Epilogue

Naomi looked over the invitation one last time, to make sure everything was perfect. She paused a brief moment, her finger hovering just over the 'send' key. This was it. All her hard work over the years would finally be put on display for the world to see.

Gen 10 Ch 5

"I checked everywhere I could think of, Jack. No one has seen her! I even called the police, but they just went on about no evidence of foul play, teenagers often do this sort of thing, come back in twenty-four hours. I don't know what to do!"

"Don't worry, sweetheart.We'll find her."
Jack sounded so sure of himself, but Crystal wasn't convinced.
"I knew we shouldn't have come to Bridgeport. Mama was right. I'm supposed to go on stage tomorrow night, but I can't. Not with Naomi missing."

They walked the city streets all night, searching in vain. The sheer size of the place was daunting to both of them. They would never find her at this rate.

Suddenly Crystal stopped short, remembering something her mother had said, the night she predicted this disaster.
"A red light. Mama said something about a red light. But this city is full of red lights. I know! We can  ask my cousin Justin. He lives around here somewhere. I was at his house once when I was little."
She realized she was babbling, but she couldn't help it. Jack was more practical.
"But it's three o'clock in the morning. He probably won't even answer his bell."
"We have to try, Jack. We have to!"

Surprisingly, Justin did answer his bell. Crystal lost no time in explaining the situation to him
"... and so you see, my mother knew all this would happen years ago, and she said we had to look for a red light."
Justin looked dubious, and Crystal could see him begin a subtle eye roll.
"Please?" She interrupted his skepticism. "Even if you don't believe, surely you must know of a particular memorable red light."

He shrugged and grinned at her.
"I guess you're right. I think you're on a wild goose chase, but there is a red street light behind the Plasma 501. That may be what you're looking for. I can even show you, if you want."

"There you go. Red street light, and the back entrance to the Plasma 501. I wouldn't go down there, though, if I were you. You just might run into some hungry vampires...  BOO!"
He laughed uproariously as Jack and Crystal both jumped a foot into the air.
"Ahaha. Just kidding. The vampires around here are friendly - mostly."

"You're not going to find anything. It's just a long hallway that leads to the Plasma 501."
"Thanks for everything, Justin. We'll take a look anyway."
'Okay then, I'll leave you two to it. And thanks for the tickets. I'll see you at the concert!"
Crystal was beginning to think that Justin was right, as they quietly made their way down the endless hall. But then they both stopped short as the sounds scuffling and low voices emanated from behind an almost unnoticed door.

"Just one more day, and you'll be mine forever. And together we'll rule the world!"
Crystal gasped in horror at what she saw when the entered the hidden room. It was Pascal, but he was ...different. Her mind couldn't process what was going on, what Pascal had become. But Jack knew immediately. The Bottled Vampire's Bite that had been stolen from his shop! Pascal had stolen it and used it on himself! And the Flasks of Potent Sleep! That was how he had managed to keep Naomi under control.

"Now you will obey me. Drink this, and sleep. And when you awaken this evening, we will begin the ritual."
"NO!" Crystal screamed. "Leave her alone!"
Jack didn't take the time for words. Silently he jumped toward the vampire.

"Naomi, run!' Crystal yelled, but Naomi seemed dazed and unsure.
Jack wasn't sure what had possessed him to attack a vampire, either. He fought his best, but the other's strength seemed overwhelming.

The fight seemed to go on forever. Crystal knew she should hustle Naomi out of that place while there was still time, but she couldn't leave Jack. The vampire was just a blur, and Jack was obviously getting the worst of it. Finally Pascal deemed Jack to be no longer a threat, and turned his attention back to his daughters.

His glare brought Naomi out of her trance, and she took off down the hall, as fast as she could run.

Pascal followed, and with his new powers, Crystal knew he would catch up in no time.

What Pascal did not reckon on, was the time that Jack had kept him occupied below. For as they emerged from the entrance, the sun rose over the horizon and fell full on the vampire's pale face. Clutching his throat in agony, his body turned to ash right then and there....

...and fell to the ground in a small dusty blackened heap at Crystal's feet.

After the night's excitement, Crystal was ready to cancel her performance, but her family wouldn't let her.
"Please don't cancel because of me. I'm fine, really. He didn't do anything to me - just scared me. He said he was waiting until after my birthday, then we'd be vampires together.. "
She shuddered at the thought, and Crystal did too.
But she bowed to her family's wishes, and after a short nap, she stood on the stage, overlooking the largest crowd she had ever seen. If her family hadn't been right in the front row cheering for her, she wasn't sure if she could have gone through with it.

She began with one of her favorite ballads, and was encouraged by the crowd's positive reaction.

Soon she was feeling the energy, just as if she was back at Mike's Karaoke in Lucky Palms.

Jack was proud and Shani was flabbergasted. This was really her mom, up there on the big stage with an arena full of fans clapping and cheering?

The biggest surprise was Naomi. Gone were the complaints and eye rolls that had long dominated her teenage years. She cheered the loudest of any of them.

"That's my mommy up there. Isn't she a good singer, Patches?"

After the concert, they stopped by the old family home. Crystal said she wanted the children to see the old place at least once before she sold it.
"But mom.. you can't just up and sell it, it's been in the family just about forever!"
"We can talk about that later, dear heart. Right now, we have a surprise for you! You were willing to give up your birthday for my concert. But we didn't want you to have to do that. Soo...."

"Happy Birthday!!"
Naomi turned to see a cake already set up on the table, and a roomful of guests burst in through the front door. Many of the long lost Moonstone relatives had been found - Justin and his wife, of course, and also a few of Agate's and Jojo's descendants.

As Naomi stepped up to blow out her candles, she looked more relaxed and happy than she had in many years. Crystal had never fully realized the toll that Pascal had taken on her, and what a relief it was to finally be really free.

It was late, and Crystal and the newly grown up Naomi waved farewell as the guests filed out. Naomi had been unusually quiet during the party. Now she turned to her foster mother, a set look in her eyes, as if she had come to a momentous decision.

The two of them walked upstairs to survey the living area. Naomi was amazed at the many sculptures, paintings and ancient relics that were casually displayed throughout the house.
"Was all this artwork our ancestors' work? I can't believe you want to sell this place."
"I don't know what else to do with it, dear. I don't like Bridgeport. It's too big, too crowded, and too dangerous. I just want to go back to Lucky Palms and forget this whole trip happened."

"But I love it here! I love the lights, the crowds, the excitement."
"You do??" Crystal could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Even after everything that happened?"
"Yes! I feel so free, I feel I can do anything. And I want to keep this house. I'll take care of it, I promise. I think I want to turn it into a museum - so everyone can remember our family and our contributions to this city. What do you think?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, dear heart."
Crystal pulled her into a tight hug, then carefully removed the old key from its familiar place on her key chain and placed it in Naomi's hand. She could hardly wait to see what Naomi would do with the old place.

Gen 10 Ch 4

Crystal yanked the lever on the slot machine down in one smooth practiced motion, watching the spinning icons in high anticipation. It was a good way to relax before beginning her show.

Gen 10 Ch 3

Time flew by for the Moonstones. Baby Onyx made his entrance into the world, and Crystal soon found herself expecting again. 

Gen 10 Ch 2

Now that Jack and Crystal were formally engaged, they made it a priority to schedule play dates so the girls could get to know each other before the big day.
"Hi, I'm Shani. Can I play on your computer?"

Gen 10 Ch 1

It was the morning after Crystal's birthday party. Stephan, Rose, and Diamond were saying their last goodbyes to Crystal, before they left Champs Les Sims for Moonlight Falls.
"Call us when you get to Lucky Palms, sweetheart. We'll miss you! Oh, and I almost forgot."
Rose Beryl pressed a large, old key into Crystal's hand.
"Here is the key to Moonstone Manor in Bridgeport. The old place is yours now. If you still want to turn it into a museum, you have my blessing."

Gen 4 Ch 6

The pouring rain matched Rose Beryl's mood as they slowly drove from the airport past the old yellow brick buildings out to the little campsite in Champs Les Sims.

Gen 4 Ch 5

Spring was slowly giving way to summer in Starlight Shores, and it was time for the troupe to move on once more. Rose was beside herself when she found out where their next stop would be - they would be back in Champs Les Sims for the Summer Festival.
"I'm not ready, Stephan. I just can't go back yet. I've talked to  Esmerelda, and she has agreed that I can stay here for the summer, and then join back up with the troupe in Moonlight Falls."

Gen 9 Ch 4

It seemed so surreal to Rose Beryl to be back in Bridgeport once more. The troupe took over a secluded cabin up in the hills for their short stay in the area. The bustling city was just visible in the distance.

Gen 9 Ch 3

 The little caravan pulled into Appaloosa Plains as the first snow was beginning to fall. Everything was so white and crisp and beautiful, it was hard to imagine that in a few months Rose would be longing to see the grass again. She and Stephan rented an old renovated ranch, which they chose mainly for the large two-stall barn. Ginger and Benny would need a warm place to sleep on those cold winter nights.

 She had to wade through what seemed to be at least two feet of snow to get to the little wagon now. Esmerelda always had a little heater going full blast, so it was comfortably warm inside, but getting there was another story. Rose Beryl was sure she had never been so cold in her entire life. She warmed her hands in front of the heater first thing every day. She was learning to read palms now, and it wouldn't do to freeze out her clients with icy fingers.

It wasn't long after they arrived, that Rose discovered she was expecting. Stephan was ecstatic, but Rose wasn't quite so sure. She didn't want this pregnancy to slow her down, or keep her from her clients. She was just beginning to catch small glimpses of the future, when she really concentrated.
It was so exciting, and she didn't want to lose any of her progress.

But she hadn't counted on the weather. Snowstorm followed snowstorm, one right after the other, until travel was almost impossible. Everything was cancelled, and even if she could have made it to the wagon, her clients were snowed in as well. She and Stephan made the best of it, staying home and building snowmen with Crystal, or plopping down it a pristine spot to make a snow angel.

Yes! A perfect pregnant snow angel, first try. I'm the best!

Sometimes they danced the night away to the old cowboy songs on the radio.

Other times they just sat and enjoyed the crackling fire, and watched the snow coming down so thick they couldn't even see the barn.

One snowy night, when the windows were frosted over, and the snow piled so high they couldn't open the front door, Rose went into labor, and Stephan completely freaked out. In between contractions, Rose told him not to worry so much, she had glimpsed the future, and everything would turn out fine - which wasn't quite true (the glimpsing the future part, that is), but it calmed him down. For while it was getting easier to see into other people's future, Stephan's and hers was still a total blank to her.

But everything did turn out just fine. And baby Diamond joined their growing family.  

Not long after baby Diamond was born, Rose began to notice that Ginger was getting a little thicker around the middle. Sure enough, the long winter nights cooped up in the barn had resulted in Benny and Ginger making their own, er.. entertainment. Rose estimated that the new foal would be born right around Snowflake Day.

Rose made sure Ginger had plenty of hay for her and her baby, even if it meant braving the elements more often than she wanted to.

Stephan pitched in with gusto, doing everything from feeding to diapering, to rocking Diamond to sleep.

Crystal talked Rose into getting her a chameleon, which she cared for fastidiously. Rose couldn't remember ever seeing its cage dirty. In fact, Rose never saw anything in her room dirty, ever. Sometimes she would even brush her teeth two or three times in a row, claiming that once wasn't enough to get them completely clean. Such a strange child.

Rose only wished That Crystal was as fastidious about her schoolwork, as she was about her cleanliness. She had missed so much school from the storms, and she didn't seem to have any interest in catching up, at all. Almost every week there would be call from the school.

"Crystal is doing so well in her music class, why can't she show that kind of effort in the rest of her studies?"

Stephan wasn't worried, though, and his nonchalance was catching.

"Don't worry, Rose. Leave her be. She'll find her way, when she wants to.

Finally a day came when the snow didn't fall, and the roads began to clear. Stephan took full advantage and talked the manager of the local coffee shop into letting him perform for his customers. There was only one problem. There wasn't enough room inside, so the show would have to go on out on the patio - in the snow. Stephan wasn't sure that anyone would even show up on a cold winter's night, but there was no harm in trying.
He started out the show with his newest sword trick. He just hoped it would work; he'd never attempted it before.

"Ta Dah! And as you can see, our brave volunteer has come to no harm!"

To both Rose's and Stephan's surprise, the residents of Appaloosa Plains didn't mind at all coming out in the snow to see the magic show. He became a regular there, and Rose often accompanied him, working the crowds to sell her private readings.
"Yes.. it's becoming clearer..you will come into some money soon... but you will lose some money even sooner..fifteen simoleons, to be exact. That will be fifteen simoleons, please."

When they weren't working the coffee shop, they would take Crystal out exploring the town. One night they stumbled upon an old hole-in-the-wall cowboy saloon. There was even a real cowboy serving drinks at the bar! That wasn't the best part, though.

Upstairs, they found a karaoke machine - and after that, they were there almost every night. Sometimes Rose and Crystal sang their hearts out, while Stephan cheered them on, drink in hand.

Other times Crystal talked Stephan into taking the second microphone. Sometimes Rose sat and had a drink, but other times, she just had to let loose. Jumping onto the closest counter, she danced to the karaoke beat and Crystal's sweet singing.

You only had to watch Crystal's face, and listen to her for a few minutes, to realize that she had talent. Maybe she didn't get A's in school, but Rose was sure she'd go far with her musical talent.

The morning of Snowflake Day arrived with much anticipation by all. Stephan and Crystal wanted to go ice skating, and any other day, Rose would have called a sitter and gladly joined them. But today she turned down the invitation. She had a huge gift-giving party to prepare for, and besides Ginger's foal was due any day now.

The party was a huge success. Crystal eyed the growing pile of gifts with growing impatience, but Rose wouldn't give the go ahead until all the guests had arrived. So she helped herself to a plate of turkey and cookies while she waited.

Finally it was time for the gift opening to begin. Crystal went first, and received a toy oven, which she was thrilled with.

Stephan found a snowflake mirror in his box. Like a good hostess, Rose waited until every one else had had a turn, but was disappointed when all that was left was a box of holiday coal.

After the gift giving ceremony, Rose pulled Stephan under the mistletoe for a quick holiday smooch.

It was Rose's first Snowflake Day party ever, and she was so excited that it went off without a hitch.
"Woo!"

After the last guest had gone, Rose went out to check on Ginger - just in time, too.

Soon after, a tiny female foal lay blinking confusedly  in the snow.

Rose hovered over the pair with concern, but in no time, the tiny thing was on her feet, sucking hungrily.

Crystal was given charge over the new family member, a duty she took very seriously. She called the foal Brandy, and they soon became fast friends.

The first day of spring arrived with pouring rain and melting snow, and it was time for Crystal's birthday. Friends old and new stopped by to help celebrate. It was Crystal's last day as a child, and also their last day in Appaloosa Plains.

Crystal was excited to discover that the troupe was headed now for Starlight Shores. It seemed to her the perfect place to get a leg up on her anticipated musical career. But there was one stop that old Esmerelda insisted on making first - a stop Rose was not thrilled about, but Esmerelda had business there, and it was on their way.

So after the final guest had departed, the little family gathered themselves together once more, and splashed off into the downpour, on their way to what Rose hoped would only be a business meeting, but instead turned out to be much more.