Welcome back to A Stranger ISBI. Let's start off with a fail, shall we? -5.
Thanks, Serafina.
Here at the Stranger household, everyone is miserable.
Aleksander: Look, there was a monster under there five minutes ago, I promise!
Penrith: You have got to go back to bed. I start high school in like three hours.
Penny: Ready for your first day, sweetie?
Penrith: I. Want. My. Own. Room.
Penny: I have a promotion coming up. We're working on it, I promise.
Penrith:…Just like you guys promised Porter a keyboard once he got a job?
Penny: Well…that's diff––no, you're right. That's exactly the same. We'll try harder?
Penrith: No you won't.
Penrith: I hate my life. This place is terrible. There are so many kids here.
In case you were curious, Penrith is 100% teenager these days. And I thought Theo was going to be the angsty one…
Married life isn't treating Penny particularly well. Although, perhaps that has to do with the children, more so than the marriage. -5.
Penny: Cole. Please. Just eat the damn sandwich.
This kid's hunger is ALWAYS catastrophically low. Like, borderline social worker low. But it's not for the family's lack of trying. He pretty much lives in this high chair because he's constantly throwing half-eaten food onto the floor.
Theo: You okay, man? Want me to introduce you to some of my friends at school?
Penrith: Definitely. Not.
Theo: I'm just trying to be nice.
Penrith: And I'm just trying to be popular.
Wow. Mean-streak anyone?
Theo: Akira! Cole threw his sandwich on the floor again.
Akira: Can't you guys just deal with it?
Penrith: We're already late for school.
Akira: Well, I, uh, am late for a nap.
You're no better than Arie.
Penrith: This place is a disaster!
Cole: DISASTAAAA!
Sigh.
Penrith: What fresh hell is this?
Theo: It gets easier once the mean phase ends.
Meanwhile, Penny finally starts painting again, and we're even able to save up some funds!
Which means we've added an attic for the teenage boys to be…angsty boys in seclusion.
Serafina: Penrith…did you go to school in your pajamas?
Penrith: Did you go to school in your underwear?
Theo: Hey, at least we aren't Porter…
Porter: I'm trying my best!
Of course you are, Porter. Of course you are.
Cole: Heheh, suckas!
Honestly, I wish social services would just come take this kid. EAT A DAMN MEAL FOR ONCE.
So, after school the next day, Serenity Feng comes home with Theo! She's Lily and Victor's eldest daughter.
Penny: Serenity, it's good to see you! How are your parents?
Lily: They died, like, five years ago.
Yeah, if you were wondering why our favorite hot-and-cold NPC couple was missing at our last dinner party…this is the sad truth. And I didn't even get a notification?
Serafina: Hey, uh, are you okay?
Serenity: I just remembered that my parents died.
Serafina: Oh jeez.
So, I was hoping that Serenity just walking around the house would catch Theo's eye. What can I say? I like meddling in my legacy kids lives. Unfortunately she just mopes around while Theo talks to his sister. Come on, guys!
As it turns out, you can have a sim suggest that another sim get to know or hook up with another sim.
Penny: I may have suggested that Serenity get to know Theo…
Penny: And then I may have suggested that she hook up with Theo.
Stellar mom you are, Penny. But, hey, at least your kid is happy.
Porter, on the other hand, is not doing so hot these days. He comes home from work every night positively miserable. Aaand still keyboardless.
Theo: My mom is being friends with my girlfriend. My life is over.
These teens are so dramatic.
Serafina: Mom, Cole threw his food on the floor again.
Penny: I don't care anymore. Let him starve.
Porter: Please. Just eat the sandwich!
Serafina: I can't take it anymore! When will this toddlerhood end?
Penny: I've never hated a child this much in my life.
Serenity:…What is wrong with this family?
Penny: So what do you think about Porter?
Tessa: I literally don't even know who that is.
Unfortunately, Penny's meddling in Porter's love life is unsuccessful, to say the least.
After attempting to convince Tessa to get to know Porter like three times, and creating three strategically timed group conversations, their relationship still wasn't getting anywhere.
Penny: I promise he's great once you get to know him!
Porter: My life is officially over.
Tessa: I'm not interested in dating a guy who has to have his step-mom set him up.
Penny: So don't date him, just be his friend.
Porter: Oh my god.
Penny: Well, if I can't set up Porter, I might as well try with Penrith.
Emily: I don't understand why I'm here.
Penny: Why do all of these girls have such skimpy outfits on? Look, how would you like to meet a nice boy?
Emily: Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind that.
Penny: Penrith, there's someone I'd like you to meet.
Penrith: Sweet, mom got me a stripper!
Emily: Excuse me?
Porter: Seriously? This is going to work for everyone except me, isn't it?
Emily: Wait, I'm not a stripper.
Penny: Uh-huh, we know, dear.
Penrith: Best. Day. Ever.
Regardless, Emily and Penrith actually hit it off.
And soon Penrith has his first girlfriend!
Lilith briefly stops by. She knocks on the door, runs into Penny, and immediately leaves. This poor woman.
We also see Arie a lot less these days, but he does still stop by to see Serafina and Theo on occasion.
And here we have the point in this challenge where I question why the hell I thought it was a good idea to plant a garden.
(The answer: I downloaded a canning mod)
Cole: I am master of food.
Then eat a god damned bowl of soup for once, why don't you?
Cole: I am prince of evil pumpkins.
If anyone votes for this kid to be heir, I honestly might lose my mind.
Cole: Heiwrrrrrr!!!
Over my dead body.
Porter: Uh, did Cole really throw his food on the floor again? That's the third time this morning.
Serafina: We've all signed a pact to let him starve and get taken away by the social workers. It's not worth it anymore.
Porter: Wait doesn't that mean they take *all* the kids away?
Serafina: I dunno. I mean, it's not like this is The Sims 2™.
Penny: THIS IS THE LAST STRAW. We're going to send you to live with Uncle Arie if you don't behave.
Porter: Uh. This isn't Arie's kid, so…
Penny: SHUT UP HE DOESN'T HAVE TO KNOW THAT.
Serafina: Mom, I'm losing my mind. I don't think I can live here anymore.
Penny: What are you talking about?
Serafina: Oh my god.
Penrith: What's wrong?
Serafina: I just realized my only other option is to move into the bunker with Dad.
Cole: MOAR FOOD.
Penny: *Sigh* There has to be a birthday coming up soon, right?
Porter: Hey, uh, I think Serafina might be losing it.
Akira: Shh. If they hear that we're listening then we'll have to participate in the conversation. Just pretend that you're helping me cook breakfast.
Penny: Akira, I know that it doesn't take three grown men to make scrambled eggs.
Theo: …So, do we just pretend that we didn't hear that?
Even coming home from school that afternoon, everyone was still positively miserable. Things are not going well here, guys. Things are not going well at all.
Even Serenity's spirit seems to be broken. Or, well, her face…
Theo: Hey, dad. What are you doing here?
Arie: I got some weird texts from Serafina. Is everything okay?
Theo: How would you like to take a toddler home with you?
Unfortunately for everyone, Arie was not inclined to take Cole home with him. I guess we can't blame him. He is old now.
Penny: I've been thinking. You've been through so much with your father and my divorce. You've helped me raise so many kids. You have to be exhausted.
Serafina: I'm literally moments away from failing school. I just don't have the energy anymore.
Penny: Well, your birthday is tomorrow. And I've decided that you don't have to be the next heir. So that means you can move out immediately. What do you say?
Serafina: Oh, Mom, really?
Penny: If you don't want the heirship, then you don't have to stay. I want you to be happy.
Serafina: You have no idea how much this means to me.
Penny: Considering I've spent the past thirty years as the sole torch holder of this family, trust me, I do.
As sad as it will be to say goodbye to Serafina, I think we can all agree that this girl needs a break.
Theo: Does that mean I'm off the hook, too? Because of your divorce?
Penny: No, you still have a few years to go.
The next morning, Serafina is quite pleased with herself.
Penrith: What are you so smug about?
Serafina: I get to move out tonight.
Penrith:…Can I go with you?
Penrith: Seriously, how did you convince mom to let you leave?
Penny: I'm pretty sure she feels bad about the divorce. Plus, there are still toddlers in the house, so I would have to be the sole care giver to the rest of my siblings. At least if it's one of you, Cole won't still be a toddler.
Penrith: So where do we stand on the whole, 'can I come with you?' question?
Serafina: I really don't think that's allowed.
Theo: There's not enough coffee in the world for this challenge.
Since it's Serafina's birthday, that also means that it's Porter's birthday! We'll, uh, be sorry to see you go, Porter. -5. Real sorry.
Okay, maybe actually sorry, if you continue to tame the Cole-Beast.
Porter: They forgot to pay the bills again, didn't they?
Honestly, I'm just glad we don't lose points for that.
I just find Penrith amusing in his workout gear he picked all on his own. Move along.
Porter: I can't believe this day is finally here!
We can all tell what Porter is wishing for.
And I give you a man who looks exactly the same as he did as a teenager.
And here we have an incredibly happy adult Serafina, who is perhaps slightly curvier than her teen-self, ready to take on the world! Really, I am truly so happy that Serafina gets to enjoy life outside of the legacy.
Theo: Couldn't this have happened after he moved out?
I wish, Theo. I wish.
As Porter's parting gift to us: -5.
Appropriately, I moved him in with Lilith. I felt like it was probably time for this kid to recover from all of the trauma we caused him and actually let him get to know his real mom…even if she rarely came around of her own volition.
However, I move out Serafina into her own apartment in San Myshuno. I felt like getting her as close to a normal life (i.e. as far away from StrangerVille) was the best thing we could do for her.
Cole: Whaaaat I didn' do it?
I don't know how, but I blame you.
-5.
Oh, guys…-5.
Do you mean?…
Penny: It's time.
Sweet baby Jesus yes!!!
That's right folks, the world's longest toddlerhood is FINALLY ending. I really thought this day would never come.
…Does someone want to explain to me how Cole appears to be…even MORE evil as a child? I am terrified. He ages into the rambunctious scamp aspiration with the little fist-rebellious-appearing trait. I could double check the name, but I'm not going to lie to you guys. I had to defend my dissertation proposal this past week and I just don't have the energy. In all honesty, I don't think Penrith's girlfriend's name is actually Emily either. Clearly, we are thriving here.
Penny: I don't think I have the will to live anymore.
I think we'll leave off here today.
Score: -115.
Well, guys. We're trying. That's all I can say.
No comments:
Post a Comment