The Four Better or Four Worse Challenge: The Final Chapter

[PeregrineTook]

So, I just had yet another Decadynasty meet with miserable failure.  That said, I'm going with a challenge rather than another dynasty attempt.  This is a challenge I had created about a year or so ago and posted on another site.

THE FOUR BETTER OR FOUR WORSE CHALLENGE

Overview:
The goal of this challenge is to have a total of 8 Sims (a full household) reach their LTW's. Four of those will be good, positive LTW's (four better) and four of those will be evil, negative LTW's (four worse).

Starting Up the Challenge:
To begin this challenge, set lifespan on medium. You will create a household of 4 young adult Sims. Two of those must have "Better" LTW's and two must have "Worse" LTW's. At the completion of this challenge, you must have the Sims who have completed the 8 LTW's all living together in the same household. You may have other Sims live in the household during the process, but the Sims who complete the required LTW's must never move out of the household. No Sim that moves out of the household can ever move back in. If one of the eight Sims dies after or while completing their LTW, they must be replaced.
The empty plot of land where you start your household is to be the permanent residence for the household. Your initial household must have starting household funds of only $1,000 AFTER you have purchased your starting lot (use the familyfunds cheat). There is no size requirement for the lot. However, each of your eight Sims are to end up having their own, equally sized portion of the lot. The portion each Sim gets can be their own, individual home OR simply their own room in the same house. This portion is to contain all "trophies" they create or receive while achieving their LTW.
No methods of extending life may be used in this challenge (no ambrosia, tattoos, etc.) and at least six of your Sims must be regular humans or witches (a total of two Sims from the vampire, genie, werewolf, etc. lifestates may be used, though you will receive a penalty in the final scoring). Deathflowers may be carried ONLY by the original four Sims you create.

Adding Sims:
As stated, you start with only four Sims in your household, but will need a total of eight to complete the challenge. The following ways of adding Sims are acceptable:
-Adopting a child: You may only adopt a Sim of ages baby through child age-state, so no teens). The child must maintain A's throughout school (elementary and high school) to be eligible to be one of the final eight
-Marriage: You may marry a Sim and move him/her into the household. However, this must be a Sim who does not already have one of the required LTW's. Instead, you will use the "Change LTW" Lifetime Reward to make them fit the necessary LTW.
-Pregnancy: You may add to the household through standard procreation. Only the Sims with the four "worse" LTW's may have children out of wedlock.
-Imaginary Friends:  You may make an imaginary friend real and add him/her to the household.
-Clone Voucher: One of your original four Sims may use the Clone Voucher LTR to add a new member to the household. Clone Drone is NOT allowed as it creates a Sim that is the same age as your original Sim and does not require raising the new Sim.

The Eight LTW's and the Required Trophies
Four Better:
-Become an Astronaut (3 space rocks of any size and a painting of the Sim in his/her 10th level career attire)
-Descendant of DaVinci (two masterpiece paintings, two perfect sculptures, and a time machine)*
-Firefighter Super Hero (all trophies and rewards gained through promotions must be displayed)
-Perfect Mind, Perfect Body (two different types of bookshelves and two different types of exercise machines)

Four Worse:
-Gold Digger (a painting and a sculpture of the spouse made prior to their demise, the grave marker of the spouse must be kept out in this Sim's area)
-Emperor of Evil (the urns of three Sims he/she had to "get out of his/her way," three stolen items)
-Master Romancer (a medium-sized photo of each Sim he/she woohoos and a medium-sized photo of each woohoo location)*
-Monster Maker (a medium-sized photo of the first monster created, a painting of the second, and a sculpture of the third)*

*If you are lacking one of the necessary expansions for one of these LTW's, simply choose one that seems and equivalent (for example, Heartbreaker instead of Master Romancer) OR if you want to exchange one of the LTW's for another that seems suitably matched, you may do so (for example, swapping Seaside Savior for Firefighter Super Hero)

Scoring:
-For each of the eight LTW's you accomplish, you receive 25 points.
-If a Sim who is working on one of the LTW's dies and must be replaced, you receive a -5 penalty.
-If members of the household outside of those eight achieve a LTW, you receive and extra 15 points.
-For each of the trophy items on display for your eight Sims, you receive an additional 5 points.
-If one of your original 4 Sims dies during this challenge, you will receive an additional -10).
-For each supernatural type (other than witches) in your household, you receive a -10.


Optional Rules (you are not required to use any of these, they are merely additional challenges you can give yourself):
-None of the original four Sims can have any of the same traits.
-Each of your four "Better" Sims needs the good trait, each of the four "Worse" Sims need the evil trait.
-Each of the original four Sims must have one child and these four children complete the household (in the event of twin/triplet births, a suitable heir is simply chosen by the Watcher).
-No supernatural states AT ALL are allowed.
-Try this challenge on short lifespan.
-Each of your "better" Sims must have 4 best friends and each or your "worse" Sims must have 4 enemies.
-Add a Sim using four different methods.


I'll be taking on this challenge with the following adjustments:
-I'm not going to bother keeping score because I prefer no to.
-I'll be adding to the household with one of each of the following:  pregnancy, adopt, imaginary friend made real, and marriage.
-Each of the "betters" have the good trait, each of the "worse" have the evil trait

Hope you enjoy it!

[Nettlejuice]

Best of luck to you, Pup, I'm looking forward to seeing how you play the challenge 

[KRae]

-I'll be adding to the household with one of each of the following:  pregnancy, birth, imaginary friend made real, and marriage

I'm a little confused...pregnancy and birth? Did you mean adoption for one of those, or am I being dense.

[Malley]

This sounds really interesting, Pip! Looking forward to seeing this challenge in action 

[PeregrineTook]

Best of luck to you, Pup, I'm looking forward to seeing how you play the challenge 

Thanks!  I think it should be a lot of fun.

-I'll be adding to the household with one of each of the following:  pregnancy, birth, imaginary friend made real, and marriage

I'm a little confused...pregnancy and birth? Did you mean adoption for one of those, or am I being dense.

Oh.  Haha.  Yes.  The birth should be adoption.  Note to self, re-read things I type up and post early in the morning before running off to work.

This sounds really interesting, Pip! Looking forward to seeing this challenge in action 

Thanks.  I look forward to playing it out and seeing how it goes.

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  Welcome, one and all, to the Four Better or Four Worse Challenge!  A challenge which will...well, follow the rules from the first post.  Anyway, let's meet the family.  I gave them the last name Mythos and each character name will be grounded in some type of mythological concept...
Promethea:  Blah, blah, blah.  Enough with the speech, Pippin.  As they say, "On with the snow!"



Pippin:  No, that's not a thing.  People don't say that.  Anyway, this is Promethea...
Promethea:  Hi folks!  And lady-folks!  And men-folks!  And children-folks!
Pippin:  Okay, they get the point.  At any rate, she will be our monster maker, so she is evil, eccentric, genius, lucky, and childish.
Promethea:  I like puppies!
Pippin:  Okay.  And this is Sigurd, our firefighter super hero. 



Sigurd:  Actually, the name's Captain Amazing!
Pippin:  No, your name's Sigurd.  It fits the theme and everything.
Sigurd:  No, Sigurd is my alter ego, like Superman, I don glasses and become some lame, normal guy.
Pippin:  But you never wear glasses...
Sigurd:  Exactly!  All Captain Amazing, all the time!
Pippin:  Anyway, Sigurd's traits are good, brave, athletic, handy, and a daredevil.
Sigurd:  That's right, ladies.  Captain Amazing is a daredevil!
Set:  I could kill him for you, Pippin.  I wouldn't even charge.



Pippin:  Thank you, Set, but that won't  be necessary.  Mostly because he's necessary to complete this nonsense.
Set:  Well, my part is not nonsense.  Evil's not going to manage itself.
Pippin:  Indeed.  The aspiring emperor of evil is, well, evil, as well as irresistible, a kleptomaniac, inappropriate, and a mooch.
Set:  Oh, Pippin, you flatterer.
Pippin:  No, those are just your traits.  And finally, we have Muse.



Pippin:  She's our descendant of DaVinci.  She's good, artistic, eccentric, excitable, and friendly.
Muse:  Sometimes I set fires to bring myself joy.
Pippin:  ...and so it begins...



Pippin:  The girls went to a random house to inflict themselves on the general populous.



Promethea:  You're so handsome, Jarad.
Javed:  Umm, my name's Javed.
Pippin:  Muse, are you sneaking into that poor man's house?
Muse:  He has a fireplace!
Pippin:  This can't go well.



Pippin:  Let's look away before this goes badly.



Muse:  Toasty on my tushy!
Pippin:  Too late.



Sigurd:  You're no match for Captain Amazing, puny weights!



Sigurd:  And Captain Amazing has a surprise twist for you, ringy bell thingy!
Pippin:  Your name is Sigurd, not Captain Amazing.



Set:  Good day, ma'am.  My family and I are new in town and I just wanted to come introduce myself.  I'm Set, and may I say, what a beautiful home you have. 
Diane:  Oh, how very sweet.  I'm Diane.  Won't you come in?
Set:  Well, if you insist.
Pippin:  Well, this is going to end badly for the Whitfield family.



Promethea:  You're so handsome, Jarad.  Like a yeti!
Javed:  Thanks, I guess.  And my name's really Javed.
Promethea:  Oh, Jarad, you kidder!
Pippin:  I wonder if Muse has burned down this poor man's house yet.



Pippin:  Oh, I guess she's actually being productive.
Muse:  I'm painting hopelessness...with sprinkles!
Pippin:  Okay, she might be the oddest one in this...



Sigurd:  Well, hello, lovely lady.  I'm Captain Amazing.
Sonoko:  I'm Sonoko.
Sigurd:  Sonoko?  Weird name...anyway, you aren't single, are you?
Sonoko:  (Giggles) No, I'm afraid I'm happily married.



Sigurd:  Well, I am a firefighter.
Sonoko:  What?!?!?  I guess we have...an open relationship.  Yeah, that's it!
Pippin:  (Sigh)  This can't end well.



Pippin:  And speaking of newfound relationships not ending well...
Promethea:  As the song says, "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, let's have a baby."
Pippin:  That's not what the song says!



Pippin:  Ugh.  Well, at least Set seems fairly level-headed.  Wait...



Pippin:  Oh no.  Tell me you didn't just ruin that poor woman's marriage?
Set:  Nope.



Set:  Just biding my time to get more resources for our poor family.  "Poor" literally.
Pippin:  Hmmm, I might not agree with your methods, but it's hard to argue against your results.  So, he and Promethea slept over with their new friends while Sigurd and Muse slept at the fire station.  This meant he woke up already at work and she woke up where there was...



Pippin:  I was going to say an easel, but apparently, she found something else.
Muse:  Teehee, Hi, heehee!
George:  Hi.  Haha.  Hi there.
Muse:  Heeheehee
George:  Heh heh.
Pippin:  (Sigh)



Sigurd:  There's trouble in our fair city.  This looks like a job for...Captain Amazing!!
Pippin:  Whose house could possibly be on fire?



Pippin:  Oh.  Of course it's Javed's house.
Sigurd:  I had expected more damsels in distress.
Pippin:  And later that day, a certain damsel was in distress in the bathroom of that same house...



Pippin:  Nooboo.
Promethea:  Yes, that's exactly the sound I was making.
Pippin:  But not everyone was making friends.



George:  Boo!  Evil people are...evil!
Set:  Muse, I think I may have to kill your gentleman friend.



Muse:  That's okay.  I've already painted him in a dress being swallowed by a rainbow monster of hopelessness...named Fluffy!
Pippin:  At this point, I'd like to offer a formal apology to the town of starlight Shores.

[KRae]

I love Starlight Shores and I'm quickly falling in love with your sims.

[Nettlejuice]

Such colourful characters, I love them all. Captain Amazing is amazingly good looking  And I seem to have called you Pup instead of Pip, oops.

[Malley]

Promethea:  As the song says, "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, let's have a baby."

Yeah, that's how it goes in the sims 

[PeregrineTook]

I love Starlight Shores and I'm quickly falling in love with your sims.

Thanks, I rather love them too.

Such colourful characters, I love them all. Captain Amazing is amazingly good looking  And I seem to have called you Pup instead of Pip, oops.

Yeah, Pup instead of Pip.  That happens.  Captain Amazing is amazingly narcissistic, but I'm glad you enjoy him  ;=)

Yeah, that's how it goes in the sims 

Yep, they have such short life spans anyway, and then you add a challenge's time limit babymaking becomes an Olympic event!

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  So, it took some convincing, from my end rather than Muse's, but Set ended up not killing Muse's manfriend, which will prove to be convenient later.



Muse:  I'm painting him in a puffy, yellow dress...made from skin.
Pippin:  You terrify me.



Pippin:  Umm, why are you working at you inventing table, particularly with a blow torch, while you're pregnant?
Promethea:  Because pregnancy involves hard labor.
Pippin:  That's...not the kind of labor that goes with pregnancy...



Sigurd:  While the city slumbers, it also burns.  That's why Captain Amazing never sleeps!
Pippin:  Yes, actually, you do.
Sigurd:  It's an expression.
Pippin:  No, I don't think so.  And what are you doing?!?!?



Sigurd:  Fire starts from within the fire, so that's where you have to go to put it out.
Pippin:  I named you well, Sigurd.
Sigurd:  Captain Amazing!



Paul Best:  That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!  I have a beautiful, single daughter, you know.
Pippin:  No!  She's a teen.  Not okay!



Set:  Hello, the aforementioned teen daughter of the Best family, may I come into your home?
Mandy:  Sure thing, dude.



Set:  Math time, kids.  Four cars,



Set:  take away three, makes what?



Pippin:  I know!  A nice, big house!
Set:  Correct.



Promethea:  I'm sparkling.  Is that normal?
Pippin:  Actually, yes.



Promethea:  I made a man!  Who's a girl!  I'll call her Aphrodite!  Because it's her name!  I'm making exclamations!



Sigurd:  Hmm, people seemed to like Promethea more after she was having a baby.  I think I should order a baby too.



Sigurd:  Hello, small child!  I, Captain Amazing, will be your new father.  Now smile for all the cameras.
Apollo:  Thank you for giving me a home and welcoming me into your family!
Sigurd:  Yeah, yeah, kid.  Photo shoot's over.  I've gotta get back to work.



Apollo:  Umm...bye?  Maybe he'd want to spend more time with me if I was athletic like him.



Pippin:  So, our household has grown, but they also have some significant connections outside of the household.







Maria:  Did you dye your hair?
Apollo:  Yeah, I wanted to look more like my dad.
Maria:  It's cute...I mean...nice...that is...not that you're cute...or not cute...
Apollo:  Thanks.  You're cute too.
Maria:  (Blushing)



Promethea:  She's sparkling.  I must have been contagious.  Sweet!
Pippin:  And so, Aphrodite ages up but doesn't get her imaginary friend.  Where will we ever come up with another child to fill the role I'd planned for the IF?



Pippin:  Oh.  Well.  I guess that would take care of it.



Pippin:  And it looks like things are going well in other areas too.
Set:  Eh, it's a good chance to meet more folks in my line of work.
Pippin:  You're such an optimist.



Promethea:  Fire in the soul!
Pippin:  No, it's "fire in the hole."
Promethea:  The whole what?
Pippin:  What?
Promethea:  Exactly!
Pippin:  Umm, shouldn't you be running into the shower?
Promethea:  I'll wait.  The bathroom's occupied.



Pippin:  So, even as our crazy family continues to grow, it also expands its impact in Starlight Shores.



Sigurd:  Well, I am a firefighter.
Layla:  Oh my gosh!  Really?!?!  Squeeeeee!!!
Pippin:  How does that even work?  She's also a firefighter!



Muse:  Sometimes I just stare up at the stars and ponder when I'll feel the sweet, tender release of death.
George:  Umm...that's adorable?
Pippin:  And yet again, my apologies to the residents of Starlight Shores.

[Cristina]

  I love this. It's so funny and I'm already getting attached to your sims, I can't even choose a favourite. Good luck!

[Malley]

Muse is just amazing...I love her terrifying interesting way of thinking 

[Nettlejuice]

Apollo is sweet, I like his way of thinking.

[Caterina]

Very funny!  Thanks for the giggles 

[PeregrineTook]

I love this. It's so funny and I'm already getting attached to your sims, I can't even choose a favourite. Good luck!

Can't pick a favourite?  That's rather flattering.  Thanks!

Muse is just amazing...I love her terrifying interesting way of thinking 

She is rather a fun character to write.

Apollo is sweet, I like his way of thinking.

Thanks.  I needed him to provide some balance to the craziness of the household.

Very funny!  Thanks for the giggles 

Of course!  f my writing can bring people joy, I've done my job.

In other news, I have the screenshots all ready to go for another update, I just haven't had time to get it put together with family, work, and company from out of town all demanding my attention.  Maybe in another week or so I'll have the time.

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  And so, with the townsfolk suitably terrified and traumatized by our household, we return our focus to the actual goal of this challenge.



Muse:  It's like I ate a baby!
Pippin:  Terrifying.  Anyway, with the replacement for the IF that never showed up in place, we turn our attention to things like LTW's.  Specifically, the monster maker.  A trip to Egypt for canopic jars could help, if only we had the funds to send a crew there...



Set:  I'm on it.
Pippin:  Fantastic!  I think we should send a group of three to increase our odds of finding jars.  Set, I'm putting you in charge of this excursion.  You should leave immediately!
Set:  We'll wait until after the kid ages up to teen.
Pippin:  You should leave immediately after Apollo ages up to teen.  Cue the cake!



Promethea:  Happy Smurf Day!
Pippin:  That...that doesn't make any sense!



Set:  Happy day, kid.  You wanna come to Egypt with myself and Miss Crazypants here?
Promethea:  I'm not even wearing pants!
Pippin:  Wait, I figured you'd bring the dumb brute strength.  You know, Sigurd.
Set:  I can't imagine the horror of spending an entire international flight listening to him tell stories about how awesome he is.  Besides, the kid needs someone to take an interest in him.
Pippin:  Wait, is the emperor of evil actually a big softy?!?!?
Set:  ...no...



Pippin:  And so they arrive in Shang Simla and the adventure begins!
Promethea:  This beach is really big.  Where's the ocean?



Promethea:  Hey look!  A hole with stairs.  Stairs.  Like stare!  I should stare at them!  I'm so good at puzzles!



Apollo:  I think I found an opening!
Set:  Great work, kid.  Let me just grab these ancient treasures first.
Apollo:  Wait, are you stealing those?
Set:  Of course not.  I'm just worried that if I leave these, some disreputable individuals might come along and take them.  I'm taking them to keep them safe.
Apollo:  Oh.  I guess that makes sense.



Promethea:  Hmm, the hallways are on fire, so I guess I should just crawl through here.



Set:  Looks like I hit the motherload!  I wonder how the kid's doing?



Apollo:  OWW!!!!



Promethea:  The hallways were on fire, now I'm on fire, which means...I'M A HALLWAY!!!



Set:  Well, our travel time has reached its end and we've managed to come away with only one actual canopic jar.  Guess I'll need to steal more cars.
Apollo:  What?
Set:  I said I'll need to sell more cars.  You know, my day job, as an honest car salesman.
Apollo:  Oh.  That makes sense.
Pippin:  And they return in time to witness this horror.



Muse:  So, my baby's in my belly, so I guess I ate it.  You know, you're a baby...
Pippin:  And speaking of her viewing people as food...



Muse:  When you die, I'm going to have your corpse stuffed and mounted on my wall.  In a hot dog costume dress.
George:  Umm, thanks?
Pippin:  And while that disturbing scene was playing out, someone else discovered a disturbing scene...
Kristin:  Help!!  My garage is on fire!!



Sigurd:  Captain Amazing is on the way!



Sigurd:  You know, I'm a firefighter.
Kristin:  (Squeee!!)



Pippin:  Umm, the fire?
Sigurd:  Oh.  Right.
Pippin:  And in other fire-related news, there were lit candles in the household.



Pippin:  Aphrodite becomes a child, and instantly wants a wardrobe change.



Aphrodite:  Pippy-poo, can we please change my hair?  And can someone open this drawer for poor, little me?  I'm just a little girl.



Aphrodite:  Much better!
Pippin:  And a much more fit Apollo discovers that his not-quite-girlfriend is still just a child.



Maria:  Umm, you got tall.  Guess you don't want to hang out with a little kid like me anymore.
Apollo:  And I think you're just scared that I can beat you at the pie-eating competition!
Maria:  Bring it on!



Pippin:  And in no time, Maria had aged up as well...and her hair got really big!



Maria:  Yeah, my dad's kind of a werewolf, so I guess I'm prone to being hairy.
Pippin:  And speaking of parents and genetics...



Pippin:  Muse had her baby, named Eris,...



Pippin:  who inherited her red hair!

Note:  Despite how it appears, Eris was not immediately aged up after her birth.  She was actually born within a day of the trio returning from Egypt.  It was just more fluid story-wise to deliver it this way.  Early age-ups are not being done in this challenge.

[Cristina]

Their adventures in Egypt are so funny! And it looks like Set and Apollo are bonding, which is so sweet cause Set is so evil. Also, Aphrodite is really pretty! Can't wait for your next update 

[Nettlejuice]

Promethea and Muse just have me crying with laughter. Poor Apollo seems to be the only with who is level headed.

[Malley]

Aww, Set really is just a big softie 

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  And we are making more progress as Muse continues working on her painting skill.
Muse:  I'm painting George in a pretty, pink dress!



Pippin:  Umm, you know he's a guy, right?
Muse:  Of course!  That's why I'm using a dark pink, silly!
Pippin:  Okay then.  Anyway, Sigurd is making fantastic progress in his career.



Sigurd:  That's right.  I'm a firefighter.
Pippin:  Again, so is she!  How does this line keep working?  And speaking of lines...
Apollo:  ...so I think we should get pre-engaged so that we can start planning our engagement since I want to enjoy every moment wth you to the fullest.



Maria:  Oh, Apollo, you're such a romantic dork!
Apollo:  I try.
Pippin:  And of course, while this flame of romance was burning, other fires were going on in town.



Pippin:  Yep.  Sigurd stands right in the middle of the flames.
Sigurd:  Captain Amazing knows no fear...though I do know hunger...



Pippin:  Seriously?!?  You're eating these people's cereal?
Sigurd:  I did save their house.  I think they owe me some cereal.
Pippin:  I disagree.  So, rather than looking at this, let's enjoy a random shot of red-headed beauties.



Muse:  And then the duck says, "Why'd they stick me with the bill?"
Promethea:  Oh, sea turtles are so amusing!
Pippin:  On second thought, let's look at something else.  Quickly.



Pippin:  Ah, it's Mr. Cuddles and his young protégé.
Set:  I'm not a softy!
Pippin:  I have evidence to the contrary.



Set:  I was just holding her because...she was...crying...and being annoying...to the neighbors...and I didn't want them to...call the cops...yeah...
Pippin:  Okay, Mr. Cuddles.  Whatever you say.  And speaking of people saying things...
Sigurd:  Don't worry, attractive redhead, I'll save you. 
Redhead:  Unghh...
Sigurd:  After all, I'm a firefighter.



Redhead:  Unghh squeeee unghhh...
Pippin:  So, that happened.  So did this.



Pippin:  And later, this happened.



Promethea:  Hopefully, girl-bot can find boy-bot when she, too, gets kicked out and they can fall in love and stuff.  Just like the saying goes, "I love you a bot."
Pippin:  No, it's a lot.
Promethea:  Yes, they'll have babies and it will be a lot.  A lot of bots.
Pippin:  And as we continue forward, adulthood comes for our quartet.









Promethea:  My hair got older too!
Pippin:  Umm, yes.  It does that, I guess.  And the adults weren't the only ones aging up...



Aphrodite:  Ugh!!!  Pippin!  Makeover, now!!!
Pippin:  I'm on it!



Pippin:  Oh.  Hmm.  This is the shot of Promethea's stylist makeover that she popped a mid-life crisis wish for.  Do I honestly not have any aged-up shots of Aphrodite?
Aphrodite:  Nice work.  I guess this is why they call you a Watcher, not a photographer.
Pippin:  Oh, here's one!



Aphrodite:  You are so not off the hook.
Pippin:  Umm, here's a shot of you with Ares and Apollo...



Aphrodite:  Okay.  Way to keep things appropriate and catch me from my best side.
Pippin:  Ummm...
Aphrodite:  That's it.  This update's over.
Pippin:  No, we still have to show off Sigurd's trophy room.



Aphrodite:  You took a picture of his stupid trophies and not of my beautiful face and charming wardrobe?  I'm so telling my mom!



Pippin:  I think she's busy (and possibly delusional) right now.
Promethea:  This is crowd control to Major Tom...
Pippin:  And with that, we leave our household.  Next time we'll...
Aphrodite:  Have better pictures?
Pippin:  ...umm, yes.  But we'll also have another adventure to Egypt for canopic jars.

[Cristina]

From what I've seen of Aphrodite she is very pretty. I knew Set was just a big softie, surprisingly more than Sigurd. . . Can't wait for Egypt, last time was amazing, will they all go?

[Nettlejuice]

Haha, poor Aphrodite, hopefully you manage to take screenshots from the front next time xD Set just grows on me more and more. Can't wait to see their misadventures in Egypt!

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  Here's Aphrodite.  I'm showing her.  From the front and everything.   While she's fully dressed.



Aphrodite:  Still not off the hook, Pippin.
Pippin:  And another young lady in our household ages up.



Aphrodite:  And she actually gets decent pictures, eh?



Set:  Alright, let's cease with the petty Watcher abuse and head to Egypt.
Eris:  And so, our family heads off for untold dangers in Egypt...



Pippin:  Nicely done, Eris!



Set:  Alright, people, divide and conquer.



Pippin:  Conquer, huh? 
Set:  Okay, maybe politely negotiate?



Pippin:  And why did we not choose the acrobat career for you?
Promethea:  Because I'm not a bat of acro or any other variety, silly!



Apollo:  So...many...traps...



Aphrodite:  Oh.  Were we supposed to be doing something?  No one really told me what "divide and conquer" means.



Promethea:  It's okay, Fluffy, I'll save you.



Apollo:  Save ME!!!



Aphrodite:  Oh, hey, I found treasure.  This is really easy!



Aphrodite:  So, yeah, I found all the treasure and jar thingies you guys wanted.
Set:  You may be the most glorious woman I've ever met.
Aphrodite:  Yeah, probably.
Set:  When we get back, there's one more job I have for you...



Aphrodite:  Mission accomplished!
Pippin:  And speaking of friendly interactions, young Eris had a friend over.



Eris:  So, Jeannie, your family's rich and you have a brother, right?
Jeannie:  Yeah, why?
Eris:  No reason.  Just making conversation.
Pippin:  And Sigurd encounters an old friend while rushing to deal with an emergency at the hospital.



Sigurd:  So, are you the girl bot, or the boy bot?
Pippin:  And the creator of the aforementioned bots has an emergency of her own.



Promethea:  I'm way less redheaded right now!  It's like the song says, "This girl is a dyer!
Pippin:  No, it's "on fire."
Promethea:  What's on fire?!?
Pippin:  Never mind.  She did manage to make that third monster, though, so that's always good.



Aphrodite:  Did you seriously just take another back shot of me semi-nude?
Pippin:  I...the mummy...you were...I didn't...
Aphrodite:  Whatever, Pippin.



Pippin:  There.  A happy, friendly shot with Mr. Cuddles.
Set:  I'm just not even acknowledging your comments anymore.
Sigurd:  You know, Eris, I'm a firefighter.
Pippin:  Dude, no!  She's just a child!



Pippin:  Well, she was...


(I may have visited Egypt multiple times, but only showed two of the trips.  Also, I used buydebug to place the Cursed Sarcophagus in the house so they could actually make the mummy)

[Nettlejuice]

It's just great that Aphrodite found all the treasures without even trying  Little Eris is already planning her future, eh? More redheads to join the house soon enough then 

[Cristina]

Eris and Aphrodite are really pretty. I think a diabolical partnership between Set and Aphrodite would be beautiful. Congrats to Promethea for completing her Lifetime Wish 

[Malley]

Of course the household has its own mummy. That makes perfect sense! 

[PeregrineTook]

It's just great that Aphrodite found all the treasures without even trying  Little Eris is already planning her future, eh? More redheads to join the house soon enough then 

No more redheads joining the household, sadly.  We only have the one open spot and I've already decided who's filling it.

Eris and Aphrodite are really pretty. I think a diabolical partnership between Set and Aphrodite would be beautiful. Congrats to Promethea for completing her Lifetime Wish 

Set and Aphrodite definitely become a duo.  Thanks for the congrats!

Of course the household has its own mummy. That makes perfect sense! 

Well, they're very handy.  Every household will wan one.

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  With two teens in the house, the adults were offered a free vacation.



Aphrodite:  Party time!
Pippin:  Oh no, a house full of rowdy teens?



Pippin:  Oh.  A house full of age-inappropriate men.  What could possibly go wrong?



Pippin:  Yes.  That could go wrong.



Pippin:  And he gets proof that a pretty young lady let him put his arm around her.
Aphrodite:  Pippin, you know what my lifetime wish is going to be, so you know I need to put things in place for that.
Pippin:  Knowledge does not remove the "wrong" that's happening here.  Where is Eris during all of this?



Eris:  Wardrobe change!



Eris:  Hi, Jeannie!  Can we go to your house to hang out with your rich...I mean...charming brother?
Jeannie:  Umm, sure.
Pippin:  And the adults return with no incidents given that no teen parties happened.  Sigurd, being bored since he's finished his LTW turns his attention to other things.



Aphrodite:  Why do I have to get athletic training?
Set:  Sorry, love, it was your turn.
Aphrodite:  Does anyone else ever have to take a turn?
Set:  Well, we wouldn't want to keep you from getting all of your turns.
Pippin:  And Promethea has also finished het LTW, so she turns her attention toward time travel and the doll house.



Promethea:  Homey, I'm hon!
Pippin:  I don't think that's right.
Promethea:  No, he is!
Creepy Gnome:   So, Apollo, when are you going to marry that pretty little Best girl?



Apollo:  I can't right now, disturbing talking gnome, as we need the empty spot in the household for some reason.
Creepy Gnome:  Can't you still propose even if you can't get married yet?
Apollo:   Well, I...oh.  I could!



Maria:  Of course I'll marry you!
Pippin:  Things are really heating up!



Muse:  That's how fire works!
Pippin : This can't end well.  But speaking of things that happen in the kitchen...



Aphrodite:  Time to start on that lifetime wish!



Aphrodite:  Ummm, maybe after my makeover.



Aphrodite:  Number one,



Aphrodite:  at the theater.



Aphrodite:  Number two,



Aphrodite:  in the photo booth.



Aphrodite:  Number three,



Aphrodite:  in a time machine at the consignment store we bought.



Aphrodite:  Awkward.



Set:  I'm just another number?
Aphrodite:  No, you're the one that matters.



Set:  Nice of the Bests to let us use their house.
Aphrodite:  Well, I may not have actually asked permission, so to speak.
Set:  What becomes of us now?
Aphrodite:  I have one more to go, but then maybe you'd like to move in together?
Set:  Funny.



Aphrodite:  Number five, the final one,



Aphrodite:  in the tree house.
Pippin:  And with that, we have three LTW's down:  Sigurd, Promethea, and now Aphrodite.



Set:  Baby, you're the best!
Aphrodite:  I know.
Pippin:  Muse has mastered painting and is most of the way through sculpting and will knock out inventing through books.  Apollo has started his career.  Eris is still a teen, but has her rich husband selected.  Set suffered an odd glitch on one of our trips to Egypt and was listed as being in a different profession when we returned, so he has had to restart his crime career and is only at level 3 now.  Our eighth member has been proposed to and will join us once the rich husband has filled his role.

[Nettlejuice]

OH! Aphrodite, that screenshot had me in stitches!

[Cristina]

Oh, Aphrodite works fast! When you said Aphrodite and Set would become a duo I didn't think that was what you meant. But I like it, they suit each other well and look great together. Your progress is amazing 

[PeregrineTook]

OH! Aphrodite, that screenshot had me in stitches!

I'm not sure which screenshot got you, but I agree, she's glorious.

Oh, Aphrodite works fast! When you said Aphrodite and Set would become a duo I didn't think that was what you meant. But I like it, they suit each other well and look great together. Your progress is amazing 

Thanks.  I'm actually just not showing as much of the time as it's primarily filled with boring skill building stuff.  They're fun to write despite how boring skill building can get.

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  Young Aphrodite has finished her LTW rather quickly and Eris plans to do the same.



Eris:  I like cats.  Cats that are kittens.  Or cats.
Pippin:  She's obviously very focused.  Specifically, she's focused on this fellow.



Pippin:  He's one of the Bests, so he definitely qualifies as uber-wealthy.  Oh listen, they're singing "Dancing Queen" by Abba.
Eris:  (singing) "You can dance, you can di-ie, having the time of your life..."
Chris:  Umm, I don't think that's how it goes.
Eris:  It's accurate, though.
Chris:  I'm sorry, what?
Eris:  Let's play a video game!!



Pippin:  And several such outings makes sure their relationship bar will be quite full when she ages up.  You know, now that we have no more children in the household, we should probably get rid of that old tree house.



Set:  Umm, actually, we still use it.
Aphrodite:  Frequently!
Pippin:  I...I'm just going to grab a 10 foot pole with which ot not touch that comment.



Muse:  You're covered in sprinkles.  Like a cake.  Cake is for eating...
Eris:  No, mom, I'm not for eating.
Muse:  Darn it.
Pippin:  And after avoiding cannibalism, we have a makeover,



Pippin:  and a proposal.



Chris:  I will love you until the day I die.
Eris:  That won't take long.
Chris:  What?
Eris:  Let's marry right now.
Chris:  Oh.  Okay!



Eris:  I plan to never let you leave this room.
Chris:  Well, somebody's feeling frisky!
Eris:  No.  I'm being literal.
Pippin:  Poor sap.  When he finds himself locked in the room the next day, he texts his beloved.



Chris:  Seems she accidentally locked me in.  I'll just text her.  I'm sure she'll let me out.
Pippin:  But he wasn't the only male in our household having issues with another member of our household (he says realizing how non-fluid that sentence was)



Sigurd:  I can't believe you're having relations with young Aphrodite.  For shame, sir!
Set:  Jealous?
Sigurd:  Of course, she's gorgeous!
Set:  And as talented as she is gorgeous.



Pippin:  And she's proving just how talented.



Chris:  She'll be back any minute.
Pippin:  But instead, she was with another man indulging in her vices...



Pippin:  Those vices being a love of pie and a lack of proper table manners, but they're still vices.



Eris:  Oh, who's amazing now, Captain Loser?
Sigurd:  Well, I'm amazingly sick now...
Pippin:  But eventually, Eris did come back to her husband...



Pippin:  Because watching him die was part of her LTW.
Eris:  This mist isn't going to stain the floor is it?
Grim:  If it does, you can always just move the bed over to cover it or get a nice area rug.  I know a guy who could make you a deal on a nice rug.
Eris:  Okay, give me his number.
Chris (ghost voice):  I'll never regret our time together, my love, though it ends far too soon.
Eris:  Oh.  Yeah.  Me too.  Thanks for all the money and LTH points!
Pippin:  Hmm, that probably should have ben sad and sentimental.  Someone lighten the mood.



Sigurd:  Who's king of the carnival now?  The star-faced guy.  That's who!

*Note:  I know I've played Eris as kind of cold and disconnected for the sake of the story, but she was all sorts of sweet and mushy with Chris and spent most of his time with the family with him (even though he was locked in that little room).  This was one of my favorite shots, though it didn't fit the story flow as well since I presented it more story-wise as if she just locked him in and never came back.



Yep.  Gushing over his sweetheart.  Adorable!

[Nettlejuice]

I like Eris' lyrics better  Shame about Chris having to spend his life locked up, lol.

[Cristina]

Oh poor Chris living in the little room. But at least Eris achieved her Lifetime Wish 

[Malley]

Poor Chris  I'm sure under different circumstances, they would have made a cute couple

[Lisa46]

"I...I'm just going to grab a 10 foot pole with which ot not touch that comment."

*bursts out laughing and scares the cat*

[PeregrineTook]

I like Eris' lyrics better  Shame about Chris having to spend his life locked up, lol.

I got that from a youtube video with the funniest misheard lyrics.  As soon as I heard it (and knowing I had that karaoke shot), I decided it needed to be in this story!

Oh poor Chris living in the little room. But at least Eris achieved her Lifetime Wish 

Yeah, he had a glorious 2-3 day lifespan in our household.  Actually, he did.  He and Eris were just giddy with each other.

Poor Chris  I'm sure under different circumstances, they would have made a cute couple

They were adorable!!  I had a really hard time taking shots with Eris in them for days afterwards as she was distraught all the time.

"I...I'm just going to grab a 10 foot pole with which ot not touch that comment."

*bursts out laughing and scares the cat*

I apologize to your cat and I'm glad you're enjoying the story  :=)

[PeregrineTook]

Creepy Gnome:  So, you realize that since the Best kid died, you can move in the lovely blonde, right?
Apollo:  What?



Creepy Gnome:  Umm, marry the girl?
Apollo:  Oh!



Apollo:  And I marry you.
Maria:  About time!
Pippin:  And like any newly married couple, their first activity is a wardrobe change,



Pippin:  followed by a workout.



Maria:  No, this is the workout.



Creepy Gnome:  So, you realize I was the one who really got you into this household, right cutie?
Maria:  Back off, creep, unless you want to play a fun game of smack a gnome.



Pippin:  Umm, some strange hobo wandered into the household.
Set:  Rude, Pippin.



Pippin:  Sorry, Mr. Cuddles.
Eris:  Look, it's Fred Flintstone!
Pippin:  So, a paparazzo died, and Grim hung out for a while.



Promethea:  When you finish with the trash, see if you can get those stains in the oven.
Grim:  Yes, ma'am.
Pippin:  And Set had a way-too-close-encounter.



Pippin:  Which led to this.



Pippin:  Although, that probably bought him a few extra days of being young while the other three experienced this.







Pippin:  Looks like Sigurd's going to be too old to be the athlete he's been.
Sigurd:  Captain Amazing is still a star athlete!



Pippin:  And Set is clearly not athletic these days.



Set:  I still have a six pack!
Pippin:  More like a 66 pack.
Set:  Whoa, I feel weird...



Pippin:  And a baby alien girl is born into our full household.



Pippin:  But baby Natalie had to be sent back to her home world because of the aforementioned fullness.  Are you crying?



Set:  No...maybe...
Pippin:  Cutting to a cute and distracting scene.



Pippin:  Yep.  They're adorable.  So, with three elders and a 4th coming soon, we are halfway to accomplishing all the LTW's, Muse has nearly joined that group, Set was over halfway finished when the game glitched and he lost all his progress, but he's regaining all that ground, Maria's gotten started and I moving quickly, and Apollo is about halfway to his goal.

[Malley]

There's something really funny about seeing Set with his ripped muscles and six pack, waddling around because he's expecting an alien nooboo 

[Nettlejuice]

Oh, I forgot how odd alien pregnancies were in 3! The creepy gnomes deserves a little love and Grim doing chores, we don't get that in 4.

[Cristina]

Set pregnant was hilarious!  I love it when Grim hangs around. Congrats on all the progress 

[PeregrineTook]

Pippin:  It looks like a massive mob has gathered to rally against the presence of our household in their fair city.



Pippin:  Or not.  Anyway, some members of the household enjoyed some time at the winter festival.



Pippin:  Aphrodite and Eris practiced falling down while on ice.
Aphrodite:  You might want to watch what you're saying, Pip.  I do have razor blades strapped to my feet.
Pippin:   Charming, Aphrodite.  And on the subject of charming young ladies, Sigurd kept making new lady-friends.



Sigurd:  Well, hello there, lovely lady.
Lovely Lady:  Umm, hi.  I'm afraid I'm really not that interested in the spring-winter relationship.
Sigurd:  Well, I am a firefighter...



Lovely Lady:  Squuueeeeeee!!!!!
Pippin:  But while things were going well for Sigurd, things went very unexpectedly for Apollo.



Apollo:  OOWWW!!!!
Pippin:  And Grim appeared even as poor Maria looked on.



Maria:  Please don't take my true love!  Have you no heart?
Grim:  Umm, no.  I'm basically a skeleton in a robe...
Pippin:  And as Maria wept, Grim took Apollo by the hand and led him away.



Pippin:  However, Muse decided that she was not okay with this.



Muse:  I'm evil, not heartless. 



Muse:  Weird magic blue girl, the little blonde girl's all like, "Oh boohoo my husband's dead" and it's really annoying me.  Can you bring him back so she'll quiet down?
Weirdmagicbluegirl:  Umm, sure.



Weirdmagicbluegirl:  How's that?
Muse:  Umm, yeah.  I think that's the right one.
Apollo:  What...what happened?  Where's Maria?



Pippin:  Oh.  You found her.


Well, since we had everyone just about finished, but then I had Set reset (pun intended) by a travel glitch that changed his career and now Apollo (who had a rather high handiness skill) randomly dies fixing the time machine and gets his career level reset, I've decided I got close enough.  I'll be moving on to my next story before too long.  Hope you've all enjoyed this.  Feel free to use this challenge idea if it intrigues you.

[Malley]

So glad you brought back Apollo! I was shocked (no pun intended) when he died but glad that he could be resurrected 

[Trip]

Congrats on finishing! It was an enjoyable read, as usual.

I'm moving this to the Completed Stories board.

[Cristina]

Congrats on finishing! It was a really good story with lots of humor. I'm looking forward to reading any of your future stories 

[Nettlejuice]

Congrats, Pip! A well deserved happy ending for Maria and Apollo. It's so funny Sigurd still gets the ladies with that one word