Welcome back to Head over Heels! As you may have noticed, the legacy’s presentation has undergone some changes. I moved it to a blog! The reason for this is simply that I was getting tired of the TS3s website’s create a story. Honestly, it was impossible to have any semblance of organization in the pictures, and finding things was a nightmare. So, Head over Heels has now moved on to bigger, better things! *cheer* You’ll also notice some slight changes in the way the pictures are presented: I’ve decided that it’s difficult to tell the story smoothly just by the conversational style I’ve been using, so I’m moving a little away from that. Basically, I’m going to let this Legacy lead me wherever it wants to go, using the styles that seem natural to me while I’m writing. Hope that’s cool with you all. n_n

Also, this turned out to be another long chapter – but I’m going away on a two-week vacation without internet next monday, and while I’ll probably play some sims then, I won’t be able to upload any new chapters, so I wanted to be up to date. Get a snack or something before you start reading. I’ll wait.

This chapter begins with an activity that is getting to be commonplace in the Legacy household: cheering. But who is being celebrated?

Why, it’s Stiles, of course! Our very own legacy spouse is turning into an elder. Excited, Stiles?

“Yes, actually!”

How fantastic.

Stiles aged up while the children were at school, so the two adults had to cheer for the four of them: but the birthday boy’s celebration-face made up for the lack of childish participants. You look a little worried, buddy.

“What if Abigail doesn’t like me any more when I’m old?”

Oh, I’m sure she will.

For Stiles, the sparkles weren’t fun and tingly like the others had described; instead, they made his back hurt something awful.

“You okay, babe?”

“Ow- yes.”

Upon aging up, Stiles immediately felt tired and a little dejected.

“Maybe getting old isn’t so fun anyway.”

Abigail was still cheering like mad though.

Immediately after he blew out his candles, Stiles had to go to work – even though he rolled up a want to retire right away. Sorry, Stiles, you can’t retire yet! You’re still the main breadwinner in this family, and you’re only three steps from reaching the top of your career.

“Fine – then can I kiss Abigail instead?”

After work, sweetie.

I think he makes a cute elder! And he and Abigail are as in love as ever before (or, well, as in love as they’ve been since they got busy with kids), so no worries there.

The kids have somehow gotten bicycles – I don’t know where they got them, and they don’t show up in their inventories, but they ride around on them all the time. I guess they magically manifest when sims turn to children. Which begs the question: why would one bother to buy their simchild a bicycle if they already have one?

“Blackboards are so opressive! They should be RAINBOWboards! Just another example of school trying to kill us kids’ creativity.”

“Mhm, sure, sis. *concentrating on math problem*”

I thought this was so cute – how the kids will sit down and do homework together and chat while they’re doing it. They’re actually really good kids: when they get home from school, they autonomously do homework, and they’ll even autonomously wake up extra early to get it done if they didn’t the night before.

“Hey, my mom totally PAINTS a lot. *giggle*”

“*giggle*”

Branwyn: “What’s that, Tom? I can’t hear you over my brother’s prattling.”

The kids socialize – Branwyn talks a lot on the phone with friends from school, and Benjamin has made best friends with the girl he met online (whose name was Mercedes, by the way. Not Melanie, or whatever I called her last chapter) and they apparently share a strange sense of humor: this speech bubble was a result of Benjamin’s “Tell secret” action. Apparently, it was juicy, because they both dissolved in giggles.

Once Stiles got home, I changed his clothing: Argyle and grey pants may not be the hippest of hip, but I say elders should be elders.

“Retirement would be so wonderful…”

I know, love, but you don’t want your family to sink into poverty, do you?

“I guess not…”

“Oh, sweetie, you’re sure you won’t get tired of living with an elder? There’s no way I can keep up with you any more.”
“Of course not, dear! I could never get tired of you. Now come here-”

“Oh, no, I’m too tired.”

Stiles rejected her attempt to Make Out twice. Having kids has taken its toll on their relationship – Stiles actually has a higher relationship with some of his coworkers than with Abigail now, and all of Abigail’s friends have turned into aquaintances because she’s so busy painting and tending the house. :/ At least Stiles gets out a little in his job.

But their family dynamic hasn’t changed the least bit. Stiles doesn’t start work till three, so after the kids go to school they’ll be standing in the kitchen, Abigail painting and Stiles playing his guitar.

“Trying abstract painting, dear?”

“Yes! It’s really fun to do. What’s that tune you’re playing?”

“Just something I’m working on.”

“It’s really beautiful!”

“Argh! Benjamin took the plate before I could clean it!”

With two autonomous cleaners in the house, this is a pretty common scene. Stiles gets amusingly upset when he heads over to pick up a plate to clean and Ben beats him to it.

“I’m the neat sim in this household!”

One day after school, Branwyn decided to ride her Mysteriously Appearing Bike ™ around town a little – she had a Wish to start a rock collection.

“Gemstones are really beautiful. I’d like to do rock installation art.”

Her search brought her away from the central Sunset Valley she was so used to, into streets she had never seen before.

“*pant* Man, this hill is steep!”

“Cool, purple gems!”

Soon, it became dark, and though she didn’t notice, Branwyn was getting tired.

After scrambling to pick up a space rock, Branwyn looked up and realized that she had gotten to the beach. She also realized something else.

“I don’t know how to get home from here…”

Luckily, the lights were on in a nearby house, and Branwyn decided to ring the doorbell and ask for help. Hoping that the residents wouldn’t be mad at her for calling at this late hour, Branwyn stood outside the door nervously.

Out came a little old woman who was very sad to hear of Branwyn’s situation. She introduced herself as Rosie Parker “But just call me Rosie, dear.” and helped Branwyn call her parents. She offered to let Branwyn sleep over till morning, but Abigail was so worried about her daughter, she said she had to come home right away. The woman had almost looked disappointed when Branwyn said this, and the little girl promised herself she’d go back to visit the woman another day to thank her for helping her.

The day after Branwyn’s misadventure, it was time for another round of Stiles celebration-face. Sadly, age seems to have calmed his ridiculous expressions a little. Now he looks more sad.

“My little boy is growing up!”

I love that sims apparently always carry party trumpets and noisemakers that they can break out at a moment’s notice. Always prepared for spontaneous celebration!

“Woooo!”

How’s it feel to be turning into a teenager, Ben?

“Awesome!”

Almost as awesome as Ben’s subsequent glowy ninja jump.

“Party trumpets are SRS BSNS.”

Ben grew up! Into an extremely ugly teenager. He certainly got all the negative sides of his father’s line. He even looks a little uncertain himself.

“You would be too, if you suddenly got a new appearance and you were immediately told you look ugly!”

As his fourth trait, Ben got Genius. It was a wish of both his mother and father, and who am I to deny that? This means that his teen-to-YA transition has to result in the hopeless romantic trait.

After a quick trip to the dresser and mirror, Ben at least looks marginally less atrocious – but it’s going to take me a while to warm up to his face. At least he has the ability to look marvelously pompous, like in this picture.

“Your witty commentary is not appreciated, voice.”

Yeah, yeah.

“Aw man, I’m never going to get all my homework done now that Ben is all grown up. He was the clever one!”

He can still help you out, you know, Branwyn.

“Yeah, but I can’t copy off him any more!”

I’m sure you’ll survive.

After discovering that his best friend Mercedes had also made the transition from child to adult, Benjamin decided to invite her over. I think she’s really cute, and I love her chubbiness (if not her fashion sense).

“Being a teen is so weird, right? I mean, we’re in high school!”

“*fascinated* Yeah…”

Mesmerized by Mercedes’ new looks (it’s an Easily Impressed thing), Benjamin decided to ignore his own insecurities and ask whether his best friend was single. Thankfully, she said yes!

From there on, the mood quickly changed (a fact of which Abigail, painting happily in the background, was completely oblivious).

“You know, I always thought you were really pretty… but now you’re prettier than ever.”

“Oh, Ben!”

“Mercedes… will you be my girlfriend?”

“Of course!”

Meanwhile, Branwyn has gone to her easel in the garden just to escape the “icky lovey-dovey-ness” – it might be coming, but the girl’s not a Hopeless Romantic yet.

The next day is a quiet Saturday for the Legacy family. Benjamin begins it by reading The Point of Pointilism on Branwyn’s bed, but for once he can’t concentrate on the words – he’s replaying the last night with Mercedes in his head.

“I want to move in with her.”

You’re both teenagers!

“Well, when we’re older. Promise me it, or I’ll go on strike!”

Fine, fine. Even though she has crappy, negative traits. (grumpy, slob and couch potato)

Meanwhile, Branwyn was starting the day by painting in the garden. I’m still hoping to get her able to make portraits before Abigail hits elder – otherwise, I have to make a new one for Stiles. I want the couple to have matching portraits.

“Hmm. More blue here, I think.”

Abigail decided to make a pancake breakfast since, for once, everyone was going to have time to eat it. Everyone was pleased when she called them in – they were all getting sick of cereal and leftover breakfasts.

Once they had finished, Stiles had to get up and go to work – as an Orchestra Lead, he had more days off than the others (well, not more than the unemployed Abigail), but he had to go to work on odd days.

Though he still wants to retire, Stiles doesn’t look too unhappy going to work – maybe it’s because the top of the Classical Music chain is getting closer and closer (only two promotions to go.)

Meanwhile, Ben sat down to work on some logic problems on the computer (he’s still the only one who uses it.)

“Interesting. Maybe if I do this…“

Branwyn wanted to fulfil a long-time wish: attending a painting class. That would also give a jump to her skilling for the portrait.

“I already know it’s going to be awesome!”

But Ben couldn’t concentrate on logic for long.

“Hi Mercedes! Want to come over?”

What’s the line from that song? “We sure are cute for two ugly people.”

After finishing her painting class, Branwyn went off rock collecting again, and once more ended up on the beach.

“Hey – I’m close to where that old woman lives.”

Sadly, Rosie wasn’t home. Branwyn hung around outside her house for a while playing chess, but she never showed. Apparently, she had enough of a social life not to be cooped up in her house all the time. After a while, Branwyn went home.

“Daddy’s so cool!”

Stiles got promoted! Now he’s at level 9 of the classical music career – exciting!

But it’s not his promotion Stiles is celebrating here-

This Sunday is Branwyn’s birthday! What’s your birthday wish, Bran?

“Not telling!”

Like Ben, she did a ninja jump-

And turned into a Clumsy and- quite fashionably challenged teenager. Bubble vest, long skirt and flip-flops? Off to the closet, young lady!

“Gladly.”

Ah, much better! Branwyn actually turned out quite pretty – my main complaint is that her face is a little square and large. But I’m thinking some of that can be remedied by exercise. Still, it’s an unconventional prettiness that’s quite interesting. Neither of the second-gen Legacy kids are real lookers, though – but that’s ‘kay.

So, now that both kids are teens it’s time to start voting on heirs! Will it be the eldest, Benjamin, who is an Easily Impressed, Clumsy, Cowardly Genius, currently experiencing first love with Mercedes Lanier and aspiring to great heights both in school and his independent intellectual life?

Or will it be the youngest, Branwyn, an Artistic and Good Vegetarian who’s also a little Clumsy, and who isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life just yet, but who is certain she wants to be a positive influence, both in the art world and the lives of other sims?

The kid who wins will have Hopeless Romantic as their fifth trait (so help me, I’ll make sure they have a good teenhood so I can pick it), and just in case it influences anything, I have plans for both if they end up as Spare, but no specific for Branwyn as Heir yet (her Spare option is pretty nice, though – but I like her enough to think she’d make a nice Heir too. Aah, conflict!). The poll will be up until I return from vacation, two weeks from monday. Please vote, and comment in my boolprop thread! I love reading what people think of the legacy – and I don’t mind constructive criticism, either, so if you have some suggeston for how this could be better, please do share them with me! n_n