Hocus PocusThe White Legacy:Generation Two, Chapter Three

Welcome back! Last time we visited the White family, children were born. Birthdays were had. A patriarch passed away. Toro and Brie worked on Toro’s 50 Dream Dates LTW. Um… that was really about it.

In the way of a dramatis personae, Toro is playing reigning heir; Brie, his very affectionate, caring, and considerate wife. Iggy is the redheaded older twin, and Par the black haired younger twin, together taking the place of the firstborn(s). Arc, the redhead in the blue sweater, is second-oldest. Current youngest is Dez, the toddler in the overalls.

Dez: {No! No more!}

Dez: {Please, Mother! Please, change out of your repellant cow mascot suit! Have you never washed it since you brought it back from university?}

Brie: “You know something? Dez looks an awful lot like Patrick.”

Or rather, like Arc. I rolled before both of them were born, but it looks like we got pacifier twins anyway.

It’s you, isn’t it? You’re using your post-death powers to influence the genetics of your grandsons to look like you! I knew you were an evil gardener!

Snow: “Ahaha! One more point for us!”

Arc: “So, I was thinking. We’re the Generation Three kids, right?”

Iggy: “Right.”

Arc: “So we should have had more face time by now, right? Child drama, funny one-liners, all that?”

Par: “Glmmf.”

Iggy: “Par, stop eating your hand!”

I don’t get it. Why are you two giving each other the stink eye? You’re, like, the model of what a one-bolt couple should be. Sometimes you act like a three-bolt couple. So what gives?

Toro: “We got robbed last chapter!”

But he didn’t take anything!

Brie: “That cop is useless!”

That’s certainly something to scowl at your spouse for. NOT.

First ghost appearance! HI SNOW!!

Snow: “This is my bed.”

Toro:”Whoa, I just got a strange feeling, like something cold and ethereal just passed through my skull.”

Brie: “It’s because of the government. They’re all useless.”

Well, well, Toro! Taking a break from dating to feed your son?

Toro: “It’s either that or let him meet the social worker. I like him too much to let that happen.”

Dez: {Well, I appreciate the sentiment, Father, but if the milk must be green, I would prefer it to be sparkly. This will suffice for now, but in the future, please keep this in mind.}

Brie: {Where’s Tory?}

Snow: “I’m onto you, Author! You’ve used that joke before!”

Iggy: “Whoa! I think I just saw the ghost of a crabby old Family Sim!”

That was your grandmother, bud.

Iggy: “Really? I’m scared now. She looked really mean.”

Not mean. Just playful.

Iggy: “Mom’s playful. I’m playful. That was not ‘playful.’ That was scary.”

Toro: “Hey, Brie. This painting said we just hit thirty dream dates. Only twenty to go.”

Brie: “Oh, really? Has it told you how many children we have now?”

Toro: “I don’t need a painting for that, Brie. We’ve got four sons. Why?”

Brie: “I was trying to make a point. Turn around, moron.”

Toro: “Another one? Really?”

Arie: “Another one? Really?”

Toro: “Just be happy for us. This’ll make six.”

Arie: “Six? You’ve already got Iggy, Par, Arc, Dez… did you have another one that I’ve missed entirely?”

Toro: “Nope. That’s all of them.”

Arie: “Then this will be five, won’t it?”

Brie: “Well…”

Arie: “Cheesecake twins?”

Brie: “I knew she’d be impressed.”

Arie: “Toro, listen to me. I am your sister. What are you thinking? Neither you nor Brie are Family Sims. Mom was, and she only had the two of us.”

Toro: “Three. You’re forgetting Baltic.”

Arie: “Whatever. You’re a Pleasure Sim, and Brie’s a fake Knowledge Sim. What are you going to do with six children?”

Toro: “We’re going to raise them. We love all of our kids, Arie. Just because there’s a lot of them doesn’t mean they’re any less special.”

Brie: “Plus, this means that the household will have eight sims in it, and I won’t be able to get pregnant anymore.”

Arie: “…well, alright. Six kids it is, then. You just remember to call me over every day so I can help. You and Brie aren’t getting any younger, you know.”

Toro: “Thanks a lot, Arie.”

Arie: “Just trying to be helpful.”

Iggy: “Hey, Aunt Arie.”

Par: “Auntie Arie! Mom and Dad left all this nifty-keen cheesecake on the table! Do you want some?”

Arie: “I sure do! Thank you, Par! But, um, who’s this?”

Kid In Front: “Horace. I’m a friend from school.”

And he’s mucking up my sweet family shot. Not only is he unrelated, but he’s the only one with plus signs over his head.

Arc: “I just wish Mom and Dad would find somewhere else to date. I’m trying to eat.”

Horace: “Wait, Mr. and Mrs. White are dating in here? I can’t see them!”

Iggy: “They’re right next to you, doofus!”

Horace: “Oh, there they are. …I guess I need to get my eyes checked.”

Isn’t Dez so cute in this picture? He’s such a little show stealer!

What, a teenage birthday? Is it that time already?

No, I’m just kidding. I have been greatly looking forward to this day. Toro and Brie will now have some help in the form of two teenage boys in taking care of the younger kids, which means they’ll be able to focus on churning out those last fifteen or so dates and polish off Toro’s stupid annoying LTW.

Par: “I wish to grow up in better clothes than Iggy—”

Iggy: “Cygnus!”

Par: “—did!”

Note, too, the little show stealer himself toddling off behind the dining room doors. Hey Toro, Brie, if you’re missing a toddler…

Iggy: “What’s up with the stuffy gray sweater, bro? You look totally monochrome.”

Par: “I like it.”

Let’s start here. Iggy here turned out very well. He’s got quite the chin, but he is very handsome indeed.

Iggy: “My name is Cygnus. I’m a teenager now, Author, I don’t appreciate the childhood nickname. Only Par gets to call me that.”

Alright, alright. Cygnus it is. You want to tell the nice people what you rolled? And no, it’s not Popularity or Pleasure, but—

Cygnus: “Family. I love kids.”

This is a very good thing, since you have so many little siblings. I’ll appreciate the help. Moving right along, you remember how cute Par was as a kid?

*weeps*

It’s not so much that he’s ugly, per se, but the fact that we went from that utter adorable cuteness as a child to this is just heartbreaking.

Attention all Uglacy writers: Brie’s face template has some pretty good face implosion for men. Especially in the nose and mouth area.

Remember him this way, okay?

Par: “The Author doesn’t like my face, Iggy.”

Cygnus: “Hey bro, it’s cool. If everyone in the world was a supermodel, life would be boring. At least you’re not a pacifier twin like Arc and Dez, you know what I mean? Besides, you’re not that ugly.”

Par: “Thanks, Iggy. I feel better already.”

Par rolled Knowledge. Thought I’d put that out there. I’m counting on him being a better Knowledge Sim than his mother.

Arie: “Working out, Cygnus?”

Cygnus: “Absolutely. I’ve got a bit of poundage from Dad’s sweets, and I need a great bod to catch the ladies.”

Arie: “Mmhmm. Can I call you ‘Iggy’? ‘Cygnus’ just doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way.”

Cygnus: “Nope. It’s Cygnus.”

I love this picture. You can really see the family resemblance.

Toro: “Studying, Par? At this time of night?”

Par: “’Course, Dad! I’ve only got a week before Iggy and I leave for college! I have to be prepared for my classes!”

Toro: {Dear Diary: I may need to resort to the gypsy matchmaker for this one…}

Arc: “Mom! Dad! I got an A+!!”

Brie: “That’s awesome, honey!”

Toro: “Way to go, son. Why don’t you go do your homework… in your room…?”

I really hate underwear shots. But with Toro and Brie, it can be really kind of hard to not get an underwear shot. They spend so much time on their dream dates…

Brie: “Last ones… last ones…”

The current ones are getting older. Dez here is about to have his birthday. I could’ve gone straight to the cake shot, but I happened to catch him with a doll in his mouth. I love it when they do this, mostly because—

—their face looks like this in the pie menu.

Alright, alright, cake shot. Look, he’s blowing out his own candles! They’re so cute at this age!

Unlike Par.

Par: “Author, why don’t you like me…?”

Oh dear, I really need to stop teasing him. Of course I like you, Par…

Dez, all child-ified. Got anything to say now that you’re bigger, Dez?

Dez: “…”

Hm. I’ll take that as a “no.”

Arc: “Hey Dez!! You’re a child now! That’s great! Cygnus and Par have been all stuffy and cool ever since they became teenagers and haven’t wanted to play, but now that you’re my age, we can play and run around and play tag and build snowmen and… and… holy cow, it’s like looking in a mirror…”

Arc: “Hey, I’ve got an idea! Can you come to my room tomorrow morning before school?”

Dez: “…”

Arc: “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ See you then!! Do you wanna go play outside now?”

Toro: “Cool, the babies are coming.”

Brie gets an audience to the birth in the form of four wildly ineffectual men. Toro’s still smiling, I didn’t notice before that the older twins grew up into matching pajamas, and poor Par is going through a birth witness for the second time in his life. It doesn’t look like he’s taking it too well.

Brie: “I… I can’t believe it! It’s a girl!”

Brie: “Here you go, Toro. This is Latimeria.”

Toro: “I have a daughter! This is amazing!”

Toro: “So where’s her twin?”

Brie: “She doesn’t have one.”

Toro: “Just one? But, but Brie! This time you did eat cheesecake!”

I know! There was build-up and everything! And yet, against all odds, Brie manages to have a cheesecake… single. What gives?

Brie: “Hello? Oh, hello, Mr. Principal. How’s it going? …what? No, we didn’t—please, slow down, I can’t understand you. Yes, we’ll talk to them the moment they get home. Thanks for calling, Mr. Principal.”

Brie: “Boys, would you like to explain why I got a call from your principal this afternoon?”

Child On Left: “Mom, it’s not like we did anything bad. We didn’t sneak any toys into school or anything, because that’s against school rules, all we did was style our hair the same way and wear the same clothes and switch desks and not tell anyone which was which…”

Brie: “Thank you, Arc. Go change your hair, then sit in time out. The stool in the kitchen is waiting for you. Dez, change into your own clothes, and then drag one of the kitchen chairs into the art room.”

Arc: “Aw, man! How did you know it was me!?”

Brie: “I am your mother, Arc. I will always know my children apart.”

Dez: “…”

Brie: “Now, time out, both of you. And I expect neither of you to try and repeat this stunt.”

Arc: “O-kay.”

Arc: “Man. This blows. It’s not like I did anything wrong. That teacher and Mr. Principal are just stuffy. They don’t know a good joke when they see one. How come Mom’s making me and Dez sit in time out just for having a sense of humor?”

Dez: “…”

Toro: “Arie!”

Arie: “Just one, huh?”

Toro: “Yup, just the one daughter. Say, can you do me and Brie a favor, Arie?”

Arie: “No.”

Toro: “See, we’re thinking of taking a trip to Twikkii Island, just the two of us, to get away from the kids and to get in the last ten of the dream dates I need. Would you be okay looking after the kids while we’re gone? I’d rather not hire a nanny.”

Arie: “Eh, might as well. It’ll be cool to be able to spend a bunch of time with my nephews and niece.”

Bye, you guys!! Have fun!!

Toro: “What, aren’t you coming? You’ve followed me everywhere else.”

Eh, maybe. I’ll drop by to take a couple of pictures, but I’m not so certain we need the full story of your dream dating in Twikkii Island. It’s just the same as here, except on a tropical island. Otherwise, I think I’ll watch Arie and the kids.

Toro: “Cool.”

Cool? And after all I’ve done for you…

So, I was thinking that rather than have me narrate the few pictures I have of Toro and Brie enjoying the island, I would let them talk about the highlights themselves. That sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Toro and Brie’s Romantic Trip to Twikkii Island

The beach behind our hotel was so romantic. It was perfect for the first date we had on the islands.

We visited the ancient ruins that afternoon and made wishes to the spirit of the fountain. Otherwise, we didn’t see much of the ruins, because we were preoccupied with our romantic second date.

We specifically made sure to come to the famously romantic Twikkii Island pirate ship at night to encourage the appearance of the ghost captain. We didn’t know if it would make a difference, and it turned out it didn’t matter, because we only got as far as the beach.

…and so on. I think I’m going to cut them off there. You’re not missing much.

Except, perhaps, for this wonderful moment of awesome that occurred the second night of the vacation. It was a lot easier to get Toro and Brie to marathon date when there weren’t toddlers that needed food.

Maybe I should have worked harder at this when they were in college.

Trust me, this soak in the hot spring is well deserved.

Meanwhile, back in Riverblossom Hills…

Arie: “And then you know what that big, bad witch did to her poor sister, the good witch?”

Arc: “What? What?”

Arie: “She gave her a swirly!”

Arc: “What’s a swirly?”

Cygnus: “Aunt Arie, are you sure this story is appropriate for children?”

Voice: “Pearl.”

Pearl: “I felt it first, Chantelle. This one’s mine. You just magivestigium yourself right back where you came from.”

Chantelle: “There’s nothing here for you, Pearl. The Whites have been under the protection of my order for a full generation, with all the enchantments thereof laid on the estate.”

Pearl: “I think you’re bluffing.”

Chantelle: “There’s also Greater Protection Against Evil spells on the building, with extra potency on doorknobs and window glass. I’ll let you figure out which ones are where.”

Arc: “Aunt Arie? I think I heard something outside.”

Pearl: “Fine. I’ll go. But I’m going to be back. I have a claim on this one, Chantelle.”

Chantelle: “The sparkling toads, you do. Scat.”

Arie: “HEY! You! What’s going on out here!?”

Chantelle: “I’m awfully sorry for the intrusion, Miss White. I meant no harm by it. I’ll return when Mr. and Mrs. White have returned home, shall I?”

Arie: “You do that. We don’t need any witches on the property.”

Chantelle: “I’ll go, then.”

Arie: {How did she know Toro and Brie weren’t home…?}

You look a little worried, Cygnus.

Cygnus: “A little. Maybe. That was a witch Aunt Arie just chased off the property with her tail between her legs, wasn’t it?”

Yeah, it was.

Cygnus: “It can’t be that bad if Aunt Arie can scare her away just by scowling at her, right?”

Right.

Cygnus: “All the same, I think I’ll get everyone moving towards bed. Fewer kids wandering around on their own that way, right?”

Right.

The next night—

Arie: “Hey, welcome back, you two! You’re so tan!”

Brie: “Lots of time in the sun will do that to you. Toro, can we go to bed? I’m pooped.”

Arie: “Jet lag kills, doesn’t it? (Look, I’ve got something to talk to you two about…)”

Cygnus: “Hey, Mom, Dad! Welcome home!”

Arie: {Ig-gy…}

Cygnus: “And see? Here’s baby Merry! Told you she’d still be alive when you got back!”

Brie: “Oh, look at her, she’s cuter than when we left! Where’s everyone else?”

Cygnus: “Already in bed. I told ‘em we’d be doing Merry’s birthday the minute you guys got back, but they couldn’t stay up. Arc was falling asleep right in the middle of Cops and Robbers. He’d fall to the floor… and stay there.”

Cygnus: “So, Dad! How was Twikkii? Were there any cute girls there?”

Toro: “Well, sure, there was this one. She got one killer tan while we were there, too.”

Cygnus: “I meant girls my age, Dad.”

Brie: “No no no, honey, don’t cry, it’s okay…”

Toro: “What was that flash of light behind me just now?”

Arie: “Listen, Cygnus, why don’t you head off to bed? Check on your siblings, or something. Make sure they’re all asleep.”

Cygnus: “Uh, yeah, sure, Aunt Arie. I’ll do that. G’night.”

Brie: “Oh, Merry, sweetie, it’s okay…”

Toro: “What’s wrong with her? Is she okay?”

Arie: “Whoa, what am I doing out here? And where’d that witch go?”

Chantelle: “I’m very sorry to bother you, Mr. White, Mrs. White, but is there somewhere private we can talk? This is not a conversation I would want small ears to overhear.”

Toro: “So what’s this about, Witch?”

Chantelle: “My name is Chantelle, if you please. I’ll try to make this quick. I’m here to talk about your young daughter. She seems to have been born with a high propensity for the magical arts.”

Brie: “Merry? Does that mean she’ll be a witch?”

Chantelle: “Well, yes.”

Chantelle: “It happens once in a while. There are a number of circumstances that can lead to a child being born with a natural talent for magic—being born at midnight under a full moon, for example, or the mother ingesting certain potions while pregnant—but in Latimeria—Merry, you called her?—in Merry’s case, it was because she was supposed to have been a cheesecake twin.”

Chantelle: “When you, Mrs. White, were pregnant with Merry and her twin, both, like all of your children, had a higher than average potential for magic. This thing that happened with Merry is very rare, you understand, and I want you to keep an open mind, because it is not her fault. It was purely instinctual.”

Toro: “What happened?”

Chantelle: “Well, she consumed her twin.”

Toro: “She what!?”

Chantelle: “Please, Mr. White. I’m not quite finished. With both of those magical abilities inside her, Merry developed a natural talent for magic, which will very likely manifest the moment she becomes a teen. I am here because other orders of magic have already begun to express interest in recruiting your daughter. I would like to put some protective enchantments on the estate, and then when she does become older, to help guide Merry in the paths of magic.”

Brie: “Author? Mind bringing a crib in here so I can put her down?”

Brie: “So, about the cheesecake. If she had been natural twins, would this have happened?”

Chantelle: “Probably not, no. This can happen, with even more explosive results, with natural twins, but it’s more likely with cheesecake twins. Having twins this way is not natural, and usually demands a balancing effect somewhere in the world. We think that’s why, anyway.”

Brie: “What about the rest of the kids? Will they be warlocks?”

Chantelle: “That’s entirely up to them. Witches who aren’t born with natural powers need someone to help them through the Veil to realize the potential for magic everyone has inside them. Your children already have great potential, and many of them would likely have been approached at some point in their lives for recruitment by one order or another.”

Toro: “So where did all this magic and hocus pocus come from? Is it bloodline? Does it come from my mother?”

Chantelle: “Snow? Hardly. Snow White couldn’t’ve conjured an apple if it fell off an apple tree and hit her on the head. No, we’ve been looking into your short family history, and we think it comes through your father, Patrick Miller, and amplified somewhat by Brie’s unique heritage.”

Brie: “My being a cow mascot, you mean.”

Chantelle: “Yes… having a cow in the family tree does seem to have some strange effects on genes.”

Toro: “This is all very interesting, but this visit is running long, we have a birthday to get to, and I’m tired of holding my hands up like this. So what do we do? Should we do anything special to raise Merry?”

Chantelle: “Oh, yes. Be understanding if something goes strange around her. Now that you know, you know it isn’t her fault. Usually. Don’t be surprised if, I don’t know, her toys start flying or the cookie jar goes mysteriously missing, but it’s still important not to let her use her powers to make too much mischief. And, if you see someone loitering about with a green glow, shoo them off the premises immediately. Not like a stink cloud, but like mine, except green.”

Brie: “Well, thanks a lot, Miss Witch, but we have a birthday to get to, so if you wouldn’t mind…?”

Chantelle: “Hmph. Of course. I’ll be in touch. I’ll also help you find an appropriate school of supernatural for Merry once she becomes a teen.”

Brie: “Sure. Bye, Miss Witch.”

Toro: “Whoa, she’s gone!”

Brie: “Um, honey? That’s not my arm. I think that’s my small intestine. Kindly remove your hand.”

Without any further fanfare, and with all of her brothers long asleep, Merry had her first birthday. If you don’t count the actual day of birth as a birthday, anyway.

She looks a lot like her mother, except with black hair instead of blonde. Funny how the ones with black hair look like Brie and the ones with red hair take after Toro and Patrick.

And after Merry’s birthday, Toro and Brie continue their lives as if everything is completely normal. This includes, of course, our habit of jumping around eclectically to wherever there might be a punch line.

Toro: “So, Dez. You like eggs?”

Dez: “…”

It’s no use, Toro.

Toro: “He’s bound to say something someday. I’ve just got to keep trying.”

Dez: “…”

Whoa, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen Toro in his… his…

Toro: “Something the matter?”

Yeah, I just realized that not only are both Cygnus and Par wearing the same brown pajamas, but you’re wearing them, too.

Toro: “So?”

So, you chose the same pajamas as your father when you were a teen, and your sons chose the same pajamas as you.

Toro: “What can I say? We White men know good taste in PJs when we see it.”

Sure. Let’s call it that, and not the limited supply of pajamas Maxis provides us with. Still, it is pretty awesome that this has happened every generation so far.

Toro: “There’s only been two full generations.”

Shush.

Wow, I’m impressed.

Toro: *wince* “Yeah, so I’m getting a job. So what? Brie and I don’t have to marathon date anymore, and I’m kind of bored, and I thought being a professional party guest might be fun. Don’t judge me!”

Far be it from me to judge, Toro. Feeling defensive at all?

Seems like most of the punch lines involve Toro, huh?

Toro: “I heard that!”

Why is this picture here?

…

Merry is cute.

That’s really about it.

Merry promptly begins levitating bottles. We’ll pretend that the glow is her magic and not the smart milk sparkles, shall we?

Merry: {You’re not fooling anybody, Author.}

Brie: “Come on, Merry, say ‘Mommy!’”

Merry: “No!”

Brie: “I’ll settle for ‘Mama?’”

Merry: “NO!”

Brie: “Goodnight, Merry. We didn’t figure out talking today, but I’m sure we’ll get it by tomorrow. Or, failing that, at least your birthday.”

Merry: *hiccup* “No!”

We were having a hard time teaching Merry to walk in the nursery, either because she didn’t want to or because there were too many toys and bottles in the way, I don’t know. Where do we end up going? The graveyard, of course. Lots of empty space there.

At least, right now there is.

Let’s check in with the other kids, shall we?

Cygnus: “You know, I heard some people cheat at chess.”

Par: “What!? Why would anyone want to do that!?”

Cygnus: “I know, right!?”

Cygnus has seven nice points and Par has eight, by the way. The whole concept of “mean” is completely unknown in this family.

And here’s Dez, off on his own in the art room again.

Arc: “DezDezDezDezDezDezDezDezDEZ!!”

And look at that, here’s Arc, too.

Arc: “You’ll never guess what I saw Merry do!!”

Arc: “Aw man, she’s not doing it anymore. Come on, Merry! Make your toys float again! You can do it!”

Merry: “Heehee! No!!”

Arc: “Aw, man. Doesn’t look like she’s gonna do it again. This is boring. I’m gonna go play The Mims.”

…and that’s it for this time. Maybe in the next chapter, I’ll be able to curb the toddler pictures?