Beyond Sunset Valley---A Town Jump Story

[deedee_828]

Early the next morning, while it's still quite dark out, Cruz heads to town to keep working on his lifetime wish.

The park is empty, but we catch a glimpse of a yellow ghost in the cemetery.

Niall Mithrilen is the lucky recipient of Cruz's next elixir!

Well, not so lucky as we chose a magic cure elixir and with Niall being dead from electrocution and not having a magical affliction, it didn't do anything.

Should have thought that through before using that particular elixir.

With the graveyard being dead, literally, we headed off to the diner to see if any sims were visiting.




It was empty at first, but with Cruz on the lot, sims started showing up.

Aiden O'Connell gets a vial of bliss, so he won't be feeling any pain for a bit.




Cruz finds Susie Sackholme O'Shea quite attractive, so she gets a vial of friendship!

Cruz throws a few more of those around, so he's now added more friends to his list, including Lucy and Torre.




Cruz adds to his friendship list with an elixir thrown at Pal, who's completed his LTW as he's now an astronaut!

He tosses a few vials of bliss, and he even catches Jade before she runs off holding an umbrella as it started to rain.

Something I should have paid attention to.




As it required summoning Lee to come repair Cruz as the rain shorted him out!

Luckily, Cruz managed to throw 10 elixirs before that happened, bringing his count to 37!

I apologize to Lee when he arrives, "Sorry if I interrupted your alone time, but you're the only one that can repair him, besides Britta, and I didn't dare ask her because of the rain."

"Understood, Watcher! That would have only given me two Simbots to repair instead of one. Besides, it's her day off and, with her work schedule, she can use the break. Though I think she was researching fashion concepts on her drafting table, so still working really."

"But at least that gains her experience without dealing with unappreciative sims. Some of them are so picky!"

"I sure wouldn't want to deal with them! I can barely tolerate sims when they are being nice. In fact, as soon as Cruz is repaired, I'll be heading home to relax, out of the rain, and away from this crowd!"

"Okay. I'll see you at home soon."




I find Cameron and Juliette working on homework when I get back to the house.

The quads all have after school classes, so it's a bit later than usual.

But at least the rain's stopped, so Cruz should make it home okay, once Lee's got him repaired.

That's when it strikes me, "Um, Cam, you're doing homework, outside."

"Yes, I am, Watcher. Very astute of you to notice."

"Is that sarcasm just the regular teen kind or part of another mood swing?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out!"

"Mood swing it is!"




Taylee's doing homework too, on the front porch with Pat almost stepping on her!

He really has no concept of personal space, but that's another issue specific to Imaginary Friends.

But Taylee's words stop me cold.

"So, I got this Op to take a rainbow gem to the science center and once they convert it, for only §4500 simoleans, they'll give me an Imaginary Friend Metamorphium potion! It would make you real, Pat!  Are you interested?"

Pat seems startled by the very thought and doesn't reply.

But Taylee's words have me realizing that Britta and Cruz need to step up their progress on their wishes.

There's no space in the house to make Pat real, let alone invite Jonah to move in after their young adult birthdays.

And Jonah aged up last night!

Before I can explain this to Taylee and Pat, yelling from inside has me rushing in to see what's going on.




Tabatha is furious!

And it doesn't take long to figure out why as she shouts, "You are in BIG trouble, young man! I saw what you did to that computer! I'd like to sabotage them all, but your father enjoys his video games. What he does not enjoy is having them pranked and scaring the daylights out of him!"

Cam is so startled by his mother's outburst, he pulls back, hands raised in defense, "But, Mom, it was just a harmless…"

"I don't want to hear excuses! You'd better do some chores around the house and get back on my good side!"

Ouch!

No way am I mentioning the fact that both of the living room chairs behind Tabatha are flashing red just like the PC.

She's furious enough and I have no idea who set those.

Once the quads age up, we'll have to find a way to take care of all the pranked objects in the house.

I think there are at least six pranked chairs out in the wedding area, plus several more in the house.

Several of the sinks, showers, and toilets on the ground floor are also booby trapped.

And now the living room computer, again.

Boy, one or two teens in the house at once is bad, but triplets last gen and quads this gen has me pulling my hair out!

Not to mention having to avert my eyes when I'm in map view as all the flashing lights combine into one large one over the lot.

I swear, it could be seen from space!




To take my mind off pranks and snarky teens, I suggest a trip to the elixir shop for Cruz.

He popped a wish to make a wish enhancing serum and it needs a butterfly.

Something no one has in their personal inventory, and I couldn't find one in any of our family chests either.

But there are two spawned at the elixir store, so I send Cruz off to catch one.

Unfortunately, he took the motive mobile, so he'll need to be reset.

The town has been so laggy lately, I probably need to do a NRaas 'reset everything'.

But I just haven't found the right moment with everyone home, so it doesn't pull them back to the house in the middle of school or work.

With a butterfly safely stored in his backpack, Cruz heads inside.




And Cruz gets the opportunity to throw two more elixirs, bringing his count to 39.

Fiona O'Reilly's expecting and, judging by the friendship plus signs, she really appreciated that vial of bliss.

But Juliette's slumber party is starting soon, so I better head back home.




The party's in full swing when I arrive, the guests already dressed in their coolest pj's.

It's not off to an auspicious start as Ronan Hooley, Ryan's younger brother, and Asher Sackholme, sporting the signature Walsh red hair, are having an alpha male moment!

Luckily, no one else is paying them any mind.

Not even Davon Kelly who's grabbed a plate of autumn salad and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table.




And I can see why as pretty Fiona Frio is chatting away excitedly to Jaeger Fallon and Damien Cullen!

"It's so nice to finally get to come to my cousins' house as part of the teen set! We missed out on Cam's grade school slumber party as we weren't old enough and I wouldn't have wanted to miss this party too. Everyone's already having a great time!"




I scan the room and see Fiona's right.

Juliette's heading for the kitchen to grab some food, while Daeric Cullen and Jessica Burb have already finished their salads.

And I can see some teens already dancing in the living room.




Aria Costa is in the white nightie, grooving to the beat.

While Jasmine Frio and Zachary O'Shea are dancing side by side behind her.

I was just thinking they made a cute couple when Jasmine said, "Has anyone asked you to prom, Aria? I wouldn't dream of going with anyone but Zachary! He's such a sweetheart!"

Zachary didn't say anything in reply, but his smile was answer enough.

Turns out these two already have a crush on each other, with no help from me!

Aria didn't stop dancing, but grinned and said, "I'm going with Ronan Hooley, and I want us to be the dynamic duo of the dance! It could happen too, if Asher would stop badgering him and let Ronan get in some practice."




Panning back into the kitchen, I find Keagan O'Shea, Zachary's older brother, checking out Fiona at the kitchen table.

Twin sisters pairing up with the O'Shea brothers. I would love to stick around and see how that turns out!
 
Max Fallon seems fixated on the dancers, while Enid Mithrilen has been staying close to his side all night.

I check and it turns out that Enid has a crush on Max!

And poor Daeric Kelly aged up bald again.




I turn around to get a better look at him and discover he's got pink eyebrows.

His father, Sean Kelly, passed down his pink hair gene to all three of his kids, Maeve, Davon, and now Daeric!

Not going to wait for Britta on this one and just give him some hair.

But I don't get a chance as Leila arrives home from work still under the influence of another mood swing.

Seeing Daeric Cullen's smiling purple face, I'm not risking another blow up as she hasn't apologized for the first one yet.

But this time, Leila's only mood swing related wish is to cut or dye her hair.




So, I quickly pop her into Stylist, and don't bother explaining that we can't change the color.

I just find another style that suits her and makes her even more beautiful than before.

Despite her mood, Leila manages to say, "Yes! Definitely this one!"

I don't mention the fact that I didn't actually cut it either, just took her hair out of her ponytail, swept it to one side, and added the black hat.

But that didn't seem matter as her wish completed, so win-win.




Enid's drifted over to the living room where Aria's still dancing.

But both Daeric Kelly and Zachary O'Shea have stopped to admire Leila's new look.

Daeric even took a photo!

Guess Leila and I were spot on with the hairstyle change.

And I take advantage of Britta's arrival to have her offer a makeover to Enid.

Enid accepts and it's another trip into stylist.




When we finish, it's another win-win.

Enid looks super cute with all that gorgeous blue hair swept back from her face.

And Britta's gained more experience.

With all her drafting table work earlier today, it's enough to promote her to level 5: Trendsetter in Training!

That's when I spot Alana and wonder if I can get Cam to come down and ask her to dance.

But no such luck as the clock chimes 11 pm and all the teens grab sleeping bags.




I give them a moment to settle in, only to discover that only three of them actually pulled out sleeping bags.




Then I notice a commotion outside.

Looks like the front yard next to a pile of raked leaves is the chosen slumber spot!

Except for Damien Cullen and Max Fallon who are route failing and freaking out.

No surprise as all the teens tried to cram into one tiny area of the yard.

Most likely for warmth as it's Fall and only 27 degrees outside!




Both boys finally manage to lie down, with Damien snuggled in his sleeping bag.

But poor Jaeger just drops to the ground and his sleeping bag is nowhere in sight!

Maybe that's a thing for unlucky sims?




But it's the sims inside who are actually experiencing worse luck as they've been woken up by one of the family ghosts.

I didn't see who it was, most likely Jared as he loves waking up slumber party guests, but I heard the ghostly music.

So, I track the teens down to find them on the back porch, two of them, Max and Jessica, in rocking chairs.

Daeric Kelly's here too, so I take the opportunity to fix his baldness.

Once we're out of Stylist, I see he approves of my hair choice as he's sporting a big grin.

That's when I notice the umbrella he's holding.

Not sure why he needs one under the porch roof.

But what about all the poor kids sleeping on the front lawn!?!




Luckily for them, it's approaching 7 am.

They all start waking up, yawning, stretching, popping open umbrellas, and racing for home!

I can't really blame them.

They've got school this morning and, with the rain pouring down, they're not only freezing but wet, too!




Despite that, Ronan Hooley pauses a moment to say, "Thanks for inviting me, I had a pretty good time!"

I notice two things, well three, actually.

Ronan's super cute in his outerwear.

Paparazzi Ellen Curren is still hanging around despite being rained on all night.

And poor Jaeger is still fast asleep on the cold, wet, ground.

I guess being both unlucky and insane does have its perks!




Cruz managed to lob two more elixirs before all the neighborhood teens left, so his count is now at 41!

Britta earned another promotion, she's now at level 5, Trendsetter in Training, only two levels to go to reach level 7.

The quads final teen party went well, with no mood swing backlash or unfortunate interactions.

Jade and Pal's triplet daughters, Opal, Ruby, and Pearl, aged up to teen.

Opal moved out as she couldn't stand Ruby's evilness, so she now lives with Cinda, Rory, Fiona, Jasmine, and Caspian.

At least she moved in with relatives.

What was more shocking was that Jade and Pal immediately announced they were having another baby!

Well, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised since they're still very much in love.

Next up, the event I've been looking forward to for quite some time.

But the one that also makes my stomach hurt as we roll for final traits and choose lifetime wishes.

Join me to find out what they are in Chapter 399: Young Adult Birthdays
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

The quads headed off to their last day of high school.

Soon after, Britta got a job opportunity; Mason Sackholme wanted a new pair of shoes!

Once we arrived at the Walsh residence, we discovered that not only did this family have a dog, but five kids!

All crammed together in a one bedroom, one bath, very tiny house.

It's not like I wasn't keeping track of babies born to all the couples in town, I actually have an entire list just for that.

I just hadn't bother to update their homes to reflect those new additions.

Bad, Watcher, just bad!

So, after Britta gave Mason a new pair of shoes, I got to work on the house.

I rearranged and removed a lot of unnecessary walls and doors.

The end result was an open entryway, a much larger living room, an eat-in kitchen with seating for six, two additional bedrooms, one for the boys, Asher, Sheridan, and Royce, and one for the girls, Christa and Sonya, and a much needed second bathroom.

The dog, Ruby, wasn't left out either. She got a pet bed, a food dish, some toys, and even a doghouse!




I don't know if it was Mason's shoes or the newly renovated house, but Britta got a job immediately after that to provide a complete new elder wardrobe for Aislin Walsh!

Aislin was so impressed with her makeover, she let us take a photo for Britta's portfolio, now up to 10%!

It's a good thing that the Stylist career is just to reach level 10 of the profession, as completing the portfolio seems like an impossible task.




Braden McGrath needed new sleepwear, a little job but one that moved Britta up to Level 6: In Vogue Virtuoso.

Braden thought he looked hot in his one-piece long underwear, even!





School was out, but all three girls had after school clubs, so Cameron opted for a trip to the library.

He wanted to read a book on logic but as soon as he got there, he pulled out his homework.

"You realize it's not necessary to do that, right?"

"I know. But it's giving me closure, Watcher. Last day of school, last time doing my homework…"

"Okay. But don't focus too much on the lasts and freak yourself out."

"But everything's ending! Nothing will be the same after tonight."

"Not everything will change. Your parents will still be your parents, your siblings will still be your siblings, and Alana will still be your girlfriend. And I'm always here, of course."

"Okay. That does help. But I'm still finishing my homework."




Cameron was still looking pensive when he stood before his cake.

But I couldn't help but focus on the flashing red light over the sink.

Someone had set it off at the teen party and here it was booby trapped again.

I will not miss that aspect of the teen years one little bit.

But back to the birthday boy, "Ready?"

Cameron gulped and said, "As I'll ever be."




As the crowd started to cheer, Cam took a deep breath and blew out his candles.




And when the sparkles disappeared, our first born and only son, was a young adult.

A Perceptive young man whose goal was to become a Superstar Athlete!

Torre looks shocked that someone else is following in his footsteps.

But even though Torre became a Superstar Athlete, it wasn't his LTW, so Cam is still eligible for heir.

Cam's age up outfit isn't even all that bad.

Not quite Cam's style or color, but not hideous.

Of course, his hair was almost non-existent, again.




Taylee didn't hesitate, but stepped right up to her cake, clapped excitedly, and blew out her own candles.




But she had an incentive to age up as Jonah had already been a young adult for two days.




Taylee was so excited she started cheering along with everyone else.




Then she posed with pride in all her young adult glory!

She'd lost her bangs again, but the jacket she was wearing, though not lilac, was purple.

That's the best that could be said of her outfit.

She gains the Star Quality trait and chooses Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous as her lifetime wish.

She's already met the 100,000 simolean requirement and she's already a level four celebrity.

So it shouldn't be that difficult to reach level five and complete her lifetime wish before she moves out.




Then the guests shift over to the dining table as Juliette's candles are lit.

Leila is clapping and shouting wildly but Juliette has gone strangely still.

Juliette's the sibling with the most positive traits so I'm guessing she's worried about this last one.

And if any photography related lifetime wishes will show up in her list of choices.




But with the rest of the crowd cheering, she finally joins them, throwing her arms up and giving a cheer of her own.




Only to become a young adult in an outfit that has Dane freaking out!

Me to, if I'm being honest.

The top is fine, but the pants, if you can call those pants, actually reflect Juliette's new trait.

Our avid photographer is now Inappropriate and covets a World Class Gallery!

Opal seems the only one excited by this turn of events but no one else knows quite what to say.

Including me.




But Leila stepping up to her cake and making a wish has everyone focusing on her.

Cheering, blowing party horns, and twirling noise makers ensues once again.




But the happy celebration quickly turns to chaos when the cake explodes into flames!

Luckily, Leila ran to the corner and escaped the worst of the flames and smoke.




Then the flames grew higher and hotter as they engulfed the entire dining table!

Rory, though panicked, had sense enough to protect Leila, shouting, "Stay behind me! Quick, someone grab a fire extinguisher and put those flames out!"

But the majority of the guests were already racing from the room to avoid inhaling the noxious fumes.

I was so shocked I didn't even get a photo of brave Opal doing as Rory requested and saving the day!




When the excitement was over, we purchased another cake, and Leila nervously approached it.

I don't blame her after what just happened, and I feel bad as there's no crowd to cheer her on.

But Taylee and Cinda, both good sims, did their best to make Leila's birthday festive.

And at least her current outfit is one that we chose instead of her work outfit.




The sparkles hit and Leila gets ready for her big moment!

Only to have the very late firefighter say, "You need to be more careful in the future, miss! House fires are nothing to mess with! Someone could get hurt!"




But when new young adult Leila shoots him a look, he adds, "I'd love to get to know you better! I'm a firefighter and could teach you all about fire safety. Are you sure you didn't inhale any of that smoke!?! I'm an expert at mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!"

Oh, boy!

Good thing Daeric's still a teen and was too busy blowing a party horn to notice that comment.

On the flip side, it's sweet that Daeric hung around to help Leila celebrate after the exploding cake.

Leila's final trait was quite the letdown though as she rolls Gatherer, something else done outdoors.

So, it's no surprise she went with her strengths and chose Perfect Mind, Perfect Body for her lifetime wish.

She's been playing chess since she was a child and she's already at level 6.

With her athletic trait helping to boost that skill, she'll quickly progress beyond her current level 4 proficiency.

I'm a bit disappointed she didn't get an acting related choice from her Star Quality trait, but she's been athletic since birth, so I guess that trait is more ingrained.




With the birthdays over, it was Juliette's turn to freak out, "OMG! What on earth am I wearing!?! Why didn't someone tell me I looked so, so…"

"Inappropriate? Sorry, sweetie, those pants actually reflect your new trait."

Juliette shrieks, "WHAT!?! I'm what!?! I knew my traits were too good to be true, but why that one? It's the worst!"

I try to sooth her a bit saying, "No. There are definitely worse ones, evil, mean-spirited, and don't get me started on diva! Oh, wait. Torre is a diva…he's not still here is he!?!"

"No. He left during the fire. But he's not important right now. I got a terrible final trait! Please tell me I at least got to choose a photography related lifetime wish!"

"Calm down. You did. Your goal is now to have a World Class Gallery!"

"But that's the hard one! And how am I going to take photos of sims if I'm always doing inappropriate things?"

"I think the higher valued photos are of landmarks and stuff in tombs, so that shouldn't be a problem. And you'll be so busy trying to take all those photos, you won't have time to be inappropriate."




Juliette scratches her head, "You really think so?"

Lee steps closer to comfort his daughter, "If there's one thing I know, Jules, it's that when you've got a camera in your hands, nothing else matters! You've been totally focused on photography since you were a kid and nothing's going to stop you from reaching your goal!  Especially not something as trivial as a trait. If a loner can become heir, put up with two evil parents, have four natural children plus create three Simbot offspring, and live with all of them the majority of his life, you can best a little thing like being inappropriate!"

Juliette takes a breath and repeats tentatively, "I can best a little thing like being inappropriate."

Then she says it more firmly, "I can best a little thing like being inappropriate. I just need to stay busy, keep focused!"

She pops a wish to travel to Egypt, saying, "Watch out, mummies, here I come!"

I smile and say, "That's my girl! And we'll all help! Don't forget that. You're not on your own."

Leila chimes in, "Definitely not! I might not like the outdoors, but I can put my mind and body to good use in those tombs in Egypt! You just say when and I'm your travel companion!"

Taylee adds, "Egypt sounds like fun. Count me in! There's nothing that says Celebrity like being a jetsetter!"

Not to be left out, Cam says, "Sounds like you three have Egypt covered, so whenever you want to tour France, Jules, I'm your man! They don't have tombs, but I hear those nectary tunnels can be just as difficult to navigate and you might need some muscle! I better hit the weight bench!"

Juliette is a bit overcome, "You guys! I've got to be the luckiest girl in the world to have a family like you."




The first thing Leila does as a young adult is to quit her part-time job at the grocery store.

But it's Opal's outfit that catches my eye with her boots bleeding through her leg warmers.

And the colors she's wearing, coral and violet, definitely show that she could use Britta's help when it comes to fashion.




Juliette headed outside to get a photo of Cinda in her uniform, unfortunately she didn't register as a police officer, but a celebrity!

On the plus side, Juliette's outerwear is much better than her everyday outfit, her blouse and jacket even reflecting her love of yellow.

Cameron's trying to match her as his pants are yellow and so are his shoes!

Britta will definitely be changing both of those.

Cruz is using another elixir, this time on Opal, bringing his count up to 45 as he threw several during the party.




With the quads all young adults and no longer needing parental supervision, Lee and Tabatha took advantage of the opportunity.

And went out back to woohoo in the time machine!

My hearts in my throat as I expect to either hear chimes or have a time machine child pop out!

Thankfully, neither one of those things happened.

It would have truly been the icing on the cake, but not in a good way!




Britta's got three big wishes left; reach level 7 in her career, master inventing, and style 25 sims.
 
Cruz wants to master inventing and complete his lifetime wish; with only five elixirs to go, he's getting close!

Once those events occur, both Britta and Cruz will be moving out.

Taylee still wants Jonah to move in, and once the above happens, we can fulfill that wish.

Taylee's also got the Imaginary Friend Metamorphium potion for Pat, something else that requires another space in the house.

All three of the girls, Taylee, Juliette, and Leila have popped wishes to travel to Egypt, which means we'd have to do that in DV for Taylee to join them.

Cameron popped a wish to travel to France so Jules would have help on that trip too.

The only issue is, I've never even attempted the World Class Gallery lifetime wish!

I didn't dare mention that to Juliette as she was freaked out enough by her final trait.

Frankly, so was I.

In fact, I was more than a little disappointed in the quad's final traits as three of them really didn't help at all.

As for lifetime wishes, those were slim pickings as well, as several had been done by heirs previously.

Then Cam got two that required being outside, Leila didn't get one of the acting ones, and Juliette didn't get Visionary as one of her choices.

In fact, of the lifetime wishes that they popped as teens, only Master Acrobat came up for Cam and World Class Gallery for Juliette, while Taylee and Leila didn't have any of the ones they chose as teens come up as young adults.

Like Cinda said, "Just my rotten luck!"

But the show must go on, even without a director or an actress, so join me in Chapter 400: Family Changes
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

Taylee asked for her makeover first, no surprise with her new trait and lifetime wish.

She certainly looks like a celebrity with her sophisticated new hairstyle and fashionable outfit.

And it's fitting as she's already a four-star celebrity!

We went with a darker purple for every day, paired with classic white and black.




Back to her lighter lilac shade for formal with dramatic crystal earrings that sparkle against her ebony skin.




Even in workout gear, a celebrity has to look good, and Taylee pulls it off better than most.

She's naturally thin and hasn't worked out a day in her life, but you'd never guess from her lithe figure.

Wish I was that lucky!




For her outerwear she goes full glam!

A lush full-length winter coat in the deeper purple, lined and trimmed with white fur.

Sparkling crystal drops with a matching necklace ooze rich and famous, a bit over-the-top, but fitting for a celebrity.




Taylee had an ulterior motive for looking so glamorous.

She has a date with Jonah!

"I'm so excited now that we've both had our young adult birthdays! I've got a special present for you!"




Sliding gracefully down on one knee, Taylee pulls out a little black box, "Jonah Burb, I love you with all my heart, will you marry me!?!"

I wait with bated breath as Taylee had only just popped the wish to propose.

Is it too soon or is Jonah just as ready as she is to begin their life together?




Jonah gasps, "Really, Tay!?! Look at it! It's so sparkly! I know I shouldn't be so excited, but I can't help myself!"




"Is that a yes!?!"

Jonah holds out his hand, deliberately calming himself, but unable to hide his happy smile, "Definitely! It would be my honor to be your husband. My co-workers would be thrilled if we got married at City Hall, but I'm sure you'd like a much more lavish wedding."

"That depends…"

"On what, sweetheart?"

"Are you offering to pay for it!?!"




Jonah laughs, pulling Taylee in for a hug, "I would, but it certainly wouldn't be anything up to your standards!"

That's when it dawns on me that the Burbs have three children and I have no idea of their home situation.

Definitely something for me to check on ASAP.

Taylee thinks so too as she whispers, "Oh, Jonah, are things that bad for your family? I know good sims usually try to think of others but my mooch trait seems to override it. And now with star quality, well, I'm probably going to be even more self-centered! But I'm sure the Watcher could do something."

Jonah squeezes Taylee tighter, "Maybe later, Tay. I just want to enjoy this special moment with you."




Then he pulls back and says, "Oh, I actually have something for you. After your gift, it doesn't seem like much. But…flowers for my best girl! Make that my fiancée!"

"Oh, Jonah, they're lovely! I'd say you shouldn't have, but that's not me at all, I love getting gifts!"




Then, in the middle of their romantic moment, Taylee turns around exclaiming, "Oh, I need to update my status on Simstagram and post a photo of my flowers. My fans are going to go crazy!"

Jonah waits patiently, but then stutters, "Are you almost done, Tay? It's freezing out here!"

That's when I realize that, though he's wearing a down jacket, Jonah's actually in his everyday clothes.




Before I can change his outfit, he falls to the ground, frozen!

Taylee finally gets off her phone and, noticing poor Jonah, whips out a hair dryer, frantically muttering, "Please don't die, Jonah! Ours would be the shortest engagement on record and I'd never live it down! Not that I'd want to live without you! Oh, you know what I mean! Please, get up! Watcher, help!"




But the hair dryer does the trick and Taylee warms Jonah up even more with a passionate kiss goodbye!




I follow Jonah home to make sure he makes it and to assess his home situation.

And actually remember to take photos this time.

Here's the small one bedroom, one bath home, the Burb family lives in with three children!

With that odd diagonal entry, I don't want to mess with the roof.




So, I just remove most of the interior walls, add lights, and some much needed windows.

The main room is now open concept and has a larger kitchen, a dining table for six, and a small but functional living room.

The right side, where the living room had been originally, is now a second bedroom for all three of the Burb kids.

And they get their own bath.

A much better arrangement for a family of five!

But there's no way Taylee can move in here with Jonah, so I'll be scoping out the town to see if there's an empty house for them.

One that not only fits the lifestyle that Taylee has been accustomed to but one that fits her lifetime wish!




But another message has me racing across town.

To find Jade holding her newest daughter!

"Congratulations! Another little girl! Definitely the girl generation this time around. The only boys we've had are Cameron and Cinda and Rory's, Caspian!"

"Well, we stuck with the 'C' trend anyway, and the gem one as well, this is little Coral! She's brave and excitable, traits that run in the family."




And in the living room, I find Uncle Gianni holding Coral's twin, Crystal!

First triplets for Jade and Pal, and now twins, all girls!

The triplets are all IF's thanks to Pal's genetics, and so is Crystal, who's also a clumsy, loner.

With Coral being the lone human sim of the bunch.




I go in for a close-up of Crystal and get one of Ruby too.

Ruby has her grandfather Dane's coloring but has her father's violet eyes.

She's also the only one of Bella's grandchildren to be evil.

Yet, when I check her traits, I find she's also an over-emotional, loner, who's a virtuoso.

And her lifetime wish is Golden Tongue, Golden Fingers, just like her mother!

I'm sure Bella is quite disappointed not to gain an evil minion.




Then I hear the front door and find that Pearl's come home.

With her MH skin tone and unique reddish-brown hair, Pearl looks like a darker version of Bella.

But that's where the resemblance ends, as Pearl is an absent-minded, genius, just like her great-grandfather, Chase.

Which is where that reddish-brown hair comes from too.

Pearl's also irresistible and lucky, since I changed it from loser when she was a child, and she wants to become a Perfect Student.




As I'm heading out, Aria arrives home with her mother Ara.

Aria is definitely her father's daughter with the classic MV skin tone and brown hair.

But she's definitely got her own personality, being a grumpy, genius, who's athletic, and can't stand art!

That's got to be tough since Gianni's an artist, but I'm sure he's proud that she also wants to be a Perfect Student.




I can't leave Opal out, so I head across town to another Frio household.

When Opal aged to teen, she moved out of her own family's home, as she couldn't stand Ruby's evilness one more minute!

I'm sure it was the jump scares.

Opal's being helpful and making breakfast.

She was born athletic and brave, got absent-minded as a child, and became flirty as a teen.

Except for being absent-minded, she's the perfect candidate to become a Firefighter Superhero!

No wonder she put that fire out so fast.




As long as I'm here, I'll add Fiona's stats as well.

She's a lucky, genius, who's a mooch, and a heavy sleeper.

She plans on following in her mother's footsteps and become an International Superspy.




Then Jasmine as she just strolled inside holding her toddler brother, Caspian.

Jasmine's a lucky, genius, just like her twin, but adds loner and insane to the mix!

She also wants to be a Perfect Student.

Wow, four geniuses and three that want to be Perfect Students.

But it's little Caspian that has me spellbound, as when I saw him last time, I didn't realize he was a fairy!

I must have had my game on pause and his wings hadn't had time to render yet.

It's so nice to see fairies in Dragon Valley, they really belong here!




As I'm heading back to the house, I spot newly aged up young adult Alana Dolan outside her home.

She's kept her blonde braids, but her outfit could use tweaking, but that can wait until she moves in.

I can't resist a peek at her traits and lifetime wish though.

We already knew she was a couch potato from that unfortunate interaction with Cam when they were teens.

She's also friendly, eccentric, can't stand art, and a perfectionist. Not bad traits at all.

Her lifetime wish is to become a Blog Artist.

Oh dear, I did that one back in the fourth generation with Crewe's wife, JoAnna.

It's a very tedious, repetitive lifetime wish.

But JoAnna was a couch potato just like Alana.

Even odder, Crewe was also athletic and neurotic, just like Cameron!

Maybe blogging is a coping mechanism for living with a neurotic spouse?




Taylee didn't waste any time, she glammed up and looks gorgeous!

Then she proposed to Jonah, so they're already engaged!

Jade and Pal have new twin daughters, Coral and Crystal, giving them a total of five girls.

Their triplets, Opal, Pearl, and Ruby, along with Ara and Gianni's, Aria, are all teens with ambitious lifetime wishes.

As are Cinda and Rory's twins, Fiona and Jasmine.

Last, but not least, Cam's girlfriend, Alana Dolan, grew up well, too.

But will Cam ever get up the nerve to ask her to move in?

And what about heirship?

We've still got three potential candidates, since they're all paired up, but no one's made a move yet, except for Taylee.

Will Leila ever apologize to Daeric and get their relationship back on track?

Will Juliette focus on her photography or be sidetracked by her new trait?

Follow along and find out in Chapter 401: DV Graduation
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

I get the message that today is graduation, and we have 12 students attending the ceremony!

Since Taylee popped a wish to join the writer career and she has three points in the skill, I send her off to City Hall to kill two birds with one stone.

Which turns into three, as Taylee wants to befriend 4 celebrities and needs two more to do that.

So, she takes advantage of Torre being here and asks for his autograph.

A sure-fire way to get on a celebrity's good side.




They've just become friends when Taylee twirls into her graduation robes and gets showered with confetti!

Well, this should be interesting.

Especially since I've just realized that City Hall in DV is very, very small.

With only one entrance to allow 12 graduates and their families to get into the building!




Ryan Hooley was one of the first graduates to show up.

I'm not sure why he looks so sad.

Maybe he's like Cam and he's thinking about everything that's ending.

High School graduation can be a very poignant time.




Max and Jaeger posed for a nice twin brother photo.

It's easy to see they're brothers by their facial features, but they're definitely a study in contrasts.

Max has dark green skin and white hair while Jaeger's skin is light green, and his hair is as dark as Max's skin!




Leila looks all grown up in her robes and cap and I spot Daeric behind her in his own graduation attire.

Daeric's frown lets me know that Leila still hasn't apologized.

Or maybe his feet are frozen as he's either barefoot or wearing flip flops.

It's quite the look, but if slob is his worst trait, I can live with that.

But can Leila?




By the looks of it, Cam is taking graduation hard.

Torre seems to be trying to keep him calm.

Cruz and Britta seem worried about him too.

"Deep breaths, Cam, deep breaths."

"I'm fine, Watcher. It's this cap! The tassel keeps falling on the wrong side!"

"Not a big deal. Graduation caps are notorious for not cooperating or falling off. My hair was so short my senior year that I had about a hundred bobby pins in it trying to keep the cap on!"

"So, it's normal?"

"Quite normal."




I finally find Juliette, only to see that she's already received her diploma, and she hasn't even gone inside!

She did graduate with highest honors, but she was also voted Most Likely to Offend Others!

That certainly explains the pained look on her face.

Her disappointment is clear as she says, "Well, that was a let down! If I can't even go inside with the others, I'm going home!"

And she does.

So much for family grad photos after the ceremony.




Cam finally gets in line to enter the building.

With the tassel back in its place, he looks calm but quite solemn.

As do both Siobahn Murphy and Tabatha.

As I type out Siobahn's name, I realize it looks odd, so I look it up and the traditional Irish spelling is Siobhan.

Not sure if that was an EA oversight or if her parents were just being creative.

The name is often mispronounced but my understanding is that the correct pronunciation is 'Sha-von'.

I'm not sure why she's attending graduation as she hasn't any children, but maybe she's playing for the ceremony?

And then I remember that Alana's evil brother, Finnegan, moved in with Siobahn after he aged up, so maybe she's attending the ceremony with him? For Alana?

Whatever the reason, that's a weird pairing, so no wonder Siobahn is looking uncomfortable.

Tabatha's solemnity it much easier to explain; her babies are all grown up!

Thankfully, there's no chance for a mid-life crisis when kids graduate, as the one she had after her adult birthday was bad enough.




With 12 graduates, well 11 since Juliette went home, the ceremony takes a while.

Tabatha and Lee wait for their children to exit the building, as they never made it inside.

Tabatha chats with Cruz, "Oh, I'm definitely looking forward to grandchildren, but my biggest wish right now is to see Cam get married!  I think having a wife and being in a committed relationship would be just the thing to keep him calm and relaxed."

Lee's busy giving his autograph to Siobahn Murphy.

She's a celebrity in her own right but hasn't reached the pinnacle of being a five-star celebrity like Lee.

Overhearing Tabatha's comment Lee quips, "Watching tv is a great way to stay calm and relaxed too. Unless it annoys your wife, and your watcher, then it has the opposite effect!"

Then, much more seriously he adds, "Cam focuses on intense workouts to relieve his anxiety and it's working well, so far. I think we should let the boy move at his own pace when it comes to a committed relationship, not push him into something he's not ready for."




This comment has Tabatha confronting Lee, "Are you saying I'm being a pushy mother!?! Overbearing, like, like…Bella!?!"

Lee shakes his head and says, "Definitely not! You are nothing like my mother, thank the Watcher! Though you knew how to give it right back to her and not let her get away with anything. What I meant was that we should keep those kinds of hopes to ourselves and let Cam, and the girls, focus on what they want for their own lives. We've done our part and raised them well, so now we get to focus on us again. Just you and me, Tab!"




And with those heartfelt words, he pulls Tabatha into his arms and kisses her passionately!

Not caring that other sims are around, or that the graduation ceremony will soon be spilling out dozens more of them.

Lee is just totally focused on his wife.



 
Since she was the first into the building, it's no surprise that Taylee exits first as well.

And her excitement is clear as she tosses her diploma high and thinks about her future.

As the message told me, it's looking bright for this graduate as she's graduated with highest honors.

Taylee didn't get an award but doesn't seem to mind.

Jessica Burb yells, "Congratulations, Taylee! For graduating and on your engagement to my brother! I'm really looking forward to having you as my sister-in-law. Oh, and thank your Watcher for renovating our house. I wish Jonah had mentioned it before, but at least now I have my own bed to sleep in!"




Leila's next and she's just as excited as Taylee, "Highest Honors and voted Most Likely to become a Sports Star! Looks like you're not going to be the only athlete in the family, Cam!"

And Leila pops a wish to join the athletic career.




Cam strides in front of Leila clutching his own diploma, "That's okay, 'baby' sister, I got Highest Honors too, and an award doesn't count much against higher athletic skill! But I can train you and get you up to speed so you don't bring the team down!"

Leila frowns and asks, "How did you know I was a little worried about that!?!"

Cameron grins and replies, "I'm perceptive now. I pick up on things like that."

Wow! I was thinking Cam's new trait wasn't going to be much help, but it looks like it's given him some much needed confidence.




And it looks like my assessment is spot on, as when Alana comes over to congratulate him, he doesn't duck his head or look away.

He looks her straight in the eyes and says, "Congratulations to you too, Alana! I'm sorry they lost your graduation robes and cap, but at least you got to graduate with the class."

Alana gushes, "Thanks, Cam! That did mean a lot to me, especially since you were here. You've always been a part of the happiest moments of my life!"

It's perfectly clear to me, Taylee, and Mary Fallon, that Alana has it bad for Cam!

But will our perceptive new graduate pick up on it?

I hope so, and sooner rather than later, as I'm not quite as patient as Lee wants us to be!

But it's Alana that takes the bull by the horns saying, "I was planning a little party later tonight to celebrate, and it wouldn't be the same without you…your sisters too, of course, all of you are invited!"

"Sure. That sounds like fun! See you later."




I catch Daeric Cullen in full shout as he catches his diploma, "Congratulations, everyone! We did it! And now our futures are wide-open! Stardom, here I come!"

Alana takes his words in stride, but Jonah seems worried, and not just about the fact that he didn't get graduation robes or a cap, either.

Maybe about funding Taylee's Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous?

We'll definitely have to address that but now is not the right time or place.




Then Leila tries to make amends with Daeric, "Congratulations, Daeric! I just wanted to assure you that I did not participate in the vote for your 'Most Likely To Make a Mess' award! And to apologize for yelling at you like I did…being mean to you was wrong…I'm sorry."

Daeric stands perfectly still throughout Leila's apology and his face is unusually stern.

Maybe Leila waited too long and Daeric's not going to forgive her?




But then Daeric smiles, waving his hand and dismissing the whole incident, "No worries, Leila! We were teens and you were having a bad day. It happens. I'm actually sorry I responded the way I did. I shouldn't have made you feel that your heirship was in jeopardy just because we had a little tiff. Let's let bygones be bygones and move forward! Friends, again?"

Leila sighs with relief, "I'd like that. And I really appreciated you sticking around after my birthday cake burst into flames! A lot of sims left, and they were family!"

Daeric grins and says, "Yeah, that was some mess you made of the cake and the table! The worst I've done is lick a plate or leave a puddle on the bathroom floor!"

Leila shakes her head, saying, "The irony is not lost on me."




With the crowd milling about and everyone interrupting my shots by asking for autographs, I decide enough is enough.

I have Cruz throw a couple more elixirs, one at Alana and one at Torre, bringing his count up to 47!

Then I send everyone home.




Back at the house, I'm a bit startled when Leila says, "You know, Ryan Hooley's kind of cute, maybe I should get to know him better!"

"I thought you fixed things with Daeric? Did you two break up?"

"No. Daeric's still my boyfriend and super cute, despite being a slob. Even before I apologized, he attended my birthday party and stuck around even after my cake exploded. And that was super sweet of him. But a girl's got the right to look around a bit before she settles down, doesn't she? And what better time than at a party!"

"Are you sure you don't have commitment issues?"

"Quite sure, Watcher!"

"Wait! What party!?!"

"Juliette was so bummed by missing out on graduation today, she's throwing a Spooky Day Costume party! We've never had one before, and it sounds like a blast!"




Wow, it's been a long day and it's not over yet.

Juliette's throwing another party!

I'm definitely getting party animal vibes from that girl.

I wonder if Jared's been doing some manipulating of young minds.

Juliette's thrown most of the parties this gen, except for Cam's grade school slumber party.

Then she gets inappropriate for her final trait?

Definitely sounds like Jared's bad influence!

But it's almost time for the guests to start showing up, so we better get things ready.

Join the party and see what happens in Chapter 402: Spooky Day Costume Party
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

As the guests start arriving, Tabatha twirls into her career outfit, but it works as a costume.

While Taylee looks adorable as a striped tiger.

I'm not sure what Juliette's costume is as she's behind the porch railing.

Both girls are totally focused on Ryan Hooley, just like Leila was before the party started.




Once Ryan makes it inside, I don't blame them.

Ryan cleans up nicely and looks quite dashing in his top hat, tails, and white gloves!

Colin's dressed like a chef, probably to impress Tabatha, but his evil laugh ruins it!




Leila chose a Ninja costume, at least that's what I'm guessing it is.

While Lee actually stuck around, despite the crowd, and is dressed as a Firefighter.




Something Detective Inspector Jaeger thought was hysterically funny!

Oh, wait, I think that's just Jaeger dancing insanely!

Then I see Juliette dancing in the living room in a police officer's uniform.

Maybe Jaeger's hoping Juliette will pull out her cuffs and arrest him!?!




Alana showed up too, despite the fact that she had her own party planned for tonight.

She's scowling but I'm not sure why until she says, "This costume smells terrible! I don't think they washed it before renting it out again! I'm going to go change into something else!"




Jonah shows up and joins Ryan, Max, Colin, and Alana as they head for the kitchen.

Jaeger's already in there, chowing down on a plate of Stu Surprise.

Leila and Jonah are thinking about each other, but Jonah's strictly keeping Leila in the friend zone.

Good idea as he's already engaged to her sister, Taylee!

If it had been Juliette, I might have had to take action, as who knows what she'll do now!




Then my attention is caught by Cruz as he beeps, "One down, only two to go!"

He'd thrown elixir #48 at Branwyn O'Shea, who was dressed like a ninja, just like Leila.

Number 49 gets tossed at Caine Mithrilen who's dressed like a Punk Rocker, complete with a bright blue Mohawk!

It's definitely quite the new look for him.

And poor Fiona O'Reilly is heartbroken as her mother, Chloe, passed away recently.

I'm not even sure why she's here really as I don't think she was on the guest list.

But this is Cruz's big moment, so I focus my attention back on him.




He pulls out a bright yellow bottle of elixir and chugs it down!

Wish enhancing sparkles engulf him as it takes effect.




And using his 50th elixir, Simbot Cruz becomes an Alchemy Artisan and completes his lifetime wish!

Though no happiness points show up on my screen and I stayed focused on him and took about a dozen photos.

He got the points though and immediately beeps, "Watcher, I would like a companion of my own to accompany me when I leave this residence."

My head drops in dismay as that means yet another space needed in the house.

Boy, I'm going to have to figure out a plan, and soon, for everyone to get their wishes.




But instead of everyone focusing on Cruz's accomplishment, they're all focusing on Cameron!

Even Cruz, who beeps, "I think my brother has finely decided to take decisive action! Go, Cam!"




Oh! Cam IS finally making a move on Alana!

And all on his own.

Alana's definitely into it and looks super cute in her new swimsuit which pairs well with Cam's deep sea diver costume.

Leila's trying to get Ryan Hooley's attention, but Ryan's thoughts are totally focused on Cam, too!

But I'm not sure if it's just because he's watching the flirting or that he wishes it was him Cam was flirting with!

Leila may be barking up the wrong tree with Ryan.




Leila finally figures it out, and focuses her attention back where it belongs, on Daeric!

Giving Daeric a doe-eyed look, she asks, "Hey there, Mr. Burglar, wanna watch the sunset with a Ninja!?!"

Looks like these two are back on track.

I'm just glad Leila didn't see Ryan thinking about her and covering his mouth with a yawn!

That certainly wouldn't have done much for her ego!




But Cam's really stepped up his game as he pulls Alana in for a romantic kiss, in front of everyone!

Not sure what's responsible for this new more confident Cam.

Graduating? His new trait? Maybe just being in costume and not being himself?

Whatever the reason, it bodes well for the future of our journey.




On the front porch, Taylee and Jonah beat Leila and Daeric to the punch and are already watching the stars.

"Oh, a shooting star! Did you see it, Jonah!?!"

Jonah murmurs, "Beautiful!"

But he's only got eyes for Taylee.




But where's Juliette?

I go searching and find Tabatha skulking around out back at the corner of the house.

She's a bit panicked as she says, "Watcher! I can't let Juliette ruin her life! I've got to do something!"

"What's she doing?"

"She's in the hot tub, with…without…"

"Is it with or without, Tab? Besides, she's a young adult now, and she's old enough to know what she wants. If that's hot tubbing with Jaeger, it's not a big deal."

"Oh, this very much a big deal, just look for yourself! But I'm not waiting around, a mother's got to do what a mother's got to do!"

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But that in no way prepares me for what I see when I go around the corner!




Juliette is indeed in the hot tub but she's no longer in costume.

In fact, she's no longer wearing any clothes at all, but skinny dipping!

With Colin O'Reilly!

EVIL, Colin O'Reilly!!!

That's when I notice the third blur in the left corner…

Is John Fallon up to his old tricks!?!




But it's even worse than that!

It's Tabatha!

This was her plan!?! To join them!?!

But… Colin is the one that Tabatha kept popping totally inappropriate wishes for during her mid-life crisis!

This situation has gone from bad to worse.

"Tabatha, I know you mean well, but please get dressed and go back inside!"

"But Watcher…"

"I'll take care of it, Tab. I don't think you're reading this situation correctly. Not at all!"




And I'm proved right because as soon as Tabatha leaves, Colin gets out too!

I knew he was trouble and that it wasn't Juliette he was interested in!

The evil rat!

But I need to make sure Juliette doesn't do something even more inappropriate and ruin her relationship with Jaeger.




So, I send her off to City Hall in a motive mobile since the weather has turned even colder and it's now snowing.

A demonstration is taking place, and she should be able to get quite a few photos for her collections.

She does too, but I'm so focused on Juliette's photos, I don't take any of my own!

But I did write down all the shots Juliette took and the worth of the higher simolean photos.

Celebrity Sighting, §280; Political Demonstration, §437; Two of My Friends; Three of My Friends; City Hall; A Taxi; Bookstore, §367; Places in Town, §371; and General Hospital, §350

And with the hospital photo, Juliette completes the Photog Skill Challenge--take 75 photos and the base price of all photos increases!

Once we get back home, Juliette takes a photo of the police car and nets another §428 simoleans!

And immediately pops wishes for photos worth §500 and §1000.

At least they weren't wishes that had anything to do with hot tubbing or Colin!




Inside, I find that the costume party has turned into a woohoo fest!

Cam and Alana are looking quite content and relaxed in Britta's bed, with Alana's half-closed eyes making her look even more love-struck.

Though both their sleepwear outfits are atrocious and should be burned!




Leila's had some fun with somebody too!

In a much more romantic sleepwear option, even if it's more Taylee's color.

But dare I ask with who!?!




Turns out I didn't need to ask, as it's definitely Daeric!

You can't disguise the stride of pride!

No wonder he thinks the party was great!




And Tabatha and Lee were in the back yard, by the time machine! Again!

"You can't fool me with that multi-tab in your thought bubble, Lee, I know what you two have been up to! Unfortunately, two of your children followed your example."

"Actually, we followed their example, as they'd beat us to the double beds. Stop being a party pooper, Watcher! You're the one that added Woohooer to the game! It's just good clean fun! Right, Tab?"

Tabatha has the grace to stay quiet as I'm sure she's not mentioned skinny dipping in the hot tub with Colin.

It was to save Juliette from doing something inappropriate, but two wrongs don't make a right.

But I don't want to go there as nothing really happened, so I change the subject.

"Woohoo is fine in the right place and at the right time, but we've got to focus on heirship! Any ideas on who you're passing on the reins to?"

Lee pauses and says, "Way to kill the mood, Watcher! But it is something we need to discuss. Taylee's already told us about staying here with Jonah, helping him and his family find a way to our Pleasantview. Tab and I had no idea they were still searching! We're disappointed Tay won't be continuing the journey with us, but happy she's found her life partner. And with the Frio funds and connections, Taylee may be able to help them get back to a town more like their own. So it's down to Cam, Jules, and Leila now, and both Cam and Leila seem to have settled on their partners. If tonight's anything to go by. I'm surprised Jules wasn't spending time with Jaeger…"

"There was a demonstration down at City Hall, so Juliette was busy taking photographs. I'll make sure she gets to spend time with Jaeger soon. He's definitely willing to join us on the journey but I want to give Jules the same opportunity as everyone else to choose her own partner. So far, she's just popped a wish to go on a date with him. But we'll take it from there."




Simbot Cruz threw his 50th elixir and completed his lifetime wish of becoming an Alchemy Artisan!

With Cruz having commitment issues, I was surprised he asked for a companion.

But he's family-oriented, too, so I guess being on his own isn't very appealing to him.

It just means figuring out a way to get another space in the house.

Cam's come out of his shell big time, first, flirting and then kissing Alana in front of everyone.

Then taking his relationship with Alana to the next level with a rendezvous in Britta's bed!

Leila tried getting to know Ryan Hooley but took the hint and set her sights back on Daeric.

Where, as far as I'm concerned, they belong. And their relationship has become intimate as well.

Lee and Tabatha are taking advantage of their children being grown and spending more time together.

Literally, as they keep woohooing in the time machine!

Juliette's been the problem child this chapter, but with her new trait, it's not all that unexpected.

More extreme than making an inappropriate forum post, certainly.

But making her focus on photography and, hopefully, Jaeger, will keep her out of trouble.

That's the plan anyway.

Now I really need to focus on Britta's wishes, so she can move out, and give me an open spot in the house.

Let's see how successful I am in Chapter 403: Family Makeovers
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

"Wow! Pretty wild party, Watcher! I think some of your guests are still here even. That Burb boy's going to freeze again, if you don't do something!"




Samuel's right as I find Jonah dressed in sleepwear, getting ready to bed down in a sleeping bag outside in the snow!

Seriously? Is Jonah insane too?

I check his traits only to find out he's good, brave, hot-headed, disciplined, and a natural born performer.

Maybe it's an exercise in discipline?

Whatever's causing it, he's not freezing to death on my watch, so I send him home.




I look around for any other errant guests and find Alana bedded down in a sleeping bag too.

But at least she chose the floor in a warm room.

You'd think it would be the eccentric one out in the snow.

Noticing another completed sketch on the drafting table, reminds me we need to get going on makeovers.

So, I click on Britta's icon to see what she's up to.




Only to find her shorted out in the entry where Juliette's flirting with Jaeger!

Seeing those odd shorts/pants of Juliette's just begging for replacement, I sigh.

Britta's shorted out, Lee's still asleep, and Juliette's busy.

Not looking like we're going to get anything accomplished any time soon.

Not on the fashion front, anyway.

But Juliette is with Jaeger…

Until he says, "It's late I should be going. See you later!"

Well, romance was a bust too.




With nothing to occupy her time, Juliette follows her new trait and heads for a computer.

I leave her to it as she might as well get it out of her system, and this seems the least inappropriate way.

Though I'm not sure why she chose to change before posting; it's not like anyone can see her.

That thought makes me ask nervously, "Um, you're not using a web cam, are you?"

Juliette pulls out the desk chair and snorts, "Of course not! It's best to keep inappropriate forum posts anonymous. Unless you want to get fined, or worse!"

"Then why change?"

"Because bare legs stick to the seat fabric, obviously."

"Right. Because of the gap in those weird not shorts/not pants you got for you everyday outfit when you aged up."

"Not weird, Watcher. They are a fashion statement."

"They certainly are!"

"Why do I get the feeling you mean that in a bad way?"

"Take it as you will. Better get to posting something inappropriate before someone beats you too it!"




When Lee woke up, I had him repair Britta, and then I had Britta offer a makeover to Jules.

After they chatted a bit, as they barely know each other, despite being siblings and living in the same house.

The hours for the Stylist career are so long Britta's not been home all that much to get to know her family.




In a direct rebuff of her new trait, Juliette decides to go ultra conservative with her everyday outfit.

"Uh, that one's totally on you, Watcher! I've gotten used to the wild not-shorts/not-pants look."

"Okay, I'll rephrase that."

I decided I couldn't look at Juliette's outfit another second without cringing and chose something that gave off a more professional vibe.

"Oh, I see where you're going with this now! Makes sense for me to look the part. I've got a great idea for my career look!"




"Nice choice! The crossover body bag is the perfect touch, both practical and stylish!"

"That was Britta's suggestion and a brilliant one as it gives me a place to store my camera and extra film."

"I thought those were in your backpack?"

"They are, but others can't see that, so it looks like I'm just pulling things out of thin air! This way, everything looks more natural and professional."

Britta beeps, "Professional, practical, and pleasing, as far from inappropriate as it gets."

"Great!"

"AAAwww…"

I'm sure you can guess which one of those was Juliette's comment.

Baby steps.




With Juliette's makeover completed, she pops a wish to hang out with Britta.

So, I send the two of them over to Bella and Dane's place to kill two birds with one stone.

Jules and Britta get to hang out and Jules can snag a photo of Bella for her Best In Class collection.

I was actually hoping for three again as I wanted my own photos of the triplets, as they've aged to children.

But none of them were home.

I guess Bella's still following the philosophy of leaving them on their own in the hope that they'll roll awful traits.

I wonder if that's working.

Jules does get her Master Criminal photo worth §623 simoleans, completing her §500 photo wish!

But Britta and Dane are not getting along, so I'm thinking it's time to leave.

Then I hear Bella calling from the other room.




But it turned out to be Dane she was calling, not me!

"Come back another time, Watcher. As you can see, we're busy! But I do need to discuss something important, so I'll let you know when!"

A dismissal and a command all in one breath. Typical Bella.




Back at the house, Juliette arrives just as it starts to snow again, and she pulls out her camera to snap a photo of 'Snowy Day', but it won't show up.

Lucky for Juliette, as she pans across the library windows, 'Magical Items' does!

All she really gets is a photo of the windows, but it counts and it's worth a whopping §1,017 simoleans!

Juliette's wish completes and then she pops one for taking a photo worth §1500.

Upstairs, Cruz is close to mastering inventing, a little bit more flame and he does!

He also blows himself up, but I spared him the embarrassment of showing that part.

It was bad enough that the maid witnessed it!




Britta gets straight back to work as Leila's everyday outfit is driving us both batty.

"What are your fashion preferences, Leila?"

Leila glances down and says, "My hands are the only thing that look good at the moment, so I need the works! New hairstyle, new make-up, new outfits and shoes in every category. And black is my favorite color. It's a lot to ask, but can you do all that, Britta?"

"I've done that and more for clients, so for my sister it would be a pleasure!"




Leila chose to show off her formal outfit.

A sleek black pantsuit with an off-the-shoulder halter top and a narrow yellow-gold belt cinching it together at the waist.

She went for a windblown shoulder-length hairstyle that definitely gives off celebrity vibes.




Being athletic, she needed a practical but stylish workout look and Britta found the perfect one.

"Maybe braids or a ponytail, to keep your hair out of your face?"

Leila frowns, "Either one of those will make me look childish or frumpy! Not the look I want at all, Watcher."

Britta defuses the situation by saying, "Try it this way for now. If it gets in the way after a strenuous workout, you can always come by the salon for a new style."

Leila shrugs, "You could always fix it up for me here at the house…"

Britta beeps, "Time is of the essence, sister. Once I complete my last big wishes, reach level 7 of my career, master inventing, and style 25 sims, I will be moving out on my own."

"Oh, right. Someone has to move out to free up space in the house. But why do you need to leave first? Cruz is the one that completed his lifetime wish, shouldn't he move out before you?"

Britta shakes her head, "He would not be able to fulfill his desire for a companion of his own. I cannot disappoint my brother that way. It must be me that moves out first."

"We'll miss you, Britta!"

"I will miss all of you as well, but needs must."




Britta takes a break from styling to research fashion concepts on her drafting table.

With all her makeover work today, plus this finished sketch, she gets promoted to level 7, Haute Hot Shot!

And her weekly stipend increases to §1,180 simoleans per week.

"Nice job, Britta! That's one big wish down and only two more to go."

"I will do my utmost to finish my remaining tasks quickly, Watcher. I know you are anxious to move forward on the journey."

"I am Britta, but I want to make sure you're happy, too."

"I am quite fulfilled, Watcher, except…"

"Yes?"

"I wish I had the time to get to know my family. My work has taken up so much time, socializing has not been a priority."

"I'll see what I can do about that."




Finding Cameron taking a break playing video games with Lee, I send Britta off to do some socializing.

She chats with Cam for a bit, then discusses fashion, before getting down to his makeover.

Replacing his atrocious sleepwear is our first task, so Britta takes note of Cam's preferences.

"You prefer to be mostly covered, you like tops with belts, and have a thing for colorful bottoms."

I can't hold back my chuckle as Cam blushes a deep red!

Britta asks, "Have I offended in some way?"

Cam's been more confident lately, but I know there's no way he's explaining this.

"Not offended, Britta, just embarrassed. You see bottom can refer to someone's…um…backside. Cam likes Alana, and she has a deep teal skin tone…"

Cam let's out a strangled, "Watcher, please!"

Britta beeps alarmingly, "Oh, I have made a terrible blunder! Please, forgive me, brother."

Cam manages to say, "Nothing to forgive Britta, it was an honest mistake. Let's just focus on my clothes."




Britta focuses and comes up with sleepwear that reflects most of Cam's choices.

She makes his pajama pants a solid black to match the robe and adds a pop of Cam's favorite color to the trim and belt.

"Oh, that's perfect, Britta!"

Cam even manages a nod of approval, though he's still trying to overcome his embarrassment.

Britta realizes this and quickly goes through the rest of his outfits to put him out of his misery.




She ends with his athletic wear and Cam's so pleased he smiles and waves, "This is the one I'll be wearing the most. Thanks a lot, Britta! You're the best!"

Britta beeps, "You are quite welcome, Cameron. I enjoyed getting to spend time with you."




Juliette had invited Jaeger over and asked him out on a date, completing that long held teen wish.

I was hoping to have Britta give Jaeger a makeover, but I'll let them spend some time together first.




So, I drag Lee away from the tv, apologizing profusely, "I'm sorry Lee but you were the only one who wasn't doing anything."

"I was watching tv, something I love to do!"

"But you can watch tv anytime, Britta needs more makeovers for her sims styled count."

"Oh, why didn't you say that in the first place? I can take a moment to help Britta out. But no make-up!"

"You're eccentric, no one would mind."

"I would. Those things are full of chemicals, not eco-friendly at all. At least pay attention to that trait, Watcher, since you totally disregard my loner and couch potato traits!"

Britta beeps, "If you two would stop bickering, I could do my job!"

This silences both of us and gives Britta a chance to work on Lee's athletic outfit.

Since Cam's birthday, the two of them have been spending a lot of time together.

Cam's encouraged Lee to work out and get more fit, while Lee's helped Cam appreciate down time by playing video games.

It's a win-win situation for both of them and now one for Britta as it brings her sims styled count to 19.

Only 6 more to go.




In the living room, Juliette and Jaeger are getting even more romantic, sharing a hug and passionate kiss.




Then Juliette lets Jaeger know just where this is leading.

"How about we take this somewhere a little more private, handsome?"

Jaeger nods eagerly, "Of course my queen, anything your heart desires!"

Oh, no! Jaeger's just given Juliette's new trait free rein to run wild.

And Juliette doesn't hesitate to take advantage of it.

"Then follow me, my Greene Knight, and see where adventure takes us!"

Since Juliette's just popped a wish to woohoo with Jaeger, it's pretty obvious to me.

But then, to my amazement, she also pops wishes to move in with Jaeger and travel with him!

The trifecta of wishes and ones that make me ask, "Do we have our heir couple!?!"




But instead of heading upstairs to one of the double beds, Juliette leads Jaeger out back to the time machine!

I guess she meant adventure literally, and once they return, her woohoo wish completes.

No surprise there, but what has me doing a double take is that both the other wishes disappeared!

Was the woohoo that bad!?!

Or has Juliette lost her rose-colored glasses when it comes to having an insane boyfriend?

Maybe it's just Jaeger's rotten luck and mine!




Some of my plans are proceeding nicely.

Cruz has maxed inventing and now only has one big wish, to make a time machine.

Only thing is, he hasn't discovered how to make a time machine yet, so more inventing ahead.

Britta's reached level 7 in her career, so she's only got two big wishes left.

Master inventing and style 25 sims, and she's completed 19 makeovers on the stylist station, so only 6 more to go.

Juliette chose Jaeger as her partner, popping the three-wish trifecta, woohoo, move in, and travel.

Making me think we had our heir couple, until the move in and travel wishes disappeared after their woohoo!

So, I'm not sure how much my plans mean when dealing with a couple where one is inappropriate, and the other is both unlucky and insane.

Definitely will make for an interesting journey, that's for sure.

Next up, the focus will still be on Britta and Cruz, as they strive to complete wishes and move out on their own.
 
And we'll be waiting for that summons from Bella, oh joy!

Follow along and see what happens in Chapter 404: More Makeovers
Coming soon.

[deedee_828]

Lee and Tabatha have been totally focused on each other now that their children are all young adults.

With those thought bubbles, it's easy to see where this is heading, so I give them some privacy and check on other family members.




Taylee's outside making a snowman on the back deck, in the dark.

I'm beginning to think this whole family has hidden inappropriate and insane traits!




With Cruz mastering inventing, Britta's now taking the opportunity to do the same.

She's pretty close so I watch for a bit hoping to catch her big moment.




So, of course, just as I pan over to see what Lee and Taylee are doing, she masters it!




Lee's so proud of Britta that he pops a wish to become friends with her!

I'm stunned as I realize I've kept Britta so busy she's not even friends with her own father!

The bad watcher list is growing.

But at least this is something I can take care of ASAP.

I have Lee grab a friendship elixir and, boom, instant friends.

Of course, even friends, Lee freaks out at seeing his own Simbot daughter.

I really could do without some of the more inane game mechanics.

I may have to look into the possibility of changing some of those settings.




With Britta reaching level 7 in her career and mastering inventing, there's only one big wish to focus on.

Styling 25 sims and she's only got 6 to go!

So, we get down to business.

I typically don't do big makeovers of partners until they move in, but since Britta needs the count to move out, well, as she says, needs must.

Of course, Britta starts off with her favorite fashion topic, red heels!

"Of course, in your case, you'll be wearing sensible men's shoes or boots, depending on the weather, but the right footwear can make or break an outfit."

Jaeger just nods stiffly, nervously waving his hands, saying, "Whatever you think is best."




Britta did his complete wardrobe, but we're only going to show off Jaeger's new everyday look, for now.

I was hoping he'd loosen up and enjoy the process, but though his outfits changed his facial expression did not.

Britta even noticed as she beeped, "You may relax your shoulders young man. And maybe even smile a bit. This is a make-over, not a mug shot!"

But instead of helping him to relax, Britta's words had Jaeger standing stiffer than before and staring straight ahead.

Maybe he's just uncomfortable with change?

Or doesn't care about clothes?

I'm hoping it's something as simple as that and not a bigger issue threatening our journey.

But I don't have the courage to ask him, and as soon as he steps off the platform he's out of the room like a shot.




No thank you to Britta, not even a backward glance.

Though, even from the back, he still looked great in the tuxedo Britta had chosen for his formal.

As clueless as Britta can be about emotions, even she stared after him in concern.

Then she beeped, "Something is surely bothering that young man…or have I got it all wrong again and his actions are quite normal for one with the insane trait?"

"Not this time Britta. Your assessment is spot on. Something's definitely going on with Jaeger. I just hope it's not something serious that threatens our journey."

"But what could possibly…"

"Don't say it, Britta!"

But my caution is too late as Britta beeps, "go wrong now?"

As my words hit her processors, Britta apologizes, "Sorry, Watcher. Have I caused another problem?"

"No, Britta, but I've learned over the course of this journey never to ask that question. Not aloud anyway. You know Murphy's Law, 'whatever can go wrong, will!' So, no sense begging for trouble when it usually finds you all on its own!"

Britta's processors whirl and she beeps, "But Murphy's Law is not an actual law, Watcher. In fact, the adage has been around for much longer and may not even be Murphy's original wording…"

"Nevertheless, Britta, it does seem to apply to nature, and especially to lifeforms, whether humans in my world, or the pixels of this one. But enough philosophizing, you've got 5 more makeovers to do to complete that wish!"




Britta finds Daeric outside on the back porch and if his smile is anything to go by, he's a bit more receptive of the makeover offer.

While those two go inside to the makeover station, I check on other family members.




I find Tabatha and Leila playing chess.

Tabatha looks so focused I leave them to their game.

Especially since I hear groaning from across the room.




I pan over and find Cameron exercising on the workout bench.

I'd have loved to find out if he's been thinking about Alana and making a serious commitment.

 Or if he's made any decisions at all about his future.

But Lee made it clear he didn't want his children rushed into anything.

So, I settle for, "Workout going well?"

Letting out a deep breath, Cam nods and says, "My stamina's building up so I can do six hours at a stretch now."

"And after that?"

With a grin, Cam responds, "Eight, of course!"

Since all of Cam's wishes revolve around working out, I'm guessing he's made his choice, for now.




I finally join Britta and Daeric down in the former music now makeover room.

Britta's working on Daeric's outwear and the mischievous grin he's sporting lets me know he's enjoyed his makeover much more than Jaeger did his.

"What do you think, Watcher!?! Do I pass muster?"

I can only nod as I'm mesmerized by his dark good looks set off against his light purple skin tone and violet eyes.

Finding my voice, I say, "I think Leila will approve. Black is her favorite color, after all."

"Yes, that was a deliberate choice. As was my everyday wear, which will probably meet with less approval."




Daeric steps off the platform and says, "Britta did her best to talk me out of this one, but it's just spoke to my inner slob!"

I can't hold back a smile as the torn, stained jeans with the casual, open cardigan over a muddy green tee that's sloppily half tucked into his pants really does scream Daeric.

"You be you, Daeric. You've put up with enough from Leila during her moody teen years. If she can't accept you as who you are as an adult, then I think that's a Leila problem! There's nothing wrong with you that a daily maid can't fix."

Britta beeps, "Or a good stylist! I would be willing to help you any time!"




Next up on the makeover train is Alana, who happily accepts Britta's offer.

"I'd love a makeover, Britta. I've joined mom over at Like Minded Individuals, Inc. and I feel like such a kid with this hairstyle. Is there any way you can make my braids look a bit more sophisticated?"

Britta beeps, "A sophisticated braid. Any other preferences?"

"Yellow is my favorite color though some shades clash with my skin tone. But anything would be better than this drab green!"




Both Alana and I are stunned by Britta's handiwork!

"Alana, you look amazing! That side-swept braid is perfect, and your everyday outfit is casual but chic! Of course, you'll need a cooler outfit for spring and summer, but that one's perfect for our winter weather."

Wistfully she asks, "Will you all still be here in Spring?"

"At the rate we're going, probably. But I get the feeling you're concerned about something more important."

"I don't want to seem ungrateful…you've done so much for us already. Renovating the house and now my makeover. It's just that…Oh, Watcher, I love him so much!"

"I know Alana. It's obvious to everyone that you're head over heels for Cam."

"Obvious to everyone but Cam! He's so focused on his career, building his athletic skill, that sometimes I feel that he barely even notices me."

"He notices Alana, especially now that he's perceptive. I wasn't so sure about that trait for him, but it's really done wonders for his confidence. But he's now aware of you being a perfectionist and very much aware that he's not perfect. I think focusing on his career, on his athletics, on the one area he excels in, is his way of showing you he's worthy of you."

"Cam doesn't think he's worthy of me!?! That's…that's ridiculous! I don't even like my perfectionist trait! It makes me overly critical of everything and I already couldn't stand art! We've already had that tiff over Cam being athletic and me being a couch potato…"

"And you're thinking the more athletic he becomes the more your couch potato trait will aggravate him. It probably will."

Alana wails, "I thought you were trying to make me feel better!?!"

"I am. Do you think Cam doesn't love his father?"

"Of course not."

"Well, Lee's a couch potato and eccentric, just like you. And Tabatha's been a diehard technophobe for as long as I've known her---she hates electronics, especially the tv! But that doesn't interfere with her love for Lee. They love each other so much that they overlook their little differences. They give each other space to do their own things and come together to enjoy each other. They balance each other out. Of course, there's always little disagreements now and then, but a relationship is about love, trust, and respect. It takes time to perfect that, and as someone who now loves perfect things, you'll have to do just that, give Cam time. It's what Lee asked Tabatha and I to do and it's making more and more sense."

"But time is running out! Cam's leaving! You're all leaving soon! And I'll be left behind! Cam's not asked me to come with you or move in or anything…"

"That's not a requirement you know. As Cam's girlfriend you've got an automatic place in the house."

"I do?"

"Of course. You mean a lot to Cam, and we all know you love him. There's no way we'd separate the two of you. When we move, you're coming with us. That way, if Cam doesn't pop any of those wishes while we're here in DV, he'll have plenty of time to do so in our next town! So don't fret over it. Give Cam time and he'll come around. You've both just become young adults and you've got plenty of time ahead of you."




With Alana's fears settled, Britta continues with the makeover choosing outfits in shades of Alana's favorite color, from deep creams to sunny and even golden yellow.

Most daring of all is Alana's swimsuit choice.

"There's no way our loves to swim Cam won't notice you in that, Alana!"

"Exactly! I just want to see Cameron Frio choose working out over his favorite color covered in this skimpy thing!"

Britta's processors whirl and she suddenly beeps excitedly, "Oh, colorful bottom!!! I get it now!!!"

At Alana's puzzled frown, I bite my lip and manage to say, "Trust us. Cam will notice! You've got this, Alana!"




When Jonah arrives, Britta gets straight down to business.

Giving Jonah a stylish great coat rather than his puffy red down jacket for his outerwear.

Definitely an improvement.




And seeing his everyday outfit at the conclusion of his makeover, Jonah gives it the highest compliment.

"This is stylin' Britta! Just look at me, everyone else will that's for sure. This snazzy appearance will be the talk of the town!"

Four down so only two to go.




Which is when Alana decides that her new look would benefit from some stylish earrings.




Not to be left out, Taylee says, "A new lipstick would be perfect, Britta!"

The darker red shade looks great, but Tay looks sad.

"It's just that things are changing so fast. Britta will be moving out, and then Cruz will be able to get his simbot companion, and then they'll both move out too."

"But then that frees up space in the house for you to ask Jonah to move in, something you've wanted for quite some time, and it allows you to make Pat real, too!"




My reminder has Taylee's whole demeanor changing as she looks in the mirror.

Making kissy lips, she poses and says, "I'm even hotter than Jonah! We've got to be the best-looking couple in town!"




And with those two small additions, Britta completes her wish to style 25 sims!

Whew!

"Congratulations, Britta. I've picked out a residence in town that should make a comfortable home for you."

"Oh, how exciting! Thanks for everything, Watcher. I hope you can stop by the salon and our new home before you all leave town."

"It's on the list, Britta!"




And a fine home it is!

A lovey brick one and half story house that just needed a small bedroom added for Britta to make it perfect.




A well-appointed kitchen that probably will only be used for entertaining since the Simbots only consume scrap.




And a large living room complete with fireplace to add a cozy touch on frosty winter nights.

Again, for guests, as Simbots don't really feel the cold.




Britta completed her last big wish and styled 25 sims!

She moved out into a home in town and then Cruz, along with his simbot companion, Dianna, joined her.

Hopefully, I can keep my promise and drop by the salon and the new home to check on them and get a photo of Dianna, as I forgot to do so before they moved out.

But, like I told Alana, there's still a lot we need to do before the big move.

First up on the agenda is getting Jonah moved in, fulfilling Taylee's long-held wish.

Then we'll worry about the rest of the partners as well as heirship and deciding our next town.

Join me in Chapter 405: Snowflake Day Wedding
Coming soon.