Gen 3 Ch 1: Metamorphosis

Back in Bridgeport, everyone was busying themselves packing and tying up loose ends. Clover really wanted to finish her painting before leaving for Hidden Springs again.

Her parents and brothers had been so excited at the prospect of moving to the picturesque resort town in the mountains, so of course Clover had said that she didn't mind. She did not want to stand in the way of her family's happiness. Even if, unlike them, she did have some second thoughts about leaving Bridgeport.

Sure, she loved nature and Hidden Springs was like a slice of paradise, but growing up in Bridgeport, Clover had become attached to its gritty charm and hidden beauty. She played her guitar one last time at one of her favorite spots, waiting for Darwin to arrive, for one last date before she had to leave. As much as she would miss her hometown, it was nothing compared to how much she would miss him.

All too soon though, it was off to Hidden Springs again. Bloom had purchased the house they had been renting during their vacation. Seeing how happy her brothers and parents were in their new home made Clover swallow down her own mixed feelings. If they liked it here, so would she. She knew that they might have reconsidered their spur-of-the-moment decision if she had voiced her concerns, but she didn't want to burden them or spoil their fun.

Cypress didn't seem to care where he was as long as he had a kitchen and the cooking channel on TV, but when she asked him, he told Clover that he much preferred Hidden Springs over Bridgeport.
"The produce you can get here is just much fresher. I'm sure it would improve the quality of my meals... Now shush, Chef Simsay has a soufflé in the oven."

Her father kept on growing his plants in planters just as he had done back in Bridgeport. Now they had a garden and he could have planted them outside, but he insisted that they would turn out better this way. Well, if it made him happy. Clover liked how the plants brought a little of that outdoorsy feeling indoors.

Bloom had opened a new branch of Simtendo Games right in the business center in Hidden Springs, just as he had planned. He went to work every day with an obviously renewed vigor - back in Bridgeport Clover had never seen him run. Now her elderly father sprinted whenever there was a chance.

She was a little nervous about the first day in their new school. Ever since she was little, Darwin had been right there with her in class and now, all of the sudden, he wouldn't be.

Clover's, Cypress' and Citrus' birthday doubled as an occasion for a housewarming party. The entire extended family was there, as well as some of the new neighbors. Clover was glad to see her father this happy, surrounded by the siblings to whom he was so close.

Clover could relate. She and her brothers were all the same age and had grown up always being together as if they were triplets. She cheered them on with everyone else as they blew out the candles on their cakes.

Clover went last, carefully deliberating what she should wish for. Then she closed her eyes, drew a deep breath and blew out all the candles at once.

They hadn't even gotten the chance to take a quick shower - something that was a necessity for PlantSims after every birthday, as they had found out long ago. Apparently the aging process released some strange spores or pollen, which would settle all over a PlanSim's body and head, altering the color of their leaves. A quick rinse would have been all it took to reveal Clover's purple, Citrus' yellowish green and Cypress' dark coloration, but their father dragged them off to the kitchen as soon as all three of them were young adults.

There, he presented them with three identical flagons filled with a strange liquid. Bloom explained how a mysterious shopkeeper in Shang Simla had given these to him in a wooden box, along with a short written note. Apparently these Potent Cure Elixirs, as the note dubbed them, would turn them from PlantSims into regular Sims.
"I don't know if that is what you want", Bloom finished, "but I wanted to give you a choice. One I never had myself."

It did sound a little too good to be true, Clover thought, but for some reason her father seemed so sure that it would work. Her mother looked even more concerned than Clover was herself. But before she could even begin to process all this information in her head, Cypress stepped up to the counter, took a flagon and emptied it in one long draft.

They all watched with their mouths agape as Cypress began to glow and change right in front of their eyes. Before she even realized what she was doing, Clover had reached for another flagon herself. As she felt the warm, tingly sensation of the liquid traveling down her throat, she knew that that was really what she had always wanted. From the corner of her eye, she saw Citrus taking the last flagon just a split second after herself.

Clover could hardly believe her eyes! She studied the pink skin on her hands, then felt her head. Soft, fluffy hair instead of smooth leaves. Looking over at her brothers, she noticed that they had all kept some of their coloration - Citrus' hair had a yellowish tinge, Cypress' was much darker with a slight hint of green. Clover's own hair, from what she could see, was the most unusual. They had also kept their yellow PlantSim eyes.
Still not quite normal, she thought, but she didn't mind. She felt incredible.

Cypress looked happiest of all. Clover knew why. Finally he would be able to taste the food he so loved to cook. He announced then and there that he was going to become a Five-Star-Chef and was off to ask for a job at the local bistro.

The birthday party was still in full swing, and the whole family felt like celebrating.
"You look good, sis!", Citrus grinned as he patted her on the shoulder.
Suddenly, a jolt went through Clover. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought about it until then. What would Darwin think about this? Would he still like her?

"Oh look who's finally here!", Citrus exclaimed happily, pointing past Clover. "Fashionably late, huh?"

And sure enough, as Clover turned around, there he was. Darwin, all grown up too.
"Clover?", he asked with wide eyes. "Clover, is that you?"
"Um... yes. It's me."
"What happened to you?"
"I just drank this stuff... Potent Cure Elixir, that's what it was called. And well, now I'm a regular Sim, like you."
He stared at her. "I hope you didn't do this for me."
Clover felt a pang in her chest. What was this? Was he breaking up with her? She thought for a moment before answering, "No, I did it for myself, I think. Don't... don't you like it?"

"Of course I like it, Clover. I love you! But I love you for the person you are. You being a PlantSim never bothered me. I hope you know that!"

"That said," he smiled, "you look beautiful, Clover."



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Author's Notes:

Bloom had this annoying glitch I keep getting in Bridgeport - after living there for a while, no matter what I chose, he would never run, only walk. He wasn't tired or anything, he just never ran. Even when I told him to jog he would just walk, slowly filling his athletic skill along the way. I've searched and searched, but never found a solution to the problem. It made getting around Bridgeport even slower. Exasperating. So yay for Hidden Springs yet again!

After the transformation I went ahead and changed their hair colors. Normally I like keeping whatever genetics a Sim has, but as PlantSims, apparently they didn't have any genetics anyway. They all ended up with pure black hair and green eyebrows, which looked ridiculous.

So this is the beginning of Generation 3: Clover!