The Wrongway Legacy

Generation Four, Part Nine:Expectations

Last Time...

Hex was having nightmares about the fact he's not aging, even now he's quit elixir. Maddie's friends discussed her anger problem, and decided to distance themselves from her, which upset Maddie, naturally. Rose had writer's block, and we met her son, Zeke. Robin fell pregnant, and there was much delight. Lance made a new friend in the form of Gold Wheeler, and Leda felt a little replaced. But Lance did end up explaining to Leda that no one could replace her. Hex went over to the Wheelers to check in on Elizabeth and his son, where he met his granddaughter, Gold Wheeler. Lee tried to talk Maddie out of starting a pirate radio station, unsuccessfully, and he walked out after getting mad. The twins had their birthday. Robin went into labour, and Ariel returned. Maddie was upset, and Ralph returned … which is where I left you last time!

If it doesn't sound familiar, I recommend looking back. Onto this chapter!

The runner could hear nothing but his heart pounding and each of his steps thundering against the col tarmac as he raced after his destinatipn.

This was urgent. This required him to run, when he wanted nothing more than to give up. Running had never been his sport, anyway.

I have to keep going, Lee told himself, feeling the burn from his run as he reached the top of the hill, Maddie might need me. Why did I leave her there in the first place?

Hex had taken the car, in pursuit of the other line. The pair of them had to make sure everything was okay. That was why Lee was exhausted as he ran for the radio station.

The lights from the radio station lit up the road, and Lee began to sprint the last of the run.

“Maddie!” He called, “Maddie?”

* * *

Inside the radio station, all was still and calm. Ralph smirked, folding his arms.

“So, are you afraid of me?”

Maddie, who was over the shock of meeting Ralph, smiled a little, “No. You have no power here – you don't know where you are, you don't know who I am.”

“Who you are doesn't matter to me.”

Maddie shrugged, “So why should who you are matter to me?”

Ralph changed tact, “You should be afraid. You know what I'm capable of, don't you?”

“I've heard the stories,” Maddie replied, in a bored tone.

“So you know just how dangerous I am,” Ralph smirked again, “you know I am talented in the art of hurting your family.”

“Another con for you. I know your talents,” Maddie told him, “I know what you're like. You know nothing about me, and you certainly don't know my talents.”

Maddie straightened up, and stopped leaning against the wall, smiling pleasantly at Ralph.

* * *

Lee rushed into the building just in time to see Maddie raise her fists.

It's a good thing she did martial arts afterall, Lee thought to himself, as he stood in the doorway.

Ralph hadn't seen the punch coming, but he definitely felt it hit. After years of training and martial arts, Maddie knew how to pack power into a punch when it mattered the most.

The punch landed in the centre of his chest, and Ralph stumbled back, slightly winded.

“Never underestimate a Wrongway,” Maddie said, sourly, “come after my family and you'll feel the full force of my training.” With that, she walked off, smiling when she noticed Lee in the doorway.

“Hex has gone over to Robin and Austin's,” Lee said, hurriedly, “if Ralph is back here...then Ariel must be back, too.”

Maddie nodded, and headed for the exit, choosing not to bring up the argument that took place when she last saw Lee. With a quick glance at the winded villain, Lee followed here, wondering why he ever wanted to know that man.

* * *

“Shh, Fiona, it's alright,” Robin murmured, soothingly. Austin glared at Ariel.

“Do what you want to me, but you're not hurting my family,” Austin stated, coldly. Ariel raised an eyebrow.

“You Wrongways are all the same,” Ariel replied, “relax, I don't want your family. I want mine. Tell me where I can find them.”

“I don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you anyway,”

Sparkles began to form around Ariel as her anger increased, “You must at least know where my daughter lives. Help me find my family.”

“No.” Austin answered, firmly. Robin frowned.

“Please be careful, Austin,” she whispered, cradling their daughter.

“So be it. If you won't help me find my family, I will ruin yours.”

“Austin!” Robin cried, urgently, as sparkles began to form round her baby. The sickly green lights soon faded, and Fiona seemed unchanged...but Robin knew there had to be more to it than that.

“Your perfect daughter?” Ariel asked them, “Not quite so perfect now. Enjoy!”

And with that Ariel walked out.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Hex entered, “Is everything alright? I got here as quick as I could.”

“Not quick enough,” Austin replied, worried, “Ariel's done something to Fiona, but we don't know what.”

Hex looked worried, “Using magic?”

“Yes.”

Hex winced.

“Is there anything you can do, Hex?” Robin asked, sadly, “We don't even know what's wrong with her.”

“I'll summon the Court down here...maybe...I'm sure there will be a solution of some sort.”

“She's still our perfect little girl, no matter what,” Austin said, those the worry was visible on his face.

“She always will be,” Robin assured him.

* * *

“You realise that this makes you the heiress, right?” Lee smiled, as he walked in the road with Maddie. She rolled her eyes.

“Taking Ralph out with a punch doesn't make me heiress.”

“True,” Lee replied, “but bringing him back from banishment does.”

“I didn't do that! I was just sitting there because you walked out on me!”

“You didn't have to do anything to bring him back, Maddie,” Lee explained, “Robin must have had her baby tonight.”

“How can you know that from Ralph's return?”

“Hex explained it to me – it took the power of two heirs to banish them. It takes the power of two heirs to bring them back. That's what happened tonight.”

“That doesn't mean I'm the heir.”

“Well, if it was Lance or Leda, he would have returned near them,” Lee said.

“Thank Plumbbob it was me he found, then,” Maddie replied, tiredly, “look, I'm not the heir. I can't keep a group of friends, let alone a family.”

“You have a family, they're not going to leave you.”

“Dad did.”

“That wasn't your fault.”

“I don't care! I can't keep people close to me, so I can't be the heiress!” Maddie decided, loudly.

Lee folded his arms, and smiled, “You're not going to get anywhere with that attitude.”

“My friends aren't talking to me because I punched someone! And there are plenty of worse things I could have done!”

“Why did you punch him?” Lee asked, curiously.

“The guy got a little too friendly, it's nothing,” Maddie shrugged, ignoring the fact Lee narrowed his eyes, “the point is, I can't cope as heiress.”

“You don't even have to take over until you're an adult, Maddie,” Lee replied, “if you're not ready right now, that's perfectly fine.”

“I don't think I will ever be ready for a role that means so much to the family. I would much rather leave home tonight than be heiress,” Maddie gestured to him, “it's not just a job, is it? It's so much more than that.”

Lee raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth as if to answer, when Maddie shook her head at him.

“I don't want to talk about it. Let's just go home,” Maddie smiled, lightly, “I've had too much drama for one night.”

* * *

Maddie had been asleep for about four hours when she was woken up by the twins calling her name. Sitting up, she ran a hand through her hair, frowning. She'd obviously been so tired she'd slept on the covers instead of under them.

“Come in, you two,” she called, tiredly.

“Mum wants us up, we've got to go to Aunt Elizabeth's,” Lance said, with a yawn.

“Is there time for me to wash and straighten my hair?” Maddie asked, attempting to get up.

“No, we're leaving in fifteen minutes,” Lance hesitated, “Mum said to wear black.”

Maddie looked up, concerned, and Lance nodded. Leda frowned, “Yeah, it's not exactly the best way to start a day, is it?”

“Let's celebrate her life, not mourn her death,” Maddie said, “her family would prefer that, right?”

Lance considered this, wondering about Gold Wheeler, Elizabeth's granddaughter. Maddie was probably right.

Leda made the effort to smile, “And for the record, your hair looks fine like that.”

“Says my sister, who has clearly been up hours because she's pinned her hair back and done her make-up,” Maddie laughed, even though it felt wrong given the occasion, “let's go.”

* * *

The number of people who gathered in the desert to mark Elizabeth's passing was extraordinary. For someone who feared people would not remember her as a young adult, Elizabeth had many mourners and people swapping fond memories on the desert that day.

“I feel out of place,” Lee admitted to Hex, as they stood awkwardly on the edge of the crowds, “I'm not family, why am I here?”

“We were invited here,” Hex pointed out, “just relax. Maybe talk to some of the family when you're more comfortable with being here.”

Hex offered a smile, before moving to talk to some of the other guests. Lee sighed, and gazed around the crowds, waiting for someone to talk to.

* * *

The teenagers, meanwhile, were hanging out closer to the house, when Gold Wheeler walked past.

“Hey guys, nice to see you!” She called, offering them a smile. Lance looked confused, but Leda returned the smile.

“She looks happy despite the fact her grandmother just died,” Leda murmured.

“I'll go talk to her, see if she's okay,” Lance said, quietly.

“Hey Leda, I'm going to go and catch up with Lee, he looks a bit lost standing over there by himself,” Maddie smiled, “you'll be okay on your own?”

“Sure,” Leda agreed, uncertain, “I mean...I can hang out with Ophelia and Zeke...”

“Absolutely!” Maddie nodded, not picking up on Leda's uncertainty, “I'll talk to you later, okay?

* * *

Meanwhile, Hex had found someone he wanted to talk to, even if the time and place were not really appropriate for it.

“Hex, I wasn't expecting to see you here,” Lavender smiled.

“Henry invited me,” Hex raised an eyebrow, “how are you doing?”

“I'm okay. It's a shock that she's gone, but I think it hit her closest family the hardest.”

“Absolutely.”

As Hex and Lavender continued their conversation, Rose frowned a little, and turned to her husband.

“What do you think is going on there?” She asked. Sullivan grinned.

“If it's what it looks like, then I think it would make a good screenplay.”

“Too bad I can't write though, right?” Rose replied, attempting to make a joke. Instead, she watched Hex and Lavender, puzzled.

* * *

“You look a little lonely,” Maddie commented as she wandered up to Lee, smiling.

“It may surprise you, but I don't know how to work with crowds. Or family occasions,” Lee said, with a grin.

Maddie shrugged, “They're not hard work. People comment on how tall you are, how old you look, what your life plans are, but that's it really.”

“Is that why most of the teenagers here are hanging out over there in a group?” Lee asked.

“We know how to behave at functions so that we don't get told off, and so that we don't have to answer one hundred and one questions,” Maddie replied, with a smile, “though I don't think any of us really know how to behave at a wake.”

“Does anyone?” Lee bit his lip, “I feel like I shouldn't be here.”

“You're fine,” Maddie dismissed, “you were invited, weren't you?”

Lee nodded, “So tell me, what did you do to your hair in the last six hours? Because I don't remember it looking like that when I walked you home last night.”

“My hair's not naturally straight,” Maddie answered, “it's like this when I wake up in the mornings, and I straighten it and tie it back, just because it's easier.”

“Easier? It sounds like a lot of work,”

“It's easier for school, and martial arts, and stuff. You know?”

“I understand,” Lee said, “by the way, Hex is planning to talk to you about heirship after the wake.”

Maddie's smile dropped, “Why?”

“Because it's important and Hex takes his job very seriously,” Lee explained, “he wants you and Fiona to live without having to worry about Ralph and things like that.”

“Should we really be discussing this at a wake?” Maddie asked, quietly.

Lee looked at her, deflated, “No. You're right. We'll talk about this later.”

Maddie searched for something else to comment on when she spotted her mother, “Wow, Hex and Mum get along really well, don't they?”

Lee stared at them, before muttering, “You have no idea.”

* * *

Lance had caught up with Gold, worried about her, “Gold? Do you want to talk about it.”

She shook her head, “Not here. Too many people.”

“Is there somewhere you'd rather go, so you talk about what's upsetting you?”

Gold looked at him, “There's a spot where can sit round the back, if you want to talk.”

Lance nodded.

“So what's the biggest problem on your mind right now?” Lance dared to ask. He had a pretty good feeling it was going to be Elizabeth's passing.

“That I'm not behaving right at this wake,”

“Explain?” Lance asked, brow furrowed.

“I'm worried that I'm smiling too much, or not crying enough, or not being upset properly,” Gold told him, “you've never lost a family member, have you, Lance?”

“No, but I think I know why you're upset about this all,”

“I don't even know how to feel,” Gold continued, sadly, “I know I'll miss her, but she would want me to be happy instead of upset all the time.”

Lance frowned a little, “Come here,”

“Don't worry about what everyone else is thinking, okay?” Lance murmured, “grieve how you want to grieve. It's different for everyone.”

“Thank you, Lance,” Gold breathed out, “thanks for being there.”

“Any time.”

* * *

As Lee had told her, after the wake, Hex and Lavender sat Maddie down at the table, ready to talk about heirship.

“I know what this is about,” she told them, with a grin, “and I don't want it, so don't bother.”

Hex pulled a face, while Lavender's features softened, “Maddie, I'm afraid there's no choice.”

“What?” Maddie asked, in disbelief, “there's always a choice! I'm pretty sure if I left town it couldn't be me!”

“I'm sure Lee has told you, hasn't he? That because Ralph came back to you, that makes you the heiress.”

Maddie stared at her mother for a second, “So I brought him back, big deal. I don't get why that means I have to take control of the family.”

“Because the power it takes to bring back someone from banishment come from heirs and witches...you're not a witch, sweetheart. You're my heiress.”

“I can't believe that you're making me be the heiress. I'm going to be terrible at it,” Maddie said, “I'm going to ruin this family, and then what will happen?”

Lee closed his eyes, “Maddie, you're not going to ruin the family. The odds are already in your favour. Currently, this is the most successful line.”

“How did you work that one out?”

“Jim was a family sim, and every single one of his descendants has a family of some sort. Now I consider that to be successful, and I'm pretty sure that's what he would have wanted for his family.”

“Ralph only wanted glory from his legacy, and has his line achieved that? No,” Lee smiled, “there are other successes from that line, but the important thing to remember is the goal of the founders.”

“Exactly. This is the successful line because of that,” Hex added.

“How did Fiona manage to become an heiress when she's only a toddler?” Maddie asked.

“Her birth acted as some kind of trigger,” Hex explained, “though there's been some problems with Fiona as Ariel cast a spell on her. I need to visit them after this.”

“Right, so to sum up what's happened here, I'm heiress and there's nothing I can do about it?”

“I'm sorry it has to be this way, sweetheart,” Lavender said, with a hint of a smile.

“It's fine,” Maddie sighed, “I'm going to go out for a bit, I want some time to myself.”

“Okay...well. I'll see you at dinner.” Lavender said, as her eldest walked out, “Lee, will you make sure she's alright for me?”

Lee nodded, and got up to follow her.

* * *

“She'll be alright,” Hex said, smiling, “she just needs some time to take it all in.”

“I know,” Lavender replied, “it's not easy.”

“Nothing worthwhile ever is. I need to go check in on Robin and Austin.”

* * *

Hex shortly left and headed over to Austin and Robin's, worried about why they had called him over.

“Is everything okay?” He asked, cautiously.

“We're fine...but we figured out what Ariel did to Fiona,” Austin replied.

“It's not as bad as we thought it would be,” Robin added, optimistically.

“What is it?” Hex questioned.

“She's mute,” Austin explained, and demonstrated by tickling his daughter. Fiona looked like she was laughing, but no sound came out of her.

“Can you fix it?” Robin asked, biting her lip.

“I'll summon the Court, and we'll start looking for a solution.”

“Thank you, Hex,” Robin smiled.

* * *

By sunset, Maddie had carried three of her bags and herself to the bus stop on the edge of town, and was now patiently waiting for a bus to take her away.

She thought no one knew she was there.

“Whatever crazy teenage adventure this, I want you to stop it right now,” Lee announced, as he joined Maddie at the bus stop.

“Hello to you, too,” she smiled.

“I'm serious. And I'm not in the mood to play games. Grab your bags, we're going home,” Lee told her. When she made no effort to move, he sat down next to her on the bench.

“You can't leave,” Lee said, in a breaking voice, “you can't leave heirship behind. Stuff like that has a habit of following you.”

“I want an adventure of my own before I takeover a second hand one.”

“Maddie, every generation of a legacy is different. You don't have to live like any of your ancestors, if that's what you're worried about.”

“Good, because I don't plan to.”

“You can't leave,” Lee said again, worried. Maddie sighed.

“I can, and I will. Just tell the family I've gone to uni.”

“I can't let you wander off into the world on your own.”

“I'm not taking you with me.”

“Maddie. I'm begging you. Don't go.”

“Forget trying to make me stay, Lee, it's not happening!” Maddie shrugged, “Now, do you have any useful advice for someone leaving home for the first time?”

Lee bit his lip, “I can't believe you're actually going to go through with this.”

“Would you rather I spent my whole life in Mirage?”

“If you want to travel, we can take you to Twikkii Island. Or Three Lakes. Or Takemizu, whatever takes your fancy!”

“Those tourist traps? Please. I want to go to a real place, Lee. Riverblossom, Belladonna, Veronaville! I want to see the real world, not some tourist spot.”

“Then we'll take you there, just...don't walk out. Don't do this to your family.”

“Lee, nothing you can say to me right now is going to change my mind,” Maddie said, firmly.

“I know,” Lee agreed, weakly.

The bus pulled up, and both Maddie and Lee rose from the bench.

Maddie hugged Lee one last time, “Thank you, Lee. For everything. You've been like a brother to me.”

“I'm going to ask you to stay one last time.”

“It's not going to work,” Maddie laughed, “I'm an adult in a few days, and this is what I want from life.”

“You have my number, if there's any trouble, call me. I don't care where you are in the world, I will be there if you need me,”

“I have everything I need,” Maddie told him, “I'll see you.”

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

“Yes! She's gone! This means I get my own room!”

So this is it for the chapter, and the generation! That's right, from the next chapter onwards, generation five are officially in charge! This pleases me, as I have many plans for the generation!

Anyway! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Thanks for reading!