Overlord Legacy - Chapter Forty-Three - Bad Dog

Tobie: "Are you sure I'm going to be decent at roller skating? The whole idea of moving across a smooth surface with wheels under my feet isn't that comforting to me."
Amaranth: "You'll catch onto it, just like...just like Gator and I have."

It still seems strange to Amaranth to call her husband "Gator" for Tobie. Although Tobie's grown more accepting of Gator, he still continues to call him Gator rather than "dad." Amaranth supposes it's to be expected. Gator isn't Tobie's father and he'd only come into their lives recently. Still, it's a little uncomfortable to call him "dad" around Severin and "Gator" around Tobie.

Amaranth had convinced Gator to spend the day at the festival, trying to teach the boys to roller skate. Secretly she'd wanted to have a talk with Tobie. He'd seemed a bit quieter, a bit more hesitant, even a bit morose as of late. She wonders what's going through his mind, if it's something as small as school stuff, or if he'd started to think about his own parents. Amaranth herself doesn't know Tobie's birth mother, and after Tobie grew to loathe Zack for what he'd done to his mother and older brother, Amaranth is reluctant to tell Tobie that Zack is his father as well.

Amaranth hopes the festival will be a laidback way to start the conversation with Tobie. Much to her irritation, Severin has insisted upon staying at the castle. He claims he wants to make his own car out of exploded toilets or something. He's certainly a bit eccentric and likely to actually pull it off. Still, Amaranth wishes he'd cooperate with family plans sometimes.

Gator, Amaranth, and Tobie get into the car and head to the park. Tobie's stomach twists as soon as he sees the skating rink. This really isn't his idea of a good time. He's not particularly adventurous.

Gator: "...I really hope we'll still have a castle to come back to when we're done here."
Amaranth: "I'd scold you for not trusting Severin enough except that your concerns are completely valid."
Tobie: "How many toilets do you think he's going to blow up this time?"
Gator: "I'm pretty sure the plumbing company thinks I'm the most insane man ever to reside in Moonlight Falls. I don't think they believe me when I tell them my son keeps blowing up toilets."

Severin has, in fact, been trying to work on creating a vehicle out of toilets. But he'd wanted to stay home for an entirely different reason. Someone had accidentally texted him last night, meaning to send it to another number. It turns out the texter was Tracey Harris, whom Severin thought fairly attractive - attractive enough to start playing his game with. After texting into the long hours, Tracey has agreed to come over this morning, after Severin had convinced her his family would be gone. Severin is rather excited. He does plenty of flirting at school, but the hallway patrol is pretty strict about PDA. Now, without his parents watching, there's no line for Severin to stop at. He can go as far as he wants. And not only is Tracey attractive, but she's a decent bit older than he is. She'd graduated high school a little while ago. Imagine - he'll be king of all the locker room talk, getting the older girl!

Tracey: "Wow...I've never actually seen your place before. What's it like living in a castle?"
Severin: "It's appropriate for an Overlord. I hope to get a throne installed after I take over my family's legacy. Not like a toilet, though. That's what I'm making my car out of."
Tracey: "Sounds like you've got your future all planned out."
Severin: "Well, mostly. I'm open to a few...surprises along the way."

With a sly smile, Severin places a hand on Tracey's back, gently pushing her towards the castle as an indication that they should go inside. Severin's heart races faster. He's never been alone with a girl at home before. This could go places.

As Tracey turns to go inside, Severin looks up at her just in time to catch her eyes dart down to the front of his boxers, then just as quickly she looks away. Severin's face flushes and he can feel the blood rushing through him. Did she just do that?

For a brief moment, Severin has a fear that Tracey might end up with the upper-hand out of this. He's supposed to be in charge of the situation, and here all she has to do is look down his body and he already feels a bit out of control. Calm down, Severin, he whispers to himself. You can get what you want today, but you're gonna have to be more strategic than that.

Heading inside the castle, Severin decides now is the time to turn on the charm. He's not entirely sure when his family is going to be back, and he knows they wouldn't approve of this, especially since Tracey isn't even his age. He must be clever and perhaps even a little sickeningly romantic, but his prize will surely come. Most of the guys at school, as much as they talk a good game, haven't even gone past making out and touching. Only a couple of guys have gone all the way, and Severin's ready to become a part of that club.

Severin: "So, this is the inside of the castle. It's pretty fitting."\
Tracey: "Wow...it's so dark in here. I guess you get used to it?"
Severin: "Light disgusts me."
Tracey: "Hmm...well, I do like it. It's so different...I almost feel like royalty just standing here."
Severin: "Well, being in a castle, you rather deserve to be treated like royalty. I don't suppose I can get anything for you? Anything to make you more comfortable?"
Tracey: "Almost as comfortable as you are? You haven't even changed out of your boxers. You're not concerned about that?"
Severin: "I don't have anything to hide. Are you concerned about it?"

Severin flashes her one of his trademark smirks. He can tell she's trying not to smile back, but she can't help it. He watches as her cheeks turn red...but she's still giving him one of those looks. Severin knows he's getting somewhere. He swallows, trying to calm down his rapidly beating heart.

Tracey: "Well, you're certainly not shy about anything."
Severin: "Others would say I'm a little too bold. But I'm willing to risk it."
Tracey: "Oh? And what if I turned you down?"
Severin: "Turned me down for what? Are you suggesting something, Tracey?"

Tracey: "...Am I, Severin?"

Severin's hope isn't the only thing that starts to slowly rise.

Tobie: "Gator, I'm really not sure about this whole thing..."
Gator: "You're doing fine, Tobie. I'll come join you in a second."
Tobie: "I'm thinking I'll get off."
Gator: "You've just started. Just hang in there. You'll get better. Try going a little faster."
Tobie: "Faster?!"

Due to Tobie's panicking on the roller skates, Amaranth hasn't had the opportunity to talk to him like she'd wanted to. She hopes she'll have a better opportunity later. For now, she and Gator try to convince him to keep trying and to push himself. Gator especially wants to see Tobie face his fears and overcome them. Tobie might not be a werewolf, but Gator can still use his werewolf knowledge on him.

Gator pauses before getting on the rink, his mind drifting to what Severin's doing. No doubt Gator will have to buy another toilet by the time he gets back. Severin's done a lot of things in his short lifetime. Being normal hasn't been one of them.

Severin: "Well. I'll have you know I make the suggestions around here. It's my domain, after all."
Tracey: "And just what makes you think I'll like any of your suggestions?"
Severin: "Trust me. I can make you like them. A lot."
Tracey: "Are you truly that experienced, Severin Overlord? You were always a smooth talker in school. I'm not sure you can back that up..."

Severin: "Are you challenging me?"
Tracey: "Did I hurt your feelings?"
Severin: "I'm a werewolf, dear. I'd give you proof of my abilities, but it might hurt too much."
Tracey: "Ooh! Bad dog!"

Tracey playfully flicks her hand at Severin's face, pretending to bop his nose. Severin lets out a deep growl, keeping his smile on his face. He's rather proud that he can growl that low. Makes him seem quite a bit older. Deciding to be a little bolder, Severin makes a swipe at Tracey's side. Laughing, Tracey wraps her arms around his neck. Severin's next growl sounds more like a purr. Things are moving very, very well.

Tracey: "Mm...you know, if light disgusts you, why don't you dye your hair black? This blond stuff isn't quite suitable for you, is it?"
Severin holds still for a moment as Tracey runs her fingers through his hair and rubs the back of his neck.
Severin: "You mistakenly assume that all blonds are good people. People will fear blond hair by the time I'm done."
Tracey: "Am I going to fear blond people by the time you're done?"
Severin: "Well, that just depends on what you fear..."

Severin takes a chance and plants a kiss on Tracey's neck while he's so close to it. He can hear her take a deep breath and continue to stroke his hair. He takes it as permission to move forward. His kisses on her neck gets deeper, and he can hear Tracey let out a tiny moan.
Tracey: "You know...you're different than I thought you would be. I always thought you were a dumb arrogant teenager. Sexy, maybe, but dumb and arrogant."
Severin: "I'm just getting started. This isn't anything yet."

Amaranth: "Gator! Gator, look! I can still spin, even in my old age."
Gator rather wishes his wife wouldn't do such things - he's getting much better on skates, but still not confident enough to rush to her and catch her if she falls. Still, he gives her a sweet smile. He also swallows, sudden tears springing up to his eyes. He skates faster, trying to push his emotions down. He has a beautiful, graceful wife that he adores more than anything in the world. He loves her more deeply each and every day. And yet he knows she's getting older. He knows there will come a time when he will be alone. He won't be able to kiss her forehead when he gets up in the morning. He won't be able to look into her beautiful eyes. He will have to get by alone.

Amaranth tries even more spinning tricks. She's so pleased to know she can still do this, that her bones aren't too brittle for her to gracefully maneuver around the rink. She swallows as she remembers how her father couldn't do anything like this. His hips were too bad. She definitely feels her body aging, but she's still rather healthy. And she still feels beautiful. Her husband still looks at her with that deep affectionate gaze in his eyes,  and she knows she's still beautiful to him.

Tobie tries to head for the center of the rink, but quickly finds his feet coming out from under him. Gator, noticing the accident about to happen, attempts to skate over to him, but it's far too late.

Gator: "It's alright, Tobe, I've got...you..."
Tobie: "Waaaah!"
Amaranth: "Isn't skating so much fun?"
THUMP.
Amaranth: "Isn't--....Tobie?"
Gator: "I've got him."
Tobie: "That's what you said shortly before I started flying for approximately two-thirds of a second!"

Back at home, Severin progresses further and further. At this point, he's sure he'll get what he's after. It will be his first experience in the most intense act of physical pleasure and he can't wait. He wonders if he should plan to brag on it when he gets back at school. Nah, there's no point. This'll be the first of many other encounters. The other pitiful excuses for men at school will know I've won after I gain my celebrity status.

Tracey: "You're just adorable. You know that?"

Severin's sure Tracey means it as a compliment, but especially after she kisses his forehead, he feels a little miffed. Adorable is what you call little toddlers and he is certainly not a little toddler anymore. He's a big bad wolf and he's certainly going to prove it. Nonetheless, he stays quiet and lets her kiss him where she wants.

Tracey: "You know...you really know how to make a woman feel good."
Severin: "I've got a knack for it, I guess."
Tracey: "I should've paid more attention to you in high school."
Severin: "I don't mind. You've got my attention now. And you could get a lot more, if you're a good girl..."

Without any attempts to make it look accidental, Severin slides a hand down to grab her rear. Tracey squeals and playfully smacks his shoulder. Suddenly more aggressive, Severin goes in for the kisses he craves. He's tired of waiting around, stalling the inevitable. He knows he wants her and he knows she wants him too. They end up before the wall before Tracey gently pushes him away and, with a smirk, tells him, "Now, now. I'd give you a lot more if you were to pick a more romantic location."

Severin smiles, takes her by the hand, and leads her to his parents' bedroom. He can feel her grip tighten on his hand. Tracey looks absolutely delighted. Her face falls a bit when Severin leads her right past the bed and into the master bathroom where the shower is. Severin's not that concerned. He sucks at making beds, so it would be impossible to do it correctly. By the time his parents got home, they'd certainly know he'd been doing something and then he'd probably get grounded, and what kind of evil overlord-to-be allows himself to get grounded?

Tracey: "Well, this is certainly...uh, romantic."
Severin: "And clean."
Tracey: "Hmm. I kind of expected you to like your sex dirty."
Severin: "Oh, the filth will come dripping off in the shower, trust me."
Tracey: "Don't hurt me too much, werewolf boy."
Severin: "I can't promise that."

Giving him another smirk, Tracey startles Severin by suddenly shoving him against the wall and giving him a very deep kiss. It's a nice surprise, he guesses, but he rather likes being the one in control. Tracey goes even farther by firmly pinning his hands over his head with her own hands, to where Severin can't move his arms. Severin's sure Tracey's having fun with him, as much as this is not his cup of tea. He doesn't really mind the pin-to-the-wall-bondage stuff, just so long as he's the one pinning, not the one being pinned.

As soon as Tracey lightens her grip, Severin wriggles out of her grip and turns away for a moment, looking up and letting out a breath to celebrate his freedom. As soon as he turns back around, all of Tracey's clothes have hit the floor. She gives him a very suggestive smile, then steps into the shower and turns the water on. The hot steam, the glistening wetness of her naked body, the fact that Severin hasn't actually seen a naked female body before...it's all enough for him.

No sense standing outside and being a peeping tom when he can have the real deal. Slipping off his own clothes and trying to breathe through the heavy pounding of his heart, Severin squeezes into the shower and has his way. The release is wonderful. The way Tracey moans his name is even more wonderful. A surge of pride runs through him. Little do the guys at school know he's beaten them all! He's got a young adult woman whimpering at his talents right here.

The shower itself rocks back and forth, threatening to wobble over at the rough activity. Satisfying himself, Severin steps back out, feeling like an alpha wolf. Tracey also retreats out of the shower with flushed cheeks and a giddy smile. Things couldn't be more amazing.

...And then it happens.

Tracey: "Oh my gosh...Sev, we...we broke the shower."
Severin stares in disbelief at the burst shower head, pouring water all over the place. Just my luck. Just my f**king luck.
Tracey: "W-what are we going to do? Should you call a plumber?"
Severin: "A plumber?! What, are you crazy? I don't let creepy service people into my house. Any one of them could be the hero."
Tracey: "What are you talking about?"
Severin: "I'm an Overlord, Tracey. I have to be alert to the hero destined to overthrow the family."
Tracey: "That's not what's important right now, Severin."
Severin: "You need to get your priorities straight. Defending against the hero is always important."

Supposing he can just tell his dad later that the shower head busted after he'd taken a shower that morning, Severin decides to push on with the day. He still feels like he could go again. He just needs sweet-talk his way into another round. Only this time it will have to be somewhere other than the shower.

Severin: "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm rather hungry, and I can turn pretty ugly in more ways than one if I'm really hungry. Why don't we hit the diner?"

Tracey: "Severin, I can't believe you. You just broke the shower after our lovemaking--"
Severin: "I just broke the shower?"
Tracey: "Yes, you were the one thrusting like an animal."
Severin: "I am part animal."
Tracey: "Listen, we're not going anywhere until this shower gets fixed. I don't want to get in trouble with your parents. Being eradicated off the face of the earth by angering the Overlord over the town isn't exactly my idea of a good time. If you're not going to call a plumber, then you're going to fix the shower yourself. And besides...we can't be seen together. Ralph will...he'll..."
Severin: "Who's Ralph?"
Tracey: "Would you just go fix the shower already? Do it before your parents get home!"

Wishing he could find a ray gun and blast her, Severin decides to go find a wrench and get to work on the shower instead. He can't believe she turned him off just as easily as she'd turned him on. He has absolutely no knowledge of how to fix a shower head, but he knows he can't call a plumber. Plumbers can be unstoppable heroes. Just look at Mario.

When Tracey grumbles, "Hurry, Sev! I don't know when your parents are going to get here!", Severin feels like throwing the wrench right at her. He's drenched, his arms are already tired, and the shower head isn't cooperating with him at all. This, he tells himself, is why I don't want relationships. I never want a relationship. Things are all nice and fun, and then something goes wrong and who gets the blame? I do, of course, because I'm the man. And then I get nagged and nagged to death. Ugh. When I take over, I will never share my castle with a woman. Never. Or any man who'd want to share my castle either.

Tracey: "Are you about done with that yet? I thought I heard your front door open."
Severin: "You're just hearing things. Quit freaking out."
Tracey: "I'm not freaking out! I'm taking this seriously because it needs to be taken seriously! You're just goofing off over there!"
Severin: "Tracey, could you get me some tape?"
Tracey: "Tape is going to fix that thing?"
Severin: "It's going to shut you up so I can concentrate on fixing this thing."
Tracey: "You're the one that needs to be shut up!"
Severin: "You know what? If you're so concerned, you can just leave now. That way you don't have to worry about getting caught by my parents and I don't have to listen to your incessant whining."
Tracey: "You are such a jerk! I can't believe I ever stooped to having sex with you!"
Severin: "You must've enjoyed it more than you like it with Ralph. Otherwise you wouldn't have come looking elsewhere."

Furious, Tracey turns to storm out of the bathroom...only to have the bathroom door open up on them. Tracey stifles a scream and Severin nearly smacks his head on one of the shower walls as he spins around to check who it is. He hadn't heard their front door open. Are his parents really here? He'd have a lot of explaining to do.

Instead, a more loathsome figure walks in.

Maid: "What in...? What are you two doing in here?"
Tracey: "I, ah...I'm...I'm an interior designer. Mrs. Overlord hired me to look at redoing this bathroom, and this young man happened to be fixing a leak in the shower head when I got here. I've made all my notes though. I should definitely be going. Thank you for your time, Mr. Overlord."

Tracey briskly exits the bathroom and bolts away from the Overlord castle. The maid stays in the bathroom for a moment or so, his narrow eyes boring into Severin as the young werewolf tries to ignore him and continue fixing the shower.
Maid: "You're risking a lot, little Severin. It's enough of a taboo in this town to sleep around when you're not married. It's a bigger taboo for a teenager like you to start messing around."
Severin: "You presume a lot, Mr. Shamwow. It's not the wisest thing to slander the heir of the Overlords when you haven't actually witnessed what you're accusing him of."
Maid: "I may be a maid, but I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I found you in the bathroom, together with a woman, fixing a broken shower. Doesn't take a genius to see what's going on. It's a bit threatening to your 'reign', isn't it?"

One last clink and Severin gets the shower head in place. With that fixed, he immediately jerks around and marches straight up to the maid's face, startling the man. With a loud growl, Severin follows the maid as he backs away, remaining in his face until the maid finally backs into the wall.
Severin: "I'm an Overlord, little peasant, and unfortunately for you, I'm dangerously close to taking over the family legacy. Maybe it is taboo to play around without any strings attached, but you know what? I'm an Overlord. I can do anything I want and nobody will care. Got that?"
Maid: "...Anything you want, eh?"
Severin: "Anything I want. And I'm going to start now by firing you. Don't show your face around here again, or the next time I see it, you're not going to have a face."

In a huff, but (as Severin can certainly tell) a bit nervous, the maid turns and heads to exit the front door. Severin follows him to make sure he leaves. Just as the maid reaches the door, Severin sees his family arrive. It's a good thing Tracey left when she did. They'd come back earlier than he thought they would.

Tobie: "Whoa. You look upset today, Mr. Maid."
Maid: "I'm out a job, thanks to your rather loose brother..."
Tobie: "What?"
Maid: "Well played, Severin. I'm sure you must feel whore-able about it. But I'm not too disappointed to leave."
Severin: "I should hope not. You might consider shutting your mouth while you have the chance."
Tobie: "Wait, what? What's going on?"

The maid doesn't answer. He simply storms out the door, nearly running into Gator, and squeals away in his dingy car. Tobie looks at Severin confusedly. Severin ignores him. For as promising as the morning started, this day hasn't been ending quite as well. Gator and Amaranth walk in, Gator watching as the maid leaves. Then, glancing at Amaranth, Gator nods as she gives him a knowing look.

Gator: "Well, looks like the castle's still here. How many toilets did you end up blowing up?"
Severin: "Not a single one."
Gator: "That's....rather suspicious."
Severin: "I blew up the shower instead. But I fixed it."
Gator: "You fixed it yourself?"
Severin: "Yes."
Gator: "That's suspicious too. What have you been doing all morning?"
Severin: "Trying to figure out how to connect a shower to the car I'm trying to make."
Gator: "...Mm. You hungry? Why don't we hit the diner? I'm about starved."
Severin: "Sure."

Severin is immediately suspicious - his dad doesn't normally take him places without his mom - but he can't turn down free fast food, so he follows his father out the door. Amaranth and Tobie watch them walk away, then Amaranth realizes this is her opportunity to talk to Tobie like she'd been meaning to.

Tobie: "Man...that maid was pretty rude when he left."
Amaranth: "I'd been meaning to dismiss him, before Severin got around to it. I didn't expect him to fire him until it was his turn to take over the legacy, but...that's Severin. By the way...are you hungry, Tobe?"
Tobie: "Not really, I ate a lot before we went to the festival."
Amaranth: "Is there anything else you'd like to do?"
Tobie: "...You know, I've always wanted to swim in the river."
Amaranth: "...Swim? The river?"
Tobie: "Yeah, it just looks really cool."
Amaranth: "I guess we can...do that..."

Amaranth has always been afraid of water, after her Uncle Phantom had nearly drowned when she was a little girl. Swimming in a pool has never been her favorite activity. Swimming in the river is a terrifying prospect. Yet she doesn't want to throw away this quality time with her son, so she agrees to it.

On the drive to the restaurant, Gator engages his son in some small talk.

Gator: "So...have you figured anything out about this car you're making?"
Severin: "My design is perfect on paper. Figuring out how to actually put it together is the tricky part."
Gator: "You said you blew up the shower. Do we need to buy a new one of those now?"
Severin: "No. I also told you I fixed it."
Gator: "You normally leave everything for me to fix."
Severin: "I'm not a total jerk. Just ninety-nine percent jerk. The remaining one percent has to come through in some way or another."

Since it's later in the afternoon, there aren't many cars parked in front of the diner. Gator's fine with it - there'll be less of a wait for their food. Sitting down with Severin, Gator decides to get right to the point. No sense beating around the bush.

Gator: "So, Sev...your mother and I have been a little concerned about you lately."
Severin: "I'm not turning into a hero, don't worry."
Gator: "We don't have any doubts of that. We're a bit concerned, though, that you're flirting with mistakes that you can't afford to make right now. We understand you like to take risks. But we don't want you to go too far and end up regretting a decision."
Severin: "I appreciate you buying plane tickets for my guilt trip, but I'm happy where I'm at. My decisions are just fine. Someday I'll be able to pay you back for all the toilets I've blown up, if that's what you're concerned about."
Gator: "As much as I wish you'd get a part-time job and pay for your own toilets to blow up, that's not what I'm talking about. Your teachers have told me you've been getting mediocre grades in school and not turning in your homework. You've also come really close to getting a detention for talking class. Or rather, flirting in class with a new girl everyday. Your teachers have told me you've been doing more than just talking in the hallways."
Severin: "Well, if girls want to throw their arms around me and kiss me, it would be selfish of me to take away their free will and not allow them to."
Gator: "You shouldn't be playing with girls' emotions, Severin. But more importantly, your mom and I don't want you trying to go further and further. That becomes more of a taboo as time goes on. Your mom especially doesn't want you looking for sex until you're married, or at least until you're in a committed relationship. She knows the hardships that can come from not heeding that advice."
Severin: "Dad. One, I don't want to get married and I don't want a committed relationship. Two, if girls are going to play their games, I'm going to play them back. Three, you shouldn't be concerned about me. Really. I'm not going to do anything stupid."
Gator: "...Be straight with me, Sev. I've seen some of this Jackie girl around. Did she stop by while we were gone and are you doing stuff you shouldn't be doing with her?"
Severin: "No. I'm not sleeping with Jackie. Never have. I'm not sleeping with anyone." Having slippery sex and breaking the shower, maybe, but I'm certainly not sleeping.
Gator: "Alright...I'll take your word on that. Just don't do anything you'll regret later, Severin. That's what I'm getting at here."
Severin: "I'm not going to. Trust me."

The water in the river doesn't look too appealing to Amaranth. It's a bit murky and sandy. But Tobie quickly jumps in, grinning and swimming around, having a wonderful time. So Amaranth decides to quit being a wuss and slip in. The chilly water takes her breath away, and the ground quickly drops as she wades through. She doggy-paddles through the water, trying her hardest to talk herself into enjoying this.

Tobie: "Isn't this awesome, mom? River water feels so much better than pool water. It feels really natural."
Amaranth: "Yeah, this...this is great..."
Tobie: "You okay over there, mom?"
Amaranth: "I'm just dandy. Swimming in the river is...is a wonderful idea..."
Tobie: "You look like you're about to throw up. We can go back on the shore if you want."
Amaranth: "No, really, I'm fine."
Tobie: "Let's go on shore."
Amaranth: "That sounds good to me."

With a little help from Tobie, Amaranth wades back to the shore, eager to get out of the water. While she was in, she couldn't help but picture Uncle Phantom's situation when he'd nearly drowned. He'd been kidnapped and trapped, and almost couldn't escape. Until her father arrived, that is. Her good, brave father.

Tobie: "Right behind you, mom."
Amaranth: "Well, that was certainly exhilarating."
Tobie: "I know you hated it. But thank you for letting me try, mom. I really enjoyed it."

Hanging out on shore waiting to dry off before getting back into the car, Amaranth and Tobie decide to skip stones across the water.

Amaranth: "I've noticed you've been pretty quiet lately, Tobie."
Tobie: "Well...I mean..."
Amaranth: "What's been going on?"
Tobie: "It's nothing."
Amaranth: "I know that's not true."
Tobie: "...It's just...sigh. Alright. There's a girl at school that I really like a lot. She's really beautiful and she's got the most amazing personality, and...I know she'd never go with me."
Amaranth: "How would you know that? Have you asked her out?"
Tobie: "No. But I already know she wouldn't. Severin flirts with her just like he flirts with every other girl at the school. They all practically throw themselves at his feet. If it weren't for Severin, I might have a chance."
Amaranth: "Have you talked to Severin about this?"
Tobie: "You honestly think talking to Severin and telling him I like Jackie would prevent him from going after her? He'd probably just pursue her even more! I hate that Sev can get any girl he wants, including Jackie, and he doesn't even care about any of them. He doesn't have any real feelings for them, he doesn't want even the most laidback relationship with any of them, and he'll never get past the first date if he even gets there with any of them. And I really care about Jackie and I want something to happen between us, but she won't even pay attention to me because she's one of Severin's fan girls."

Frustrated, Tobie chucks a flat stone hard against the river, making it skip six or seven times. For a moment, Amaranth doesn't even know what to say. Her heart breaks for Tobie. She knows what it's like to have deep affection for someone. She can't imagine that person never showing any affection back. Amaranth knows Severin's behavior and antics at school, and she's talked to him before about it. In fact, she hopes Gator talked to him even further today. But she's not sure what to do at this point. Severin's very headstrong and he'll do what he wants, no matter who tells him to do otherwise.

Amaranth: "Well, Jackie will never know how you feel about her if you don't tell her."
Tobie: "What if she says no?"
Amaranth: "It won't be any different than now. You're not going out with her because you haven't told her you liked her, so what could be the harm in telling her? Maybe something will happen. You never know."
Tobie: "...Maybe."

Gator: "Well, I'm certainly glad we had this...mm, discussion...ugh..."
Severin: "What's wrong with your shoulder?"
Gator: "Pulled it last night while we were hunting. If I roll it around a bit, it helps."
Severin: "Don't tell me you're turning old already. You'll be too feeble to be the alpha wolf anymore."
Gator: "I can still bite you where it hurts, you know."
Severin: "I'll refrain, thank you. You go on home, I still have to talk to someone. She's at the park."
Gator: "She?"
Severin: "Some girl from school. I need someone to go to the prom with. It's this Saturday."
Gator: "Hmm. Saturday's also your birthday. You wouldn't rather stay home?"
Severin: "I need to establish my reign as Prom King. That'll leave me with some form of royalty over the school."
Gator: "...If you say so. You can meet with her, but I expect you to be back by curfew. If you're out too long and I have to get woken up by the police who brought you home, you're not going anywhere, prom or otherwise."
Severin: "I've never missed curfew  before, dad."
Gator: "You've cut it close. Be back home soon."

Turning away and rolling his eyes, Severin jogs towards the playground. He can't wait until his birthday comes. It's only a couple of days away. Then the Overlord reign will officially be his and he doesn't have to be bossed around anymore. His parents can still give him advice, but he won't be required to submit to it. He'll have no curfew, no school, nobody telling him how to run his life. He'll be free to do whatever he wants - including take over the world.

He spots his friend at the park. Severin brushes and straightens up his jacket, then heads over to her, ready to turn on the charm. He does need a date to the prom, after all.

Jackie: "Oh, hey, Severin!"
Severin: "Hey, Jackie."
Jackie: "What have you been doing all day?"
Severin: "Thinking about you."
Jackie: "...Really?"
Of course not, you nitwit."Yeah. You have killer eyes, you know. They just stay in a guy's mind forever."
Jackie: "Wow...that's really sweet, Sev."

Severin admits to himself that he does find Jackie insanely attractive, even more attractive than Tracy. She's very pretty and very sweet. Severin also knows Tobie likes her a lot. Severin wouldn't mind letting Tobie have her, but considering the prospects at school, Severin would rather take the prettiest girl in school for himself. Tobie can take that werewolf girl with the pudding face who sometimes flirts with Tobie but much more often falls all over Severin.

Jackie: "You know, school's almost over for the both of us. We're going to be graduating soon."
Severin: "Yeah. Can't wait. I've wanted to get out of this institution since I was a toddler."
Jackie: "You went into school as a toddler?"
Severin: "No, but I dreaded it even then."
Jackie: "But you need a high school diploma to be hired at any of the businesses around here. Dropouts turn into maids or handymen."
Severin: "I don't need a diploma to take over the world. But I'm going to get one anyway, just because my mom wants me to."
Jackie: "Aww...I love how you talk about your mom. A lot of other guys just tell 'your mom' jokes."
Severin: "Turner did one of those 'your mom' jokes to me the other day, actually."
Jackie: "Oh. Is that how he ended up in the hospital with his eyebrows stapled together?"
Severin: "There's no proof I did that."

Jackie: "You're lucky you didn't get caught. You would've gotten detention for a month."

Severin: "Hey, Turner said he always wanted to get his eyebrow pierced."
Jackie: "Not by a stapler, I imagine."
Severin: "He didn't specify. Anyway, I came here to ask you something."
Jackie: "You did?"
Severin: "Yeah. About the prom..."

Amaranth: "Well? Have you given any more thought to what we talked about?"
Tobie: "Yeah. I'm still thinking about it."
Amaranth: "Well...only you can make the decision in the end. I'm going to go ahead and get to bed. Silly old body can't stay up as late as it used to."
Tobie: "It's okay. Thanks, mom."

A whirlwind of emotions churns inside Tobie's stomach. He really, really likes Jackie, but he's certain she'll never go for him. She's all over Severin, just like every other female in the school. Tobie doesn't understand how he can be best friends with Severin and yet hate him so much at the same time. Severin's always willing to hang out with him and go do things with him. Severin even sticks up for Tobie when he's being bullied at school (after the first incident of Severin hot-gluing the bully's nose to a toilet, however, Tobie's been pretty safe since then). Yet Severin can be so heartless too. He knows Tobie likes Jackie. He knows he'd do anything to get into a relationship with her. And yet Severin flirts with her hardcore in front of Tobie. Tobie knows Severin doesn't care about any of the girls at school. He likes them for what they can give him - a coy smile, a touch on the arm, a full-blown make-out session in the hall - and that's all. And nobody, Jackie included, pays attention to Tobie, who really would care for them.

But what if his mom is onto something? What if something really does happen if Tobie calls Jackie and asks her to the prom? There's nothing really to lose - if she says no, he wasn't going with her anyway if he never asked. He might as well. Nothing to lose, much potentially to be gained.

Tobie: "Alright, Tobie...tomorrow...tomorrow at school, you will go right up to Jackie and ask her to the prom...you can do this, Tobie. Tomorrow, I'll ask her. Yes! I'll ask her to the prom!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's notes: And here we get to the really interesting side of Severin. He can be adorable. He can be lovable. He can even draw your sympathy. But he can also be a jerk. He does have the Commitment-Phobe trait, which plays heavily into his personality. He can be a decent friend. But he's also a "bad dog" who wants what he can get without thinking too heavily about the ethics.

Tracey was putty in Severin's hands. They started flirting and suddenly the game informed me Tracey had a boyfriend named Ralph. Severin pushed anyway and she gladly went to the shower with him without him ever having to ask her to break up with her boyfriend. Also: the height difference between adults and teenagers makes their make-out sessions look really...awkward.

Case in point. Tracey looks pretty cute kissing Sev on the forehead...while Sev kisses the air.

Also of note: Severin is now a one-star celebrity. I did sprinkle two celebrities (two-star and three-star, I think) in the neighborhood, but teens can't impress celebrities, so I decided I'd have to wait. Then Gator got promoted at work and with his promotion he got one-star celebrity status out of nowhere. Then, while Sev was playing guitar, Gator watched him and Severin immediately gained a one-star celebrity status. I'm kind of bummed. This wasn't how I wanted to play it. I really would prefer if Severin were the ONLY celeb in the house. But I can't have everything, I guess.

Leaves de comments below! :D

Overlord Legacy - Chapter Forty-Two - One of the Pack

Tobie: "Sigh...mom, it seems like we're having autumn salad all the time. I'm getting sick of it."
Amaranth: "Tobie, you've been complaining since you got up. Give it a break."
Severin: "Aww. Did Tobie wake up with a mood swing? I thought those only happened with teenage girls on their periods."
Amaranth: "Uh...not just teenage girls, honey."
Tobie: "Severin, you can shut up. I'm not in the mood to deal with you today."

Amaranth decides not to push it any further with Tobie. Normally he's such a well-mannered, contented young man who's obedient and helpful around the house. Today, however, he seems to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Amaranth just chalks it up to part of the teenage years. Everyone has mood swings now and then. Tobie will surely be over it by tomorrow. Besides, Amaranth can give him one day to be moody when he's otherwise so easygoing. Conversely, Severin appears to be going through a mood swing as well - he's actually calm and contented today and has made no attempts to blow anything up yet. Amaranth finds herself more concerned with Severin than with Tobie.

As the boys finish up and get ready for school, Amaranth decides to make an important phone call. She dials the police office and informs them that she is ready to retire. She can't hide her grin from ear to ear as several officers yell into the phone, "Happy Retirement!" One even tells her how honored they were to have her as their private investigator and how much they'll miss her.

As she hangs up, she grabs some confetti left over from the wedding that she'd stuffed into a kitchen drawer and throws it into the air with a cheer.

Amaranth: "Ah...it's been a long time coming. But I've accomplished everything I set out to do, and I can retire in dignity and peace."
Severin: "So that's it? Your investigator career is done?"
Amaranth: "It's done, and I've done my part for the Overlord legacy."
Severin: "That's awesome! It's almost my turn now!"
Amaranth: "Yes, it is, Sev. I'm excited to see where you'll go."
HONK HONK!
Amaranth: "Well, that's the school bus. Tobie's already out there, you'd better go catch it. I'm sure Jackie's already there too. I notice you and she talk pretty often. Is there...something going on?"
Amaranth gives Severin a knowing smile. Severin gives her a horrified look in return.
Severin: "We talk and we sometimes flirt a bit."
Amaranth: "Sometimes?"
Severin: "We're not getting into a relationship. I don't want a relationship. I'd rather have my belly button stapled together with a rusty needle."
Amaranth: "Sure, Sev. Sure."

Amaranth: "Ah, it's such a beautiful day...Happy retirement, spending the day with my husband after he gets back from practice, Severin having his first experience with young love..."
Severin: "...Love?? I only feel that emotion in my most horrific nightmares..."
Amaranth: "Make good choices at school today, honey! Let me know if anything happens with you and Jackie!"
Severin: "...I think my mother is going insane."

As Severin trots out to the school bus, swallowing back the nausea after such a disgusting conversation topic, Amaranth starts to clean some things up around the house. She actually has time now - no work, no obligations, and the two sons that are still living in the house are high schoolers and in many ways they can care for themselves. And when Gator is home, he can even help her. She's never felt quite so relaxed in her life.

Amaranth spends a bit of her afternoon lazing around the castle, reading books and enjoying doing absolutely nothing productive. Hey, she's been productive all her life. She deserves a break. As she finishes the second-to-last chapter of her book, her cell phone starts to ring. Checking the caller ID, she sees her uncle Phantom's name. She smiles. It's kind of hard not to smile when talking to Phantom.

Amaranth: "Uncle Phantom! How are you doing?"
Phantom: "Well, I'm doing...pretty well, in terms of my family and everything."
Amaranth: "Awesome. I'd love to stop over sometime and see you guys. Especially Tamika! She's getting so big! I see her on the school bus when Severin and Tobie go out."
Phantom: "And she's a Pixie! She played a prank on me the other day. I was so proud of her."
Amaranth: "Haha! Only you, Uncle Phantom."
Phantom: "Well...anyway, um...I actually called you with some news, Amaranth. It's...it's not easy for me to say."

Amaranth stomach falls. She immediately knows something's wrong when Phantom's voice gets tighter on the phone. He takes a long break before speaking. Phantom doesn't usually pause while he speaks. There must be something that's happened, something that's affecting him and hurting him a great deal. Amaranth almost doesn't want to listen. She's scared of what he has to say.

Amaranth: "What's wrong, Phantom? What happened? Are you okay?"
Phantom: "I-I'm at...I'm at your dad's house right now and--"

Amaranth's heart crumbles at the mention of her father. It's even worse when she can hear sniffling on the other line. Whatever happened has bothered Phantom to the point of tears.

Amaranth: "Oh Uncle Phantom! Did he fall? Did he break his hip? Are you taking him to the hospital? Is he okay?"
Phantom: "He w-was just l-lying on the c-couch..."
Amaranth: "Was he hurt? Is he still there, Uncle Phantom?"
Phantom: "He was unconscious...I t-tried to wake him, b-but he wouldn't wake up. I t-told him it was me, but he d-didn't respond. I k-kept trying and trying...I even g-gave him Pixie Dust...b-but then the Reaper came...he was quiet and respectful, and...h-he came to take him. There was nothing else I could do."
Amaranth: "...No, Uncle Phantom, no...that...that didn't happen...not my dad. Are you sure it was my dad?"
Phantom: "I c-couldn't mistake Jakkson, Amaranth. He and I w-were always good friends and close..."

Phantom finally breaks down, hanging up after a few minutes to prevent Amaranth from listening to his choking sobs. Amaranth goes numb from head to foot. She doesn't want to believe anything of what she just heard. Her dad is still here. He's always been here for her. He's always been the most kind, loving, supportive father in the world. He can't be gone...

Then, without warning, the sobs come for Amaranth as well.

Her crying nearly doubles her over, choking her, making it difficult to breathe. Her father had always been there to help her in her hardest moments. When she'd first told him she was pregnant with Soren, instead of judging her disapprovingly, he'd immediately offered his support and comfort. She'd never be the person she is today without her father. Every part of her wants to speed to her father's house, fling open the door, find her father standing and smiling at her, and collapse into his arms like she did as a little girl.

Memories swirl in her mind. She remembers the day she and her father ran away when she was very young. There'd been a misunderstanding between the rest of the family and her mother, and for her safety her father had taken her into the wilderness with her. But he'd come prepared, and she never once felt unsafe - only when he'd left to go find Phantom did she begin to fear. Her father was much younger then, a rather handsome man in Amaranth's eyes.

Now he's gone. He's gone for good.

Hoping to relive some of the memories with him, she decides to take a drive around town, visiting various places where she'd had memories with him. One of her final stops is to a small beach house by the river. She'd never really been here herself, but her father had told her of this place before.

Looking around, Amaranth notices it's a rather nice place, if a bit rustic and...well, abandoned. Her father had told her that this was where he lived before he came to live with her mother. He'd hid away in this little area because people hardly ever came here, and he was frightened to reveal his werewolf nature. Amaranth finds it a striking contrast between Gator and even Severin - they're werewolves and they really don't care who knows it. As both were born werewolves instead of being turned later, they're comfortable with their state.

Noticing a coffee machine on the counter, Amaranth remembers her father always liked to drink spiced chai. Grabbing a cup and letting the machine pour her some of the warm beverage, Amaranth sits down and takes a sip.

The taste of the tea swirls around her mouth, dancing happily across her taste buds. It's wonderful and makes her feel warm inside. No wonder her father liked it so much. Amaranth finishes it off. She knows she'd gotten an espresso machine as a wedding gift from someone. Perhaps she can make the chai at home.

Her final stop is to the graveyard - Phantom had taken his ashes there earlier. At the site, Amaranth allows herself to mourn deeply.

As she's at his gravesite, she mourns for her mother as well, whom Phantom had buried her father beside. After many tears are shed and much time has passed, Amaranth gives one last smile to the grave.
Amaranth: "Goodbye, daddy. Thank you for all the things you did for me, and all the ways you loved me. And daddy?....I'll be there soon. I'll get to see you again before long."

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Amaranth gets back into the car and heads back to the castle. By her watch, Gator should be home, and Tobie and Severin will be back from school soon as well.

She thinks she's much stronger when she arrives at the castle. But as soon as she sees Gator, the emotions flood back in again. The last time she and Gator had seen her father was at their wedding. Gator immediately notices Amaranth's strained face and walks concernedly over to her.
Gator: "Am? What's wrong? Was everything alright while I was gone?"
Amaranth: "...No, Gator. Phantom went to visit my father at his home and...my dad had passed away. He fell asleep and never woke up again. He's gone, Gator..."

Gator: "...Oh my gosh. Am, I'm...I'm so sorry..."
Amaranth: "I went to visit his grave and some other places. And I thought I was okay now, but..."

But Amaranth is not okay. Bursting into tears again, she falls into Gator's arms and sobs on his shoulder. Gator holds her tightly as long as she needs him to, gently rubbing her back and even shedding a couple of tears with her. Jakkson was an honorable man and an honorable werewolf. Gator had been so pleased to finally officially meet him at the wedding. He knows how much Jakkson had meant to Amaranth. He can't imagine how broken she's feeling right now. He just wishes there was something he could do to take the pain away.

As Amaranth dries away her tears and reduces her sobs to sniffles, Gator gently lets her go and gives her a small kiss on the lips. Amaranth gives a tiny smile in return, starting to calm herself down fully. Gator, still feeling a little stiff from practice, decides to sit down on the couch.
FART.

Gator: "What in....?!"
Amaranth: "Oh my."
Gator: "That wasn't me, Am, I swear."

Searching under the cushion, Gator spots a whoopee cushion. He's not amused.

Gator: "Rrgh...if this is Severin's doing, he's going to have to learn a lesson."

Gator rests on the couch for a little bit while Amaranth paces the floor. After a while, Amaranth suddenly breaks down into sobs once more. It startles Gator out of his seat. He wonders if his wife really is okay, if she's going to be able to get over this.

Amaranth: "My dad used to play with me all the time when I was a little girl...right in this castle..."
Gator: "Am..."

As Amaranth continues to cry her heart out, the door opens behind Gator. In walks Severin and Tobie, home from school. Severin notices his mother's tears immediately.

Severin: "Mom? Mom, what's going on? Why are you crying?"
Gator: "It's...it's your grandpa, Severin. Grandpa died today."

Gator doesn't know how Severin will react. He'd visited his grandpa a few times in his life, but he certainly didn't know him as well as Amaranth did. Severin's never really experienced death and loss before either. Gator just prays Severin reacts appropriately.

Perhaps to everyone's surprise, Severin doesn't say a word. He simply walks up to his mother and gives her a gentle hug. Amaranth tries to control her crying, but lets her tears fall on her son's shoulder.

Tobie: "Grandpa...grandpa's dead?"
Gator: "Yes, Tobie...he is..."

The next few days are a time of healing and recovery, especially for Amaranth. She sheds tears on and off throughout the day, but she's been getting stronger as the days go by. Gator is frequently around to comfort her when she needs it. The boys have been trying to sort through the awkwardness of it all as well. Eventually, though, life does return to some sort of normalcy.

Tobie: "I just don't understand why I have to do this."
Gator: "It could really help with your future, in what you want to do in life."
Tobie: "...Do you think anybody will actually care what I want to do in life? I feel like I'm not talented enough to really make a difference."
Gator: "Oh come on, Tobie, you know that's not true. I've seen some of your drawings. You're a natural artist."

While Gator spends some quality time with Tobie, his other son is off practicing his performance techniques when he can.

Severin doesn't exactly like performing with his grandmother's guitar in public, but he doesn't have the money himself to afford a new one, so he uses it for the time being.

As Severin begins to prepare for his future legacy ambitions, Tobie has surprisingly been the prankster around the house. Gator has been getting tired of sitting on whoopee cushions and having pink hair when he shampoos in the shower. He decides that enough is enough. He hardly likes tolerating Severin's mischief; he doesn't need to deal with Tobie's on top of it.

Gator: "Tobie! I've told you time and again, knock it off with the pranks. You know it bothers your mother and me."
Tobie: "They're just in fun..."
Gator: "I don't care what they're in. They're getting aggravating. Please quit."

Tobie: "...You know, just because you married our mom doesn't mean you can march into our lives and boss us around like you're in charge. You really should have no say over what Sev and I decide to do. You weren't there when we were growing up, so don't try and pretend like you're our father now. Severin may accept you because you are his biological father, but I don't appreciate your interference with my life when you have no right to interfere. Leave me alone."

Tobie walks away, leaving Gator a bit stunned. He tries not to take it too personally, but Tobie's remarks sting much more than he probably thought. Gator's been trying to make up for all the time he didn't get to be there. He's trying to be the best father he can be for the boys. It hurts that he's not as well-received as he hoped he would be.

Gator doesn't have much time to ponder it, however. It's a full moon night - a perfect night to be a werewolf. If there's any time to teach Severin what it means to be a lycan, it's now. It's time to honor his supernatural heritage and respect his true form.

But before any of this happens, a surprise visitor outside...

...Soren?!? Oh no! What happened to you?!

As the sun sets and the full moon blasts its beams across the town, the transformation takes place for Gator and Severin. It's getting easier and easier for Severin every time he does it.

Gator: "Severin. I hope you don't have any plans tonight."
Severin: "Not particularly, no."
Gator: "Good. We're going hunting tonight. You're going to learn the ways of the werewolf."
Severin: "But I know the ways of the werewolf. Last I checked, I am a werewolf, dad."
Gator: "You were never properly trained on how to respect and honor your heritage. A werewolf is not a human with a little bit of extra fuzz. We are different and we celebrate those differences, especially on a full moon night."
THUMP.

Severin: "...Did Tobie piss himself and pass out again?"
Gator: "At least he didn't pass out in his own urine this time. You'd think he'd get used to having a couple of werewolves in the house."
Severin: "You'd think he'd get used to me singing in my sleep at night too, but he still beats my face with a pillow when I do."

Gator tells Severin to help Tobie up, which Severin reluctantly agrees to. Then Gator calls up his family. There's no sense in simply teaching Severin how to hunt by himself. No, the point of being a werewolf on a full moon is to hunt in a pack. Severin may carry the last name of Overlord, but he has Wolff blood and he will travel as a part of the Wolff pack. He is one of them now.

As Gator waits for his family to arrive, a zombified Soren wanders into the house and directly into Amaranth's bedroom.

Oh, this could end disastrously. Poor Amaranth, still getting over her father's death, and now her son is a zombie.

Oh dear. Ohhhh dear. Poor Amaranth's going to have a heart attack...

Amaranth: "Oh! Soren! Now don't you just look adorable dressed up like a zombie!"
...Or not.

As the family arrives and heads into the castle, Gator steps outside, sniffing the air to see if they'll be able to find anything tonight. He doesn't smell gems...no, he smells something rather strange...

And then his head starts to feel a little wet. In fact, something's dripping on his skin. Looking around, Gator notices water droplets are rapidly dripping all over the place. Startled, Gator glances up, only to get nailed in the eye by a water droplet. What is going on? Why is there water falling from the sky? What's going to happen?

Heading back inside, Gator grabs the newspaper and takes one more look at it. The forecast calls for "rain," which a picture of water droplets on it. So this is rain? Rain is water falling from the sky? But what is its purpose? Gator can imagine it has uses for farmers and gardeners - they wouldn't even have to water their plants. But what's the point of water falling from the sky? They already have water at the river, or in swimming pools if they didn't want to dip into the river. If they want to get wet, they don't need rain to do it.

The next day's forecast says "sunny," however, which, judging by the previous days with a "sunny" listing, means that there will be no more rain. So this can't be the end of the world.

Going to his bedroom, Gator picks up an umbrella. His coach had given to him yesterday. His coach wasn't sure what it did, but he'd heard rumors that it was supposed to help during rain. Curiously, Gator heads outside with it, pushes the button, then pushes the little device up. What was one a small stick has now turned into a mushroom-like device. Gator holds it over his head. Sure enough, it protects him from the rain.

Gator: "Hmm...I like this 'umbrella.' Seems to work well. It'll keep me from getting too wet while hunting. I can't sniff very well with water dripping all over my face."

Heading back inside, Gator immediately marches up to Severin.

Gator: "It's time."
Severin: "Time now? But...there's water dripping outside. 'Rain,' I think they call it? You know I hate getting wet, except when I'm exploding toilets."
Gator: "We are not putting this off. You are a werewolf and werewolves aren't wusses. Whimpering is for puppies. I hope, at this point in your life, you're not still a puppy."
Severin: "I'm not a puppy!"
Gator: "Good. You're one of the pack now, Severin. Tonight you're hunting with your Uncle Waylon and Grandma Erika. I am the alpha wolf of this pack. I trust that I need not remind you of what that means in how you communicate with me. In addition, you are the youngest and the lowest in rank in the pack. You will submit not just to your alpha, but to the other members of the pack who rank higher than you."
Severin: "...When do I move higher up in the pack?"
Gator: "When the alpha wolf says you do."
Severin: "So even if I do great things and I achieve a bunch of monumental stuff...I'm still not going anywhere in the ranks unless you move me yourself."
Gator: "Correct. That may not be how it works in the human world, but that is the way it is in a werewolf pack. Now, enough talk. We don't have all the time in the world tonight. Keep your nose sharp and always follow your pack. Never, ever wander off from your pack. Understood?"
Severin: "I got it."

Immediately Gator charges out of the house, quickly followed by Waylon and Erika. Startled at their speed, Severin bounds after them. He quickly finds that he needs to run at nearly all his speed to keep up with the rest of the pack. Severin almost wants to call "Hey! Wait up!", but that would probably sound wussy. And he is not a wuss. He is a werewolf. And he will prove to his father - his alpha wolf - that he's worthy to move up in the ranks and be worth some respect. Severin's determined in this. Of course he is the Overlord heir and he will continue to build the Overlord reign over Moonlight Falls. But he's decided that is not enough. He will be the Overlord heir, and the most well-known rock star in Moonlight Falls, and, eventually, the alpha wolf of a pack.

Gator charges to a far away spot, so far that Severin is nearly exhausted by the time they reach there. He wonders if his father purposely went this far just to push him. The wolves all begin sniffing the ground, clawing to throw out more scent, taking moments to let out piercing, screaming howls at the moon. Severin can hear the echos of wolf packs howling all over Moonlight Falls.

 Waylon: "...Tonight's not a good night for finding gems, Gator. The ground is becoming too wet. It's dampening out the scent."
Gator: "We are hunting regardless, Waylon, even if we only find one gem. The point is not the gem-collecting."
Waylon: "It's to train little Severin, isn't it? I admit, he seems...largely unaccustomed to the ways of the werewolf."
Gator: "My wife never knew what to teach him. He needs to learn now, before he reaches young adulthood. No son of mine is going to disgrace the lycans by not knowing how to behave appropriately."

Tired of the rain pelting on his head, Gator gets out his trusty umbrella again and starts sniffing while the rain taps on the shelter over his head. Waylon smirks at him.

Waylon: "You're going to hunt with that thing? You're a true beast, Gator."
Gator: "Don't forget I'm the alpha wolf of this pack, Waylon. I organized it and you all accepted to be under my leadership. I wouldn't want to shame you for disrespecting me in front of my son."
Waylon: "I know the respect code of the wolf pack, Gator. Don't you forget I'm the one who helped teach you how to hunt. You had to respect me once, as a higher-ranked pack member than you."
Gator: "But you are not now, Waylon. Honor the respect code and don't argue with me. This umbrella's useful for helping me sniff the ground...plus, I don't want to smell too much like a wet dog tonight with the missus."

Letting out an energized howl, Gator stalks over to his mother and former alpha wolf, Erika. She may be old, but she turns young and fierce again in her werewolf form. He's glad she's still strong enough to hunt with them. He tries not to think about how old she is. She's not that much younger than Jakkson.

Gator: "Are you doing okay under the rain, mom?"
Erika: "Of course I am. This old wolf's still got hunt in her. Wouldn't want to miss this opportunity to oversee your young pup anyway. He's...rather inexperienced. He's strong and fierce though. I see much of you in him. I trust that he'll be rather easy to train."
Gator: "Submission will always be a difficult thing for him, but he's catching on to his werewolf heritage quickly. I fought him a few days back, and the other day he engaged me in a practice fight. He'd significantly improved since the first time."
Erika: "He will be a source of pride to you in time, Gator. I have no doubts of that."

Severin keeps a close eye on the rest of his pack, observing them - how they paw the ground, how they sniff the air, how they howl when they think they've caught a valuable scent. As much as he doesn't want to let on, Severin tries to imitate them as much as possible. He's a bit frustrated. It seems like his dad and Uncle Waylon and especially Grandma Erika are picking up scents left and right. Severin can hardly smell a thing, and he doesn't feel confident howling when he hasn't actually caught a scent. One time he thought he had something, but after digging, he noticed it was just a stupid feather. Is he being a disappointment to his whole pack? Why can't he contribute something valuable? Angry, slightly fearful, and more than a little bit hurt at his own lack of talent, Severin tries to block the rain from his face with his hands and sniffs even harder. Still nothing. How come he feels so competent and powerful at his "human" ambitions (his Overlord legacy ambitions) and so stupidly worthless and terrible at his werewolf abilities? Unable to hold his frustration, humiliation, and shame anymore, Severin lets out a loud, long howl. Pouncing on the ground, Severin claws and digs and sprays tufts of grass everywhere. There must be something, some way he can redeem himself, some way he can be of use to this pack.

Waylon: "Finding anything over there, pup?"
Severin: "I'm not a--....no, sir. I'm not....I can't find..."
Severin admitting his considerable lack of ability brings him even more shame. He just wants to go home and hide in his room, not talking to anyone. He can't believe his incompetence. Erika lets out another howl, indicating she's found yet another trail - another trail Severin can't smell at all. While Erika and Waylon go after the smell, Severin timidly walks over to Gator.
Severin: "Dad...I can't....I can't smell anything. I've been trying so hard and it's not working. Why am I so bad at this? Is it...is it because I'm half-human too?"
Gator: "By nature, werewolves are half-humans. If you're born a werewolf, you're born a werewolf. There's no watering down your nature, no matter who your other parent is. You have all the abilities every werewolf has."
Severin: "Then why...? Why am I so incompetent? I feel like I'm adding absolutely nothing to this pack. How am I ever going to move up in the ranks when I can't even do what werewolves are supposed to be able to do?"

Gator glances over at his son, who looks more like a drenched scared puppy than a strong fierce lycan. Gator imagines Severin's shame and humiliation must be pretty huge for him to be this open and vulnerable about his feelings. Normally Severin comes across as apathetic to anything except world domination and mischief. He doesn't seem to get bothered about anything. Right now, however, Gator's son looks very, very bothered.

Gator: "Don't give up, Sev. I know your frustration. This is the first time you've ever exercised your hunting ability, and yes, hunting is a skill. It's not something you know perfectly the first time you do it. When you first begin, you can hardly smell a thing. But as you continue to do it, you will get better and better at it. I promise this, Severin. I was once in your place, indescribably aggravated that I couldn't find anything while the rest of my pack were turning up things left and right. Keep searching. Keep trying. Your skill will develop."

Swallowing but deciding to try again, Severin bends his nose to the ground and keeps sniffing. He wanders around the area, sniffing everywhere he possibly can. In fact, he concentrates so hard that he doesn't even notice Gator bounding away for a new area, Waylon following him. Severin claws the ground, breathing it in as deeply as he can...

...And then he smells something.

It's faint, oh-so-faint, but he definitely smells some sort of rock. It's a special rock. He can just tell. Excitedly he lets out a piercing howl.

Nose to the ground, Severin follows the trail as far as it will lead him. As he moves along, the scent gets stronger and stronger. Severin's heart races. He's finally found a scent! He's finally found something! He's finally contributed something! Bounding into the field, Severin finally spots what his nose alerted him to. It's a gigantic statue. Right behind him is Grandma Erika.

Erika: "Severin. Your father and uncle are on their way home. We've collected enough."
Severin: "Hang on, grandma, this is an incredible find. I recognize this statue. I saw it pictured in the Prophecies of Vorticae. It's called the Weather Stone. I read that supernaturals can interact with it. If I howl at it, maybe it will do something..."
Erika: "You believe in the fairy tales of Vorticae? Pah."

Ignoring his grandmother's remark, Severin begins howling at the Weather Stone. It begins to shudder at his voice. His heart racing, Severin howls even louder. According to Vorticae, he should be able to control the weather - and a bunch of fortune - with this stone. Imagine! He, the Overlord heir, controlling the very weather itself!

Deciding to go along with her grandson, Erika begins to howl as well. Hey, perhaps he's right. Maybe something cool will happen.

They howl and howl and howl until finally the Weather Stone shakes so violently that Severin and Erika jump out of the way in case it falls down on them. Then Severin waits. He waits for the rain to pour even harder, for the wind to pick up even stronger. He waits for the Weather Stone to do his bidding.

Startling both the werewolves, the Weather Stone speaks in a slow, deep, monotone voice: "The Weather Stone does not find you worthy to use its power."

Severin: "Not...not worthy?"
Erika: "Hmm...perhaps it only reacts for alpha wolves."
Severin: "But..."
Erika: "Come on, Severin. We're already separated from the rest of the pack. That's a high source of dishonor. Let's hurry."

Angry at the stupid stone, Severin kicks it, then bounds after his grandmother as they head back to the castle. Not worthy! Did that stone even know who it was talking to? One day, when Severin became in charge of the Overlord throne, and was the most famous rock star in Moonlight Falls, and was an alpha wolf himself, he'd come back and utterly humiliate that stone for its insolence. Stupid, idiot, arrogant rock!

As Erika and Waylon head inside, Gator commands Severin to stay out with him. Severin supposes he's going to get scolded for separating from the pack.

Gator: "You're a bit late."
Severin: "Sorry...I finally found something and I was excited to go look for it. It was the Weather Stone, and I tried to summon it, but it didn't listen to me. It will next time. It'd better listen next time."
Gator: "I'm glad your grandmother stayed behind with you. A lone werewolf is not always safe on a full moon night. Zombies and vampires are your biggest concern. Vampires, even controlled ones, can go a bit blood-crazy on full moon nights. Next time, stay with the pack."
Severin: "Yeah, yeah."
Gator: "Excuse me?"
Severin: "...Yes, sir."
Gator: "Thank you."
Severin: "...Why are you fishing in the moat, dad? There's no alligators or fish in here. Tobie showed me there wasn't."
Gator: "Worth a try. Sometimes fish do collect."
Severin: "Why do we need a fish anyway?"
Gator: "Your last experience tonight needs to be a right of passage. As a werewolf, you have a beastly side to tap into. I'm trying to find you a fish to eat."
Severin: "Does mom have the right equipment to cook it?"
Gator: "You're eating it raw."

The idea sounds a bit disgusting to Severin. What if he gets food poisoning? He's not completely a beast. Can werewolves get sick from eating raw meat like humans can? Still, his father's the alpha wolf and he knows not to cross him.

After a while, the sky begins to boom and light up in second-long flashes of blinding light. Gator's not sure what's going on, so he takes Severin inside instead. Then he pulls out some raw hot dog links from the fridge.

Severin: "This?...I'm eating this?"
Gator: "Yes."
Severin: "...All of them?"
Gator: "All of them. You're a werewolf. Relish the taste of raw meat."

Under the piercing eyes of his father, Severin knows he can't be a chicken. He has to do it. He has to earn this respect. Ignoring his unease, Severin stuffs the links into his mouth, grinds them to a pulp with his sharp teeth, then swallows.

Strangely enough, the raw meat tastes...delicious. The taste fills his mouth, making him feel more animalistic and beast-like than before. It actually makes him feel a bit strong. He's a werewolf - he can eat raw meat! Tobie can't do that!

Gator thumps his son on the back, then nips the corner of his ear. Startled, Severin glances at his father.
Gator: "It's the symbol of my approval. You're learning quickly, Severin. When you're in wolf form, you are expected to bring honor and respect to the lycan name. I'm happy at your progress."
Severin: "Well, thanks. I've been trying. Do I...move up now?"
Gator: "You earn more respect now. But you're still the lowest-ranking member of the Wolff pack. You will always show your respect to your grandmother, and your aunt and uncle. And your father, of course."
Severin: "So wait...you're the alpha wolf of the pack, but you're the youngest of your family."
Gator: "I'm full-grown and have a reputation of honor among not only my pack, but many other werewolves as a whole. Nonetheless, if I asked my family to group together as a pack with me as the alpha and they all refused, I would not be the alpha of the pack. The only one in this group obligated to submit to me as the alpha is you, because you are still my teenage son."
Severin: "But once I get older..."
Gator: "Once you are a young adult, you will be able to make your own decisions."

Severin and Gator share an understanding silence between them. Then Gator glances at his hands.

Gator: "I must admit, I do wish there were some way to change lycan nail colors. Polish doesn't work, and it kind of sucks to be stuck with dark red nails when you're trying to convince other werewolves that you are to be respected."
Severin: "You think yours are bad? Mine are blue-green. They're even worse."
Gator: "Well...someone will hopefully come up with a way to change them. Perhaps a scientist, like WAYLON." Waylon mumbles something in reply. "Meanwhile, it's close to 2:00 in the morning. You should get to bed. You have school in the morning."
Severin: "But...I'm not even tired."
Gator: "Werewolves have more energy when we're in beast form. You likely won't sleep well tonight. But you should sleep some. I don't want you catching up on it in school."
Severin: "Fine..."

Severin heads towards the stairs, not sleepy in the slightest. But before he heads up, he turns around and tells his father, "Dad...thank you for taking me hunting. I promise I'll work at it. I'll be worthy of the title 'alpha wolf' one day, and it won't be long." Gator smiles at his son, then watches as Severin disappears upstairs.

Gator plops down on the couch next to his mother while Waylon brags about his catches online with the Overlords' new computer.

Erika: "Well...I think that went very well, Gator. I think Severin learned a lot from the experience. Keep training him. He's already very close to where he needs to be."
Gator: "Thank you, mom. Everything I'm teaching him I learned from you. You taught me and my siblings very well."
Waylon: "That you did, mom."
Erika: "Had to keep you in line somehow. Especially you, Gator. I told you one day you would have a son like yourself and then you'd know everything I had to go through."
Gator: "I definitely get your point."
Erika: "...It's really too bad...too bad that our full pack wasn't here today."
Gator: "I tried to get a hold of Wilhelmina several times, but she wouldn't pick up her phone."
Erika: "Probably out with her boyfriend...figures. I'm glad you're not all caught up in that anymore, Waylon."

Gator gives a small smile. Waylon had broken up with his vampire girlfriend (as well as the family enemy) a while back and Erika had allowed him back into the family. It felt good to have him around again.

Erika: "Your father would have enjoyed this hunt as well."
Gator: "Yeah...dad was so good at hunting."
Erika: "...And Severin's other grandfather. Jakkson, I believe his name was? I heard about the news just yesterday. I'm sure...I'm sure he would've been an excellent addition to the pack. He hunted quite a lot in his younger days, I've heard."

Gator sighs, thinking about what might have been. Jakkson would have been a great person to ask to join the pack. In fact, had Jakkson been around, Gator might have asked him to take on the role of alpha wolf, if only just for that one hunt. Gator's sure Severin could've learned so much from his grandfather.

But, what's happened has happened. There's nothing they can do about it now. At least they have the werewolf code of respect and honor. Every werewolf in Moonlight Falls, including Gator and the Wolffs, have visited Jakkson's grave, paying their deep respects. Once a respected werewolf, always a respected werewolf.

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Author's notes: Perhaps thanks to Twallan's mods, Amaranth did receive a "Mourning" moodlet when her father Jakkson died, even though normally those moodlets do not happen when the deceased Sim doesn't live in the active household. Amaranth literally wept more over Jakkson than I've ever seen any Sim mourn. There was one point where she literally spent one whole Sim hour continuously crying over her father's death. I felt so awful for her. I also feel awful that Jakkson is gone. With Oliver and Phantom still very much around, it just seems to weird that the third member of that trio, Jakkson, is now dead. I already miss him a bunch.

Soren turned into a zombie on a full moon night, indicating he's a homeless Sim. I hope to have that taken care of soon.

The werewolf hunt was so much fun to write. Severin seems so on top of the world in his human affairs, but it's rather humbling when he has to learn to be a real werewolf from scratch.

Finally, I feel like I'm taking forever on Severin's teenage years. There's one more event that's going to take place in his teenage life, and then he'll be ready to start his generation. I assume for his 5-Star Celebrity goal, I'll need to grab some celebs from Bridgeport and sprinkle them in Moonlight Falls, as there are absolutely no celebrities in town since I got rid of it in my options menu.

What'd you think of the chapter? Also, be on the lookout - a reader poll is coming up in Severin's generation! A first for the blog. :D Looking forward to your input!