7.76 Ayato’s Tale: I Am the Heir

Rival Cowfolks in Newcrest: Ayato’s Tale

The unknowing may look at me and assume that I have it all: lineage, wealth, and looks.
Admittedly, I was raised in the lap of luxury.
Everyone believes the Dineros are loaded, but the Zannas are no slouches.
By the time I moved out, my parents had amassed over $600,000 in household funds.

Right after moving out, each Zanna heir is forced to live in dire poverty.
Nevertheless, we Zannas descend  from a venerable aristocratic line of Italian vampires.

Claiming that I’m irresistible, females of all ages throng to my side.
The vampire wannabe, the groupie, the I-want-whatever-my-BFF-wants, the gold-digger, the social climber, you name it.

None of them ever bother to look past my exterior, my pocketbook, my social status.

I am the heir, prized for my looks and talents while my emotional needs go disregarded.

As you know, the Zannas are the fiercest competitors in this Rival Dynasties Challenge.
Our founder, Serena, is particularly intent on winning. She hates to lose at anything.

I didn’t really mind that Mama spent all her time on her bloodline requirements.
I didn’t really mind that Papa worked hard as a scientist then locked himself away to craft camping mascots.
Uncle Masato, a vampire named Bella, and nannies were always around to see to my needs, both biological and dynastic.

Then, one day, Mama shattered my hope for happiness with an announcement.
The founder had chosen my future wife before I’d even been born.

What about Romance? What about True Love? What about my One True Pairing?!

If you’ve been reading this story, you’ll remember why Bella Goth initially agreed to leave her husband.
Grandpa Massimo led her to believe that she would be with him.
I hear she only resigned herself to marrying me due to Mama’s persuasiveness.

Does Bella think I don’t know how she waits until just after I leave for school or work?
Then, she immediately invites Massimo out under the thinly veiled pretext of discussing “family matters.” Right!

Does she not realize I always hear about the times she’s lured Grandpa to secluded spots under false pretenses?

Bella: Oh Massimo, you are such a dear, coming way out here to help me look for my contact lens.
Massimo: Are you sure your lens fell out around here, Bella? What were you doing out here anyway?

Bella: You are a sweetheart, dear Massimo. Let me show you my appreciation with a hug.
Massimo (to himself): Darn, fooled again! When will she realize I’ll never care about her?

Ayato: But I’m not really here to complain about Bella, a woman who only stays for the prestige of becoming the Gen4 Zanna spouse.

No, I wish to tell you about someone who has stolen my heart with kindness and affection.
I wish to tell you about Kendall Roberts.

Soon after my toddler birthday, Uncle Masato throws a toddler play date at the Play and Park community lot.
I’m the hosting toddler and Uncle Masato’s son Makoto is the guest.

After playing on the slides with our fathers, Makoto and I play together in the sand pit.
That’s when I hear the muffled noises of a kitten crying. Did it lose its mommy?

Walking in the direction of the crying, I find a young girl in tears.
My heart aches at the sight of this stranger who seems so sad and alone.

I want to tell her that the flowers on her pigtails are very pretty.
I want to tell her that they’re even prettier than my own beloved toy butterfly.
But I haven’t learned to talk yet. I can only babble.

Suddenly she smiles and opens her arms wide. She plans to hug me!
I have the charmer trait so I’m always Sharing the Love with my family.

But this is the first time anyone, a stranger at that, has wanted to hug me first.
Bring it on, little girl!

She holds me tightly as if she were afraid I might run off and vanish.
She holds me gently as if I were precious.

What is this feeling coming over me? Oh, this is what it feels like to be needed.
She needs to hug me and I needed to be needed. Our timing is perfect.

When she goes to release me, I embarrass myself by clinging to her a wee bit longer.

She’s taken to me because I saw her pain and tried vainly to make her smile.
That she finds my presence to be healing frees me, if only for a moment, from my reality as a dynastic pawn.

Masato: What’s the big rush after blowing out your candles? Why so hush-hush about meeting here?
Ayato: Do you remember that little girl in pigtails at the Play and Park community lot?
We’re both the same age now, but I don’t know anything about her. Can you help me?

Masato: Sure thing. Just tell me what kind of info you want, Ayato!
Ayato: Thanks! And remember, my parents must NOT know.

Ayato: Wow, you have all this info already, Uncle Masato? Even her phone number! You stalk like a boss!
Masato: Once I identified her father as the produce vendor, the rest came very easily.

Ayato: I’m going to text her right now to see if she wants to meet at lunchtime tomorrow.
Masato: Kendall. Her name is Kendall Brothers.

Kendall never replies to my text message, so I head for her school the next morning.
Here she comes! She looks exactly as I remember her!

Hey, Kendall! It’s me, Ayato–we met at the park! *waves

Kendall: What do you mean you’ll come back here for my lunch hour? You don’t go to school?
Ayato: Nope. I just came here to see you! Why didn’t you answer my text yesterday?
Kendall: I didn’t think it was really you who sent it.

Ayato: You’re so cute, Kendall! You say you didn’t believe that text was from me.
But you brought sack lunches for both of us today, anyway.
Kendall: *blushes

Ayato: This plasma fruit salad is delicious! How did you know it’s the only food I can eat?
Kendall: I just tried really hard to cook something that you’d enjoy. *smiles

Ayato: You know, nobody has ever packed me a lunch before, Kendall. Thank you!
Kendall: No problem. *feels secretly very, very pleased

Ayato: Hey, remember when I was a toddler and you hugged me?
Kendall: Yeah. So?

Ayato: Is it okay if I hug you back now?
Kendall: Ummmm…. *squees silently
Ayato: Will you be my BFF, Kendall?

Kendall misunderstands when I invite her over for a League of Adventurers gathering.
She’s all dressed up as if she thinks it’s just gonna be the two of us. I’m flattered.

Ayato: I have so much to tell you about what it means to be a Zanna heir, Kendall!
Kendall: Why tell me all that? I’m not even a vampire!

Ayato: Because I’m hoping that, when we grow up, you’ll want to share this life with me.
Kendall: Oh, Ayato!

During a break between skilling and other move-out requirements, I take the time to age up and turn four girls.
Kendall is not, by any means, just one of the girls. She is my heart.

She grows up into a breathtakingly beautiful teenager. I fall ever deeper in love.

Two days later, Kendall transforms into a vampire in front of our house.
I lure her out of the sunlight and into our home by ageing her up to a young adult.

Ayato: Happy birthday, Kendall! You are now an unflirty insider who’s a foodie!
Kendall: Ayato, does this mean that…?

Ayato: Yes, love. You are perfect. Sadly, though, I’m still a teen though we remain  best friends!
I must wait until Saturday night to finally kiss you!

However, I cannot wait a moment longer to see Kendall attired as my vampire queen.
At my request, she goes to my mother who helps give her a makeover.

And as you already know, my impatience would cost the two of us very dearly.

When she emerges from the closet, our simverse glitches and we’re forced to relive the past day.
After ageing her up to young adult again, I use “Detect personality” on my beloved.

Kendall’s Foodie trait has been replaced by the Mean trait. How could that happen?

Kendall laments her rejection by my family, while Bella looks on with mocking amusement.
She flees the house while I’m preoccupied with completing the rest of my move-out requirements.

Many hours later, I’ve moved out and ensured that Bella is eating for two.
On a hunch, I visit South Square Coffee because Kendall once said she loves the scones there.

And there she sits, looking sad and lonely, just like the first time I saw her at the park.

Do not blame me, gentle readers, for dashing inside and whisking Kendall away to the Ancient Ruins.

I am the heir, prized for my looks and talents while my emotional needs go disregarded.

Kendall is my life, my soul. She is like the very air I breathe: I cannot live without her.

 

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I really needed a break from all my recent micro-managing in this challenge, so I quite enjoyed letting the story take priority over the gameplay (for a change) in this two-part update.
The storytelling got very maudlin and shmarmy at times, but now I feel fully justified in granting Kendall and Ayato all the happiness they rightly deserve.

My apologies to you if Bella is one of your favorite sims. I usually like her quite a lot myself, but I needed Kendall to garner more sympathy, hehe.

Rivals 8.77: How Mortifying, Mortimer!