1.8. Substitution Solution?

"My dearest, Sun.  I got home safely and miss you already...  No, no, why am I bothering?" Scheherazade sighed to herself and put the letter paper away.  "Sun and I... we can't be together.  But..." She shivered.  She could almost feel the time for her to find a solution ticking away.  "... there must be another solution.  Someone else."

She stared at the wall, as an innocent offer came back to her memory.  Could he have been... maybe, if he felt about her, if she could convince herself to feel for him... that would free her from the remainder of the curse?  Scheherazade picked up the phone.  She felt sick and scared and nervous as she started dialling the number.

Scheherazade took a deep drink of the Romantic Drink.  She had made a batch before he arrives.  Zhan Su.  If she was not mistaken, he had been a little taken with her.  Perhaps her heart could be fulfilled with him.  Perhaps she could replace her Sun with Zhan.  He had certainly been eager to fly over at her invitation.  She felt sick and scared and the drink would give her liquid courage.  Your heart was supposed to make you feel all weird before you met your heart's desire?  Right?  The sound of a taxi crunched on the snow outside.  She had better go to meet him.

"Hi Zhan," Scheherazade said, walking out to greet him.
"Miss Djinn!" he squealed, " Thank you so much for your invitation!  This is... this is snow?  It is amazing!  And it melts on your tongue."
She smiled at him, "Just wait until nobody warns you to change into outerwear.  You did bring some right?"

"I have it with me, Miss Djinn.  Should I put it on now?" he asked eagerly.
"Sure, actually, you know what, just hold on a second.  Call me Scheherazade.  I remember you were talking about being willing to assist me in finding the flow of my heart... and... I.... would very much like it if I could take you up on that offer." Scheherazade's mouth felt as if she had stuffed it full of dry cotton.
"I would be honoured, Miss Djinn, I mean, Scheherazade!" he gasped delightedly.
"Great, well... how about if you put that coat on and we hang out for a bit.  Snow is new to you, huh?"

They stayed outside playing in the snow until quite late, and were sitting in it, exhausted, watching the moon rise.

"It is most magnificent how one's breathe turns to steam in this weather.  It is almost as the steam from  The Great Dragon Cave's Maw, except not scaldingly hot," Zhan commented.
Scheherazade flinched at his words.  Memories of her trip in the cave - her kiss with Sun thereafter.  She felt sick.  Terribly, terribly sick.  She looked to the sky.  It was almost as if she could see her own plumbob, her connection to the Sim-ess and her actions didn't quite feel natural.  She felt as if someone in her head was directing her to get another drink, to restore the warmth again.  "Let's go inside, I prepared some cocktails earlier..."

"This is delicious, Miss Dj... Scheherazade.  We do not have these drinks, these cocktails, back home..." Zhan paused.
Scheherazade was beginning to feel the effects of her second drink too - the slow fuzzy warmth working its way up her body.  The slight numbness... the almost halo around Zhan.  She could only imagine how he was seeing her right now.

"Is... everything alright Scheherazade?  You look beautiful... but distant, sad..."

Scheherazade walked over to him.  "I'm just... nervous.  I mean, I hardly know you, we're hardly even friends yet..."

"Do not fear, Scheherazade.  I have no intention of breaking your heart.  I am not the man who plays games with the most precious jewel he has met.  I will do whatever it takes to make you happy.  Even if it means never returning home, I will do whatever it takes," he passionately stated.
Even with the Romantic Drink doing its magic, part of Scheherazade felt dead.  Emotionless.  Zhan was not Sun.  She reached over for another drink.

It was a good couple of drinks later. "Soooooo, I wass jus thinkin that you are the most incredibly romantic man I have met.  Talking to you tonight has shown me... and I am looking for my heart's desire... my true partner an when you meet your heart's desire you're supposed to feel all not normal and strange and..."

"... and my heart wants you, Zhan.  I can tell by how I feel all strange inside and how scared I am."
"You... need not be afraid, Sche-hair-zade, I want to be here... with you."
"... then follow me. Imma gonna do what my heart tells me it wants."

"Are... are you sure that this is what you want, Sche?  Now?  So soon?"

"I'm sure.  Why deny my heart?..."

"... It wants you, Zun."
"You are sure?"
"Stop talking."

"I am the luckiest man to have you, my beautiful jewel."

Clearly it was what her heart wanted.  She had never felt so scared in all her life.

Breakfast the next morning was strained.
"So, how was your breakfast.  Did you like your waffles?" Scheherazade ventured carefully.
"Zhan.  My name is Zhan." It sounded like he barely got the words out. He stood up.  "It was delicious.  I should get dressed."

Scheherazade waited for him to emerge from the bathroom.  The shower had been going for quite some time.  She couldn't imagine what he was doing in there unless he was sloughing off his skin.  She put on her coat once more and went to check on her mail.  When she got back, he was waiting at the door with his suitcase.
"What... what's going on?" Scheherazade asked, shocked.
"I am sorry, Scheherazade.  I am not the kind of man who would sleep with a woman and run out on her.  But I cannot be who you want me to be.  I am brave.  I would do almost anything for you.  But I won't do that." he stated calmly.
"Do what? I don't understand..." tears started welling up in Scheherazade's eyes.  How could he do this to her?  Her chance to make her heart happy?
He looked devastated too and he reached over and embraced her.

"I do believe I love you, Miss Scheherazade Djinn, " his voice wavering. "But to convince myself that you love me, that would be a lie.  You... spoke in your sleep last night.  You confessed you love for Sun.  I thought you meant Zhan - me. But then you said Young.  I am not Sun Young.  I cannot be her for you.  And I cannot force myself to live a lie, pretending that you truly want me.  It will be better... for you as well... if I leave.  Perhaps you can get in touch with Sun... not just somebody whose name sounds like hers.  I am sorry Scheherazade, but I must go."


Scheherazade spent the rest of the day crying, until she could throw herself into her shift at the club.



A few days later, she started feeling ill.

She couldn't keep her meals down.  And had the strangest cravings - like ice-cream and spaghetti.  A quick doctor's visit confirmed it.  She was pregnant.  And Zhan was not answering the number she had had for him any more.


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Generation One: Revealed
Family Structure: Single
Number of children: 2
Primary Income: Mixologist
Secondary Income(s): N/A
Generation Goal: ?
Miscellaneous Fun: Multi-cultural

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Random Bonus Shot:

Poor Zhan really thought that Scheherazade was hot.