Newcomer, Spring 97

Fireday, Snowmelt 5, 97
Manewa Kirikiri is 50; Li Yoo is 38

The last few months of what had seemed like endless planning and building had finally paid off. 

The Nuidya village of Kulo Seeri had - after almost forty years - developed into something more than a small collection of tents just waiting for another storm to blow them over.

The fact that Apple Valley city planner Li Yoo, who had visited one of the old villages a couple of years ago, had moved to Kulo Seeri permanently had helped the rebuilding efforts a lot - although Li did sort of think that it hadn't actually developed all that much.

It was definitely something completely different to the cities, as she'd told her new roommate Manewa the night before. That was the day the construction had ended, just before the celebration at the park in the village centre.

And - oh yes - just before that bonfire got out of hand, destroying most of the park as well as the unchala (Nuidya shelter) across the road from it. Which just happened to be theirs. At least those shelters weren't too difficult to construct.

When Li had been told that she'd be staying with one of the locals until she settled in, since Nuidya life might take some getting used to, she hadn't quite known what to expect - especially after finding out that the Sim who had volunteered as her roommate was one of the tribal elders. Manewa had surprised her though, turning out to be (as she put it) "a fun-loving young woman who just happens to be fifty", and the two of them were getting to like each other at least a little bit.

That second day, Li had tried to experience a little more of life in Kulo Seeri. Manewa tried showing her how to grind corn, which was hard work and the stuff went everywhere...

... and also borrowed a few of the novels Li had brought, for research purposes, of course.

Everything about the Nuidya seemed strange at first, from their roof-on-poles housing to their clothes (which Li had been told weren't actually furs, just homespun cloth decorated with animal-print patterns, and sure enough there didn't seem to be any leopards around). She'd decided to take their word for it; she wasn't quite ready to go native yet.

Even though they weren't SimNation - and were extremely proud of that fact - it was starting to become clear that they weren't all that different from the Sims Li had known there. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad living in the middle of nowhere after all. They were even talking about getting a couple of computers so the new arrivals could stay in touch with their friends and families back home.

As far as making new friends went, it was still early, although Manewa's son Wolfie did seem to like her.

Maybe a little too much. Li definitely didn't want a repeat of her last visit. She'd have to keep an eye on him.

VT says: Finally, an actual update! Yay!