The Groves Legacy - 1.5

It's been a little while since we've heard from the Groves! Sorry about that, school stuff got in the way. So as a recap:

Margo is now dating Eileen, monsters constantly woke the kids up, the toddlers aged up to children, Celeste became an adult, Scarlett and Melanie aged to teens, the house was a constant mess, Scarlett planned and threw a party, Nadine plotted to blackmail her, Scarlett was caught, Melanie was a contradiction, Scarlett worked on wooing Seiji, and Margo started painting.

Onwards!

Sunday morning starts as usual for the family: food, homework, and skilling.

As Scarlett's grounded from throwing the party, I've been making her fix anything that breaks.

Scarlett: Mom and Dad are better at this than I am!

True, but your Mom wants you to do chores.

This Sim showed up out of nowhere. No one in the family knows him. He just came inside and started yelling at Dino.

There's another flea market in the city, so the Groves check it out.

There were no new crystals on sale, so the family checked out the guy playing guitar and left pretty soon after.

Kaye: I will now master Hot Cross Buns.

Don: (holding one of the many kids the story mod has given him) Whatever you do, baby, don't play violin on the sidewalks. People can sue you for damaging their hearing.

Scarlett: Dang, do I look good.

Part of Melanie's aspiration is to mount or display 5 fish, so here's her first one!

Foster: Oh, hi! You're Margo's girlfriend, right?

Eileen: That's me.

Foster: Did you know that she talks in her sleep?

Eileen: Oh, no, I didn't know -

Margo: What is going on out here? Foster, are you bothering her?

Foster: No, I would never!

Eileen: He's charming.

Margo: Somehow, I don't believe that.

Foster: I was telling her how you talk in your sleep!

Margo: Oooookay, we're going inside.

The girls escape Foster and share some time together.

Scarlett: Seiji, will you stop by? . . . No, no, you didn't leave anything here this time. I just want to talk to you.

Just what are you planning?

Seiji: Your dad isn't going to kick me out again, is he?

Scarlett: No, no, he knows you're here.

Scarlett: But hey, keep being a looker, and my dad will just have to kick you out.

Seiji: You flatter me.

The two kept moving all around the house, so I just had them go outside and enjoy the sights of Newcrest. It doesn't look like Scarlett's complaining.

Seiji: I'm leaving, Mr. Groves. You don't have to kick me out this time.

Akira: What good news.

Scarlett: Oh, isn't it just gorgeous out? I love nights like - (yawns and stretches)

Scarlett: -like these.

Scarlett: What about you?

Seiji: I can definitely see the appeal.

Scarlett: I thought you might.

Scarlett: Um. Thanks for spending the evening with me. And, um...

Seiji: Oh!

Scarlett: I didn't mess things up, did I?

Seiji: No, not in the slightest.

The two started heading back to the Groves' house.

Scarlett: Well, this has been a magical night, Seiji.

Seiji: I couldn't agree more.

Scarlett: I hope that one day you will grant me the honor of doing this again.

Seiji: How could I say no?

While her sister's off wooing, Margo's running monster control.

Foster: Thanks, Margo! I was sure the beastie was going to bite my foot off!

With the kids all out at school, Celeste is left home alone. She calls over one of Akira's old friends to hopefully strike up a friendship for herself.

Darling: Of course I remember that time we went to karaoke. How could I forget?

The two spent the whole day just talking and getting to know each other.

Darling: I have a couple kids myself now. It's hard to believe I was just a teen when Akira moved out.

Celeste: He always told me nice things about you.

Darling: I definitely miss having the guy around. But I'm glad he found someone as nice as you to settle down with.

Celeste: You're too kind.

As long as she's been cooking, poor Celeste still has some mishaps.

Celeste: Cutting garlic shouldn't be this painful!

Celeste: I hear you're interested in Scarlett, Seiji.

Seiji: How did you hear that? Did she tell you?

Celeste: I'm a mother, dear. And my daughter Nadine has a keen sense for information.

Seiji: I see.

Celeste: So you'd do best to mind yourself.

Scarlett: I see you're talking to Seiji, Mom. How are things going?

Celeste: Oh, I'm just giving him a few well-placed motherly warnings.

Akira comes home from work feeling tense practically every day.

I don't exactly remember why Melanie made this face. But I like it.

The kids' skills are coming along nicely.

Much of everyone's time is spent eating, doing homework, and skilling.

Kaye: Who on Earth are you?

Karim: Karim. I occasionally ask your sisters to play hooky with me.

Eugi: Oh, I see what you're doing! You're letting Melanie win!

Scarlett: Don't tell her that! You'll just make her angry!

Melanie: (is in deep concentration)

Foster: Gosh, I don't know how a kid like me is expected to know this nonsense.

Karim, another Hot-Headed Sim, joins the game.

Margo: Oh, no, what are we going to do? Only one of them can win!

Once she's done playing, Margo begins working on a portrait of her father. This is what it will look like.

Melanie: Yep. I definitely destroyed him in the last lap.

Vihaan: And he didn't flip his lid?

Eugi: Watch it; he still might.

Melanie: You two make sure he doesn't punch the aquarium or anything, okay?

Karim: You don't have to worry about me today, Melanie. I know you won that race fair and square.

Melanie: Wow, how big of you.

Melanie: Maybe we could even rematch some time?

Karim: I think I'd like that.

Little Nadine finishes up her Artistic Prodigy aspiration.

She quickly moves on to Rambunctious Scamp.

Nadine: I'll be the terror of Newcrest!

Celeste: Oh, look. My girls are all doing their homework. Does anyone need help?

Scarlett: No, I think we're okay, Mom.

Scarlett ran away.

Celeste: What about you, Margo?

Margo: Actually, I just finished. Melanie could use some help, though.

Melanie: What the heck?

Celeste: What can I help you with, my dear?

Melanie: Actually, I think I'm about done, too.

Celeste: My girls are so smart. I feel like I really taught you guys well.

Margo: Of course you did, Mom.

Don't worry, Celeste. I wouldn't be much better at cooking. Then again, she has started on the gourmet cooking skill.

Melanie: Do I look good or what?

Margo: Depends on what you mean by "good."

Melanie: There's absolutely no need for your negativity here, miss.

Foster invites a fellow kid home from school. This is Kiana Kaplan.

Eugi: Check it out, Melanie. This is what Karim sent me the other night.

Melanie: He really means that? He likes me?

Eugi: I'm one of his closest friends. I know the guy. He's totally crushing on you right now.

Foster: Do you want to play a game or - Oh. You're doing homework. That's cool, I guess.

Kiana: I've already skipped out on homework for this week so far. I figure I should get something done.

Foster: Yeah, that's best.

Nadine: Planning any more parties, Scarlett?

Scarlett: Absolutely none of your business.

Here's the picture Margo finished of Akira!

She's working on one for Celeste now. It'll look like this.

Congrats, Kaye!

And speaking of aspirations, Celeste just finished her Curator aspiration! She finished her frog collection.

I randomized her aspiration again, and she got Party Animal. She's got some competition with Scarlett now.

Margo comes home from school sad, but Eileen instantly knows what's up and gives her a call.

The poor girl looks absolutely miserable.

Margo: I just don't know what I want to do with myself, hun. I love painting, but is that really enough to get by?

Eileen: I think you could make it work.

Margo: But what if Mom and Dad want me to carry on their legacy? Is painting good enough for them? Dad's a popular gamer. Mom's been collecting samples all over and sending them in to museums. What if no one wants to buy my paintings? What if I'm not good enough?

Eileen: If your mom can make a living off of research samples and if your dad makes enough as a professional video gamer, why shouldn't painting be an option?

Eileen: And who knows, maybe you won't be the heir. That part hasn't been decided yet. I do know that I'll be by your side either way.

Margo: Wow, thanks, darling. You're one incredible Sim.

Akira earned another promotion, and this was his reward. I enjoy decorating the house with them.

There's a new teen at the high school, so the girls invite her home. The kids swarm her when she arrives.

Kaye: I've never seen you before!

Christin: And your dress is really pretty!

Bo: You're both too kind.

After completing Artistic Prodigy, Kaye started Social Butterfly.

Kaye: Hi, I'm Kaye.

Kaye: Hi, I'm Kaye.

Christin: I don't know what you are, purple blob toy.

Christin: But together, we'll conquer the world!

Christin: I need to round up recruits for the purple blob monster. These dolls should do nicely.

One of the kids Kaye introduced himself to stuck around and used this table for hours. She wouldn't leave, even after midnight. I had to reset her to send her home.

Uggggghhhhhh.

You two will be fine. Go wake Margo up. She can deal with this.

Melanie: Today's your birthday, isn't it, Margo?

Margo: That's right.

Foster: Doesn't that mean one of us is going to become the heir?

Nadine: Just think of what I could do!

Melanie: You're both still too young. Even if one of you is an heir, you don't start leading the family until you're a young adult.

Nadine: Drat.

Scarlett: I don't know if I'm ready for that responsibility. Or if I'm ready to see Margo leave.

While her highest relationship is with her twin sister, Scarlett is still good friends with Margo.

Akira: So, you ready for the adult world?

Margo: I doubt it. But what choice do I have?

Celeste: I can't believe our oldest is all grown.

Akira: Remember the days of constant diaper-changing and baby-feeding?

Celeste: How could I forget?

Akira: I don't think I miss those days too much.

Akira: We've done good, Celeste.

Celeste: Yes, yes we have.

Akira certainly seems to feel good about himself.

All the party guests arrive later in the day. They naturally congregate at the video game console.

Celeste: Here goes nothing, I guess!

So much celebrating! And ignoring. At the same time.

Margo: Am I supposed to have a third arm now?

Celeste: Sorry, that was me. I'll just move.

Margo's final random trait is Snob, just like her mother.

Scarlett: I wonder what I would do as heir.

Margo: Throwing all kinds of parties is great and all, but that won't make you a living, sis.

Celeste: While I encourage your fitness approach, I'd prefer you not do sit ups on my leg, thanks, Don.

Akira's exhausted and sneaks off to bed. He somehow sleeps through party guests who found their way into his room.

Scarlett's happy to have found some time with Seiji.

Seiji: All those stars up there? They look the same to me.

Margo finishes Celeste's painting. It looks perfect next to Akira's.

The teen couples spend the rest of  the party with each other.

Scarlett: But what if I'm not the heir? Would you still like me?

Seiji: What kind of question is that? I didn't even know about this whole legacy business when you first asked me out, Scarlett.

Seiji: I assume all of you kids have been nervous lately, but yes, without a doubt, I'm sticking with you.

Scarlett: Thanks, Seiji.

Karim: What's all this talk about a legacy? Is your family a legacy?

Melanie: Well, yes. But I've been trying not to think about that right now.

Karim: No? What are you thinking about then?

Melanie: How much I like you.

I guess the nerves have been getting to Celeste, too. This is her the morning after Margo's birthday.

Foster rounds up the triplets in completing his aspiration.

He switches to Whiz Kid and bothers Nadine to see if she'll learn chess with him.

Foster: This . . . isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

We have another birthday today.

You've come far, Akira.

Akira: Yeah, I can feel it in my back.

Parties are such a great way for everyone to socialize. I love throwing them.

Margo finished this painting. I really liked it, so it's hanging up by her bed next to the posters she stole from school.

Margo: I'd feel better with a job, heir or not.

Naturally, Margo joins the painter career. She starts at level 3.

Nadine spends the night before her and her brothers' birthday by herself on the monkey bars.

Nadine: I can't help but feel things are about to change.

She's not wrong. I spent some time redesigning the house. It's not complete, but I pulled this off with the money available. There are still 3 bedrooms, but there's a new bathroom. The entrance hall is a bit cramped, but there's now a separate room for the kitchen and dining table.

Scarlett: AHAHAHA, that was hilarious!

Margo: It wasn't that funny.

Melanie: How do you feel, Mom? There won't be a single kid in this house any more.

Celeste: It's about time.

Celeste: Although if one of you girls gets heir, the peace won't last long, will it?

Margo: I don't think any of us are exactly in a rush to have kids right now.

Melanie: How would you have a kid, Margo?

Margo: There are ways.

The kids seem rather morose while they eat. Maybe they're nervous, too. Or sad about growing up. Or both.

I really like this shot of Scarlett dancing.

Kaye joins her soon after he's done with whatever call he made.

Melanie goes out fishing before the third birthday party in just as many days. Surprisingly, there are other fishers out and about.

While video games is usually everyone's hobby, they've switched to dancing today.

Margo: The cakes look great, Mom.

Celeste: They'd taste better if I had a better stove.

And of course a Sim finds Dino and proceeds to beat the poor guy up.

Celeste: Alright, everyone in the kitchen! Let's get this aging stuff started.

Unfortunately, this is the only shot I have of the aging up.

Here's Kaye. His new trait is Clumsy. His aspiration is Soulmate, like his father.

Foster's new trait is Hates Children. His aspiration is Nerd Brain.

And rounding up the triplets is Nadine. Her trait is Perfectionist, and she wants to be a Bodybuilder.

Although he looks angry, Foster looks dashing in his party wear.

Celeste: To a briefly kid-free house!

Karim: Hear, hear!

Nadine: Mom says this with a kid next to her.

Celeste: Oh, shoot.

I do like the way each of the children turned out. And not just the triplets. All of the second generation kids are great.

Scarlett: I'm digging the short hair, Nay.

Nadine: Thanks. I wanted something new, you know?

What would you do as heir, Foster?

Foster: Not too sure, really. Although I do want to go to space.

Foster: Or at least build the rocket that would take us there. Rockets are cool.

Celeste: What, the high school gives homework to teens who haven't even started there yet?

Foster: Yep. Something about some initiative they're trying to pull off.

Kaye: -but his first love is the "C."

Nadine: I swear, if you tell another joke, I'm smashing this book in your face.

And so ends this rather lengthy update. I did play an extra day than I normally do. With Margo aging into a young adult and the triplets' birthdays only two days later, I played a little longer for this update. I feel a little bad that the triplets just aged up to teens and are dropped right into the heir poll, but I think I'm ready to get things moving with the next generation. As such, you can choose who will continue the Groves! Vote in the heir poll if you're interested, and thanks for reading!