Hook, Line, and SinkerThe White Legacy:Generation Eight, Chapter Three

Welcome back to the White Legacy. Technically, we could probably move these chapters under a new banner, since Rhea isn’t around anymore to head up the generation, but whatever.

Last time, as I’ve already touched on, Rhea and her husband Shane died in a tragic *ahem* car accident. There’s a lot of people in the household right now, so let me give you a rundown of the family portrait up there. On the far left is Rose, who is back to being reigning heiress until one of Rhea’s kids takes up the mantle. Next to her is teenager Clary, holding toddler Bay; then elder Lewis, and next to him in the red shirt is Lara. In the front row from left to right are children Spike and Fen and toddler Saffron. Feeling caught up? No? Too bad! Off we go!

Clary: “Come on, you little brat. To bed with you.”

Saffron: “Hehehe!”

Clary: “Oh sure, you think it’s funny now, but just you wait till you’re older and I can really boss you around.”

Saffron: “Boss! Hehehe!”

Clary: “That’s right. I’m the boss. And don’t you forget it.”

Clary: “Now, about you, little jerk. Ready to finally get on your feet so I don’t have to carry you everywhere?”

Bay: “Boo.”

Clary: “Yeah, yeah, too bad. Up you get.”

Lewis: “You look so much like your poor daddy, you know that? I never really liked him.”

Bay: “Dada?”

Lewis: “I guess he didn’t really deserve what happened, though. And you are a bit more handsome than he was, with those couple of your mommy’s features in you. Now she was beautiful. Like a perfectly grilled sandwich.”

Bay: “Sand-ich?”

Aw, look! He is just like his daddy!

Lara: “What were you thinking, Rhea!? Why did you leave!? I haven’t even had the chance to work on my thesis in forever because you had to go having a whole litter of munchkins, and now I can’t work on it because you’re gone! I hope you’re happy! You’ve ruined my whole future! You hear me!? RUINED!!”

Lara: “Rhea…”

*sniff*

Lara: “Huh? Is someone there?”

Lara: “Clary? How long have you been standing there?”

Clary: “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to bed!”

Bay: “NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO”

Arie: “I am so bad with kids…”

Clary: “There. Okay, you mutts, pop quiz. Tell me the phase of that moon and how soon from now it’s going to be full. And if you don’t know, I’m giving you both swirlies. You should’ve figured this out by now.”

Spike: “Um, um, um! Waxing gibbous? So that’s the last stage before it’s full? It sure is pretty!”

Fen: “Fen thinks that’s a waning gibbous, so it’s still got a lot of stages to go.”

Clary: “It’s waxing, idiot. It’s been a whole month since our last full moon. Don’t tell me you forgot!”

Lara: “So, Author. You know what this is?”

A toddler? A toddler in an adorable pink headscarf and yellow dress and pigtails?

Lara: “Well, that too. I’ll have you know that this, along with her twin brother, are the last toddlers of this legacy.”

…you’re right. I can’t believe it. By the time the next child is born, the challenge will be over.

Just… let me process that for a minute.

Lewis: “You know, baby girl, I was a professor way back when. I have a lot of gray matter in here. You’re toast.”

Lara: “Like toasted bread?”

Lewis: “Toasted bread… mmm, grilled cheese…”

Lara: “Yes, Dad. Think all about that grilled cheese, and don’t worry about what I’m doing over here…”

Lara: “So Julien. I hear you’re the Omega?”

Julien: “Yeah?”

Lara: “What is it like being the absolute bottom of the pack?”

Julien: “Buzz off.”

How many slides can we go before putting in another cute toddler picture? Um… about two, apparently.

Rose: “Who’s my cute little grandson?”

Bay: “Baaaaay!”

We didn’t even make it one slide this time.

Saffron: “Moo-zik! Cow go MOO-ZIK!”

Don’t worry, their birthday is today. No more adorable toddler pic spam, no matter how cute it is. I promise. No more… forever. Because these are the last toddlers of the legacy.

…give me a minute.

I think this is the most use this toy oven has seen… ever.

Fen: “Fen is a master baker. He is putting all of his heart and soul into this muffin, and it will be perfect.”

Fen: “Ah, the sweet smell of success. Fen likes it.”

Saffron: “Moo-zik~!”

So I mentioned that today was the twins’ birthday. But it’s also Spike’s birthday! It’s going to be useful to have another teenager around here, although with the toddlers as children at the same time…

What? Is there something else going on this picture than a child’s birthday?

Spike: “I wish… I wish that Mommy and Daddy were here!”

They are, buddy. They are.

This seems to be kind of a yellowy generation, huh? Clary grew up into that kind of cream, kind of pale yellow jacket, and Spike here gets the yellow sweater. I like it; I think I’ll let him keep it. Wow, but these guys have had some good transition outfits lately.

Okay, what’d you roll, Spike?

Spike: “Popularity. Just like Mom and Grandma. Also, one of my turn-ons is full face makeup, but my turn-off is makeup.”

O…kay then. That seems a little counterintuitive, but we can work with this.

Spike: “Wait, how come I can’t see anything anymore? There’s just a big, colorful blur…”

Hold on, let me fix this.

There you go. How’s that?

Spike: “Hey! I can see!”

See? That’s better.

Spike: “Yes! I SEE!”

Spike: “My turn to take a baby to a cake!!”

Bay: *toddle toddle toddle*

That look seems slightly familiar.

Saffron: “I LOVE my big sister!!”

To the dresser with you!

Saffron: “Aww…”

Saffron: “Guess what, Author?”

What’s that, sweetheart?

Saffron: “I have a pretty new braid!! I love it so much!! Isn’t it AWESOME!?”

It’s very nice, Ronnie.

Saffron: “Ronnie? Who’s Ronnie?”

Okay. Saffron, then.

Saffron: “Look, look! I stole Miss Alpha’s plate!”

Jessica: “Hey! I wasn’t finished with that, you little rascal you!”

Saffron: “Ha-ha! Now I get to lick it clean! YAY!”

Okay, it’s time for the last… birthday… Jade, what are you doing?

Jade: “Hiding. Shh.”

Ah. I see. So this is what it looks like when a ghost possesses a chair. Okay. It’s not terribly dignified, is it?

Lewis: “Hi there, Patrick. Nice of you to come to your great-great-great-great-great-great grandchildrens’ birthday party.”

Patrick: “Allow me to induct you into one of the finest legacy traditions, young Saffron: ghost hunting. You see, we, the ghosts, hunt the living. Boo!”

Saffron: “AGH!!”

Rose: “How sweet… her first scaring… I’m so proud…” *sniff*

Now, if we’re done stealing the spotlight away from Bay… time to say goodbye to the last toddler of the legacy.

*sniffle*

Ack!

There. Much better.

Bay: “Are we doing a rainbowcy, Miss Author?”

Naw. Not enough color options. Why?

Bay: “Because… yellow?”

Oh, yeah. But you have to admit it’s cute!

Hi there, Rhea!! Come to check in on your kids, have you?

Rhea: “The luau is great and all, but what’s with the red?”

Oh, that? I, uh, wasn’t sure what color to assign you for what you died of. Is the red okay?

Rhea: “It’s GREAT! Although I would’ve preferred green, you know.”

Spike: “Author, have you ever rolled in the snow and then jumped into a pool?”

Well, yes I have, but it was an indoor pool. Are you trying to kill yourself, Spike!?

Spike: “Oh, don’t worry! I’m going to get in the hot tub after this!”

That might not be so smart, you know. Just get off the diving board and get some hot chocolate in you, okay?

Spike: “Uh… yeah, you might be right. Forget this.”

Good man. I’ve got your Aunt Lara making some hot chocolate for you. Gee, I wish all my sims listened to me like he does.

Rose: “I love you, Lewis.”

Lewis: “Not as much as I love you, my dear parmesan.”

These two are so sweet together. Lewis’s features may be so utterly dominant that he has grandkids who look just like him, but I’ve never regretted bringing him into the family. Rose picked him out specially, and these two act like schoolchildren around each other, even now as elders. It’s so sweet.

The sentrybot has been defeated by that most heinous of criminals: the front gate.

Yeesh. Why did I build these things, again?

Remind me what we pay you for?

Incompetent Butler: “My awesome afro.”

Oh yeah, that’s right.

Bay: “He’s not that great of a dancer, is he?”

That’s alright. He doesn’t really care.

Hey, Saffron! Guess what day it is!

Saffron: “Saturday!! It’s SATURDAY!! No school! WHOOPEE!!”

Well, that too.

But no school means that it’s skilling day! Whoopee!

Fen: “Fen thinks that this is a yucky deal.”

Clary: “Wait, hold on just a minute here. Where is Spike? If I have spend my precious Saturday studying, so does he!”

Don’t worry, he’s skilling too. We just ran out of seats in the fun room and he had to sit himself down in the dining room.

Spike: “Fascinating!”

Lara: “Hi there, Hobby Master.”

Hobby Master: “Morning, Lara. Skilling day, is it?”

Lara: “Absolutely.”

Hobby Master: “I’ll be back.”

Lara: “See you then.”

Lara: “Note made: when presented with a choice between pork chops and celebrating a child’s birthday, cake included, werewolves will uniformly choose the pork. Aunt Arie, however, will not.”

Arie: “Dang right. What was I thinking sitting down at this table, anyway? Happy birthday, Fen!”

Fen: “Fen thanks you, Aunt Arie.”

Fen: “Spiiiike! Fen wants you to come cheer for him!”

Spike: “In a minute, Fen! Just let me finish this off!”

Lara: “Half-werewolves will also choose the pork.”

Yeowch. Let’s go find you a new outfit, huh Fen?

Fen: “Fen couldn’t agree more. Lead the way, Author.”

Clary: “So, who’s Fen sharing his birthday with, then?”

No one.

Clary: “Ahaha, you’re funny. There’s no such thing as single birthdays, Author. Now, tell me the truth.”

I ain’t lying. Fen managed to get his own birthday.

Clary: “Uh-huh. Sure. I’m getting impatient, Author. You won’t like me when I’m mad.”

Fen: “Man oh man, Fen is looking dapper today!”

Save me from vain sims. Fen rolled Popularity, which is a surprise to exactly no one. You know, used to be Popularity was one of my unrepresented aspirations. Now I’m drowning in them.

Here I was, thinking there would be leftover cake to feed the children who slept through the party. Hahaha, silly me.

Julien: “Oh, come on.”

Sanjay: “And you wonder why you’re still Omega, man.”

I show this because it’s actually getting to be really sort of commonplace. The ghosts are quickly becoming unmanageable. Nobody gets a full night’s sleep anymore. Everybody has to keep their hunger bar up throughout the night, just in case. Everyone has had at least one bladder failure, including most of the frequent guests. It’s maddening!

I see someone’s found her people, though.

Clary: “Oogie oogie oo! Whoop! Whoop!”

Saffron: “So when is it my turn, Bay?”

Bay: “When I’m done.”

Saffron: “But that’ll be forever!”

Bay: “And a half.”

Saffron: “AUNTIE LARA!! BAY’S NOT SHARING THE PIANO!!”

Bay: “I guess I could cut it in half for you, and then we could share it. Or you could go play the piano in the front room.”

Saffron: “OH YEAH!! Bye, Bay!”

Bay: “Girls.”

Saffron: “Boys.”

Wait, wait. What is that?

This, my friends, is the sad remains of the antique couch which has been in this parlor since generation two. The cat has been dead for a week or more, so either I’m not very observant (possible), or the ghosts did it (I’ve seen them break lamps this way), or this is a sign of an impending apocalypse in Riverblossom Hills of the glitching kind.

I’m leaning toward the cat. This doesn’t seem like it would be a glitch.

Here I was thinking I could feed the children with a fresh, new plate of salmon.

Silly me.

This is what skilling day is for. Right, Bay?

Bay: “I guess I can deal with sitting on a couch all day studying cooking if it means I can bake a muffin without burning it.”

Agreed.

Bay: “Agreed? Have you ever sat on a couch all day studying cooking?”

Er… next slide.

What… is that.

Fen: “This is Fen’s perfectly cooked omelette, complete with green peppers and just the right amount of cheddar cheese.”

I mean this, this thing that you’re wearing.

Fen: “Oh, you mean Fen’s royal red robe, which perfectly accentuates his perfect body?”

This is getting out of hand…

Rise and shine, Clary! This is your wake-up call! Up you get!

Clary: zzzzzzzz

Come on, Clary! It’s time to go to college! Hurry it up already!

Clary: zzzzzdon’tcarezzzzzz

Clary: “I don’t need your stinkin’ money. You can take it and shove it where—”

AHEM. I believe this is the first time in my memory where a sim who is not a teenage Prosperity founder of mine earned the Orphaned Sims Assistance Fund scholarship. This is a novelty.

Rose: “Goodbye, Clary! Have fun at college! Oh, you’re going to love it, honey!”

Spike: “Bye-bye, Clary! See you in a few days!!”

Clary: “Ugh, there’s something in my ear. It sounds like goodwill. Ewwww.”

Well, off she goes. One fewer person in this bloated household. This is a good thing.

Fen: “Bye, Clary! Bay, you’re waving in the wrong direction! Fen can see her over there!”

Bay: “No way. If I smile in her direction, she might punch my arm.”

Clary: “Darn right.”

Bay: “How come I have to do the dishes, Auntie Lara?”

Lara: “Because you have exactly zero neat points, and we want to make sure you know how.”

Bay: “But Fen has nine neat points. He can do it a whole lot better than I can.”

Lara: “You’re right, he’s had plenty of practice. Now you need some practice. Get to it.”

Bay: “Ew… soap…”

Bay: “AGH! It’s poisoned me! My skin is peeling off! I can’t feel my hands! I can’t feel my hands!”

Lara: “Oh, that’s too bad. You won’t be able to eat dinner without hands. I was going to make triple chocolate cake for dessert, too.”

Bay: “Oops, here they are. That water was really scalding. It made me think my hands were being eaten away. Good thing they’re still here, attached to my arms.”

Lara: “Good call.”

Lewis: “There’s something different in here. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something seems different. Oh boy, this is going to bother me…”

Lewis: “So, uh, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you all about.”

Spike: “What’s that, Grandpa?”

Lewis: “I… might be dying.”

Lara: “…what? When were you planning on having your family meeting, Dad? Why haven’t you said anything!? I could’ve been asking you all KINDS of questions! How are you feeling? How do you know today’s the day? Can you sense the Luau? Has the Grim Reaper been talking to you?”

Lewis: “I’m just… tired. I don’t want a fuss. I just want to kiss my wife goodbye. And eat another plate of grilled cheese. And maybe go clothes shopping.”

Ix-nay on the clothes shopping. I ran out of unique elder outfits for you. Unless you want to go in a gorilla suit.

Lewis: “Alright… I guess I’ll just wear my LTW Jacket, then. I’m sure it’ll be cool enough at the Luau for it.”

And so Lewis did just that. He kissed his wife…

…and then they shared one last plate of grilled cheese.

Lewis: “WHAT!? What do you mean there’s no grilled cheese at the Luau!?”

Grim: “Well, we have been just focusing on party foods, but I’m sure we can compromise a little and get you some cheese and bread. Come along, Mr. White.”

Rose: “No… Lewis…! No!”

Lewis: “Rose! Oh, come on, Grim! Let me just stay a few more days so we can go together? I don’t want to leave Rose alone!”

Grim: “She’ll be just fine. She’s only got, what, two days left? Come on, Lewis. Time’s a-wasting.”

What… is that.

Pony: “That, Keika, is a traditional sign of neighborhood-ending apocalypse glitching. You’d better keep some stringent backups of your game.”

*sigh* Thanks a lot, Pony. Thanks a lot.

Pony: “Oh, you’re very welcome!”

Apocalypse glitching can wait. Lewis and his grilled cheese headstone were put right here. According to my pattern, this really should’ve been Rhea and Shane’s place, but since they went first… Rose and Lewis get to go here.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Prof. Lewis White, as his name appeared in my game. He lived 84 days, which is three days longer than I expected him to. He and Rose have this amazing distinction of having lived to see their oldest grandchildren leaving for college. I’m going to have to tweak my lifespan mod again.

Anyway. Lewis was so much fun to shop for, and I discovered all sorts of base-game custom hairstyles that I had no idea were there until now. Like that rainbow mohawk! He’s pictured here in his most tame incarnation, but he had some doozies. He also gave me my much-needed grilled cheese headstone. Even though I’m not going for points anymore, it’s still fun to play as if I were in some areas, I think. This is still a legacy, after all. Lewis was a fun little eccentric who I’m going to miss. Although I won’t miss having eight sims in the house. RIP, Lewis.

Saffron: “Grandpaaaaa!”

I hate this part of sims deaths. *sniffle* I got around Rhea and Shane’s crying stage because of shifting to Ultimate Edition, which reset it for me. But now I get it for Lewis. Seeing the loved ones cry always makes me so sad. *sniff*

Rose: “This, boys, is your grandfather’s famous grilled cheese sandwich. We’re having it for dinner tonight to honor him. It took him two hundred sandwiches to finally perfect it like this, and now we can benefit from his amazing recipe.”

Spike: “It looks really good, Grandma!”

Fen: “Can we eat? Fen is starving.”

Spike: “So, is this what they call ‘dinner and a show’?”

Lara: “Just ignore me. I’m practicing a time-honored tradition of random hula. I’m interested in discovering what makes it so addictive.”

Is this for your thesis?

Lara: “No. This is merely for pure curiosity.”

Rose is taking Lewis’s death kind of hard. I’ll refrain from making an insensitive joke about crying over not having more grilled cheese.

Saffron: “Remind me why I’m doing this, Miss Author? And where this random ballet barre came from. I wanna know that, too.”

Because you, missy, packed on some pounds somewhere, and I want you looking lean and fit for your birthday today. Mush!

Saffron: “Mush? Huh? And that still doesn’t answer where the ballet barre came from!”

Don’t worry about it. Just keep on going.

Bay: “Ugh. Remind me why I had to get up at five in the morning to do my homework, Author? Couldn’t it have waited until seven?”

BECAUSE I don’t like having to explain myself to my sims! Sheesh, both you AND Saffron tonight!

Bay: *sniff*

Yeah, okay, okay. You didn’t do your homework yesterday, that’s why. Besides, you and Saffron suffered an unfortunate glitch that trailed your grades down, and I almost lost you. Doing homework is more of an emergency for you than most other children. Mush!

Bay: “Mush?”

Rose: “…and then the big bad wolf said, ‘Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down!’ But he couldn’t get the third piggy’s brick home to blow down! And so, he dressed as Santa Claus and went down through the chimney…”

Rose: “Hey, Author?”

Yes, Rose? What’s up?

Rose: “Oh… it’s nothing much, just really inconsequential. It’s just, you know how hard a time I had choosing between Lara and Rhea, bless her soul, as heir?”

Yeah, I remember. You really wanted to run a dual heirship, which we practically ending up doing.

Rose: “Author, you’re going to have me pick the generation nine heir tonight, aren’t you?”

Well, I was hoping you would. I mean, with Rhea gone, reigning heirship technically falls on you. That makes you the one to pick the next generation.

Rose: “But… I don’t want to. I have five beautiful grandchildren, all of whom would be such good leaders of the family for this last generation. How am I going to possibly choose between them?”

Don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll work itself out.

Arie: “Why are you bothering to ring the doorbell, Kevin? Just walk right in, they won’t mind.”

Kevin: “Are you sure?”

Arie: “Darling, I’ve been doing this for about eight generations now. If they cared, they would’ve said something by now.”

Sun: “So tonight’s the twins’ birthday, right? That means you’re going to, like, pick an heir for the generation tonight, right?”

Rose: *sigh* “Right.”

Sun: “That is so rad, man! Everybody’s survived! I was a little worried the loathe was gonna, you know, pick off the kids now that the parents were gone, but we haven’t seen NOTHING of ‘em the whole time, man!”

Rose: “What!?”

Sun: “Which means I can go back to the Nest and confront them without worrying about leaving you, Lara, and the kids guardian-less. They are not going to get away with hurting my great-great-granddaughter, I swear it.”

Alright, let’s get this party underway before the family ghosts murder the guests.

Sun: “Finally, I’m going to get my revenge on those—”

Spike: “Wow, Grandpa! You have really big teeth!” *oblivious*

Come on guys, move! I can’t see!

Hey! Why is it Bay’s turn already? I haven’t even gotten to see Saffron properly!

Er, say goodbye to the last child of the legacy, everyone!

PffffHAHAHAHAHA!!

Arie: “WOO YEAH! Go Bay! Rock that bowl cut! WOO!”

Bay: “Did you just say ‘bowl cut’?”

Saffron… *snicker* Please take your brother with you and go down to *chuckle* the clothes store.

Saffron: “Oh, but why? He looks great in that…”

Alright, here we are. Saffron and Bay, everyone, properly dressed and hair gelled.

Bay: “I don’t know, I didn’t think the bowl cut was that bad.”

Saffron: “Shut it, Bay. You’re just fishing for a reaction now.”

Bay: “And I caught you, hook, line, and sinker.”

Saffron: “Oh, be quiet.”

Rose: “Alright, kids, stop arguing and gather up your brothers and sister. Let’s get this heirship meeting over with already.”

Bay: “I wasn’t aware we had an airship, Grandma.”

Rose: “They’re very funny, Bay, but please put the puns away for the night. I just want to pick an heir and go to bed.”

Saffron: “Heirship meeting!? AWESOME!! Hey, everybody! HEIRSHIP MEETING!!”

Arie: “Such a crowd. I remember when this meeting was just restricted to the potential heirs and their parents.”

Clary: “You remember when dinosaurs walked the earth, Aunt Arie.”

Arie: “IMPERTINENCE! Why, I oughta…”

Rose: *ahem* “Well, everyone. Last time I did this, it was just me, Lewis, Rhea, and Lara. We’ve lost Rhea and my beloved slice of mozzarella Lewis, but here we are again. There’s… a lot more of you now.”

Alexandra: “Are you kidding? This is the last heirship meeting of the legacy, and it’s for our little honorary packmates! We wouldn’t miss it!”

Jessica: “Alex. We’re here to observe, not to participate.”

Matthew: “I think we should be allowed to formally induct the new heir into our pack, if you know what I mean.”

Sun, Lara: *sour face*

Rose: “Clary. Spike. Fen. Saffron. Bay. The last time I chose an heir, she was killed. My daughter. It tore a hole in my heart to lose her. …I don’t want to send one of you to the Luau too early. I feel like I’m condemning my choice to the Grim Reaper.”

Fen: “Fen thinks that we’ll be okay, Grandma. You don’t have to worry. Besides, there has to be an heir, or this whole legacy of Grandma Snow’s was for nothing.”

Clary: “Yeah. Hurry this up. I’ve got some serious studying to do.”

Rose: “Saffron.”

Saffron: “Yes, Grandma?”

Rose: “I would like you to be your mother’s heir, if that’s okay with you.”

Saffron: “Really? Heiress? Me!?”

Saffron: “Oh, yeah! Who’s the heir? I’M THE HEIR! Who’s the heir? I’M THE HEIR!!”

The way I figure, Saffron is strong enough to get through the last stretch of the challenge, and besides, she’s got the best combination of her parents’ features. Which, if you’ve noticed, has been an issue this generation. I wish she were blonde, but what can you do.

Saffron: “WOOO!!”

Clary: “Yeah, okay. Come on, Spike. We’re going to college. I have studying to do, and you have underwear to unpack.”

Spike: “Clar-y…”

Sun: “There’s… no one here…?”

And that’s a wrap! Tune in next time for the last week of the generation nine children growing up! See ya!