. Eventually, I genuinely cared about them and I was devastated when they died, our relationships weren’t 100% fake

Chi [thinking]: Is this the afterlife? I guess my soul was transferred into my new body

Chi [thinking]: But mom wasn’t wrong. I do need our friendship after graduation after all

Hoang Nhat Minh (past life) - Park Eun Woo [thinking]: Why do I feel like something important must have happened

Part 22

Suicide mention TW!! Bullying mention TW!!

Beginning|Previous

Masterpost with chapters links

Character intro

Maybe Lan Chi subpower isn’t bad luck, LOL

The Absolon Kingdom: General information

I uploaded the picture of Idris’s face because he’s the King of the Absolon King, not because he’s totally my favorite character. 

I think it’s where the Absolon Kingdom (AK) is located.

@lunanelfeah suggested that creating a separate post to explain about the Absolon Kingdom might be a good idea, I have to admit it’s an incredible idea. And @dynastiasimss​ also suggested me this website https://www.notebook.ai/ , I love this site, thank you. Brace yourself for long af essay, forgive me if some political things just don’t make sense, lol. 

The beginning of the Absolon Kingdom dates back to the 16th century, when witch-hunt was a prevalent practice. That was God’s intention to gift ordinary people special superpower, so he could encourage the Gatekeepers to start treating people reasonably. The Gatekeepers’ duty is giving moral assessment and advice to human beings, so they can improve themselves and become a better person. But the Gatekeepers haven’t even thought about developing any sort of guidance or regulation regarding this matter, they only give people points based on their feelings. If the Gatekeepers have bad mood, or just don’t like someone’s appearance, they may give a person extremely low moral score that later affects their chance of reincarnation without any single reason. 

So God wanted the Gatekeepers to understand human better, but their ego got in the way. They found it offensive that angels and demons had been granted the Heaven and Hell respectively from the very beginning, yet the Gatekeepers had to build their own territory. They refused to accept they have equal position as the Human Beings, refused to be restricted to one country on Earth. Therefore, the Gatekeeper’s great ancestor, King Park V, had to gather people with special ability on his own and found an island following God’s prophecy.

HISTORY

First King: Park Byung Ho (Park I (Park V to the Gatekeepers, he’s the 5th King of the Gatekeepers))
Second King: Idris Bennett (Idris I)

During the reign of Park Byung Ho:

He managed to establish the Absolon Kingdom, to build cities in an empty, deserted island. But he is a highly conservative man, who had been living for 1000 years. Due to the Gatekeepers’ inability to accept the Absolon Kingdom as their territory, he had been sitting on the throne for approximately 500 years.

By the 1800s the Absolon Kingdom was already flourishing, but that was when a long period of stagnation started in the country. Some people began to have problem with his reign, they claimed he was too power-hungry to step down from the position and his long reign could lead to detrimental effects in the future. According to the political analysts, King Park V had become overly content with the Absolon Kingdom’s current stage of development, that his conservativeness could only hinder the country’s further progress. Due to these articles, censorship was tightened, significant human right concerns were observed in the AK. A great number of books, which were claimed to contain “harmful” ideologies, weren’t allowed to be published (including The Realm of Magic book, that was mentioned in Lizzy’s Issue).

In the beginning of the 21st century, the AK’s economy still relied heavily on agriculture and magic, poverty and starvation were prevalent in the rural areas. As the country is located in a small island, the residents in disaster prone areas didn’t receive neither prior warnings to evacuate nor helps from the government. Some of these areas were claimed to be abandoned by the King, but the residents were too impoverished to settle somewhere else. But the press wasn’t free to report such topics. By the end of King Park I reign the Absolon Kingdom had become severely underdeveloped. Literacy rate of the country was only 61.5%.

King Idris I reign:

(Unlimited opportunity to post pictures of my favorite boy)

During 16 years of the reign of King Idris I the Absolon Kingdom has experienced more changes compared to the last 100 years of King Park I ruling. Idris took Tran’s family political ideas into account and sent groups of expedition to report on the outside world’s level of development. Idris acknowledged that the current AK’s agrarian society needed changes, that the country will only progress if the Absolonians find a way to combine magic and technology.

After 16 years of reign the Absolon Kingdom’s farming, fishing, mining, manufacturing, textile….. industries shift to automated works. The services sector of economy grows in importance, accounting for a large percentage of employment in the AK. Many new private banks, business companies are established during Idris’s ruling. The country’s appearance has also been transformed significantly:

Capital city: Bloomingdon 2004 (world credit: https://thesimscatalog.com/sims3/downloads/worlds/large/wild-wild-west/)

Bloomingdon 2020 (credit: North Bloomingdon @descargassims​)

Censorship rules have been eased, for the first time people start obtaining the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and association. Even if the fear to express their political views still exists within the country, many controversial publications (such as the Realm of Magic book that promotes the idea of connecting with the outside world) are allowed to be released to the public. A great number of broadcasting and news companies have been established in the span of 16 years, the Absolonians have the opportunity to gather information from other non-governmental news sources than the NNN (National News Network) chanel.

Many disaster prone villages have been rebuilt thanks to Idris, early warning systems have also been set up in these areas to avoid the severe impact of hazards. If storms or earthquakes do occur, Idris will offer relief and humanitarian aid to these areas, he even takes time to personally visit and use his healing power to treat injured locals. Hence, that’s how he’s called The Angel of the Kingdom.

Despite all the changes, the practice of public and cruel executions is still prevalent in the AK. The term “Minimum wage” has never been determined in the country, in order to achieve the current level of development the subjects of the Kingdom sometimes are required to work 20 hours a day without additional pay. Prisoners are treated as subjects of torture and human experimentation. The AK is still “underdeveloped” from a legal standpoint.

Regarding the connection of the Absolon Kingdom to the God Helpers and the territory of Hadesiallania (northern part of the AK).

During 1750s the Demons and the Gatekeepers had conflicts regarding their authority as the God Helpers. Eventually, their conflicts led to war (the demons attacked first), the Reapers just silently watched the bloodshed and remained neutral. The Gatekeepers realized they were losing, so they asked for the Reapers’ help. 

The Reapers had always been considered as the sinners, the unluckiest God Helpers. They had to witness death every day, God never granted them any sovereign territory. There was a theory that the Reapers committed grave sins in their past life, so they had to live this life to pay for their mistakes. Some people rumored that the Reapers were the humans with 0 moral score, so God couldn’t decide whether to send them to hell or let them reincarnate.

So the Reapers made a deal, they agreed to support the Gatekeepers, as long as they were given part of the Absolon Kingdom territory. Hadesiallania is still a part of the Absolon Kingdom, but it’s an autonomous area. They have their own legal system, government (parliament and local executive authority), taxation system.

Edit:

The aftermath of the Tran family’s insurrection: 

During a national survey, which was conducted in 2003, 80% of Absolonians voted against the idea of introducing the Absolon Kingdom to the global world due to the fear of witch-hunt. In October 2020 (after the rebel of Chi’s family) one unofficial online poll indicated that 90% of Absolonians would prefer staying hidden from the international community. But this data might be unreliable, since after the Tran family’s execution people with similar political views are discriminated against, so they’re afraid to speak out

Transcript

Anh: Congrats! Your other “self” was saved

Anh: Are you okay

{Lan Chi}: *thinking* *cries in 100 languages* I don’t wanna live that crappy life, maybe I should check if my power is really bad luck

Of Love And War

TW death!!! TW mention of suicide!!! TW violence!!!

Chap 21

Beginning|Previous |Next

Masterpost with chapters links

Character intro

She’s finally crossing the gate and entering the afterlife

the Absolon Kingdom fun facts:

Timezone:  Greenwich Mean Time

Official language: English

Form of Government: Absolute Monarchy

Capital: Bloomingdon (I used North Bloomingdon world by @descargassims​)

Constituent parts: Absolon, Hadesiallania (locates in the northern part of the Absolon Kingdom, the Reaper land. Autonomous area)

Monarch: King Idris I

Population: 56748239 (random number, lolol)

If you want to know something more about the Absolon Kingdom, feel free to ask me. I’ll try to figure out something, hehe

Levi and Mia both have the same dream, and that’s to be the biggest stars on the biggest screens. Working together to achieve the same dream has brought them closer and has made the great friends. 

They slowly started to develop feeling for one another, but neither of them wanted to accept those feelings. They grew distant as a result.

Levi tried talking to other girls, but they all paled in comparison to Mia. Though they weren’t ready to be in a relationship, they were tired of not talking to one another. They started building their friendship back up, until they both realized that they wanted something more than just friendship.

They took that first step.

Jamie has always been focused on her personal agenda. The only thing on her mind being her instruments and doing whatever she pleases. Jamie never really cared much for others, having relationships only because it’s necessary.

This big-shot 5 star celebrity, named Matthew, took interest in her. At first she wasn’t interested, but he kept trying and trying, so Jamie decided to give him a chance. They went on multiple dates and Jamie slowly found herself liking Matthew a little bit more each time.

While all of this was happening Jamie’s eye was caught by a gal named Daisy.

Jamie went drinking one night after a long day of work, when she saw Daisy for the first time. Their eyes locked. Time froze. “She looks beautiful” Jamie thought to herself.

She wanted to talk to her. She wanted to find out everything there was to know about her. This was the first time that she genuinely interested in someone.

They started off as friends, telling each other everything, having a blast together. Jamie would always find herself looking at Daisy and smiling from ear to ear. She couldn’t help it. Then one night they kissed. Their lips locked, their fingers entwined. “This is where I’m meant to be” Jamie thought. She fell for her.

But then the next morning came. Jamie remembered who she is. The position she’s in. She was caught in between a rock and a hard place. She never cared about how people saw her, but she didn’t want her actions to affect two other people. Jamie didn’t want to hurt either of them. If only Jamie were just an average person, but she’s not. She’s in the public eye, and there’s only hurt feelings up ahead.