The Gregory Legacy, Chapter 40

Sooooo . . . I haven't written anything new here in over half a year (not counting the housekeeping post as 'new'), but I haven't forgotten these guys. I've actually re-entered college at age 33 to finally finish my bachelor's, and it has been good, but incredibly busy and stressful, so I haven't had time to write or play much. Right now I'm on summer break though, so I'm hoping to do some catching up. Last time, on The Gregory Legacy: The twins became kids! (cheers) Faye killed Caleb! (villain music plays) Taylor tried unsuccessfully to starve to death! (wah wah) Beans were collected, but the magic tree failed to eat Raphael and take him off my hands. (mournful music) Sibling rivalry! Arguments! Voidcritters! (music quickens) And finally, the rivalry intensifies as Taylor becomes a child like her nemesis, our heiress Eleanor. (crescendo of drums) All this . . . on The Gregory Legacy! (theme song plays finally)

Oh, and also Jaron asked Andres on a date, so that happened. (collective gasps)

Anyway, let's leave the sound effects behind and see what trouble these dorks can get up to this time . . .

Here's Taylor's new room in her green and black scheme. There are a lot of plant decals, so it was easy to decorate.

Speaking of green things, here's a couple of jerks that are just delighted that they broke all of the master bath fixtures. Way to go, Nathan and Kori! So glad you guys married in to the legacy, lived fruitful lives, and died after full lifespans just to bring you to this joyful point.

Eileen: "There's a monster!"

Huh. I don't see a monster and we have the light. What's going on?

Eleanor: "There's a monster!"

Uh, did anyone ever notice the nightlights are about the size of the children's torsos? That's excessive. Anyway, old bug that's recently been fixed, but it seemed noteworthy at the time and they're making funny faces, which I will always document.

Taylor: "Thanks for playing chess with me, Grandpa."
Andres: "It is truly a pleasure to spend time in this mental pursuit with a child of my daughter."
Taylor: "I'll get my reward trait first and then that'll show that snotty Eleanor who the real Whiz Kid is."
Andres: "I am reconsidering the pleasurable aspect of this encounter."

Raphael: "Ah, another long night spent slowly filling my energy bar in a tent instead of in my nice, highest-quality bed with my beloved wife, thereby avoiding even more hours of interacting with my family or doing important things. And listen to the birds chirp at this early hour of 10 a.m.! Truly delightful."

WHY ARE YOU SO USELESS?!

I think I deleted the tent after this but it may have been just a bit longer. I don't remember.

Raphael: "Ack! Andres, what the heck?"
Andres: "I was trying to discern why you are not of more use. I thought I heard an anguished scream along those lines, and I thought I would contribute to the investigation."
Raphael: "So what'd you find up there in my braincase?"
Andres: "Not much, I fear to say."

So technically they're all being useless right now, but only Raphael earns my ire for it. However, it is nice to see him finally bonding some with Andres, who had been a bit standoffish from him at first. And it's just always nice to see Faye interacting with others without it ending in a murder.

Taylor: "She thinks she's so cool, being an A student before me. I'll show her. I will be acknowledged as the best Gregory ever."
Eileen: "Whoa, slow your roll there, Tay. Haven't you gone to one day of school?"
Taylor: "Yes, and?"
Eileen: "And you expected an A?"
Taylor: "Of course."
Eileen: "You ate paste, hit the playground monitor with a kickball, and said 2+2 was 21. That's not even the right kind of wrong. The joke is for it to be 22."
Taylor: "Give me a break, I was a toddler yesterday. I may have skipped grades K-3 and most of my intellectual and social development, okay?"

Eleanor: "Mom, does Taylor hate me because I'm awesome or because I'm a genius?"
Celeste: "Crap. Am I supposed to know the answer to this?"

Installed Parenthood. Adults have no parenting skill but get bombarded with questions. Hilarity ensues.

I also downloaded this nifty CC-free lot called Taverna Akrotiri from MTS. It's by Alrunia. You have to place it instead of Discotheque Pan Europa in Windenburg, and make sure to follow the instructions so you get the staff uniforms (trust me, you want them).

With all this tension, it seemed like we needed a family outing for the Gregorys to bond and unwind. First up: dinner.

I told you: the uniforms are the best part of this place. Also, the bearded guy is Jonathan Lima, the guy who we unsuccessfully tried to get a Lima bean from during the plantsim challenge. Good to see he's out on a date or whatever.

Unfortunately, seating for a family of seven was not to be had, so we had a kids' table and an adults' table.

Eleanor ordered for the kids while Taylor drew a stick figure of Ellie and then repeatedly drew X's over her face. This is going well.

Taylor: "Eileen, don't you think my drawing is the best one at this table?"
Eleanor: "I guess it's very ni--"
Taylor: "Eileen, what do you think?"
Eileen: "I think I'm at the wrong table. I'm going to go now and--"
Eleanor: "Don't you dare, Eileen. I think we three need to get something straight."

Eleanor: "You see, the die decreed that I am the heiress and there's nothing Taylor or anyone else can . . . ooh! Fish tacos!"
Eileen: "Was there more to that?"
Eleanor: *stuffs face* "Huh?"
Taylor: "Hmph. I am NOT pescatarian, Dad, and this vegetarianism is my trait, not a fad, Mom! Guess I'll just enjoy my boring Caesar salad."
Eleanor: "The salad's not the only thing at this table that's boring."
Taylor: "Do you want me to stuff that fish taco in your face?"
Eleanor: "Too late, I already did. Wait . . ."
Eileen: "I'm so tired."

Meanwhile, at the big people's table.

Raphael: "Gasp! This cioppino is so beautiful. I'm going to Simstagram it. Sigh. I've never seen something so beautiful."
Celeste: "I'm so tired."

Eileen: "Gosh, that extended stupid argument made me thirsty."
Taylor: "Me too. I'm very thirsty from my superiority."
Eleanor: "Yeah, but I'm more thirsty. Gotta replenish the awesome."
Taylor: "Not if I chug this water first."
Eleanor: "You're on."
*sounds of both choking on water*
.
.
.
Eleanor and Taylor: "I have to use the bathroom now."

This chapter is just basically a "The Gregorys have a Very Stupid™ Outing" you guys. Sorry. I was having too much fun taking pictures. Faye is still testing serums, so she went over to her aunt, Nathalie, who she fought last chapter. Nathalie still welcomed her with a wave. Ah, family. Don't worry, though. She couldn't get Nathalie to take a serum, so Luke still has a living wife.

Meanwhile, Celeste and Raphael were getting their flirt on. I don't know what she still sees in him, but his stupid baby face is kind of darling in this pic.

Andres was a functional adult and quieted the arguments at the children's table with a story.

Meanwhile, his wife was a dysfunctional adult and used Faye's Vengeance Ray on Nathalie to make her panic.

Nathalie panicked and ran off, but she took her food AND her drink with her. I like this woman's priorities.

That was about all the fun/mayhem to be had at the restaurant, so we headed to a bowling alley. I kind of love this picture.

And of course, badass Andres gets a strike the first time in his life he bowls.

Taylor struck out, though.

Eleanor: "Ha! Who's superior no--"
Taylor: "Ellie, I swear I will wipe this floor with your smug face."
Eleanor: "As soon as you're done wiping it with your stupid butt, I guess."
Taylor: "It's very slippery."
Rest of family: *blissfully oblivious*

The Knights of the Hedge met here for no apparent reason, but it seemed noteworthy, so I documented it. They mostly just watched Sims 3 TV.

It was getting pretty late, but we still had family bonding to do. After Faye fell asleep, I perked the tired ones up with potions and we headed off to a karaoke bar. That's where you do your family bonding with minors, right?

Keeping up that thin veneer of acceptability, all the adults rushed the bar as soon as they loaded.

Eleanor: "I'm going to sing my favorite song."
Taylor: "Nuh-uh, that's my fave!"

Eleanor: "Get off the mic, Taylor."
Taylor: "No way, I saw it first."

Eleanor: "Hey, our bickering actually harmonizes pretty well."
Taylor: "You're right! Let's try actually singing this time."

Eileen: "Dammit, what do I have to do to get some characterization?! Swear loudly?"

Apparently. Loud phase. I do love all three girls A LOT, but Taylor and Eleanor just gave me a lot to work with this generation. Maybe Eileen will have her moment as a teen.

Taylor: "That was awesome!"
Eleanor: "I know! You sounded so good on the solo. Truce? Just for now?"
Taylor: "Truce."
Eileen: "Is this real life?"

With the sisters' friendship mending and dawn approaching, it was time to wrap up The Gregorys' Very Stupid™ Outing with a trip to the Bluffs.

I almost got a pic of the whole family entering the pool together, but Faye had to make a splash . . . literally.

As the sun rose in the sky, the family enjoyed a swim in the misty pool.

Except for Andres, who got tangled in the reeds and drowned. RIP, Andres. 

Jk.

Back home, everyone is feeling calm and energized, except for Eileen, who is still just loud. We pull out an old, unused hamburger cake for Raphael's birthday, which he is trying to escape right here.

But we managed to gather everyone around except for Celeste. I wish I could make a snarky comment about where she snuck off to, but I am writing this like 8 months after taking it. I have no idea what actually happened.

Raphael: "I wish for this chapter to focus on the best characters from here on out."

So not you, then?

Raphael: "Yeah, probably not."

Eleanor acquired this monster toy at some point, and she frequently sits down to play with it when she has nothing better to do. Her creativity skill is pretty high considering she's trying to be a Whiz Kid. I love this pic and almost used it for the cover, but you can't see her eyes very well because of the sunglasses, so I stuck it here.

Anyway, speaking of characters, let's see what Faye is up to. She's visiting the Vatores, where ghost-vampire Caleb is haunting his own organ. That . . . kind of sounded bad.

Faye: "Hi random townie. Tell me one of your traits so we can be friends and you'll be more likely to try my serum."
Random Townie: "I'm a genius."
Faye: "Are you now? How interesting. So you'd probably like to advance science by trying my serum here."
Ghost Caleb: "It was really tasty! You should try it."
RT: ". . ."

Faye: "Wait! Come back. Darn. She actually was a genius."

Faye: "Hi. Would you like to . . ."
Other Random Townie: "I'm going to nope out so hard on that, but thanks."

Faye: "Ooh, ooh, I know you. You're, uh, the, um . . . We work together."
Redhead: "You still haven't learned my name, have you?"
Faye: "No, but to be fair, I've been on PTO since I topped the career. I haven't been to work in weeks. So, serum?"
Redhead: "Yeah, I'll pass on that."

Faye: "Let's see you pass on this then."

Redhead: "Noooooooooooo!"

Don't worry, she just changed her hair color so I'll be even less likely to recognize her in the future. Good times.

Then I remembered that Faye was still working on Chief of Mischief and needed to clog some sinks. Since no one would hold still long enough to take a serum, she headed back to the Vatores' place and tried to clog their sink while Caleb and Lilith were upstairs. It really wasn't fair, though, because Caleb used his super speed to catch her in the act and stop her. Note to self: avoid clogging the sinks of vampires with super speed. They cheat.

Back home after that wholesome excursion, and we're working on aspirations with the kiddos. Taylor gets read a story.

Eileen works on her typing.

And Eleanor, having just completed Whiz Kid, plays on a jungle gym while playful for the Rambunctious Scamp aspiration up next.

Meanwhile, Celeste has maxed body skill, earning her the long-lived trait. She's going for Painter Extraordinaire now. That'll be her fifth aspiration, but Faye's working on her sixth despite having the evil Angling Ace for most of her life, so Celeste has a lot to live up to, I guess.

Marjorie: "Raph, your absence was a fine gift to give your family for your birthday. Improved property values, even."
Raphael: "Thanks, I--"
Marjorie: "Oops, stopped caring. Run along now."

While Marjorie and Aaron gossip about Raphael, let's wrap this thing up. Not a lot happened this chapter because I was just enjoying the game instead of constantly pushing my sims to achieve for once, but next chapter we get teens, so we'll see some progress. Thanks for reading, and especially thanks for waiting if you're a regular reader. As long as it's in my power to do so, I won't give up on this family, even if it takes a while to get caught up. While I have the summer, I'm hoping to get a ways into Eleanor's reign, because I have plans for her. *evil chuckle*

Check in with me at Boolprop and be on the lookout for a revamped SiMania coming back this summer or fall. Thanks for reading!