Many birthdays happen, and some other things.

1. A Piratical Legacy
Chapter 42.1
“You just... go on...”

2. Welcome to the next chapter of A Piratical
Legacy!
This is my first time using a new format and I
hope it works out okay. Please let me know
what you think of it! I'm definitely open to any
and all suggestions.

3. “You know, you can ignore me all you like but I'm not going anywhere,” Sterling said,
waggling a finger at her slightly younger cousin.
“Didn't say I wanted you to,” Balthier shrugged. “It's nice out here. I thought we were just
enjoying each other's company.”
“Really, I'm here to psychoanalyze you,” Sterling said. “Your mom slipped me fifty bucks.”
“See, now you sound like your dad,” Balthier snorted. “Anyway, I don't need a shrink. If I
did, one would drop down out of thin air and make me cluck like a chicken or something.
You know how it works.”

4. “Fine, fine,” Sterling said. “But ... maybe it will help to talk about it? You know I'm here for
you, cous.”
“Nothing to talk about,” Balthier shrugged. “Brittany and I broke up, that's all.”
“Yeah, 'cause she cheated on you with your best friend.”

5. “Thanks so much for reminding me,” Balthier growled. “I could have quite happily gone the
whole afternoon without hearing those words.”

6. “It's not like you can just go around ignoring what happened.”
“Try me.”
“Fine,” Sterling said with a shrug. “I'm going to sic Grandpa on you. He'll get you to talk... or
feel better... or something.”

7. Balthier muttered and shuffled off into the house.
“Ah, just the young man I was hoping to talk to,” Lee said in a cheerful voice.
Balthier stopped and whirled on his grandfather. “Wow, that was fast—even for Sterling.”
“What was that?” Lee blinked. “What does Sterling have to do with anything?”
“She said she was going to sic you on me because I've been avoiding confronting my
conflicted feelings about breaking up with Brittany.”
“Oh, I wouldn't know anything about that,” Lee smiled gently. “I just wanted to make sure
you would be finished with exams for the semester soon.”

8. “The day after Kennit and Arabella's birthday, yeah,” Balthier said with a shrug. “Why?”
“Oh, that works out perfectly!” Lee said happily. “How would you like to go on a vacation to
Twikki Island with your cousins and me?”

9. Balthier broke into a relieved grin. “Grandpa,” he said quickly, “I think that's just what the
doctor ordered.”
“Your parents seem to think it would be a good idea too,” Lee said. “They've noticed you
haven't been yourself lately.”
“Kinda got a good reason for that,” Balthier shrugged.
“No doubt!” Lee agreed. “Breakups are always hard.”
“Yeah, but I don't really want to think about it right now,” Balthier said. “I think what I need is
a nice vacation fling to help me get everything back into perspective. Mmm... island girls.”

10. “Don't try to be too much like your father, young man!” Lee cautioned with a laugh.
“You call dad a Romance sim?” Balthier scoffed. “He's been with mom since she was at
university. He's a disgrace to the entire aspiration. No, I intend to live it up, Romance style,
for the entire length of the trip.”
“Well then, I'm going to have to leave you behind.”
“What???”
“This trip is for getting to know your cousins, Balthier... not the geography of some island
girl's bikini.”
“Fine, I'll be good.”

11. Lee didn't have a chance to broach the subject with Kennit until breakfast the nexct
morning.
“Can we stay in all day and play video games?” Kennit asked excitedly. “I heard that's a fun
thing to do while on vacation.”
“Oh, I think you're going to be too busy to play video games, Kennit,” Lee said. “What would
you think if I said we were going to sail to Twikki Island on the Pearl and you could learn
everything there is to know about captaining a ship?”
Kennit's eyes bugged out of his head. “Really, Grandpa? Really truly?”
“Of course!” Lee smiled.

12. “I'm gonna learn everything I can from Mr. Whedonberry and Mr. Vetinari and Mr. Tegenaria
and Ms. Bohemian and Ms. Finch and all the rest of the crew!” Kennit said happily. “That
way, when I grow up and get to be the Captain of the Pearl, they'll have confidence in my
leadership and will obey me fearlessly, even if we have to sail into the heart of a storm!”
“Well, I don't know if you'll get to be Captain of the ship, but learning all that can't hurt.
Balthier certainly hasn't ever expressed an interest in sailing the Pearl.”
“That's because he doesn't like sailing,” Kennit said. “But I do! I'm gonna be the bestest
Captain ever!”

13. “Come on, Bella Bella,” Jim said fondly, grasping the toddler's hand and leading her down
the hallway. “Time for your breakfast!”
“Don't need help,” Arabella insisted, pulling her hand away. “Big girl now! I can walk all by
myself!”
“That's right,” Lee said, catching up to his son­in­law and his granddaughter. “It's almost
your birthday, right Bella Bella?”
“Yeah!”

14. “So you've told the kids, then?”
“Well, all except Arabella,” Lee chuckled. “I think she might still be a bit young to
understand what I mean when I'm talking about sailing.”
“I un'nerstand,” Arabella insisted, causing both men to look down at her in surprise. “Goin'
on a big boat so we can play at da beach! Told you... I'm big now!”
“Not to mention precocious,” Lee said. He bent down and scooped Arabella into his arms.
“C'mon, Bella Bella. Let's get you dressed.”

15. All fed and dressed for the day ahead, Arabella settled down to the serious business of
playing with her toy horsie. She missed her brothers when they had to go to school and
couldn't play with her, but Arabella was blessed with a vivid imagination and had no end of
fun inventing stories for her toys to act out.

16. “Oh no! Little Timmy fell down the well! Let's go, Silver, an' get him out before mean old
Crumplebottom gets him!”
“Put your toys away now, Arabella!” Ching Shih's voice came from down the hall. “Time for
lunch, but you have to clean up first!”

17. “Not hungry yet, Mama!” Arabella insisted, her childish voice carrying down the hall. “Still
playing!” But despite her insistence, she carefully put the toys back in the toybox and sat
down to wait patiently for her mom to get her.

18. “You did awesome!” Ching Shih said enthusiastically, surveying the room. “You got all your
toys put away so quickly! I can't believe what a big girl you're getting to be!”
“It's almost my birthday,” Arabella insisted.
“It is,” Ching Shih said sadly. “And then I won't have a baby anymore—you'll be all grown
up.”
“I can be grown up and still be your baby,” Arabella said. “Even though I'm big now, I'm still
the littlest. Kennit and Balthier are bigger than me.”
“Don't even remind me,” Ching Shih said fondly. “When did you and your brothers get so
big, Arabella?”

19. “I fink we just growed,” Arabella said. “That's what kids do!”
“I know,” Ching Shih said. “But I wish I could make you all slow down and stay small just a
little longer.” She fell silent for a moment. “Maybe then your brother could have gone a little
longer without having his heart broken.”
“Broken?”
“Just remember to give Balthier lots of hugs and kisses when you're playing with him,”
Ching Shih advised. “I think he needs extra lots right now.”
“I can do that,” Arabella said seriously. “You can count on me, Mama.”

20. Arabella was as good as her word and Balthier spent the next few days being smothered in
hugs and kisses from his little sister. And whenever she wasn't pestering him, Kennit was
asking to play catch or go fishing or read a story together. Ching Shih found herself
worrying just a little bit less about her oldest son and focusing a little more on herself.
“What are you doing?” Jim asked, suppressing a chuckle as he passed from bathroom to
hall via their bedroom.
“Well, we do have that vacation without the kids coming up,” Ching Shih said with a wink. “I
figured it couldn't hurt to get... back in shape, as it were.”
Jim blinked, then grinned as recognition dawned. “Oh... oh! Yes, carry on.”

21. He was still grinning as he made his way downstairs.
“Lee?” he called. “You around?”
“Just a minute,” came the muffled reply from the bathroom.
Jim coughed. “No rush, Dad. I just, ah, wanted to go over some things about tonight's
party... but it can wait.”

22. Lee didn't reply. Let his son­in­law think what he wanted... Lee was getting in some practice
for his upcoming ocean voyage!

23. By the time late afternoon rolled around, the entire household was focused on getting ready
for the birthday party. It was to be a double party, with both Kennit and Arabella
transitioning.
The guests began arriving not long after dark.

24. Ching Shih's older brother and his family were the first to arrive at the party.
Even after three kids and a double handful of years together, Shere Khan and Zing are still
adorable together.
“I love you more than a double fistful of simoleans...” Coxinga warbled in a slightly off­key
voice.
“Your cacophonies, u doesn't need to show me dem,” Shere Khan grinned. “Is can be caek
tiem nao. Is can be hugs tiem later, nudge nudge wink wink mrrow.”
Zing blinked at his husband. “Did you just say...”
But before they could continue the conversation, they were swarmed by a herd of
stampeding nieces and nephews.

25. “Daddy, this party is kinda boring,” Minerva whined. It was obvious that the clownish mouse
and anthropomorphic dog on the tv screen were failing to capture her interest. “Why are we
here, anyway? I don't even know Kennit or Arabella.”
“Well, that's why you're here,” Spandrell said. “So you can get to know your cousins before
you go on your grand sailing adventure.”
“Sailing?” Minerva blinked. “Who said we get to go sailing?”
“Grandpa Lee has asked to take you and all your cousins on a sailing trip to Twikki Island
after Zeus' birthday,” Spandrell said.
“Does Zeus have to come?”
“'Fraid so, kid.”

26. “Hurry up, everyone!” Kennit announced, causing Minerva's line of questioning to come to a
temporary close. “It's time to blow out the candles!”
“Who's up first?” Lee called from the rear of the crowd. “You or Bella Bella?”
“Arabella gets to go first,” Kennit insisted. “She's littler, so she has to go to bed sooner, so
she needs more time to enjoy transition so that means she goes first.”
The others in the room all attempted to follow his logic with greater and lesser degrees of
success.

27. “Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday Bella Bella...
Happy Birthday to you!”

28. The party guests gathered round as Arabella stood unsteadily before the birthday cake.
“I'm not so sure this was a good idea... I can do it tomorrow instead?”
“It's a bit late for second thoughts now!”
“Daddy, you're no help. Uh oh! Here I gooooo!”

29. In a burst of confetti, Arabella suddenly shot up from a sweet little toddler to a rambunctious
child.
“Ooh, I like this!” she said, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Does this mean we can
go sailing now?”
“In a few more days,” Jim promised, smiling broadly. “In the meantime, why don't you go
and get changed? Those are nice clothes and you can keep them if you want to, but your
mom and I did pick out a new outfit for you for your birthday present...”
“In a minute,” Arabella said. “I want to see Kennit's transition and eat cake first.”

30. “Guess I better hurry up and blow out the candles, then!” Kennit grinned. He stepped up to
the second cake and leaned forward, closed his eyes.
“Remember, if you share the wish it doesn't come true!”

31. “Trust me, I'm a pro,” Kennit grinned as he opened his eyes. With a deep breath, he
carefully blew out every last candle. “Aww... no girlfriends... yet.”
“Yeah, but now your wish will come true!” Arabella said excitedly.
“Ooh, I forgot how much this tickles!” Kennit exclaimed

32. “Nice hair,” Balthier smirked.
“It's not so bad,” Arabella said loyally.
Kennit reached up to pat the maligned 'do. “Yes... yes it is.”

33. While the birthday kids ran off to get changed and groomed, Karat pounced her Uncle
Spandrell.
“Uncle Spandrell, how come your kids are blue when you're green?”
Spandrell shrugged. “Well, how come you're all fuzzy and orange when your dad is pink?”
“My other dad isn't pink. He's orange too!”
“Well, Minerva and Zeus' dad is blue just like them!”
Karat thought about that for a moment. “So does that mean you could have a green kid
someday?”
“I suppose it does,” Spandrell said, “but I think I'm all done having kids.”

34. Any further discussion of SiMendelian genetics was interrupted by the arrival of Arabella all
dressed up in her birthday finery.
“So?” she asked, twirling shyly.
“Nice duds, Bella Bella,” Balthier said approvingly. “Halfway between Chinese pirate and
cabin girl.”
“Yeah, that's what I thought,” Arabella said. “It fits real good so I can wear it and climb all
the way up to the crow's nest!”
At that comment, Ching Shih paled slightly, but only Jim noticed. He shot her a reassuring
grin. “Don't worry, my love. The boys will make sure she doesn't get into too much
mischief!”

35. A moment later, Kennit blew into the room.
“Now that's what I call a pirate!” Ching Shih said approvingly.
“He's dressed exactly the same as me but in different colours,” Balthier said disgustedly.
“You'd think my own brother could show a little originality.”
“Nah, gotta go with the best look for a Buccaneer,” Kennit gave his brother a wide grin.
“Besides, it's not like anyone will ever have trouble telling us apart!”
At that, Balthier started laughing. “True that!”

36. “Now, cuddle up and pretend you like your sister,” Ching Shih instructed, whipping out her
camera.
“Hey, don't I get to be in the picture?” Balthier complained.
“You can be in the next one,” Ching Shih said. “This one is just for the birthday kids.”
“You did good, Arabella,” Kennit said in an undertone. “And when we're on the ship, I'm
gonna make sure you learn how to do all the same things I learn.”
Arabella beamed. “Kennit, you're the bestest big brother ever!”
* * *

37. “Kittehs!” Shere Khan called in a loud voice. “Come nao! Kibble is ready! You must om­
nom­nom it!”

38. “I wish he wouldn't call it that,” Karat grumbled to herself. “I might look like a cat, but I'm a
person.”
“It's just cereal,” Sterling observed. “And stop jumping on my bed!”
“Aww... do I have to?”
“Yes!”
“How about I only jump on the bed when you aren't home?” Karat asked in a wheedling voice as
she clambered down.
“You can jump on my bed after I move away for college.”
“But then you won't care whether I do or not,” Karat pouted.
“Exactly!”

39. “Troy!” Shere Khan called, sticking his head out the sliding door. “Is kibble time nao. Kittehs
must have fud before skool.”
“I'm not hungry,” Troy insisted as he inched his way forward along the diving board.
“Anyway, I want to swim a little before the bus comes and I can't swim after eating.”
“Teh aphorism is a lie.” And with that, Shere Khan shut the door and left Troy to his
swimming.

40. “Might as well work on my hovercat impression,” Troy said to himself as he bounced three
times on the end of the board before cannonballing into the pool.

41. Troy laid back and floated weightlessly in the water for what felt like no time at all.
“Get out of the pool and get your pants on!” Sterling's voice was shrill with impatience. “The
bus is just coming down the hill so if you hurry up you won't have to beg dad for a ride to
school! Troy!!!”
“Coming!” the boy spluttered, flipping over onto his stomach and swimming easily to the
side of the pool.

42. “Hey dad... what are you doing?”
“I'm not allowed to stay active and healthy?” Zing asked.
“Well, you're not really lazy but you always go on about not having time to go for a run what with
holding down a full­time job and running two businesses,” Sterling said.
“Working out on a regular basis lowers medical costs in the future. It's a sound financial investment!”
“We have universal health care on Pirate Island, dad.”
“And that means I pay for it with my taxes,” Zing shrugged, stretching. “Thus, lower medical costs
means lower taxes in the long run. I'm just doing my part.”
“You don't pay taxes. That's why you pay your accountant.”
“Hush.”

43. Sterling was still working on her homework when her siblings stampeded in from the
elementary school bus.
“Sterling, you got company!” Troy yelled down the hallway.
“Coming!” Sterling said. She shoved her homework in her inventory and hurried to see who
her visitor was.
* * *

44. “Too bad Maenad's sister couldn't come over to play too,” Karat complained a little while
later.
“Aww, are you saying I'm no fun?” Troy pouted.
“You're fun, but you're a boy,” Karat declared, with as much disgust as she could muster.
“I'll have you know I can't help that,” Troy said. “It's not my fault.”
“I didn't say it was a fault,” Karat said.
“Yes you did,” Troy insisted. “You made it sound like being a boy is some kind of disease.”
“According to dad, male gender is caused by an inherent genetic defect,” Karat said.

45. “That's not how he would say it,” Troy scoffed.
“Maybe not, but you don't need urban dictionary dot com to understand what I'm saying,” Karat
said. “I'm a person, not a cleverly captioned screenshot written in pidgin Simlish.”
“What kind of language is Simlish, anyway?” Troy asked. “I mean, you have all these languages
named after their country of origin, but I've never heard of a country named Simland. Have you?”
“Maybe we just haven't gotten to that section in geography yet.”
“Or maybe—what the heck is Sterling talking about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well I can hear her making beep­boop­beep noises, and I got no idea what that might be about.”

46. “I think she's talking about dad's research again,” Karat said with a grimace. “And stop
trying to distract me with conversation. You're totally cheating!”
“Would I cheat?” Troy fluttered his eyelashes.
“Yes!”
“Oh how well you know me,” he smirked. “Fine, no more cheating. Though you gotta give
me some credit—I figured out how to cheat at Red Hands.”

47. “Thanks so much for talking to me about your dad's research,” Maenad Thayer said happily.
“I'm totally set for my bioethics paper now.”
“You mean, how not to have any?”
“Well, I wasn't going to come out and say it.”
“It's okay. Dad kinda regrets letting things get out of hand, I think. He wanted to have an on­
demand medication couples could use to have a baby. Instead, he wound up entirely
changing the course of human evolution. He's done some lectures on the subject and
posted them on Youtube—give me a call if you want a translation.”
“I'll... keep that in mind,” Maenad said, blinking. “Anyway, I was hoping we'd finish up early
'cause I wanted to ask—what's the whole scoop with Balthier and Brittany?”

48. “Excuse me?”
“Well, everyone knows you're his best friend, especially since he's not talking to Chandler
or Brittany anymore. So I figured you'd have the gossip. What went down that they broke
up? They were totally the entire school's OTP.”
Sterling smiled. “I hardly think that's any of your business, Maenad.”
“Probably not,” the other girl agreed. “But... you know me! I live for gossip!”
Sterling stared at her friend. “No you don't.”
“Okay, I don't. But for some reason my grandmother has this weird fixation on high school
gossip and I said I'd try to get the scoop for her.”
“Your grandmother needs to get a life.”

49. Whatever else Sterling might have to say about Maenad's blue­skinned grandmother was
forever lost to history as Shere Khan arrived home from work just in time to interrupt her.
“I can has hospitable!” he announced to the world at large, his voice carrying into the house
easily. “Is can has dream job! A platinum plumbbob—I has it.”
Shere Khan finally achieved his LTW to Become Chief of Staff, which he's been working on
for something like six chapters now.

50. “It can be hugz tiem nao,” Coxinga purred to his husband that evening. “And celebration
time!”
“Celebration equals of the good,” Shere Khan agreed.
“Eww,” Sterling muttered from the couch. “Please... get a room!”
“Wink wink nudge nudge mrrow,” Shere Khan said, and capered up the stairs with Zing
close at his heels.
“I didn't mean right now,” Sterling mumbled, screwing up her face in disgust. “Now I know.
And I think I'm going to need therapy.”

51. The next day, Karat and Troy brought their cousin home with them. Arabella was a bit
younger than the two of them, but both of them liked her pretty well. They were eager to be
back at the same school as Kennit, though, as both twins were close with their cousin.

52. A rousing game of Whap! Ensued. Both Arabella and Troy were scarce on the nice points.

53. “Gah! That one stung!” Arabella complained, rubbing her stinging hand once she'd
launched the missile back towards her cousin'
“So you're saying you want me to play like a girl?” Troy taunted, winging the ball back at
her.
“I do not think that phrase means what you think it means,” Arabella countered. Using all of
her strength, she whipped the ball straight at her cousin's head. “After all, I'm a girl.”

54. “Hey, that could have hit my nose!” Troy complained. “Fine. You don't throw like a girl.”
“Weren't you listening to what I just said? I am a girl. Therefore I always throw like a girl. It's
just that throwing ilke a girl doesn't really mean anything different than throwing like a boy.”
“I think you should be a lawyer when you grow up, Bella,” Troy said, scratching his head.
“You're very good at arguing.”
“Thank you,” Arabella grinned.

55. It turned out to be a good thing that Arabella had come over because she wound up
sticking around for most of the rest of the evening. As seven o'clock rolled around, the rest
of the extended family joined her to celebrate Troy and Karat's birthdays.
“Okay, gotta get that wish thing right,” Karat said seriously to her brother. “Blow out all the
candles and don't tell anyone what you want.”
“And you gotta pick an aspiration,” Troy reminded her.
“Yeah, but that's the easy part,” Karat said. “I already got one picked out. Don't you?”
“Well, yeah,” Troy shrugged.

56. “Don't keep us all in suspense!” Lee suggested, waving his noisemaker. “Let's get this party
started!”

57. “Okay, the soccer outfit so does nothing for me.”
“Maybe if you ever exercised...” Troy smirked.
“At least blue looks good on me,” Karat said. “You look like a tomato.”
“MOAR FIGHT!”
“Hush, Sterling,” Zing admonished. “There are appropriate times and places for lolspeak.
This is not one of them. Kids, you can tough out those outfits long enough for cake, right?
Shere Khan will have kittens if he doesn't get cake soon.”
“Must nom. Nao!”

58. “Which aspirations did you each choose?” Kennit asked conversationally once cake had
been distributed to eager spectators.
“*BRAAAAAAP*”
“Ewwww! Balthier!”
“If you hold it in, it just presents at the other end,” Balthier said cheerfully.
“Gross,” Troy complained.

59. “I agree,” Borusa said, holding his nonexistant nose. “What did you eat for supper, Balthier?
Garlic­coated curried onions? Rank!”

60. “Well, before I was so rudely interrupted I was about to announce my aspiration choice,”
Karat said, once the spontaneous gagging and nose­holding had drawn to a close.
“Go ahead, my dear,” Spandrell said enthusiastically.
“I picked Family,” the teenaged girl said proudly. “And I'm going to have LOTS of kids... so
they can have lots of weddings that I steamroll despite their best intentions.”
“Momzilla.”
“Instead of making fun of me, how about you share, Troy.”
“No problemo, baby factory. You can go ahead and live in poverty, but I'm going to try to
amass a fortune as the next David Copperfield.”

61. “Nothing wrong with having lots of kids,” Kennit said defensively. “I want at least three,
myself.”
“Good for you,” Borusa said. “Me, I like being a doting uncle. Kids would kinda cramp my
lifestyle.”
“You live with two kids and babysit when their dads are at work.”
“Yes, but if I want to go out instead of watching the kids, it's on their parents to find a
replacement. Not that I'd ever leave them hanging, but I could if I wanted to.”

62. “Aww... you know you love all of us,” Troy teased. “You don't need to have kids, Uncle B,
'cause you've got eight nephews and nieces.”
“Yes, and I spoil all of you far too much.”
“So when are you taking us out clubbing?” Balthier asked. “I've heard the rumors. I want in
on the action.”
“Once you're in college. I had to wait, so you can wait.”
“But helping your nephews devolve into delinquency is one of your sworn duties as
irresponsible uncle!”
“Yes!” Troy chimed in. “Corrupt me!”
“That would be a no. At least while your parents can hear us talking.”

63. “No fair,” Karat muttered. “You guys have Uncle Borusa to smuggle you into the strip clubs.
What's Auntie Shih going to do to corrupt me? Take me to the library?”
“Well, she could take you on an island getaway with just the girls, where you meet a
devilishly handsome islander and run away with him.”
“Yeah, that kind of lightning doesn't strike twice. There aren't two Uncle Jims out there.”
“Actually, if you subscribe to multi­universe theory­­”
“I didn't take you for the scholarly sort, Balthier.”
“Mom leaves her physics journals in the bathroom.”
“Using it as toilet paper doesn't count.”

64. “Grandpa, why do all my cousins gotta be older than me?” Arabella complained. She was feeling a
little excluded by the group of teenagers seated around the kitchen table. “It was fun when Karat and
Troy were kids too, but now they're all big and don't want to play anymore.”
“I think you might be surprised,” Lee said. “I bet if you ask one of them to play catch with you, they
would. Or to hang out on the playground.”
“Yeah, but if any of their friends came around they would say they were babysitting, like Balthier does.
The only one who doesn't treat me like a baby is Kennit, and even he's over there instead of over
here.”
“Well, you do have two more cousins, you know. Minerva is just about your age, and Zeus is only a
little bit younger. You should spend some time getting to know them.”
“I guess, but they live all the way on hte other side of the island so it's kinda far away.”
“If you want to visit them after school sometime, just let your mom know and we can come pick you
up afterwards, dear. Or you could go over on a weekend—I'll take you if your parents are busy.”

65. Finally, the party wound down and those guests with younger kids trickled out the door.
Karat took advantage of not needing to entertain to change into her new outfit and fix her
hair. She felt short and perky suited her a little better than the longer style she'd been
sporting.
Upon close examination, she really resembles a female version of Coxinga.

66. Troy opted for an ultra casual look as well. While he really looked like Coxinga as a child,
his teen features are a much better balance of both his parents.
“Karat, be honest. Do you think I'm going to have trouble finding dates now that I'm old
enough to go on them?”
Karat looked at her brother critically. “I think you and I are going to have no problems with
our social lives whatsoever, Troy. We're two hotties on the prowl, and that's a fact.”
* * *

67. “Ooh, Borusa... your hands are absolutely marvelous.”
“I do try to keep up with my reputation,” Borusa smirked. “So... about what we were
discussing...?”
“The late rent won't be a problem, no.”
“And the clogged toilet?”
“Child's play. I've already forgotten it happened.”
“Well, it's good that's settled. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for work.”

68. On his way back into the apartment suite, Borusa passed by his brother­in­law Hades, who
was taking the youngest Buccaneer cousin for his bath. Zeus favoured his blue­skinned
father very heavily in appearance.
“Can I pway with the ducky?”
“Don't you remember?” Hades asked. “You flushed it down the toilet this morning, and the
nice landlady couldn't rescue it.”
“Ducky spinned in circles.”
“And I hope it was worth it, because you aren't getting another one.”
Zeus giggles and clapped his hands. Then he pouted. “It works when Gwamma does it.”

69. Zeus was still grumbling about his inability to Summon Rubber Duckies when Minerva got home from
school.
“Daddy! Look! I got on the Honour Roll!” she cried.
“Wow! Congratulations!” Spandrell said, setting Zeus down and giving Minerva a big hug.
“Thanks,” Minerva said. “Umm... why is the potty in the hallway?”
“Because your little brother isn't allowed to play in the bathroom anymore,” Spandrell said. “He's been
flushing toys down the toilet.”
“Not my Malibu Stacy doll!”
“No, Stacy is fine,” Spandrell reassured her. “But the rubber ducky your grandmother gave you for
your birthday has decided to take up sewer spelunking.”
“Eww.”
“Indeed.”

70. “Well, if Zeus is going potty in the hallway, I'm not sticking around,” Minerva declared. She
strode into the living room and whirled around to face her father and brother again. “Daddy,
when you're done helping Zeus can you help me with my math homework? I gotta do my
best if I'm going to stay on the honour roll.”
“Are we going to make a scholar out of you yet?” Spandrell chuckled.
“Sorta,” Minerva shrugged. “I gotta do well in school to get scholarships to college. And I
gotta do well in college to get a good job that pays lots of money afterwards!”
“My little Fortune girl,” Spandrell said fondly. “I'll be just a minute with your brother and then
I'll come help you.”

71. In the hallway, Zeus patted his potty sadly. “No more swirlies. No more ducky.”
“I don't like that expression on your face,” Spandrell said apprehensively. “That's the look
your grandmother gets when she's plotting something.”
“Boom!”
“Hey Borusa, can you watch Zeus for a few minutes?” Spandrell called into the kitchen.
“Maybe get him a bottle? Minerva's asked for some help with her homework.”
“I can help her with—oh. Sure, leave the bachelor uncle to take care of emptying the potty.
That's real nice, Spandrell.”
“I try not to disappoint, Borusa.”

72. “The things I do for my family,” Borusa grumbled a few minutes later as he got a fresh bottle
out of the fridge. “Now, where did that toddler get to.”

73. The advantage to having a small apartment is easy location of wayward children, especially
if they don't know how to work doorknobs yet.

74. The next day was a Saturday, and Minerva was up bright and early. None of the adults in
the household were morning people, so she fixed herself a breakfast of reheated pancakes.
She was in too much of a hurry to wait for an adult to make her something a little more
appealing. Besides, this way she could have as much syrup as she wanted.

75. Once she'd eaten, Minerva dashed outside and began pacing back and forth in front of the
apartment building.
“You really came!” she said excitedly when Arabella sauntered up the walk.
“I said I would,” Arabella said. “Grandpa said we should get to know each other before the
big sailing trip, and I'm tired of all my cousins growing up before I do.”
“Well, I'm going to grow up before you do, too,” Minerva said. “But only a little bit before.
Not way before, like Karat and Troy.”
“Good,” Arabella said. “It's okay if you only grow up a little before me, because then we get
to be teenagers together too and go to university together. Wanna play?”

76. “Sure,” Minerva said excitedly. “What do you want to play?”
“Well, we could play tag,” Arabella said. “Only that might make us tired, and then we won't
want to play more after. I like running around, but it does make you tired.”
“I don't like running around,” Minerva said, making a face. “We could watch tv if you like.”
“I could do that at home with my brothers if I wanted to,” Arabella said dismissively.

77. “My brother doesn't watch tv yet,” Minerva said. “He just flushes toys down the toilet.”
Arabella burst out laughing. “Really? What happens when he does that?”
“The toilet overflows and makes a mess everywhere, and then Uncle Borusa has to kiss the
landlady a lot so we don't get in trouble.”
“Grownups are weird.”
“No kidding.”

78. “Hey, I know what we can do!” Arabella said excitedly.
“What?!?” Minerva's cousin's enthusiam was infectious.
“We can play house! My brothers never want to play house with me. They say only girls
play house.”
“Well, I'm a girl,” Minerva grinned. “C'mon inside. My room isn't very big, but my dolls are in
there and we can shut the door so Zeus doesn't bug us.”

79. The two girls played happily together for the rest of the day until finally, Lee stopped by to see
how they were getting on.
As he made his way into the building he was surprised to see Zeus sitting all by himself on the
floor in the building's party room.
“How did you get in here?” Lee asked, scoopping his grandson up into his arms.
Zeus giggled. “Zeus go down the hole.”
“And which hole would that be?”
But the impish youngster just laughed even harder than before.
“I think you take after your dad's side of the family a little too much. Well, maybe your birthday will
cure you of some of your antics. Either that, or make them easier to get away with.”
“Boom!” Zeus agreed.

80. A few more relatives made their way over to the apartment building to join in Zeus' birthday
celebration, as well as a few other guests.
“Hey Georgia,” Kennit grinned, waving shyly at the pretty brunette. “I didn't know you lived
here too.”
“Yeah, my brothers and sister and I live in the penthouse,” Georgia Newson said.
“Don't you have two sisters?” Kennit might be newly teened, but he was pretty sure he
knew almost everybody on Pirate Island. “I think my brother is friends with them.”
“Yeah, but Ginger's gone to college in Paris, so she doesn't live with us anymore,” Georgia
shrugged.

81. “Well,” Kennit said, taking a deep breath, “I'm glad you live here 'cause it's nice having
someone cool to hang out with at my little cousin's birthday party.”
“Heh, likewise,” Georgia said. “I like my siblings, but it's nice seeing a new face sometimes.
You just had your birthday too, right?”
“Yep,” Kennit nodded.
“Mine was a few days ago, so I guess we're about the same age,” Georgia said.
“Cool. Um, Georgia?”
“Yeah?”
“You wanna go out for coffee or something maybe after the party? Or not. I mean, you don't
have to. I just thought it might be nice. But I totally understand if you don't—“

82. Fortunately for Kennit, Georgia wasn't shy about letting him know her answer. He kind of
grinned hazily at her—at least until Georgia's brother Garrett noticed him.
“Eww. Dude, get your hands off my sister.”
“Hey, don't get your panties in a bunch,” Kennit said defensively.
“Garrett, go away,” Georgia said, blushing. “Kennit and I were... talking. Come on, Kennit.
Let's go outside and... talk.”
Kennit's eyes glazed over and he trailed obediently after her.

83. It wasn't until they were ready to blow out the candles that Kennit came out of his kiss­
induced stupor. Of course, the fact that Georgia kept on kissing him might have had
something to do with it. But he wasn't dazed enough to miss out on the transitioning of
Zeus.
“Hurry up and blow out the candles!” Arabella instructed. “As soon as you're grown up, we
can go on our trip!”
“Well, not quite,” Spandrell chuckled. “But close enough. Ready, Zeus?”
The blue toddler clapped his hands excitedly. He absolutely loved being the centre of
attention. “Watch!” he commanded. “Boom!”

84. And, with an explosion of coloured confetti, the youngest of the Buccaneer cousins burst
into childhood!
“Now, is anybody else worried?” Balthier asked anxiously. The others just ignored him and
wandered off to eat cake.
* * *

85. * Orikes writes
the Pseudo
Legacy
“Will, my love?”
“Yes, Ori?”
“How did we manage to last the longest of our entire generation?” Orikes was smiling, but
there was a sense of melancholy in her normally cheerful voice.

86. “Just lucky, I guess,” Will said. “Lucky to get these extra days together, I mean.”
“Even though it means watching most of our friends leave before we do? And others of our
friends stay young forever thanks to Elixir?”
“Do you wish we'd used Elixir, then?”
Ori shrugged, then smiled. “Not really, no. I'd rather grow old in time than stay younger than
our children.”
“I feel the same way,” Will nodded. He held out his arms.

87. Orikes fell into them—a familiar motion for both of them.
“I wish we could go at the same time.”
“So do I—only because I don't want you to be sad,” Will said softly.
“Well, of course I'll be sad,” Orikes said. “But not for long. Just don't drink all the tequila before I
get there, okay? Your sister keeps talking about limited supplies.”
“I think she's just teasing,” Will grinned. “From the sound of things, the afterlife is whatever we
want. I have heard stories of sandcastles.”
“Ooh, can we build an enormous one and live in it?”
“Only until Gertie or Grace jumps on it and smashes it.”
“I forgot they have it in for silica­based construction.”

88. Will and Orikes swayed to music only they could hear for most of the afternoon, but
eventually they realized they had to go outside to where the rest of the family was waiting.
“Hi Grandpa!” Mialee said, putting on a brave face.
“Hey there, moppet,” Will said, reaching forward and tousling her hair through the fuzzy
pink toque. “What, no smile for me?”
“Mom thaid we're going to be thad today,” Mialee said, her lip quivering. “I don't want to be
thad, Grandpa, but Mom thaid you're going away and can't ever come back.”
“That might be true,” Will didn't feel this was the appropriate time to enlighten Mialee as to
the phenomenon of ghostly hauntings. “But eventually you'll come to where I am. In the
meantime, are you going to say goodbye without one last game of Rock Paper Scissors?”

89. Convincing Mialee to play wasn't terribly difficult.
“Do you think it would be morbid if I took pictures?” Liv asked.
“Go right ahead, my dear,” Will said. His voice faltered a bit, but he continued. “Lidda's not
really going to—to remember me. Except with pictures, I mean. So it might be best—“

90. “WILLIAM BUCCANEER­PSEUDO, YOUR TIME IS UP.”
“Aww, that means Mialee won our last game. And it's going to be years til I can challenge
her to a rematch.”
“VERY FUNNY, BROTHER.”
“You think I'm good now, just wait til Nick and I are reunited. It'll be the double­talking,
double trouble twins all over again.”
“GRACE WILL BE THRILLED.”
“I can't wait to see the look on her face when Nick and I start finishing each others'
sentences again. It's gonna be awesome.”

91. “Not going to cry,” Orikes whispered to herself, squeezing back the tears that threatened to
fall. “Not going to look at the gravestone. Going to play with my grandbabies and wait
patiently for my turn. Not going to cry.”

92. “Grandma, I need a hug,” Dominic said unhappily. “My throat is all chokey and my eyes are
all burny and I miss Grandpa.”
Orikes sighed and wiped her eyes. “Me too.” She reached down and held Dominic for a
long time. “Head inside, Dominic.I'll be there in a minute. I just need to...”
“It's okay to cry, Grandma,” Dominic said seriously. “It's not a bad thing to miss someone. I
bet Grandpa misses you too.”
Orikes blinked at her grandson and then rushed into the house.

93. Dominic followed her inside at a more sedate pace.
“Arrr! What's with all the bleedin' and moanin', mate?” a rather Piratical bear called from the entry
way rug.
Dominic picked up the teddy bear and stood in the doorway for a moment. “Grandpa died,” he
said somberly.
“Shame,” the bear said. “Davy Jones' locker is no place fer a respectable pirate, savvy? Why d'ye
think I'm hauntin' this bear rather than moving on meself?”
“You know, they got rum in the afterlife.”
“Arr! Been nice knowin' ye!”
“You're very funny, Grandpa Jack.”
“I tries, mate. But I think I'll stick around a wee bit longer. Say... three generations or so.”

94. While it wasn't easy, the Pseudo family found that it was possible to go on without their
beloved grandfather. Life slowly returned to normal.
“'Lando, do you think Grandpa's ghost will haunt tonight?” Billy asked Orlando somewhat
eagerly a few mornings later.
“I guess it's possible,” Orlando shrugged. “A little morbid for you to be thinking of it, but
possible. Why do you ask?”
“It's mine and Dominic's birthday tonight, and I heard ghosts sometimes come out for
special occasions, that's all. Don't you think Grandpa wants to come? He always liked
parties.”
“Are you two having a party?” Orlando asked. “If so, can I bring Arta?”
“Just a family party, I think,” Billy said. “I guess you can bring your girlfriend if you want to.”

95. “Arta can come over on the weekend,” Lainey called over from the poker table. “Tonight is
just for family, Orlando.”
“Fine,” Orlando grumbled. “I guess I can give you guys a few hours of my undivided
attention.” He disappeared into his room, presumably to get dressed for school and
complain about hte injustice via text message.
“I think that boy is just itching to be grown up and out on his own,” Orikes said sagely.
“I think you may be right,” Lainey agreed. “Well, he will be off to college soon enough. Until
then, he must abide by the house rules just as his siblings do.”
“I'd hardly call them all models of good behaviour,” Orikes snorted. “Cate and Sarah get up
to all kinds of mischief.”
“Yes, but I do not catch them at it,” Lainey smiled serenly. “That is the key, you see.”

96. “I can't wait til Billy is in high school,” Cate said, frowning at her homework. “He's way better
at this stuff than I am, and totally bribeable.”
“I think you're mixing up our brothers,” Sarah said. “Billy's the brain, yeah, but Dominic is
the one who takes bribes.”
“Better to do your own homework so you don't get screwed over at test time,” Orlando said
sagely.
“Like you're one to talk,” Sarah smirked. “We all know you get Arta to do your homework for
you, and you can spare us the details of how you pay her.”

97. “She does not do my homework for me,” Orlando was indignant. “We work together, I'll
have you know. We both do the work and then we compare our answers when the teacher
hands it back. Sometimes she's right, and sometimes I'm right. If she gets something I
don't, she explains it and vice versa.”
“Explains with her tongue, you mean?”
“That is generally necessary for speech, yes.”

98. Sarah stared at her older brother for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Okay, you win that
round. But you can't deny you spend as much time kissing as you do studying.”
“What can I say?” Orlando grinned. “I'm fabulous at multi­tasking. Anyway, you're one to
talk, Ms. Romance.”
“I consider dating an exercise in multi­tasking.”

99. “I wouldn't mind getting a date one of these days,” Cate complained.
“I haven't heard you complaining about lack of kissage before,” Sarah said.
“Oh, I get plenty of kissing,” Cate said. “It's when I suggest going for coffee or catching a
movie that the boys make with the disappearing act.”
“The solution is obvious,” Orlando said with a shrug. “Stop kissing until after the first date.”
“Some guys do need the thrill of the chase,” Sarah agreed.
“Orlando! Sarah! Cate! Hurry up and finish—your brothers want to blow out the candles and
grow up already!” Hugo's voice sounded from upstairs.
“Be right there!”

100. By the time the thee older Pseudo kids made their way upstairs, Billy was already standing
in front of the cake, the candles lit.
“Took you long enough,” their normally placid brother grumbled. “I've been all tingly for
ages. Do you know how hard it is to hold in a transition? And I gotta go so Dominic can
have his turn!”

101. A flurry of confetti later, and a teenager stood where the boy had been.
“That was ... intriguting,” Billy murmured as he examined his hands. Then his expression
changed. “And could this outfit be any dorkier? Hurry up, Dominic! I gotta get into some
cooler threads!”

102. “Soon as I blow out the candles we get to eat cake, right?” Dominic asked, staring intently
at the sugary confection on the counter.
“Absolutely,” Cate grinned. “Now hurry it up, bro. I'm hungry!”

103. “I'm going to need a lot of bubbles before I leave the house looking like this,” Dominic
exclained a few short moments later.
“One of my sons is a bubblehead?” Hugo shook his head.
“I'll have you know this family has a proud history of Pleasure sims,” Orikes sniffed.
“Besides, someone has to balance out Billy the Bookworm.”
“Hey, I'm as playful as the rest of the famiily,” Billy protested. “I just like learning new things,
that's all. Now, can we eat cake so Dom and I can un­dorkify?”

104. By the time Billy and Dominic were finished 'undorkifying', it was obvious that they were two
of the best­looking boys of the generation.
“You realize we went for the same colour scheme as our sisters, right?” Billy asked.
“So? Blue and red are good colours.”
“Do you think people will think we're copycats?”
“Some of the other sets of twins at the high school dress completely alike and are identical.
I think we're safe.”
“I guess. So, now that we're teenagers what do you want to do?”

105. “EPIC SOUL CALIBUR BATTLE!”

106. “Yeah! I totally wasted your ass!”
“Only because you're a cheap­assed player.”
“I turn button­mashing into an art form. You button mash enough, you figure out the
combos and actually manage strategy,” Dominic said.
“There's no way you can beat me two times in a row, though,” Billy protested. “Logically, I
should be able to wipe the floor with you because I actually know what I'm doing.”
“Less talk, more fight.”

107. “Okay, that's it. You're definitely cheating!” Billy complained a few minutes later.
“Nope,” Dominic said. “Just playing with the hands of an expert video gamer.”
“You never play!” Billy complained, throwing up his hands in frustration. “That's it. We're
switching characters. You can be Lizardman and I get to be The Apprentice.”
“Okay, but it's not going to make a difference.”
“No? I bet you five bucks I can beat you with The Apprentice. His character is so
overpowered it's not even funny. You shouldn't have been playing as him to begin with if
you wanted a fair fight.”
“You want a fair fight? Fine. We'll both play as The Apprentice.”

108. For several moments, the only sounds in the room were the frenzied mashing of buttons
and rapid clicking of controllers, punctuated by the inane utterances of the video game
characters.

109. “Hey kids, what's up?” Hugo asked, emerging from his bedroom door.

110. Dominic looked up at his father, taking his eyes off of the screen to do so.
“YOU LOSE.”
“Yes!” Billy crowed. “Told you I'd beat you in a fair fight!”
“But... but...”
“That's nice, kids,” Hugo said, a goofy grin on his face.
“No fair!”
* * *

111. “Mom, can I invite Minerva over to play?” Mialee asked, putting her hand over the receiver
for a moment.
Liv rocked the infant in her arms gently and fitted a bottle to Lidda's mouth before nodding.
“If it's okay with her dads, go ahead. But she can't stay too late. Your father is coming over
tonight for Lidda's birthday.”

112. “You can come over!” Mialee announced importantly into the phone. “Bring your dollth.
We've got thome theriouth house to be playing.”

113. “Not too long until you get to play house with your sister and her friends, is it?” Liv cooed,
brushing one finger across Lidda's velvety smooth cheek. “I can't believe my babies are
leveling up so quickly!”
Lidda blinked and waved her tiny fists in response.
“Exactly,” Liv nodded. “With great power comes great responsibility.”

114. “So did you bring your dollth?” Mialee lisped eagerly.
“Uh huh,” Minerva nodded. “Where do you want to go play?”
“There'th an empty doghouthe in the back yard,” Mialee said. “I thought we could play there
cauthe it'th almotht like a real playhouthe. Our yard ithn't big enough for a playhouthe but
the doghoutheth are almotht ath good.”

115. “Won't it smell like dogs?” Minerva asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Not really,” Mialee said. “The maid watheth it when thee cometh, tho it'th pretty clean.”
“I guess it's gotta be cleaner than my toys after my little brother has been playing with
them,” Minerva said. “He always tries flushing them down the toilet, only now that he's a kid
and not a baby he ties fishing line to them and then pulls them out again after the flush.”
“Why doeth he do that?”
“He says he's experimenting, but I think he's just being weird.”

116. “Yeah, that ith pretty weird,” Mialee agreed. “Um, no offenthe, but I don't think I want to play
with your dollth anymore if your brother hath been fluthing them down the toilet.”
“Oh, he's never managed to flush Malibu Stacy,” Minerva said quickly. “And anyway, you've
got this great big pond here so even if she is dirty we can give her a bath.”
“Ooh!” Mialee grinned. “I'm not thuppothed to play in the pond, but mom'th buthy with Lidda
right now tho we won't get in trouble. Let'th go!”
The two girls played quite happily together until nearly nightfall, at which point a rather
dripping Minerva headed home and Mialee snuck upstairs to try to get changed before her
father showed up.

117. “You don't have to do that,” Liv exlaimed, coming up the stairs and starting at the sight of
her longtime lover, Count Randy, bent over to clean the cat bed.
“What, you should do all the work of cleaning for our daughter's birthday by yourself?”
Count Randy clucked in disapproval. “I saw the cat bed was in need of cleaning, so I
cleaned it.”
“You do a much more conventional job of cleaning than I do,” Liv observed. “I usually just
shove things under the bed and in the closet.”
“That would explain the crunching when I sat down on the couch, then.”
Liv blanched. “The rum!”

118. Count Randy stalked into the childrens' bedroom and gathered Lidda into his arms while Liv
rushed downstairs to clean up his inadvertant mess. “Your mother is very, very strange.”
Lidda just blinked at him with big eyes.
“I see we are in agreement,” Count Randy nodded. “Come, let us go downstairs. I still must
greet your sister.”

119. “Oh, could you feed her please?” Liv asked when Randy tried to hand Lidda off to her. “I think I'm
going to have to get the dust buster.”
“For a liquid spill?”
“It works really well as long as you're careful not to touch anything metal while it's turned on,” Liv
said.
Count Randy nearly dropped Lidda at this. “Perhaps you should finish feeding Lidda and I will find
the mop.”
“I don't have one of those,” Liv said, taking the baby from his arms. “But I guess we could calll in
one of the dogs and get her to roll around a bit.”
“You seem more insane than usual today,” Count Randy said.
“And you aren't even phased by it,” Liv marveled. “The mop's in Mialee's bathroom. And next
time... don't be so serious.” She stuck her tongue out at him as the doorbell rang.

120. Count Randy flew upstairs to get the mop, only to be intercepted by fifty pounds of hyperactive child.
“Daddy!” Mialee shrieked, throwing herself at him.
Count Randy staggered, but avoided falling down the stairs as he balanced Mialee on his toes. “How
are you, child?” he asked, grinning.
“I'm good,” Mialee announced. “I played with my friend Minerva all day today and we gave Malibu
Thtacy a bath in the pond and mom didn't even find out!”
“I shall have to tell her, you realize.”
Mialee pouted. “Hey, no fair!” She grabbed his hands and started dancing. “Please, daddy? Promithe
you won't tell? Mom will ground me practically forever if thee findth out.”
“Very well,” Count Randy said reluctantly. “I must still tell her, but I will wait until next week, after your
birthday. She is unlikely to ground you then.”
“Thankth, daddy! You're the bethtetht!” A peck on the cheek, and Mialee rushed downstairs, Randy
following bemusedly behind her.

121. They arrived downstairs to find the party in full swing.
“And here I thought you two weren't going to show up for the party,” Liv joked, handing both
of them noisemakers.
“Don't be thilly, mom,” Mialee said scornfully. “Of courthe we came to the party. I live here
and daddy almotht doeth.”
She continued to protest even as the rest of the guests burst into song, until she realized
she was missing out. Then Mialee's voice carried over the entire rest of the group.

122. As the familiar birthday tune drew to a close, Liv bounced Lidda up towards the ceiling.
There was a puff of bright confetti and suddenly she was holding a toddler instead of an
infant.

123. Lidda grew up into a tidy, vivacious, somewhat sleepy, playful sweetheart, and one who
looked a lot different to her sister at that.
The entire family, upon seeing her changed and her hair fixed up, proclaimed her
completely lovable.
* * *

124. “Okay,” Laertes said, fixing his half­sister Persephone with a piercing look, “spill.”
“My coffee?”
“Don't be evasive,” Laertes insisted. “You've been in this weird mood for weeks now,
Persephone. I know you, and I know you did something. Mom and dad might be completely
oblivious, but you can't fool me.”
“I could if I wanted to,” Persephone said, patting her pocket. A slight bulge indicated she
was carrying her PSP.

125. “That's not what I meant,” Laertes scolded. “And you know it. But speaking of that... thing...”
“Yes, I did do something with it that I shouldn't have,” Persephone admitted.
“I knew it! So... what did you do?”

126. Persephone looked around carefully to make sure nobody else was paying attention to their
conversation before starting to speak. “I messed with my grandma's plans.”
“What?!?”
“Just what I said,” she said in an irritated tone. “Grandma has this really, really nasty plan in
mind for this guy on that island where she lives. I stopped it – well, for now at least.”
“And? What did you do?”
“Well, first I gave him a prophetic dream, but he was dumb and ignored it. So then I made
him break up with his girlfriend.”
Laertes looked puzzled. “I don't get it.”

127. Persephone rolled her eyes. “I haven't finished yet! She was being a total skank and was
all over the guy's supposed­to­be best friend. I made sure he caught them at it.”
“So what does that mean?” Laertes asked, interested in spite of himself.
“It means,” Persephone said importantly, “that I was able to stop grandma's plan in its
tracks. And that means... that she and I are kind of in a race.” She grinned. “And I intend to
win.”
To be continued...
Stay tuned for Chapter 42 – Part B.... coming soon!

128.
A Piratical Legacy
Chapter 42.1
“You just... go on...”
1

129.
Welcome to the next chapter of A Piratical
Legacy!
This is my first time using a new format and I
hope it works out okay. Please let me know
what you think of it! I'm definitely open to any
and all suggestions.
2

130.
“You know, you can ignore me all you like but I'm not going anywhere,” Sterling said,
waggling a finger at her slightly younger cousin.
“Didn't say I wanted you to,” Balthier shrugged. “It's nice out here. I thought we were just
enjoying each other's company.”
“Really, I'm here to psychoanalyze you,” Sterling said. “Your mom slipped me fifty bucks.”
“See, now you sound like your dad,” Balthier snorted. “Anyway, I don't need a shrink. If I
did, one would drop down out of thin air and make me cluck like a chicken or something.
You know how it works.”
3

131.
“Fine, fine,” Sterling said. “But ... maybe it will help to talk about it? You know I'm here for
you, cous.”
“Nothing to talk about,” Balthier shrugged. “Brittany and I broke up, that's all.”
“Yeah, 'cause she cheated on you with your best friend.”
4

132.
“Thanks so much for reminding me,” Balthier growled. “I could have quite happily gone the
whole afternoon without hearing those words.”
5

133.
“It's not like you can just go around ignoring what happened.”
“Try me.”
“Fine,” Sterling said with a shrug. “I'm going to sic Grandpa on you. He'll get you to talk... or
feel better... or something.”
6

134.
Balthier muttered and shuffled off into the house.
“Ah, just the young man I was hoping to talk to,” Lee said in a cheerful voice.
Balthier stopped and whirled on his grandfather. “Wow, that was fast—even for Sterling.”
“What was that?” Lee blinked. “What does Sterling have to do with anything?”
“She said she was going to sic you on me because I've been avoiding confronting my
conflicted feelings about breaking up with Brittany.”
“Oh, I wouldn't know anything about that,” Lee smiled gently. “I just wanted to make sure
you would be finished with exams for the semester soon.”
7

135.
“The day after Kennit and Arabella's birthday, yeah,” Balthier said with a shrug. “Why?”
“Oh, that works out perfectly!” Lee said happily. “How would you like to go on a vacation to
Twikki Island with your cousins and me?”
8

136.
Balthier broke into a relieved grin. “Grandpa,” he said quickly, “I think that's just what the
doctor ordered.”
“Your parents seem to think it would be a good idea too,” Lee said. “They've noticed you
haven't been yourself lately.”
“Kinda got a good reason for that,” Balthier shrugged.
“No doubt!” Lee agreed. “Breakups are always hard.”
“Yeah, but I don't really want to think about it right now,” Balthier said. “I think what I need is
a nice vacation fling to help me get everything back into perspective. Mmm... island girls.”
9

137.
“Don't try to be too much like your father, young man!” Lee cautioned with a laugh.
“You call dad a Romance sim?” Balthier scoffed. “He's been with mom since she was at
university. He's a disgrace to the entire aspiration. No, I intend to live it up, Romance style,
for the entire length of the trip.”
“Well then, I'm going to have to leave you behind.”
“What???”
“This trip is for getting to know your cousins, Balthier... not the geography of some island
girl's bikini.”
“Fine, I'll be good.”
10

138.
Lee didn't have a chance to broach the subject with Kennit until breakfast the nexct
morning.
“Can we stay in all day and play video games?” Kennit asked excitedly. “I heard that's a fun
thing to do while on vacation.”
“Oh, I think you're going to be too busy to play video games, Kennit,” Lee said. “What would
you think if I said we were going to sail to Twikki Island on the Pearl and you could learn
everything there is to know about captaining a ship?”
Kennit's eyes bugged out of his head. “Really, Grandpa? Really truly?”
“Of course!” Lee smiled.
11

139.
“I'm gonna learn everything I can from Mr. Whedonberry and Mr. Vetinari and Mr. Tegenaria
and Ms. Bohemian and Ms. Finch and all the rest of the crew!” Kennit said happily. “That
way, when I grow up and get to be the Captain of the Pearl, they'll have confidence in my
leadership and will obey me fearlessly, even if we have to sail into the heart of a storm!”
“Well, I don't know if you'll get to be Captain of the ship, but learning all that can't hurt.
Balthier certainly hasn't ever expressed an interest in sailing the Pearl.”
“That's because he doesn't like sailing,” Kennit said. “But I do! I'm gonna be the bestest
Captain ever!”
12

140.
“Come on, Bella Bella,” Jim said fondly, grasping the toddler's hand and leading her down
the hallway. “Time for your breakfast!”
“Don't need help,” Arabella insisted, pulling her hand away. “Big girl now! I can walk all by
myself!”
“That's right,” Lee said, catching up to his son­in­law and his granddaughter. “It's almost
your birthday, right Bella Bella?”
“Yeah!”
13

141.
“So you've told the kids, then?”
“Well, all except Arabella,” Lee chuckled. “I think she might still be a bit young to
understand what I mean when I'm talking about sailing.”
“I un'nerstand,” Arabella insisted, causing both men to look down at her in surprise. “Goin'
on a big boat so we can play at da beach! Told you... I'm big now!”
“Not to mention precocious,” Lee said. He bent down and scooped Arabella into his arms.
“C'mon, Bella Bella. Let's get you dressed.”
14

142.
All fed and dressed for the day ahead, Arabella settled down to the serious business of
playing with her toy horsie. She missed her brothers when they had to go to school and
couldn't play with her, but Arabella was blessed with a vivid imagination and had no end of
fun inventing stories for her toys to act out.
15

143.
“Oh no! Little Timmy fell down the well! Let's go, Silver, an' get him out before mean old
Crumplebottom gets him!”
“Put your toys away now, Arabella!” Ching Shih's voice came from down the hall. “Time for
lunch, but you have to clean up first!”
16

144.
“Not hungry yet, Mama!” Arabella insisted, her childish voice carrying down the hall. “Still
playing!” But despite her insistence, she carefully put the toys back in the toybox and sat
down to wait patiently for her mom to get her.
17

145.
“You did awesome!” Ching Shih said enthusiastically, surveying the room. “You got all your
toys put away so quickly! I can't believe what a big girl you're getting to be!”
“It's almost my birthday,” Arabella insisted.
“It is,” Ching Shih said sadly. “And then I won't have a baby anymore—you'll be all grown
up.”
“I can be grown up and still be your baby,” Arabella said. “Even though I'm big now, I'm still
the littlest. Kennit and Balthier are bigger than me.”
“Don't even remind me,” Ching Shih said fondly. “When did you and your brothers get so
big, Arabella?”
18

146.
“I fink we just growed,” Arabella said. “That's what kids do!”
“I know,” Ching Shih said. “But I wish I could make you all slow down and stay small just a
little longer.” She fell silent for a moment. “Maybe then your brother could have gone a little
longer without having his heart broken.”
“Broken?”
“Just remember to give Balthier lots of hugs and kisses when you're playing with him,”
Ching Shih advised. “I think he needs extra lots right now.”
“I can do that,” Arabella said seriously. “You can count on me, Mama.”
19

147.
Arabella was as good as her word and Balthier spent the next few days being smothered in
hugs and kisses from his little sister. And whenever she wasn't pestering him, Kennit was
asking to play catch or go fishing or read a story together. Ching Shih found herself
worrying just a little bit less about her oldest son and focusing a little more on herself.
“What are you doing?” Jim asked, suppressing a chuckle as he passed from bathroom to
hall via their bedroom.
“Well, we do have that vacation without the kids coming up,” Ching Shih said with a wink. “I
figured it couldn't hurt to get... back in shape, as it were.”
Jim blinked, then grinned as recognition dawned. “Oh... oh! Yes, carry on.”
20

148.
He was still grinning as he made his way downstairs.
“Lee?” he called. “You around?”
“Just a minute,” came the muffled reply from the bathroom.
Jim coughed. “No rush, Dad. I just, ah, wanted to go over some things about tonight's
party... but it can wait.”
21

149.
Lee didn't reply. Let his son­in­law think what he wanted... Lee was getting in some practice
for his upcoming ocean voyage!
22

150.
By the time late afternoon rolled around, the entire household was focused on getting ready
for the birthday party. It was to be a double party, with both Kennit and Arabella
transitioning.
The guests began arriving not long after dark.
23

151.
Ching Shih's older brother and his family were the first to arrive at the party.
Even after three kids and a double handful of years together, Shere Khan and Zing are still
adorable together.
“I love you more than a double fistful of simoleans...” Coxinga warbled in a slightly off­key
voice.
“Your cacophonies, u doesn't need to show me dem,” Shere Khan grinned. “Is can be caek
tiem nao. Is can be hugs tiem later, nudge nudge wink wink mrrow.”
Zing blinked at his husband. “Did you just say...”
But before they could continue the conversation, they were swarmed by a herd of
stampeding nieces and nephews. 24

152.
“Daddy, this party is kinda boring,” Minerva whined. It was obvious that the clownish mouse
and anthropomorphic dog on the tv screen were failing to capture her interest. “Why are we
here, anyway? I don't even know Kennit or Arabella.”
“Well, that's why you're here,” Spandrell said. “So you can get to know your cousins before
you go on your grand sailing adventure.”
“Sailing?” Minerva blinked. “Who said we get to go sailing?”
“Grandpa Lee has asked to take you and all your cousins on a sailing trip to Twikki Island
after Zeus' birthday,” Spandrell said.
“Does Zeus have to come?”
“'Fraid so, kid.” 25

153.
“Hurry up, everyone!” Kennit announced, causing Minerva's line of questioning to come to a
temporary close. “It's time to blow out the candles!”
“Who's up first?” Lee called from the rear of the crowd. “You or Bella Bella?”
“Arabella gets to go first,” Kennit insisted. “She's littler, so she has to go to bed sooner, so
she needs more time to enjoy transition so that means she goes first.”
The others in the room all attempted to follow his logic with greater and lesser degrees of
success.
26

154.
“Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday Bella Bella...
Happy Birthday to you!”
27