I'm about halfway through my other legacy (and in the middle of grad school?), so I figured it was the perfect time to get distracted with a challenge! Today, I bring to you an ISBI challenge in the new StrangerVille.
With that said, let's dive right in. Meet Penny Stranger, a creative, snobbish young lady who wishes to take a stab at the StrangerVille mystery (I won't be documenting the excursions from the mystery, as not to ruin the fun for anyone else).
Straight from San Myshuno, this landscape artist is ready for some peaceful Americana lifestyle in the towering rock formations of StrangerVille.
She finds herself in a sparsely-decorated flat with little else but her easel for entertainment. Once she has more than 5 simoleons to her name to purchase art supplies, it'll bring in some funds and help her prepare for her job as an artist.
Without enough money to even start painting, she decides to check out the town. The locals are interesting, to say the least.
Surrounded by men who clearly have their own cult happenings about to proceed, she decides to head elsewhere to make new friends. It doesn't seem like she will have much luck making friends in StrangerVille who will drink Von Haunt's finest cabernets and attend art galleries with her.
Back to her old stomping grounds in San Myshuno, she runs into Wolfgang and Victor. The pair quickly become some of her most reliable pals.
As it turns out, Victor likes to holiday in StrangerVille, and we run into him the next day.
Along with him, more of San Myshuno's locals find themselves enjoying the heat in the desert. Hi, Akira!
Akira: You're not Victor's new friend from last night, are you?
Penny turns from her riveting conversation with the local cult to see unarguably the most attractive man she's yet to meet.
Penny: Penny Stranger. Nice to meet you.
She could already feel herself melting into his eyes.
Akira: I'm Akira. And Stranger? As in StrangerVille?
Penny: Yeah, the family is old money from town. My family moved away when I was very young, though, so I have little memory of StrangerVille. It's all new to me.
She then happens across one of the cult members she met the previous day. She couldn't remember his first name, but he goes by his last name, Rasmussen, anyways. It was frankly startling to see him without his cult attire!
Regardless, they have a few good laughs. But Penny can't help wondering why there are so many mustaches in town.
The socialite's living room with a single couch and a few pillows doesn't really scream ready to entertain, so she's delighted when Akira gives her a call and invites her out to a pub in Windenburg.
Coincidentally, her electricity has been turned off due to lack of payment. So, perhaps going out and forgetting about her responsibilities is the best she can do right now.
Penny: This place is wonderful! Why didn't I move here instead of StrangerVille?
Akira: Windenburg may be fun, but you really can't beat the scenery of the canyons in StrangerVille.
Penny: Would you want to move to StrangerVille someday?
Akira: I wouldn't mind it. I'm currently living in Forgotten Hollows right now, and I'll admit that even all of the weirdness happening in StrangerVille sounds like a breath of fresh air compared to all of the garlic.
The pair enjoy a low key evening competing in foosball and getting to know each other over cocktail after cocktail.
Penny: Wow, this waterfront! Everything is so beautiful.
Akira: It really is, isn't it?
She turns around and embraces Akira intimately.
Penny: I'm so glad you invited me out. I admit, I was attracted to you from the moment––
Akira: Whoa, wait––Penny, I'm married!
Penny: What?!
Akira: I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but Lilith and I have been together for six months and I'm happy with her.
Penny: Why didn't you tell me?
Akira: I thought you knew! I'm just looking for a friend, and I knew you were, too.
Embarrassed, Penny quickly turns and runs down an alley, any alley.
Realizing that it's dawn and she has to go to work in a few hours, she stops into the nearest cafe to grab a cup of espresso before walking home. On the way out of the cafe, she nearly runs into someone.
Penny: Oh, I'm so sorry. It's been a long night.
Arjun: It's 6 in the morning. You really must've had a rough night.
They shake hands briefly and introduce themselves.
Arjun: You can call me Arie.
Penny: I just got rejected by, like, my only friend in town.
Arjun: I can't imagine anyone rejecting you.
Penny: He's married.
Arjun: Well, in that case you probably asked for it, hitting on a married man.
Penny: *Sigh* I didn't know.
Arjun: I'm sorry, that was insensitive.
Penny: No, it's fine. I'm just exhausted, emotionally drained, and I have to be at the office in two hours.
Arjun: Well, you should end your night on a good note. Let me buy you a cup of coffee sometime.
Penny: …I think that can be arranged.
Later that night, after Penny gets home from work and has changed into her robe, she hears a knock on her door. Akira.
She opens the door, sees him, and grumbles back into the kitchen to ignore his presence and make dumplings.
Akira: How long are you going to stay mad at me?
Penny: Don't kick a dog while it's down.
Akira: I'm sorry! I really thought Victor must have mentioned it to you.
Penny: Why the hell would Victor have told me that some guy I hadn't even met yet was married?
Akira: Well, he told me about you. He told me that he thought we have a lot in common and would make good friends. He invited me specifically to StrangerVille to introduce us. I'm pretty unhappy with the social circle in Forgotten Hollow. You're new to StrangerVille. Victor said introducing us was a no-brainer.
Penny: Just––just get out.
Akira: Can I still come to Thanksgiving next week?
Penny: Get out!
As soon as the door slams shut behind him, she tries to calm herself down with some yoga.
Clearly, she succeeded.
The next few days are a blur of work and paintings, but finally the weekend arrives and it's time for her coffee with Arjun, the handsome stranger from the previous morning.
They get on fairly well.
And she even sends him her address. While waiting at the counter for their coffees, they also run into Victor's wife, Lily.
Lily: Well, Penny, it's good to see you. Victor and I are looking forward to your Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.
Penny: Hi, Lily! Oh, that's right. Arie, you should absolutely come to Thanksgiving. I would love to introduce you to the rest of my friends.
Arjun: I don't want to intrude.
Penny: Nonsense! It'll let me get to know you better, anyways.
So their first coffee date ended on a fairly platonic note, but she was excited to already have plans to see him again tomorrow.
She went home and spent the rest of the night on her paintings.
Thanksgiving arrives, and with it, an angry Victor and Lily Feng. I love these two. They always look like they're in the midst of a divorce-level argument and then you find them making out in a corner somewhere five minutes later. However, the anger might have to do with that constricting dress and pregnancy. Yikes.
Lily proceeds to grab food from Penny's fridge. While Penny makes a grand feast.
Penny: Yeah, go right ahead, Lily. Make yourself at home.
Akira: So, yeah, I'm not really sure if she wants me here. Maybe I should just go home.
Wolfgang: Seriously, and leave us with all the proper ones?
Gunther: Are you talking about the Fengs?
Wolfgang: Did you see how overdressed they were?
Arie makes it, alongside a few other friends and locals, including this very skeptical Don Lothario.
Arie also gets harassed a bit my Rasmussen. Come to think of it, we probably shouldn't have invited any members of the cult.
Meanwhile, Penny struggles to get a grip on her subpar appliances. Literally.
Penny: I'm so glad you could make it.
Arie: Me too. There's something I didn't get a chance to do the other day.
He leans in and kisses Penny. She gladly kisses back.
Akira: *Muttering under his breath* Man, she moved on fast. Who is this kid?
Penny: Akira, this is Arie. We met the other night after you and I had our little squabble.
Arie: Come on, Penny. You and I both know we really met that morning.
Akira: Lord.
Regardless of Akira's marital status, he does not seem pleased with Arjun.
With her first Thanksgiving a success, Penny and Arie head out to a local bar to enjoy some cabernets.
Penny: Listen, here's a key to my place. If you ever just want to hang out or drop by, you're more than welcome.
He gladly accepts.
Arie: *Grins* I think I'll use this tonight.
He did, in fact, use it that night.
A bit of a bookworm, you could find him staying over most nights, reading in the evenings while Penny painted. They were becoming quite the regular couple.
The pair even make it out to the Romance Festival. The Romance Guru recommends that Penny not make any plans in her current relationship. However, she politely disagreed.
Penny: Arie, things have been going so well between us recently, haven't they?
Arie: Yes, I suppose they have been.
Penny: And, well, I've been thinking that maybe we should take it to the next level. What do you say? Will you marry me?
Arie: Uh, well, this is uncomfortable.
Penny: Oh. My. God.
Arie: Look, I'm just not ready for that type of commitment. Let's, uh, talk about this more at home.
Penny: I can't believe someone just turned down my proposal. What have I become?
Arie: Stop, it's not you. We just need to take smaller steps. What if I moved in, instead?
Penny: Fine, okay. Move in. Just don't talk to me for a few hours. Or days.
And so in moves our first NTH of the challenge.
And what an NTH Arie turns out to be…
First, he actually answers the door when Vlad comes knocking.
Really, Arie? Really?
Then he proceeds to run all the way down the neighborhood.
It appeared as though he was running away from Vlad…but then Vlad walks right past him and disappears into the night of a nearby alleyway. So he ran halfway down the neighborhood to…check his phone?
So, naturally, Arie decides to fall asleep on a bench.
As it turns out, Arie might really be bringing the idiocy into the ISBI challenge. *Face palms*
Already frustrated with Arie's shenanigans, she decides it's time to forgive Akira, and the pair are off to enjoy the city together for a few hours. With their miscommunication behind them, they're fast best friends.
We come home to find that Arie has calmed down on the erratic behavior a bit. As it turns out, he has the paranoid trait. So. That's potentially responsible for this craziness last night after meeting Vlad. Maybe.
Still, was it justifiable? No.
Things continue to settle down, and Arie gets a job in the culinary field, which he hates. However, he does manage to snag a promotion!
And we can't quite afford a washing machine yet, so here we are, on hands and knees with a wash tub.
But, otherwise, things have leveled out and there's even some new furniture added to the mix as Penny glides through her first few promotions. We also did some painting over the terrible wallpaper.
And then this happens, and for a very brief five seconds I thought I was going to lose points already for my first accidental death of the legacy.
…But, apparently, he just wanted to drink his milk on the floor. Okay, Arie. Okay. Thanks for the heart attack. *Squints eyes in annoyance at Arie* Are NTHs always this annoying?
The holidays come around, and they spend some sweet time together tinseling and decorating the tree.
Penny: These past few weeks have been so wonderful living together, Arie.
Arie: They really have. I'm positively smitten with how strange this town is.
Penny: Not what I meant, but okay.
Penny: I've been thinking maybe it's time for our next step again…
Penny: Arie, will you marry me?
Arie: Oh…
Penny: Are you serious?
She sighs, standing up, and begins to cry softly. Arie's behavior made absolutely no sense to her (or me?). Both their friendship and romance meters were completely full.
Arie: I'm so sorry, my love. I'm just not there yet.
Penny: This has got to be the longest legacy courtship EVER. At some point, I'm not going to keep waiting for you, Arie.
Penny: I cannot believe you rejected me again. And five minutes before our Christmas party starts. I don't even want to see you right now.
Putting their impending fight on hold, or so Arie thought, he goes into the kitchen to begin prepping for dinner party.
Akira brings his wife, Lilith, to the party. We now understand why they live in Forgotten Hollow.
I was a bit confused when MCCC put this pair together literally by the second day of playing, but, honestly, they kind of look like they make sense together.
As soon as she sees her friend out of the window, she runs up and throws herself into his arms, crying.
Akira: Whoa, what's wrong Penny?
Penny: I proposed to Arie.
Akira: Oh, congratu––
Penny: No. He rejected me. For the second time.
Akira: Are you serious? You guys have been dating for…ever…in legacy years. And wait, you proposed to him a first time, got rejected, and then moved in together, and then actually had the guts to propose to him again? That's gutsy.
Penny: I know? What's wrong with me?
Penny: Oh my god. I'm going to be alone. Forever. I'm going to be the first legacy sim to fail a legacy simply because no one would agree to commit to them.
Akira: Calm down. You're amazing. We both know that isn't going to happen.
Penny: Thanks, Kira. You're such a good friend.
Akira: Hmm. No one's ever called me Kira before.
Penny: Oh, sorry.
Akira: No, it's fine. I actually like it.
He helps her finish up decorating the tree while she and Arie cool off.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party congregates in the bathroom.
Don: What is going on here? Penny won't stop crying and Arie's pretending like he doesn't notice. Do you think we should leave?
Rasmussen: I hear Penny and Arie had a fight.
Wolfgang: I think she rejected his proposal!
Everyone: *Gasps*
Arie: Look, I, uh, sent everyone home early. I don't think either of us is in the mood to host a party.
Penny: That was probably a good call.
Arie: Do you think we can put this behind us? I will get there, I promise. I'm just so nervous about something going wrong.
Penny: Nothing's going to go wrong, Arie. And, yes, I'll give it another shot if you will. But I swear to god if I propose to you a third time and you reject me, this is over.
Arie: Alright. Let's just call it a night.
The next afternoon while Arie's at work, Akira stops by.
Penny: Well, this is a nice surprise. I'm sorry about how much of a mess I was last night.
Akira: No, it's okay. I actually just wanted to stop by and check on you. I was worried. I can't believe Arie treats you the way that he does.
Akira: Anyways, I just thought you should have something that makes you feel special after everything that happened last night.
(This was completely autonomous on Akira's part and they previously had nothing in their romance bar. Thanks for messing with my master plan, Kira! Oh well)
Penny: This is just what I needed today. Come in for a cup of tea?
Akira: Of course.
Akira: Did you want me to put the coffee pot on?
She leaned in and kissed him.
Penny: Wait, I'm so sorry. That was really inappropriate of me. I've just been feeling so down, and you always know how to make me feel better.
Akira: No, it's okay.
Penny: Ugh, I've made a fool of myself again––
But then, he kissed her back.
And then they kissed some more.
And one thing led to another, and…
Penny: …
Akira: …
Penny: We should probably…
Akira: Talk about what just happened?
Penny: Yeah.
Penny: I agree. But I have to get ready for work.
Akira: Man, I was not intending on letting that happen.
Me neither, Akira. Me neither.
So we leave off hardly feeling as though this is an ISBI, except for Arie's moments of…well…insanity.
The current score is 5, as Penny has completed a single milestone of her aspiration. Thanks for joining in, and tune in next time!
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