A Buffyverse Apocalypse: Chapter One

By RoseFyre

If you haven't read the Prologue, I suggest you read it...though, really, it's basically just like every other ApocalypsePrologue ever.

---

As always, I don't own Joss or any of the Buffy/Angel characters.

First things first: just before Joss graduated from University, I changed my look. After all, it was a bit weird for me tobe wearing nearly the same outfit as Eloise, don't you think? And winter was on its way, and soon I wouldn't be ableto change my clothes. Best to choose something good first.

When Joss came to his new home, he found it to be extremely odd. There were no doors, no windows, no stairs tothe second floor, no railings stopping people from falling off the balconies (or the roof), and no furniture. Luckily, hehad enough money to afford most of those immediately; the windows, along with the wallpaper and the carpeting,had to wait.

However, Joss found that he couldn't expand his house outside of a small area, and he couldn't get many of thecomforts he was used to. Though he constantly wanted to buy a bath or shower, there were none available.

After he furnished his home, he began tai chi, one of his favorite exercises.

He was interrupted by the paperboy.

"Hi, I'm Derek, I'll be your paperboy for the next few generations."

"Joss." He hesitated for a second, then decided to ask. "Do you know what's going on? I can't get a shower, or lights,or a telescope."

"Oh, yeah, it's an Apocalypse."

"A what?"

"An Apocalypse."

"No, I...I know what an Apocalypse is. I mean, what do you mean when you say this is an Apocalypse?"

Derek shrugged, finally letting go of Joss's hand. "That's what we were told at the paper. Lots of things are going tobe lacking for a while, until someone - or a family, I heard - fixes this place up."

Joss said goodbye to Derek, taking the paper, and sat down to read it. Derek was certainly correct about the lack;even the paper was just a flyer, really. It advertised a job in Journalism, which didn't appeal to Joss. The second job,Business, only wanted people who had majored in Psychology or Economics.

Joss had majored in Literature. Luckily (for him and for me), the third job listed was Music - as a summer camp musicteacher - requiring a degree in either Literature or Economics. He took it.

He tried to call me, to find out what was going on. I'd promised him a Legacy, after all; why was he in anApocalypse?

But the phones weren't working, and he couldn't get a line out. He couldn't use the computer for chat, either.

Later that afternoon, I managed to get a line out, and called him myself.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Joss,"

"Rose."

"Angry?"

"Very."

"What am I doing in an Apocalypse, Rose? You promised me a Legacy!"

I shrugged, though he couldn't see me. "I lied."

"You WHAT?!"

"I lied."

"And why, exactly, did you lie?" His voice was ice-cold.

"Because I knew you wouldn't agree to an Apocalypse."

"And why did you want me in an Apocalypse in the first place?"

"Because I think that you're incredibly cruel to your characters. Tara. Wash. Buffy. Anya. Doyle. You put yourcharacters through hell, and I think you deserve to go through a little of that."

"So you put me in an Apocalypse?"

"It's still better than what you put your characters through, trust me."

"I hate you," he said, hanging up the phone.

He then left for work, determined not to talk to me for a while.

He was extremely worried about Eloise; he hadn't managed to reach her, even though he'd tried all morning. Was shecaught in this Apocalypse too? Would she be all right?

When he came home from work, he brought two things: a promotion, and Sanjay Ramaswami, who worked with him.

Being able to talk to someone let Joss calm down a little, though he was still extremely worried about Eloise.

He didn't sleep well that night. He kept waking up from nightmares of never seeing Eloise again.

Therefore, when he finally managed to get a line out on Tuesday afternoon and found out that Eloise was doingperfectly well, he was ecstatic.

"You can come over? Great!"

Unfortunately, he had to leave for work pretty quickly, but not before he assured himself that Eloise was fine. He lethis friends hang around while he worked, though.

While he desperately wanted to ask Eloise to move in with him, the new laws stopped him.

When he got back from work, he discovered the real problem of not having a shower. Washing his hands just didn'tget him very clean. Even though he did it repeatedly.

Lack of good food was also a problem. Joss could only cook one meal a day, and he often had to eat it even when itwas spoiled.

However, waking up in the middle of the night to stop himself from starving stopped the burglar from taking anythingbut the table he had to put his bills on.

Joss worked almost constantly that week, often going to work twice in one day and achieving promotions both times.

Finally, on Friday night, he came home having topped his career - Joss Whedon was a Rock God! He could now moveother people (and pets) into his house. The next time Eloise could come over, he'd invite her to stay.

The next day, when he went to work, he had the choice of doing a stage dive or rocking the solo. He chose to takethe dive...and was promptly demoted.

However, his effect on the community lasted anyway. The winter - which had barely settled in - was gone for good.Or, rather, going.

He'd managed to build a third floor on his house, and he placed a new, expensive telescope on the roof. At last, hecould do one of his favorite activities again.

He also made friends with Rover, a dog who came by his house. Once they were good friends, he invited Rover tomove in.

He taught Rover his skills, and got him a job in Pet Show Business.

However, he had no way to wash Rover, and he could barely afford to feed the poor dog. On Monday, when Roverhadn't gotten a promotion, Joss gave up. He gave Rover to his friend Fannie Frank, who promised to take good careof him.

---

It was a hard choice to make, but even with Rover getting fed at work, I was completely dependent on his foodschedule - food everyday at midnight, just so he wouldn't starve. And, while Joss was surviving, I wasn't sure Eloisewould, especially once she got pregnant. Then, without getting a single promotion, Rover got completely stinky. Notubs = no way to clean a dog. I doubted he'd be able to get a promotion anytime soon, let alone top the career, so Ireluctantly sent him back to the stray pool, by giving him to a townie.

On Tuesday, when the phones were working again, he invited all of his friends over, and asked Eloise to marry him. "Will you takeme, to have and to hold? To love and to cherish, to honor but not obey. To be my wife, as I will be your husband."

"I do." Eloise smiled at Joss. "Will you take me, to have and to hold? To love and to cherish, to honor but not obey. To be myhusband, as I will be your wife."

"I do.” He placed a ring on her finger, and she placed one on his.

"Wow, Joss is hot. He should totally call me," Eva Reid, one of his friends from the Secret Society, said.

Joss and Eloise ignored her.

"I have to get to work, or I'll be fired."

Eloise smiled at him. "Go. I've got to go to work myself, tonight."

Eloise was a Mad Scientist, who worked nights. At her lab, they'd managed to hook the electronics back up, thoughthey couldn't fix the phone lines. She'd also invented Smart Milk.

I promptly put lights up in the house. The Politics restrictions make taking pictures hard enough; having lights makesit at least slightly easier.

"Why are you having a first woohoo memory when I'm not, and you already had one?"

"My memories got erased in the Apocalypse." Joss sat up. "I'm fine, honey," she said. "I think it happened toeveryone but you, and maybe Rose. I can remember the important stuff, anyway."

"I'm still worried about you."

She smiled up at him. "I know. But I'll be fine."

He was still uneasy, but he let it go.

When Eloise woke up that morning, she wondered if she was pregnant.

Luckily, she didn't get sick enough to throw up.

---

I'd brought an Energizer home as one of my three items, just in case Eloise needed it, if she had a difficultpregnancy. Lucky for me, she didn't. The other two items I brought were Joss's diploma and a bottle of Elixir. Josshas drunk it three times, and Eloise once - she's still two days younger than him.

I stopped by later that day to see how they were doing. "It's great to finally meet you in person, Rose," Eloise said.

"You too."

"Joss is still mad at you, you know."

"Yup." I looked around the room. "I like the new carpet. And is that an easel in the background?"

"Yes."

"Is that legal?"

"Joss is a Rock God again. He brought it home from work for me."

"That's fine, then."

I then went to talk to Joss. "Not hating me anymore?"

"Since Eloise is finally here, no." He then handed me two weeks worth of mob taxes. "So, why exactly am I givingthese to you?"

"Because the mob is terrorizing the citizens." I shrugged. "It's part of the Apocalypse."

"Yes, but why am I giving them to YOU?"

I put the money into my special bag. "Well, um, that's a long story."

"A long story?"

"ThemobfoundoutthatI'dgottenanillegalloanandforcedmetocomeworkforthem."

He took a moment to process what I'd said. "You're working for the mob?"

"They forced me! I'm a Family Sim! My Lifetime Want is to be Captain Hero!"

He burst out laughing. "Serves you right."

I glared at him, then left. It was time to get to bed.

The next morning, Eloise got up, looked out the window, and popped into pregnancy. "I can't wait, Rose!"

"Good to know," I said.

"Family Sim."

"Trust me, I understand."

Actually, Eloise couldn't wait so much that she told this random teenage girl, Kelli last-name-that-I-forgot, all abouther first woohoo - or, rather, the first one she could remember.

Then she rolled up the want to be best friends.

The next day, Lynne stopped by on her way to work, and Eloise popped into her second trimester.

She cooked some of the fish she'd had stored in her Inventory, and entertained the oldest Ottomas kid.

Joss couldn't stop staring at Eloise. I think it was the pregnancy.

"Do I have to go to work? I'm pregnant!"

"Don't worry, you're quitting when the kid's born. Your schedule and Joss's overlap too much. And you can only paintas long as he's still a Rock God."

"Good."

The next day, Eloise went into labor.

"Eloise is hot when she's giving birth."

Good to know, Joss.

"Oh my God, baby!"

Yes, Cyd. Baby.

And Joss and Eloise...threw me natural twins.

Luckily I'd left enough space for two cribs in the nursery, knowing I might have twins, or at least kids close enough inage to need two cribs at once. And the floor dividers stop the noise from traveling.

Joss decided that, if I was going to put him through an Apocalypse because of what he'd done to his characters, hewas going to name his children - and other descendents - after his characters.

On the left is Buffy Anne Summers Whedon. On the right is Cordelia Chase Whedon

Eloise promptly quit her job, and was pretty good at paying attention to the twins.

Except that she never rolled up a single want to do with them.

Instead, she wanted to Have a Baby.

I refused.

It was going to be hard enough taking care of twin toddlers in an Apocalypse, without another baby.

Joss was also good at taking care of the twins, when he wasn't working.

However, as he wasn't home when the twins were ready to turn into toddlers, Eloise tossed them both.

In this picture, she's holding Buffy.

Obviously, that would make this Cordelia, or Cordy, as her family called her.

As Joss was able to user the Energizer, being permaplat, and he was the one to roll up the Wants, he taught bothgirls to walk.

"Hug, Daddy."

And he taught them to talk.

"Say Teddy, Cordy."

"Teh-dee."

"Wonderful!"

However, even Joss had to do other things sometimes, and the girls didn't like being left in their cribs alone.

"Buffy follow Daddy."

"Beat da bunny!"

"Pay wit bunny."

Buffy looked at Cordy, who was happily hugging her bunny. "Pay wit bunny," she agreed.

"What are you girls doing?"

"Mommy!" Cordy tried to stand up to reach the bed.

"Suck hand," Buffy answered, doing so.

"Are the girls watching us?"

"I think so."

"Good thing we're wearing our pajamas, then."

"Definitely."

A couple of days later, the twins grew up. Buffy was first, and she grew up well.

Cordy was next, and she also grew up well. "We're wearing the same nightgown, Buffy!"

"At least we don't look the same."

---

While both girls inherited brown hair and gray eyes from Joss, Buffy has skin one and Cordy has skin two. Buffy alsogrew up into Maxis hair, and Cordelia into Custom. I can see slight differences in their faces, but Joss and Eloise areactually pretty close, so they look pretty similar, though not identical.

The twins promptly went to bed; they had school in the morning, after all.

After they got home, the twins spent most of the afternoon playing.

"School isn't fun, Mommy," Buffy said, while she pretended to shoot her sister.

"Neither is work, sweetie." Eloise aimed her dart carefully.

"But you don't work, Mommy!" Cordy chimed in.

"No, I don't. But I used to."

"Really?"

"Before you were born."

"Wow."

The next morning, Eloise made bass with squash. It was Saturday, and the lack of food was going to be a problem.

"Now, girls, make sure you're always best friends with each other."

"But I want to meet new people!"

"And that's good, Buffy. But it's more important that you two always stay best friends."

"I wanna be your best friend, Buffy."

Buffy looked at her meal. "Me too."

Eloise smiled wistfully at her children. There would be times when contact with other people would be fleeting.Without the phones, and with many people scared to travel, keeping other friendships would be difficult. But if theycould always stay close, they'd always have each other.

As the girls got up, Cordy pulled Buffy into a spontaneous hug. Eloise, clearing the plate, smiled at her daughters.

"I don't like homework."

"Me either."

"And I'm stinky."

"Uh huh."

Buffy stuck her tongue out at her sister. "You were stinky earlier."

"Til I spent three hours washing my hands. I hate being stinky."

"Me too."

"Wait, why am I doing this again?"

"Your daughters have too many playful points. Teach them to be more serious."

"Am I serious enough yet, Daddy?"

"You're fine for now, sweetie." Joss glared in my general direction. I desisted. He could Encourage them more later.

The girls did anything they could to keep their fun levels up. Chess, painting, smustling, games with their parents,television, and, of course, games with each other.

"Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, all dressed in Black, Black Black, with silver Buckles, Buckles, Buckles, all down herBack, Back, Back..."

"Buffy, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to do homework."

"I know. But you have to."

After Buffy finished her homework on Wednesday night, she joined her sister and father for some burgers. She'dbeen up very late the night before, meeting all of Daddy's friends who had come to visit.

Still, the conversation was good enough that she and Cordy became best friends.

Joss wasn't idle while his girls were in school. He spent large amounts of time stargazing, though he didn't getabducted.

"If you won't let me have a baby, can I adopt one? The nursery's so empty!"

"No! Now go exercise!"

"Sometimes I really hate you."

"If you want to be Captain Hero, you need body points." I looked down at her. "Still hasn't come up in the paper?"

"Nope."

"Well, the girls will be old enough to stay home alone soon."

"Are you sure I can't have another baby? Buffy and Cordy could help so I could work at the same time."

"If Joss doesn't get abducted, maybe."

"I'll take that maybe."

On Thursday, Buffy and Cordy got the option to grow up.

As Buffy had a D- and I was beginning to get Social Worker warnings...well, she had to grow up. Preferably beforeschool the next day. And I wanted to keep the twins the same age.

Not that Cordy's C- was all that much better, but at least the Social Worker wasn't an immediate risk.

And here's Cordy, in her new outfit. Luckily for me, both of them have had decent clothing for both everyday andpajamas for all three ages.

---

Turn the page for amusing pictures and more info!

You're just dropping this off now, Heidi? Joss met you about five Sim weeks ago. Also, placing the fountain so itblocks the entire entryway = very stupid. Lucky for you I can put it in Inventory!

You'll find out the twins' Aspirations and Lifetime Wants next update, since it may work into plot - I have to choose anheir, after all!

As for personality:

Buffy is 10/4/10/5/6, Cordy is 10/3/4/6/8. Both girls are Virgos. I'm working on Encouraging seriousness in bothtwins, because playfulness is one of the absolute worst traits you can have in an Apocalypse.

(Go, Grace! Bark at that mailman! Actually, she chased him for a good three hours. Sim hours, that is.)

Current restrictions lifted:

Hopelessness (Joss)Music (Joss) - still suppressing ArtistScience (Eloise)

And if you haven't been there yet, you should totally go to boolprop.com! It's one of the best websites ever, anddefinitely the best for simmers.

And yes, Rover was on an actual staircase. Changing the floors made it invisible, though.