Chapter 4 - Vermachntis LegacyBy fraulineTaube (originally posted on the Exchange)

The population explosion - generation 4 manages to fit 9 sims in one house! Cheesecake is evil!

'Hoppy' Easter everyone! I hope you had a good time hunting for eggs or going to church or doing nothing, whatever it is you did! Me, I worked a full eight hours, but I did have a nice dinner with my family and was properly instructed in the care and feeding of *all* of my 7 year old sister's stuffed rabbit toys. Anyway, I have also found time to play the Vermachtnis family a bit, which has grown nearly exponentially since our last visit. Let's see what's going on.

First, a bit of housekeeping - this chapter is horribly long, so please make sure to wait for it to load, so that you can not only enjoy my stilted dialogue, but also my sloppy pictures!

We'll start with a tour of the new house that I promised last chapter. After spending a bit of time in Halcyon River Hills, the Vermachtnis clan has built up a house worthy of a legacy family entering the fourth generation.

Here is the first floor. Its kind of hard to tell, but the front sunroom is enclosed, while the back patio is not. The big green expanse is the living room/foyer and on the right is a game room. In the middle-back is the nursery. To the left of the nursery is the 'green' bathroom and the 'blue' bathroom is above the game room. In the back of the house is the kitchen and dining room. There's also an ample front porch, a garage and a fountain. Landscaping is minimal because our gardener is a waste of oxygen.

Upstairs is a wrap-around balcony with access from the elder and master bedrooms, and a telescope at each end. There's a white and blue bathroom. The middle large room is the skilling room for reward objects. The bedroom in the front is the elder bedroom, the one in the top right corner is the master bedroom, and the other three are children's bedrooms.

Here is the lot, showing off the cowplant, the second car, the pool with a very crappy mosaic tile that was more effort than it was worth, the sunning/party area and the chapel. In the very bottom right hand corner you can see the graveyard for non-Vermachtnis tombstones.

I am rather proud of the chapel so bear with me here. On one side is a small wedding chapel, as seen during the wedding of Gabi and Jessie.

On the other side is the mausoleum, with benches for weary Knowledge Sims waiting for a visitation and the resurrection phone, just in case. This picture was obviously taken at a further point in the story than we're at right now, so just pretend you didn't see Asher's urn yet. Anyway, that's the Vermachtnis house. I am quite pleased with it and hope it remains un-buggy for a while because I find building tedious. Let's move on and catch up with the family.

Christy, original matriarch of the family, had passed on when we last looked in on the Vermachtnis family, but mourning had to be pushed aside with the birth of the newest arrivals. Joy and Jay, twin girls, heralded in generation four. Darcy and Leo were nearing the end of their middle age, while Gabi and Jessie were heading into the prime of their life. Asher, founder of the family, spent his last few hours getting to know his great-grandchildren.

Only a day later, Asher followed his beloved wife into the afterlife. Permanently platinum, he of course left a platinum urn. His death was also a little better attended than Christy's. Even his favorite daughter, firstborn Daisy was there to say goodbye.

In fact, it was his dying wish to talk to her, and, seeing her one last time, he was able to fade away smiling. Asher was 79 years old and left inheritance to eight sims, including Gordon and Gabi, his grandchildren, and Clay, Daisy, and Darcy, his children.

Okay, enough of the solemn stuff. Its time for Darcy to turn elder. Let's see what we've got here.

"I just want to note, for posterity, that the cake is overkill."

Duly noted, Darcy.

Shazam! Horrible clothes, too much makeup, yes this transition has gone exactly according to plan. Every birthday in this household is followed by a rush to the dresser and mirror.

Leo defies convention and decides to snub the cake in the kitchen in favor of growing up in the garage. He did this because he and Darcy had run away to the garage for some privacy, I guess, because they were making out right before they broke away for Leo to do the sparkle dance.

And Leo is a very cute elder! He has such a friendly affect about him. But the clothes are too Mr. Rodgers, and the fauxhawk is too ironic.

Much better, hee hee. Here's Leo, super dad and now super grandfather, with Jay. He retired from his job as captain hero in order to more fully devote himself to the care of the Vermachtnis young.

Asher was put to rest in the mausoleum next to his wife, and I count two on my tally of unique platinum graves.

Here's Darcy all cleaned up. Darcy is excelling in her second career as an athlete, after becoming platinum as the Chief of Staff of the hospital. Now that I installed OFB, her fortune-lovin' self is also itching to start a business. But what business would properly capture the essence of the Vermachtnis family?

Aww, this couple is still very much in love and do a pretty good job of running the house. Although I had doubts about them at first, they've really stepped up to the plate. Darcy runs a tight ship financially, with the Vermachtnis household climbing ever closer to $300,000 in net worth, and Leo is a domestic god, keeping the children well cared for and everyone's social bars green.

Darcy finally reaches her second lifetime want and starts to read business journals, wondering what sort of entrepeneur she ought to be.

"What the heck? My twins are still babies and I'm already pregnant again? I'm a pleasure sim! I could care less about babies and you already have enough kids for an heir and a spare! Arrrggghh, Angel was right, you're insane!"

Can't hear you, la la la . . .

Luckily, Joy and Jay are slated to grow up soon after. Darcy and Leo get ready for some baby tossing.

Here is Joy, with neat 2, outgoing 5, active 6, playful 7, and nice 6. Sensitive, messy, and playful - sounds like a handful!

And Jay grows up ready for a piano recital. Jay is neat 1, outgoing 5, active 10!!!, playful 7, and nice 6. Similar to her older sister, but can make bigger messes for longer amounts of time with all that slovenly activity!

"Hey sweetie, I was thinking about the shop I want to open. I thought I could play on our naturally vain streak, what with all the primping around here, maybe I can tell other Sims a thing or two about looking nice.""That's great mom, but why am I sitting in this chair again?""Well, I though maybe having some cosmetology skills might be nice before I open shop. You don't mind if I experiment on you a little, do you?""Well, are you sure you're ready for this?""Oh, we'll start with small changes. Don't worry, I've read all the how-to books.""Okay, I guess small changes can't hurt . . ."

"Gosh mom, you're wielding those scissors awfully fast. Are you sure you know what you're doing?""Trust me, I've got it all under control!"

"Heh, um, oops.""What do you mean, 'oops'?""Um, well, you have very flattering facial structure. People will definitely be able to concentrate on that more now.""Moooommmmm!""Let me try again, I'll get it right, I swear!"

"Hmm, well, you look very Titania-from-Veronaville, dear. I'm sure its a great trend, or, um, it will be . . .""Oh that's it, no more makeovers!""Don't worry, dear, somehow from messing you up over and over I've earned my talent badge now. Thanks!"

"Ahhhhhhh . . . giving birth . . . ahhhhhhhh!""Oh my goodness! How exciting! Hey, I'm the only one here. Some Legacy controllers will let you marry into the family for that. What do you say?""No . . . .agggghhhhh . . . you stupid gardener. You look like Kennedy Cox's fair cousin and you suck at your job, we have to replace flower beds . . . ahhhhhhhhghghghg . . . all the time. Now go get my husband!"

Welcome little Jordon Vermachtnis, another blue-eyed, black-haired babe, this time with skin tone 3.

Jay and Joy would like to share some parenting tips with those of you out there who need some help with your toddlers.

"Ahem, yes. Parenting tip #1, brought to you by me, Jay. It is perfectly acceptable to allow your toddler to eat mush with their fingers in pajamas that end in mittens. Mittens are also good for splashing in the bathroom, playing in pee puddles, and sucking on fingers. As we all know, mittens are naturally antibacterial and antifungal, as well as being stain-resistant. So go ahead! Let your wee ones explore the various gunks and goos of your house with their hands safely enclosed!"

"Parenting tip #2 is hosted by me, Joy. Locked doors and baby gates are for sissies, and don't even get me started on supervision. Let your young'un roam free! Toddlers are naturally well-behaved and avoid dangers such as stairs, toys with small parts, and electrical appliances. So show some trust and spontanaeity - give your little darlings the run of the house and save your cares for more important things, like who stole that darned gnome again and how soon can we ask them to move in and cowplant them?"

"Kay, so, Jessie - I heard that the kiddles would get better grades in college if we did something with these thinking caps.""Sounds great! But what are we supposed to do with them?""Uh, I dunno. I kinda forgot that part. Maybe we can just chat a little longer, play some red hands, see what happens, y'know?""I like how you think, mother-in-law!"

*slaps forehead* Thinking caps seem to make my Sims stupider.

Hee hee, if the twins are going to wear bear pj's, might as well go all the way. Aren't they cute?

And here's one last shot of Jay and Joy, because it will soon be time for them to grow up. So far, Jay's activity makes her seem like a bit of a tomboy, while Joy is a bit of a girly-girl and a good socializer.

"Hey dude-whose-name-we-don't-know, what'd you do with the toddler?""Uh, she's around here somewhere . . . "

Wow, Joy, the resolution is turned up pretty well and your hand still looks completely freaky. Congrats.

"I know, its great, right? These will make great jazz fingers!"

Um, okay, whatever you say.

And Jay also grows up, and I realize almost all of our girl child clothes are fairly frilly. The shirt rocks (I want one in my size!), but the pants don't seem to go real well. Already from the start, Jay is a reserved child.

Oh, and Jordon! Almost forgot about you there, bud. Well, Leo, let's get on with it!

The good genes continue. Jordon is neat 4, outgoing 9, active 6, serious 0, and nice 7. Wow, I was going to go with the firstborn heir tradition and have Jay be it since I liked her activity, but I'm really tempted by Jordon's personality . . . and not just because he's neater. Maybe I'll have to wait to make my decision on the heir thing.

"Ahhh! They've got me surrounded and they're yelling something about A's. Make them go away!"

Leo continues to be a nurturing powerhouse.

Tee hee, Joy, I see you take after your mother.

"We eat too much dessert in this house. Two cakes is too many."

Agreed. Oh well, to the punching bag with you! On the bright side, this is exactly the reason why so many women like peasant shirts - they work pretty well as cake gut camoflage.

This just says so much about this couple. Ay, I hope the next generation is a little more serious. These two are constantly woohooing each other and going on dates, so not a lot gets done, but they're almost always platinum. If I leave them alone for a few minutes, I always find them together in some corner, usually serenading each other or kissing up the other's arm.

Yay! Gabi is head chef or whatever is at the top of culinary track and is now perma-platinum. Hooray, Gabi, you are completely useless now - moreso than before, I mean!

Awww . . .

"Hey, you weren't supposed to see this. I've got a reputation as a romance sim to keep, y'know. Especially since I'm faithfully married and adore my wife. Actually . . ."

What is it, Jessie?

"I'm not very good at this romance thing. Maybe someone made a mistake. But don't tell anyone, okay? I can't let my loving secret get out."

Cross my heart.

Jordon is a little cutie pie! Everyone just loves him. You can tell a toddler is special if he can get Darcy to pay attention to him.

"Okay, so, Maid?""I have a name, y'know.""I'm sure you do, and a lovely one at that. But my frail old mind is going so I'll just call you Maid for now.""Sigh, alright. What is it?""You're nice looking and mostly polite, what would you think of marrying into the family someday?""Oh, gosh, Darcy. I think I'd like that. Why, I already feel so comfortable with you guys.""Hmm, yes, I can tell . . ."

"Hi mom, hope you don't mind that I stop by randomly all the time to play your piano and eat your food.""No, that's okay Gordon, you're welcome here. Just like old times, right, son?""Yeah. And you're even still wearing underwear around the house all the time. Really, do you have no shame?""Hmm, not really. But what does this have to do with tennis?""Beats me."

"Argh! Controller, what is wrong with you? I am a PLEASURE sim. I never even wanted one baby. I just want to take baths and play chess and go on dates. @#*(# your ^$#@$^-ing #%^*&^$$!"

Hee hee. That's not even the half of it. After this she went and scarfed about half a cheesecake. Oh, but wait, I thought, we already have seven sims in this house. Oh well, it won't work then. No problem there, right?

"Daddy, dance with me!""Um, okay . . ."

"Wheeee . . . granddad, you're a good dancer!""Hee, this is fun. But I have the strange suspicion we're supposed to be doing something else."

Argh. All Joy does is dance with people, smustle to the karaoke machine, turn on the radio, you get the idea.

"Hello, folks. I'm Gordon Vermachtnis, here with another fine episode of 'When Butt-Picking Goes Wrong'."

Yeah, when your fingers come out the other side, its time to reexamine your technique.

"Well, take a good look at our little Jordon, for it is time for him to become a man. Or, a child really. A dashing young man-child."

Hurray, birthday pictures are so boring.

Have you ever taken a picture without really paying attention, and then, later, you realize that there's something not quite right about the picture?

"Are you *trying* to embarass our family?"

No, you're plenty capable of that. I just record.

Presenting Christy, the most evil ghost ever. Also, her hairstyle looks like she has tentacles or antennae or something. Fear the Christy!

"Agh! Great-grandmother Christy, I never knew you and I still hate you."

Joy is a favorite target of Christy's.

"Are we not the cutest things on two legs?"

Jay and Jordan get along great. I really like these two. They're quiet, well-behaved, and skill exceedingly fast. They're also best friends. Will competition for the heirship tear this young friendship apart?

"Gosh, grocery lady, you're cute and you have recessive genes. What say we get to know each other when I grow up?""Aren't you still 7 days away from even being a teen? I think you're getting ahead of yourself there little buddy.""You'll change your mind. They always do."

Yay! 30 bottles of elixir in the attic, 30 bottles of elixir.You take one down, pass it around, 29 bottles of elixir in the attic!

Aww, family shot of the three little kids having pancakes with their granddad. Pregnant Gabi is ravenous and will eat both of the other two plates of pancakes. What a rough pregnancy she's having this time around! Couldn't possibly be a sign of things to come, right?

"I know I live all the way over at the University, but I could still tell you were spying on me! Don't ever do it again!""Wha? Who do you think you are, coming in here, pushing me around? Let me tell you something lady, I'm pregnant but I can still . . . hey, waitaminute. Weren't you one of my husband's girlfriends?""Sob! He never calls any of us anymore. What kind of romance Sim is he? I'm, I'm sorry, I guess that's why I'm so testy. Its just so lonely . . ."

He's my hero, too, Jay. I downloaded Don - maybe you can meet him someday.

"That is my fondest dream! Already I am showing tendencies of being an avid reader, an accelerated skiller - surely I am destined to be a knowledge Sim and experience all that life has to offer, including meeting zombies!"

We'll have to see, but, yeah, Jay would make a perfect knowledge sim.

"Um, grandpa. What are you doing in here?""What are *you* doing in here, missy?!!""Well, this is my bedroom, and I was sleeping, and now I'm going to go to school. But really, what are you doing in here?""Oh, just writing in my diary. Don't tell anyone I hide it in here, but, well, I've always found pink to be such a soothing color. It gets my creative juices going.""Grandpa, you're weird."

Why can't kids sing karaoke with other people? *pout*

Jay and Jordan are always together!

This moment so perfectly summed up Jessie and Gabi's marriage that I had to take a picture, so that future generations will know when the craziness *really* entered the gene pool.

"Yay! I had my baby. But there's something odd about him. Who's paging my baby?"

"This is the stork calling. We're not quite done with the delivery."

WHAT?

Amazing! Folks, the lesson is that cheesecake is always 100%, even if that will result in 9 sims in your house. I'm going to go cry in a corner now, excuse me.

"Ha ha ha, little does Jay know, I WILL be the heir, despite my unfortunate birth-order! BWA HA HA HA!"

"Wow, you are a horrible nanny. You lit another accidental fire?"

"Ha, it wasn't accidental this time, Gabi! Burn you stupid Vermachntis house, burn!!!!"

Finally Darcy opens shop, transforming the little lot that I believe was called the Corner shop into the swanky mirror boutique and salon known as The Vermachtnis Vanity. Darcy quickly earned her gold in sales, silver in register, silver in restocking, and she still had a bronze in cosmetology. With the help of some well-trained staff, the business quickly shot up to level 7 in a few sessions. We haven't actually gotten back into the black yet, though. Darcy is enjoying the success but realizes her days as owner are numbered, so she is trying to teach Gabi the secrets of successful business-ownership.

We sell lots and lots of mirrors, but are still waiting to make money. Someday . . . we can dream, right?

"Ahhhhh!""What is it, ma'am?""Oh, sorry Darcy. You frightened me. What is it you are doing?""I'm dazzling you, Taube! Ready to buy many, many mirrors yet?"

"Or howabout we get you a makeover?""Hallelujah, consider me dazzled. However, I don't want a makeover."

What? Darn you, sim-Taube. For some reason, no one ever wants to purchase a makeover. We have a chair, we have stylists. Its just that no one will even browse it.

"Well how about a free one, then? I wouldn't pass that up, if you know what I mean.""I most certainly do not. Just what are you implying?!"

Hee, that's quite a face I'm making there.

"There, done!""Oh, wow, I look exactly the same!""I know, miraculous, right? So, you want to buy one of these miracle makeovers now?""Nope!"

"Argh, stupid dance sphere. I'm too old for this."

Gah, worst nanny ever. This wouldn't be a problem if you were taking care of the twins instead of playing on all my toys.

"Eh, yeah. Hall of famer. I'm perma-platinum. There goes any chance of me having affairs again, huh?"Pretty much."Oh well. I'm, uh, devastated. Guess I'll just have to resort to adoring my kids and loving my wife, you know, to fill the void, not because I really like doing that better."Right, Jessie, you're not fooling anyone.

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Hurry up you two so I can ship you off to college! Nine Sims in one house, five of whom can't care for themselves, is just too many!

First is Joy, the girly-girl who just loves dancing. What did she roll? Knowledge.

Huh? I would never have picked that for her if it was up to me. Well, knowledge it is, Joy.

"Like learning how to dance? Studying the ancient art of the smustle? Investigating the social phenomenon know only as Dance Together?"

Whatever floats your boat.

And Jay grows up seconds later. Well?

"Mmm, don't I look delicious, why, I bet all the boys of Halcyon River Hills will agree with me. No matter that I have tons of skills and a mind like a steel trap. Its love and adoration for me from here on out!"

What? Jay's romance. I think my die accidently switched the twin's aspirations. Neither of these make sense. Oh well.

"Yay! Birthdays!""Wow, grandma, you are incredibly annoying.""Can you hear my horn? Should I get closer? I'm not touching you, nyah."

Okay, Jay's looking a little more like a romance Sim there. Her LTW is to woohoo 20 Sims, which, in my opinion, is one of the less heinous ones. The really tough ones are the ones that require you to *maintain* relationships, not just build them.

And Joy's lifetime want is to be Chief of Staff like her grandfather, Asher. She's still a bit of girly-girl though, and just can't stay away from the pink.

Asher! You finally made an appearance. Hey, do you think you could do something about that wife of yours? She's out of control!

"Heh, like she ever listened to me . . ."

Geez, Gabi, what's wrong? I promise you don't have to have any more kids!

"Its not that. Its just . . . I just . . . boo hoo hooo . . ."

What? What happened?

"Christy! boo hoo hoo . . . She scared me and told me I was bad for *only* having twins. What's that supposed to mean?"

Jay took a little trip downtown to maybe meet a nice boy or two before she headed out to college, but she made the fatal mistake of going to the bathroom. Almost immediately, townies and her great-uncle Dallas poured into the bathroom, blocking her escape from the stall.

"Um, guys, its been a couple hours. My plumbbob's turning yellow. Can I come out yet?"

"Sorry! Way too busy standing in front of the door, here!"

At this point I was starting to freak out. Jay was in there so long, she was literally dying. We're talking all needs near failure, almost starving!

Finally the idiot convention relocates and Jay emerges, running straight for the taxi to go home.

"That . . . was traumatic."

You're telling me!

"Hello? Acadamie Le Tour? I have a dancing scholarship and one for cooking, but no others. No, actually I'm a knowledge Sim. What? Yes, I'm serious. Anyway, I wish to get formal education in the field of graceful movement. What do you mean you don't have a dancing major? Oh well, just send a taxi, I'll figure it out on the way there."

Jay gets in one date while still a teen. A date with Travis Sorren, the young pleasure Sim that Jay's mother also dated. Travis is turning out to be HRH's Meadow.

"Hello? Acadamie Le Tour? Yeah, I've fullfilled my requirements as a romance teen and kissed some guy. What? No, not really. I'd rather be studying actually, which is why I'm calling you. Yeah, its all just oxytocin anyway - love is a cascade of chemical reactions, precipated by hormones . . . what? Yeah, I know. Look lady, I didn't pick my aspiration, so don't tell me it doesn't fit! Just send the taxi already, would you?"

And Jay and Joy enter college, where I have had an epiphany. This dormie is wearing the male equivalent of the ugly maternity clothes. Really, aren't the colors perfect? This is the same style dorm that Daisy went to so many years ago at Sim State, but, of course, it is not actually the same dorm.

Wow! Joy has matured rather nicely. The girly-girl has turned into a woman, determined to mine all of simanity's recorded knowledge for the secrets of dance! And somehow become Chief of Staff in the process . . . hmm, yes.

And here's Jay, who must now forsake her studious nature and lure 20 different sims into her bed.

"Wheeee! I may have to write term papers now, but I can still dance when you're not looking!"

"In case you can't tell, I am sashaying towards victim, er, I mean, lover #2, now that lover #1 has been vanquished. Sigh, what would Don say if he could see me now?"

Meanwhile, Gabi takes Jordon out on the town for some quality time and to meet some of the local NPC ladies.

"Oh mom, I'll have the best grades, the easiest skilling, the most gorgeous children, just pleeeeease let me be the heir!"

Hmm, we found one. Madeline, a shopgirl, is delighted by Jordon's patter. A few more days, and then you can get to know her in earnest, Jordon.

"Really? So I can be heir?"

We'll have to see about the LTW, but you're certainly besting your sisters so far.

"Um, Madeline, hey, Madeline, can you ring up my clothes now? Are you even listening to me? Madeline?"

"Where is that kid? I've been sitting in the car for 45 minutes, and lord knows once I sit down to go to another lot, I can't get back up again!"

Good question, Gabi. Where is Jordon?

"Hee hee, I'm hiding in the photobooth, everyone. Don't tell! I'm not coming out until Taube says I can be heir."

And so he stayed there, unable to take a picture, unable to leave, just sitting.

"Hey little dude, come out. I want to tell you a joke. Really, really badly. That's why I've been standing here for an hour. C'mon, its a really funny one. Hey, guy. Hey, little guy? Are you even alive in there?"

Just barely! Argh, once again, one of the kids is stuck and is dying. However, unlike with Jay, it wasn't because of obstruction but because Jordon somehow became bugged. I had to exit the lot without saving, which I hate doing at community lots. Stupid Jordon!

By the way, remember the little twins? They're almost ready to grow into toddlers. This here is twin #1, a boy named Julian with - again - blue eyes and black hair, and skin tone 3.

His twin sister is named June and is the same, except for darker skin.

Well, this isn't a terribly good place for a story break, but there's a lot of pictures here, so let's leave off for now. When we return:~Jordon becomes a teen and his chance at heirship can finally be evaluated.~The little twins, Julian and June, grow into toddlers.~The older twins, Jay and Joy, will brave college and their contradictory natures.~And of course the Vermachtnis legacy will inch ever closer to generation 10, all the while reproducing like they are being told what to do by a crazy woman Ha! What an idea, right?

And, perhaps we will even have a vote on the heirship when more is known about the contenders, so be sure to check back!