Game Journal Thursday 11 January 2001

Pic of the game: Dazzler Jr dazzles her audience with the guitar.

DJ's Day (The Sims)

Dazzler Jr shook her head in disbelief. Chian trying to play the new electric guitar? Chian? "No fun" Chian, "Always flush and wash your hands" Chian, the girl they all called Grandmother even though she was just half a year older than Glassy and Scowler ... and she had the temerity to touch a noble instrument such as that? Dazzler Jr's heart went out to the poor guitar, to be violated like that. Better it had stayed in the shop than be dragged into Itland's School for Gifted Simsters and played like that.

Quickly she made her way to the scene of crime, where a couple other onlookers already stared in shocked disgust. "Prrrblppppt!" said Guyana, which was nothing but the truth. Not that the carrottop tomboy could have done any better, Dazzler Jr reflected.

***

Since the day she came to the School, a good week ago now, Dazzler Jr had found herself increasingly lonely among the small group of students. She felt different. First off, she was the only one who wore a mask. What's the point of being Special if you can't wear a mask and cool threads? Well, Glassy always wore his glasses, even to bed. Rumor had it that he even wore them in the shower; but when she had tried to find out, he had become quite angry and cursed her away. She thought he sounded like an angry duck, actually, but she did not say so. He was after all the closest she could come to someone like herself. Even if it was only glasses.

The others also reacted in the same strange way. When they looked a bit down and she tried to juggle for them, they raspberried her and turned their back. And when she tried to tickle them, they cursed out loud and shoved her away! Even Roberto, who she had expected better from, barked at her when she tried to give him a little backrub. What burr was up the pants of all these people? She had tried to talk with them, but they always talked about strange and boring things, like money and crime and stuff. And they were out all day, or sometimes night, doing stuff with the military or with labs or other government stuff. Glassy was working with a hospital, Light knows what his Gift was. He never talked about it. So she was sometimes all alone here, finding out new and exciting meals - at least they ate her food - and finishing their pathetic attempts at painting. Painting was fun. She could lose herself in it for hours, not noticing anything until the painting was finished.

***

"Well, could any of you do it better?" asked Chian in a challenging tone. "I'd like to think so" replied Dazzler Jr before she knew she had opened her mouth. They all turned to her, giving her that look again. But she held firm. "Well, it's all yours." Chian put the guitar down and stepped away from it. Mechanically, the golden-haired masked girl walked up and took it.

She thought she could feel ... something, even as she touched the slick surface, even before her fingers touched the strings and the first sound came. And she knew it, as soon as she heard the first chord. It all came back to her. The toy xylophone that she had got as a present from her aunt, the one her parents burned because "the devil was in the music". The secret pleasures of playing the panflute of the neighbor girl, until her parents found out. The boy with his face full of acne, who had taught her to play the guitar, until he tried to play with something else and she had run away screaming.

The music within her rose to meet the vibrations from the huge bass loudspeaker. And suddenly she knew why the mysterious Founder had chosen her to attend the School for Gifted Youngsters. She knew her Gift, and it knew her. The faces of the small group in front of her changed, first to absolute surprise. Her fingers seemed to move on their own, weaving harmonies that she had never heard before. The faces changed to childlike delight and excitement. Whispered words of admiration. Some of them started to move to the music. Suddenly everyone in or near the house seemed to flock to the corner where she stood. She did not mind. She could feel the energy flowing, she lost herself in the music ...

***

Glassy touched her arm lightly, and she stopped playing and looked at him. "Uhm, DJ? We just got fined §500 for keeping the neighbors awake long past midnight. Not that it wasn't worth it, and the policewoman took her time too. But I think we should stop now." She put the guitar down, and suddenly felt how dead tired she was, hardly able to stand on her feet. The others were dispersing, most of them to the sleeping hall. She could need that herself - but was there food on the table? She always tried to keep some food there, or the poor guys would have to live off snacks. Well, Guyana made meals too, but they were not very good.

She took a few steps and stretched. Light, she was stiff. Suddenly she heard Glassy's voice behind her, surprisingly low and shy for the leader type he really was. "DJ? You look like you could really need a backrub." She turned her head and smiled. "I guess I could", she said.

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(Based on a series of events at my School for Gifted Simsters. Playing an instrument, especially the guitar from Living Large, can really get people to like you, if you're good. The longer they listen, the more friendly they will feel.)