Several months earlier…
Zell knocked on the door of the Kim residence.
Jane answered. “Who’s- oh, it’s you.” She scowled. “You’re Benjamin’s ex-roommate, aren’t you? What do you want?”
“I’m looking for Benji, is he here?” asked Zell. “I’ve been trying to find him for days. He finally texted me back to say that he went home to his parents… I just want to make sure he’s ok…”
“Yes, my son is living here,” said Jane. “But he’s currently at work, like a real adult. And, I don’t think you should talk to Benjamin…”
“What? Why?” Zell’s eyes grew wide.
“Benjamin is doing great and he doesn’t want to talk to you. He’s perfectly happy at his job, he’s happy living with his parents, and he, um, told me that he never wanted to see you again.”
Zell’s face fell.
“I think it’s best you leave now,” she said sternly.
Jane breathed a sigh of relief as Zell left. “Whew, crisis averted,” she muttered to herself. “I can’t tell Benjamin about this… I have to make sure he stays here at home, after all, away from any bad influences…”
The next day…
“Thank you for everything, Johnny.” Zell shook his friend’s hand.
“Ain’t no big thing… are ya shore ya want to do this?” Johnny raised an eyebrow.
“…yes.”
“Can I at least lend ya more money?”
“No, Johnny. I’ll get the rest myself.”
Zell rapped on the door of his old home with a wry chuckle. “Heh, what a strange feeling, knocking on my own front door…”
Caleb answered, and Zell greeted him. “Thanks for watching the house all this time-“
“-don’t mention it. Zell, are you sure about this?”
But Zell was undeterred. “Yes, I’m sure.”
A few hours later, Zell surveyed his empty living room and sighed. “And just like that, everything’s sold. Just over 5000 simoleons total. Not bad.”
“Only one thing left to make.” Zell pulled out his bartending equipment.
He mixed together a drink and placed it on the counter. “So this is what a drink worth 2500 simoleons looks like.”
Beige, sulfurous bubbles rose and erupted from the drink, spitting out pockets of foul-smelling gas.
“This drink is going to fix everything.”
Then he left, jogging through the streets of his old neighborhood.
“Oh, one last thing before I go…” Zell veered left before reaching the mansion at the end of the road, heading into the graveyard instead.
Zell paused at a gravestone.
“Ah, Tetsu…”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you from Count Straud…”
“But I’m not going to let what happened to you happen to anyone else. That’s why I have to go do what I’m about to do.”
“You see, there’s someone I love, and I don’t want them to get hurt…”
“Goodbye, Tetsu.” A light suddenly shone from within the headstone…
…and then dissipated.
“Oh…” Zell said softly.
“Huh.”
Zell turned back to face the mansion ahead. “Ok. Deep breaths now, Zell. Deep breaths.”
And he walked up to his master’s mansion, home to the evil vampire Count Straud, and knocked.
Bonus Panels
Earlier that day…
“Wait, that’s your plan, Zell?” Caleb asked incredulously.
“Yep!”
“That’s a terrible plan.” Caleb’s sister echoed his sentiments.
Zell grinned and strode away. “No, it’s gonna be great, trust me.”
The siblings fell briefly silent.
“He’s gonna die, isn’t he?”
“Oh, most definitely.”
MannyLikesSims 
LOL. I love the bonus panels. Even if his plan is terrible, he has Benji to help, so I’m counting on him to be okay.
Benji’s mother is ironically a terrible influence on Benji.
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Benji and Zell certainly are stronger together than alone 🙂 And yes, that is ironic!
Also, thank you for shouting out my story on the SimsForums! ❤
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Oof… the time skip gives me pause, but at least Tetsu’s helping. Let’s hope the plan’s taking a long time on purpose.
There’s no way Zell bought the “he doesn’t want to talk to you” act.
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