Chapter 9 – College Daze Part 2

Welcome back to Chapter 9 of A Piratical Legacy. Introductions and whatnot were made in the previous part, so I'm just going to dive right in with this half. "What do you mean I'm trying to copy your trademarked persona? I'm just saying that I wouldn't mind seeing what a backfired Re-Nu-Yu Orb feels like and I have a strange fascination with being undead!" "Just -- it could get confusing if we were walking down the street at

the same time, you know?" "Lalalala I can't hear you!!!" Other-Alan, I really don't think Don is trying to fight so you could play nice, you know. ==== Don the Zombie is courtesy of Candi, writer of the Uglacy and Prettacy, among other things.

"Don's the man, goddess. I think you should turn me into a grilled cheese vampire. Would that be different enough to please you?" Not really. You can just go on being Other-Alan, okay? "Fine. Hmph." Just.... go get married to Celeste already, okay?

Celeste married her undead-obsessed society boy and settled into a life of domestic poetry and bliss. "My life is complete, My sweet. Now we are joined, Our souls are entwined Forever." Awwwww...

On to producing a baby for me to coo over!

Umm.... babies? You have impeccable timing, Alan. "I'm not the one who used boolprooooooooop! Aaaaaaahh! Some help would be nice!" No. Muahahahaha!

"Boy, it's too bad that you got pregnant from our wedding-night woohoo and I got abducted by aliens and probed-up on the same night. I think we should take our revenge on the goddess, Celeste. I do." "Sweet sweet woohoo Caused this whole situation. Do you think that you Can avoid more pollination?" "I'll try, dear.... I'll try."

First Celeste had her revenge.

Meet William (light skintone) and Blake (dark skintone), twin boys.

Then it was Other-Alan's turn to give birth.

He also had revenge. Celeste is holding star-baby Sadism, and Other-Alan is holding Irony. "Revenge can't get better than this. Our lives are destined to be sweet sweet bliss." You think your revenge is sweet, Celeste? Just wait until the toddler years. "You're the one who clicks The mouse. Even free will Can't make us stick To childcare and you know it!"

Anyway... moving on. Mary was suffering a bit from empty nest syndrome. She compensated by bonding with the family cat, Roux-kitty. -I think I preferred being ignored, you know?-

Shannon and Elisabeth were frequent visitors, as were the children (occasionally). I think it's so cute that Alan and Shannon are still best friends even as elders. Aren't they a-dork-able? "Did you know that the goddess is installing Seasons soon? Just think, Shannon, we'll be able to go fishing!" "As soon as we can spend all day fishing, I'm retiring. It's time for the next generation to take over law enforcement on the island. But we've done good, Alan. We've done good." "That we have, Shannon, that we have."

And another Simself joins the neighborhood. Aerdrene writes the Godd Legacy and is a part of my and my husband's D&D group. She's also an avid Simmer. I suggest toodling along and reading her Legacy! "Listen, Aerdrene, I think you should really talk to the goddess. My family needs a bigger house! There's no room for a pool for the grandchildren to play Marco Polo in, no room for trees to shed leaves all over, no room to build snowmen.... it's actually quite disappointing. I'll even forego the cc if she'll move us into a bigger lot!" "I'll see what I can do."

Mary! Don't you have anything better to do than shock your son? "Eddie asked me to! It's part of the experiment process. Electrical shock helps the nanocrispycremes bond with his DNA." I think you mean nanogenes. "We're Sims. It's nanocrispycremes." Oy...

"Listen Jack, I've gotten rid of that last Mona Lisa knockoff but you're going to 'ave to find someone else to move yer contraband goods, savvy? I wants to enjoy me retirement! And me grandbabies! When are you and Meadow giving me grandbabies, aye?" "Mother, I want to thank you for being so helpful to me while I'm basically cut off from this market. I appreciate all you have done for me, and that is why I am not angry you are leaving me high and dry in my current market venture. Besides, I have decided to invest more fully in the exploding pillowcase market. As for grandbabies, my dear peppermint patty will not woohoo with me until we have been wed, and she will not get married until after we graduate so I am afraid you still have a few semesters until you get grandbabies." "What? What kind of mafia moll is she? Just hurry yerselves up! I can offer advice if ye need it, savvy?" "I... think we can figure that one out, mother, but your offer is appreciated."

"Alan, we 'ave been blessed with some beautiful children, aye? Too bad they're all insane. Is it too late to have another?"

"We appreciate how you have been helping us with our studies, Professor. As a token of our appreciation, you may join our harem."

"Jack, please put a shirt on. The sun glistening off of your pulsating pectorals is distracting." "Sorry, Tosha."

"Like, your game of kickybag totally reminds me of this time when Marla--" "STOP BRINGING MARLA INTO EVERY CONVERSATION!" "What-ever..."

"Pao, we will have many lovers during our reign. Would you like to be one of them?" "I might be able to be convinced, Queen Ivy." "Oh Professor Marla! You kiss so dreamy..." "Thanks for the compliment, Anne, but my name isn't Marla... it's Blazej."

"I want to jump on the couch." Not now, Toni. "Well then, I want a date! I'm a Pleasure sim, frammit!" "Toni, we couldn't help but overhear you asking the goddess if she will allow you to date. We might have a solution. We wish to go downtown to look for more future concubines for our royal harem and wondered if you would like to go too." "Eh, why not. There's nothing interesting going on around here, certainly."

And so the ladies headed on over to P.U.R.E. in search of potential dates and mates. Ivy immediately noticed the tall, pale-skinned stranger dressed all in black hiding in the corner and approached him. She could practically smell a true noble title coming her way.

"My name ist Count Stuart Hanby, und I haff a large estate in ze mountains to the vest of the city. Vhy do you ask?" "We are Queen Ivy, and we are looking for a Prince Consort, Count Stuart. Would you be interested in entering into a marriage contract with us?" Gee, Ivy, you sure know how to take the romance out of a situation, don't you.

Toni, meanwhile, headed up to the roof of the club in search of a quieter atmosphere and possibly a more interesting guy. She wasn't about to go scoping the one her psychopathic cousin was interested in and the other ones downstairs were pretty darned ugly. And that was when she spotted him. His toga, always an important wardrobe item to a Greek girl, was immaculate. His hair was wild and shaggy. It was love at first sight. "My name is Antoinette Toyonaga and I'm going to marry you one day." "Hmm, you're pretty cute even if you are a bit strange and lack a nose, but my Roman nose will make up for your lack in our future children. I'm Publius Numantius, by the way." ----- Publius Numantius is a spare from Blite27's Ten Caesars legacy. He and a few other downloaded legacy 'celebrities' have been turned into townies in my game.

Meanwhile, downstairs... "No, we don't agree with your claim that your bloodline is purer than ours. We are true royalty by virtue of our line having conquered many ... islands ... and being handed the throne by the populace." "Beingk the chief off some little island in the middle of the ocean is hardly the same thingk as beingk the original noble and immortal, little Queen." "At least you acknowledge our sovereignty. Besides, we have noticed that monarchies are somewhat falling by the wayside over here in Europe." "You do haff a point."

And we have mutual attraction! Toni, I think you might actually be getting a few dates in the near future! "We can do this without your help, goddess." Geez, even the spares' kids are talking back to me now...

"Oh, like hi, Marla! Yes, I love you too! I miss you too! It's been sooooo long since we saw each other. Like twenty whole minutes! Yes, I feel like woohoo too! Okay, I'll be right over!" "Goddess, sometimes I think that my plan backfired." Oh? How so? "I don't think I've actually talked to Marla in three months." Heh.

"Have you seen Aunt Celeste's alien babies yet, Eddie?" "Not yet, but I'm pretty excited to meet them, Toni. I want to get a sample of their DNA to see if it can be of use in my human-tiger hybridization formula."

"Anne, we think you would be a fine addition to our royal court. Would you like the position of Minister of Public Morale? We think it would be fitting, since you're the co-captain of the cheerleading squad and Meadow already turned us down." "I would be, like, honoured, Ivy!" "We hoped you would feel that way."

"Eddie, we are very impressed with your and Toni's gaming skills. We notice Meadow is also impressed. Thus we feel it is time to offer you a position of honour in our Royal Court. Which position would you like? We have already offered Anne the position of Public Morale Minister, Aunt Celeste is still considering our offer of Court Bard, Tosha has agreed to be the Royal Physician, and our brother Jack is going to be the Lord High Executioner." "Can you let me think about that a little more, Ivy? Or maybe the right position will just come to you later on." "Very well, Eddie. We will inform you when we have found a suitable position - or you will let us know when you have figured out which position you would like."

"We merely want to ascertain that this is not Passionfruit Supreme." *hic* "I mixed this drink, Ivy. It's just rum punch." "Ah. Now we understand why grandfather and mother were and are so obsessed with this mixture. Toni, would you like to be the Royal Drinks Steward?" "Can't I be Mistress of the Games instead, Ivy? That sounds like way more fun." "Very well. Mistress of the Games it shall be. We shall send for you when we are ready to hold court, cousin."

Ivy, why are you practicing yoga in the middle of the living room? "A queen must always be in top physical form or her subjects will not accord her the amount of respect she deserves. We are simply making sure we do not lose our girlish figure."

Somehow I don't think that's one of the moves... "We are in pain and we cannot move." *sigh* I'll fetch Eddie and Jack...

"Hey Tosha, want to go somewhere private and make beautiful mooosic together?" "Eat dung, alfalfa-breath." "Oooh... I like it when you talk dirty to me. MoooOOOOOOOooooo!" "I think I'm going to be sick."

A Toga party! ... consisting entirely of Ivy's minions, it seems. I'm pretty sure the blond one is named Ravi and the Gage-faced one is named Jerry, but I could be wrong. Ivy certainly never bothers to remember their names so why should I? Speaking of Ivy, where is she...

"Stalker-serf, you look very fetching in that toga you're wearing. We were wondering if you would like to audition for a place in our harem."

"What does auditioning consist of, Highness?" "Well, first we go into the Royal bedroom and then we sit on our bed and then we woohoo! If you are any good at it you are automatically made a member of the Royal Harem." "Woohoo! Count me in!"

"Jack, you know the hundreds of volts of electricity coursing though your body right now totally reminds me of the first time Marla and I, like, kissed and stuff. You know what I mean?" "Anne, th-th-this is not the t-t-time t-t-to be talking about Marla! Unplug the framming trash compactor!" "Oops, sorry Jack! There, I've done it. You must think I'm like this total dunce and stuff. But I'm not as bad as I used to be. Marla is, like, totally rubbing off on me, you know? I think I'm getting smarter."

"Insignificant peon, we would like to offer you an audition-free membership in our harem. We are impressed."

"So, Marla, I was lying awake all night totally thinking about our wedding and how totally sweet it's going to be but then I was, like, wondering... which of us has to wear the tuxedo and which of us gets to wear the wedding dress? This has been, like, preying on my mind all day!" "Anne, dear, we can both wear whatever we feel like wearing. This is a very free day and age, hence the fact that we can get legally married in the first place. So you can wear a dress OR a tux, whichever you like. And I'll do the same." "Wow, Marla, that's totally a load off my mind. Hey, did I tell you that Ivy offered me the job of Royal Head Cheerleader? I mean, she called it the 'Ministry of Public Morale' and stuff, but we both know what she meant." "Congratulations, honey. She offered me a position too! I'm going to be the Royal Astronomer in this court of hers." "That's totally awesome! Although I would have thought she would have given that position to Other-Alan... you know, because of the probing..."

"You can rest assured, Tosha, these are the non-explosive pillows. I moved the last of the explosive ones yesterday as a few law enforcement officials were getting a bit too close for comfort. And that reminds me. You and Eddie will be graduating soon, and moving back to the island. Can I count on you to occasionally help my organization move a few items through the island underground market without my father finding out? He is a good man, and I do not wish to disappoint him."

"Nah, Jack got rid of the explodey ones yesterday so these are safe, Eddie. I think he got tired of having to replace windows whenever somebody accidentally sat down on the couch." "What's he dealing in now, Meadow?" "No idea, although he's working on a new business venture. I believe he's discussing the details with Tosha this afternoon. He seemed to think he could use her help."

"Gee, Jack and Tosha sure spend a lot of time together. I wonder..." "I wonder if anyone ever says that about us? We spend a lot of time together too." "Well yeah, but you're just Meadow. It's not like you're a real girl or anything." "Gee... thanks."

"I sure hope you were wearing clothes when you were hanging out with Meadow earlier!" *hic* "I've been upstairs trying out new recipes for juice." "...I gathered."

"Okay, Eddie, I'm glad that you've decided to wear clothes again, but that framming bear is waaaay freakier than walking into a room a nd finding out you've decided that it's Naked Day." "And just what do you find so freaky about a possessed bear, love? Don't ye know it comes part and parcel with marryin' inta me family?" "Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" "Eddie, son, ye need t' 'ave a word with that brother o' yers. 'Is wench be pretty skittish, aye?"

"Publius, I'm so glad that the goddess is finally letting me date. If I had to date anyone, I'm glad it was you!"

Awww... and Toni, the always denied Pleasure sim, finally scores her first kiss with Publius Numantius. They're in love, everybody! So cute! Plus, i want to see if I can breed a better nose into that branch of the family tree.

Love is in the air, it seems. At the start of their senior year, Jack finally got down on one knee in front of Meadow. "Puddingpuff, I have no words to express the love that I am feeling towards you right at this moment and I know I will still love you when we are old and grey. Will you marry me?"

"Oh Jack! It's about dingdangity time!" "You two are so romantic, just like Marla and I were when we got engaged!" Anne, you could give the two lovebirds just a little privacy. "Fine..."

"So, how's it feel to know you're going to move out in a couple of hours, Eddie?" "It feels really great, Tosha. And I'm excited to finally start putting all our research into practice. My lab equipment should arrive a few weeks after I get to the island. In the meantime, I can find us a house and get it furnished. A few more months and we'll be married... a few months after that, and we'll be tigers!" "It's great being so close to realising our dream."

"Hey Tosha, come see the gaseous experiment I just performed in the kitchen!" Ewww...

"Yeah, so Jack proposed last night and everything. I'm so excited! I'm thinking he and I will get married a few months or so after you and Tosha." "Wow, that's really great, Meadow! Hey, do you want me to see if there's any good property near the place I'm buying for me and Tosha?" "Gee, Eddie, that'd be really awesome of you." "Oh, it's no bother or anything. I'm already looking for Anne and Marla. The lot of us can be neighbors!"

"Eddie! You waited until I got home before leaving!" "Couldn't leave wihtout giving you a goodbye kiss, Tosha." Aww... Seriously, I'm such a sap. I love playing through romantic relationships, and Eddie and Tosha really do have a good one. While most of my pictures show them goofing off with the wrong partner, they actually are always chasing each other around with hugs and flirts and kisses.

"Bye Eddie! We'll be there for your wedding!" "I'll be back in a few more days, Eddie... I'm just about done!" "I'll see you all soon!"

Eddie found a fantastic little two-bedroom house next door to his Aunt Celeste and Other-Alan. No, I did not build it. Ninety-nine percent of the houses I use (including the current legacy manor) are created by wolfsim at www.insimenator.net.

Thanks to the wonders of motherlode that I give to nearly every spare, he furnished the place pretty nicely, but he didn't really lounge around enjoying it. Most of his time was spent on the phone with Tosha and his siblings (and Meadow).

His parents and Roux-kitty stopped by occasionally, so Eddie put out a scratching post, food dish, and litter box so Roux would be comfortable during her visits. "If you ever buy Tosha pearls, son, just have me take a look at them before you give them to her. We've had a lot of bad luck with counterfeit pearl operations here on the island, and while I'm semi-retired from crime fighting I still have a good eye for such things. Or you can ask your uncle Shannon if you don't feel like asking me." "Gee, thanks dad."

"Eddie me boy, you're looking thin. Don't ye eat enough? Ye need a good woman to cook for ye, son." "Yes, mother, make yourself right at home. Use my kitchen. Thanks." "Arr! An 'ome cooked meal is just what ye need ta be 'avin', Eddie. You need to stop by the 'ouse more often, aye?"

"Now that I'm living so close again I promise I'll visit lots, mom." "Both before and after the wedding, Eddie! When does Tosha get back?" "She's due in any day now, mom." "Oh good! The sooner you get married the sooner you can start making me grandbabies! Savvy?" "...only if you don't mind furry ones, mom." "Oh, you and your silly jokes, love."

Eddie, I see you're nobly carring on the family tradition of piracy from the bathtub. "Haven't you ever played pirates in between genetic manipulation experiments, goddess?" Well, now that you mention it... I have.

Aww.... and Eddie's dreaming every night of when he and Tosha can finally get married. Fortunately, he doesn't have long to wait!

"So, Meadow tells me that you are leaving us tomorrow, Tosha?" "That's right, Jack! You guys are all coming back to the island for a visit when I leave though, right? I wouldn't want you to miss the wedding!" "We shall be attending with honour, sister. You are about to become a permanent member of this family, and thus we would not miss it for the world. Also, Eddie has asked me to be his best man, and I cannot disappoint him. However, he has asked me to leave my man-

purse at home, and I am a little annoyed by this fact." "It won't kill you, Eddie. By the way, these pillowcases weigh a ton! What have you been stuffing into them?" "Bricks." "Bricks?!?" "Yes, bricks. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Anne, Toni, I must warn you that some of the pillowcases in the Greek house contain bricks and various other objects capable of causing bodily harm. I would suggest that you refrain from pillow-fighting at this juncture." "Geez, Jack, you could have warned us a little sooner... I just nailed Anne in the stomach with mine!"

"Publius, I've missed you! It's been months!" "I had some things to take care of for Ben*, but I'm back now." "Oh goodie! Cause I've got a few pretty interesting wants rolling up right now!" ===== * See credits in the last slide.

"See?" "Woohoo!" Indeed.

"Publius, I love you and want car woohoo with you every day for the rest of our lives. What do you say? Will you marry me and consign yourself to a lifetime of bubble blowing, car woohoo, hot tub woohoo, couch jumping, juice swilling, bottle juggling, and smustle dancing?" "Is the couch an expensive one?" "As expensive as you'd like, darling! It'll even have a hidden rum compartment!" "Then sure!"

Aww... another pair takes the plunge towards lifelong commitment. *sniffle* My legacy kids are all growing up!

Dear Diary, I can't wait until I'm reunited with Eddie. Although he did say that he bought a bear so his grandfather would feel free to visit us, and that kind of creeps me out. Speaking of creepy, I'm pretty sure that Jack is staring at me again. Am I right? Love, Tosha"

"Bleh!" Ah... Count Stuart! What brings you to the legacy Greek house? "Bleh! My bride avaits me here." Ohh... that's right. You and Ivy had been discussing marriage contracts, hadn't you.

"Ooh... Count Stuart! We've missed you, darling!" "I haff missed you too, my little bright, rosy, red, flowing, juicy love." "Such strange compliments you play, Stuart. We suppose we shall have to get used to it."

"Anyway, now that the formalities are complete, we can finally ask you to marry us!" "Vell, I haff already signed the pre-nuptial agreement so I guess there is no harm in accepting!"

You two are sooo romantic, you know that? "A marriage between heads of state or nobility is never entered into lightly, goddess." "Vhat she said."

Finally, Tosha's farewell date arrived. Most of the household was present to see her off, though Meadow and Toni were at class. "We'll see you in a few days, Tosha!"

And yes, everyone turned up for the wedding, and it was a rousing success.

Eddie and Tosha were happily wed with no hitches or problems, just love and happiness.

And it wasn't long before they settled into a routine. Eddie had a job as a research scientist while Tosha got a job at the local hospital as a doctor.

In their spare time, they used the lab equipment they'd ordered to conduct more experiments.

Eddie, especially, spent most of his free time tailoring the exact nanovirus he would need to ensure his and Tosha's transformation to tiger was genetic and would pass on to their future children.

Finally, the day came. He was pretty sure he'd been successful.

"Are you sure we ought to drink this stuff, Eddie?" "if this doesn't transform us, Tosh, nothing will." "Okay. Bottoms up!"

"Eeeew! Geez, Eddie, that stuff was framming awful! I'm never drinking that again!" "Don't worry, Tosh, you won't have to. Can't you feel it working!" "Well, I can feel something. Either I'm transforming or I'm dying. How long should this stuff take before the transformation is complete?"

"We should wake up as tigers, love. Any regrets? Any last words of non-furriness?" "Just that I'm glad you've finally realized your life's goal." And in the morning...

"Eddie! It worked!"

"Boy did it ever!" Well, hopefully the change kicked in soon enough, you two. I'm positive I heard a lullaby when you woohooed last night!

Back at the Greek house, Ivy had thrown yet another toga party. Along with Pao the mailman, she invited Ravi (from the secret society), and Angel Wang, a random dormie she'd befriended back in her own dorm days. "Angel, you have proven to be a very loyal subject. How would you like to join our Greek house and serve as Royal Placeholder until our children come to university?" "I would be honoured, Highness!" "Wonderful. our first command is that you do the dishes." "Yes'm."

One task accomplished, Ivy immediately moved on to the next. "Pao, darling, how would you like to be our chief concubine?"

"So what, exactly, does this audition consist of, Queen Ivy?" After the audition was finished, Ivy dismissed Pao. "We will let you know when we are ready for you to move into the royal apartments, Pao."

"Loyal subject Goopy, our suggested you would be interested in joining our harem."

"So after the audition do I get to woohoo you again whenever I want?" "No, you must wait for us to summon you." "Ehh... fair enough, I guess."

"I feel so honoured.... that Queen Ivy would choose little old ME to be Royal Placeholder!" Yes, you keep telling yourself that as you pick up after the tail end of this generation of legacy kids and the beginning of the next.

Count Stuart stopped by for a surprise visit. Fortunately, Ivy had finished 'auditioning' for the evening so he didn't find out about the harem and call off the engagement.

"Hey Meadow, what say we find a private place all to ourselves and make some beautiful moooooosic together?" "Tracy, you're so hot when you do that."

"I am mortally wounded."

"Geez, Jack, can't you take a joke?" Fortunately, Meadow's mishap didn't ruin their engagement completely, as Jack was actually furious with the Evil Mascot for cheating, not Meadow. That glitch amuses me.

And finally it was time for Toni to move out and back to her parents' house and marry her Publius. "Mom and dad have a bubble-blower!"

Angel moved in and got made over. Awfully pretty for a dormie, I must say.

What? No man-purse? "Do not mock my man-purse, goddess. You might not like the consequences of such disrespect." It was just an honest question, Jack. Usually when you're getting your groove on you've got your man-purse with you. "My man-purse had a hair appointment, if you must know. Not that I see how this is any business of yours, goddess."

And then the trio of kids the same age grew up. First Anne... (And I played Marla thru and moved new placeholders into the dorm so she wouldn't have to wait for her wife-to-be for very long.)

... then Jack... (Into almost as bad an outfit as before, I might add. You can't see it very well in this picture, but those pants have bowling shoes attached. And you can see how badly they clash with his puffy vest.)

... and finally meadow. "The sim gods are laughing at me, goddess. I can hear them now. Will I ever get away from this trampy reputation I've somehow earned?" Not if you keep growing up into clothes like that, Meadow. "Yeah... that's what I thought."

So it was just Ivy and Angel left in the Greek house. In some ways, Angel took her duties as Royal Placeholder seriously. In others... not so much. You know, you do have a responsibility to NOT burn the house down, Angel. "Wh-what?" Fortunately, she rescued her TV dinner just in time.

This is the second contact that Ivy made when she was downtown with Toni scoping out future spouses. Cale Kosmokos was the mullet-wearing DJ at the club and Ivy was very surprised when he showed up at the Greek house with normal hair. "Oh, the mullet is just a wig, highness." "We can't decide if we like the mullet or these blond locks best, Cale. Either way, we would like to offer you an appointment to our royal harem once we take up residence at our palace on the Island of our birth."

*sigh* ... is anyone else getting tired of these pictures yet? Ivy's harem is sitting somewhere around 10-12 members and she's 'auditioned' all of them.

But Ivy isn't the only one experiencing some romance!

Yes, Angel is wooing this random dormie. Somewhat successfully, I might add. Meanwhile, Cale is a big sweetie who likes to drop off flowers after all his auditions. Apparently.

... and apparently he's getting into the Royal Tribute business, too! I'm sure Ivy will be properly thankful for the addition to the Royal Greek House treasury.

"We have been adding to the treasury on our own too, goddess. As we are the rightful monarch of the entire cosmos, we have no qualms about appropriating random items from the campus library." Yes, but it was getting pretty annoying. I included this picture because this happens to be the best item Ivy stole from the campus, but she also grabbed two crappy couches, three desks, and about eight of those spindle-shaped end tables. Oh, and a bbq. The fluorescent green one.

"And this is just an example of the look of abject adoration we expect from our subjects." Nice smustle face. "We are not smustling. We are demonstrating."

"Mmm... Royal Placeholder, we are pleased with your performance thus far. We would like to extend to you a temporary position in our harem, since your duties as Placeholder would interfere with a more permanent situation."

"Highness, I've been dreaming of this day for a long time. I'm sure my girlfriend won't mind. I mean, exceptions to the whole cheating rule include woohooing royalty, right?" "Let's just get on with the audition, okay?" "Yes'm."

"Mother, father, you will be pleased to note that we will be home soon. We only need to throw a celebratory bash in honour of our graduation and then we'll be home and can begin planning the Royal Wedding to Count Stuart."

"Gee, Queen Ivy, I've been thinking... how about if I don't stay here as placeholder but instead move back to the island so I can join your harem permanently?" "We don't think that would be a very good idea, Angel. The Count might not understand."

"We find this hat to be extremely silly." Perhaps, but it looks good on you. The colour red suits you. "We would have preferred purple, the colour of royalty." Sorry, Ivy. I have no say in the matter. "That's Queen Ivy to you, goddess."

"Ravi, the Royal Placeholder is in the kitchen right now, which is a good thing because we feel she is given to extreme jealousy. How would you like to audition for a place in our harem when we return to the island?" "Gee, Ivy, I - and my name is actually Andrew - thought I was going to be the last sim on campus who auditioned for your harem." "No, that would be Jerry."

And with a burst of sparklies, a roof-raiser party, and yet another stolen end-table, Ivy graduated! And that's it for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much has I did! And I hope it didn't ake you as long to read it as it took for me to play and write it (especially since I had to regenerate this section of it). I'm never playing eight sims through university again! (Ten if you count Marla and Angel.) Everyone graduated with a 4.0, though, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Anyway, click sideways for my list of credits and a sneak preview of Seasons!

"Ahh... Shannon, this is the life." "You got that right, Alan. It's nice not having to worry about counterfeit pearls anymore." "Although the counterfeit ones do look nice with makeup, Alan." "That they do, Shannon. That they do." === My thanks to all who made the CC that I used in this chapter. Unfortunately, I've since had to delete much of it so Seasons will run without horrible lag.

Publius Numantius is from the Ten Caesars legacy, written by Blite27/Ben. Some of his other spare relatives may show up in future chapters as well. smoothiequeen87 (Marina), writer of the Fitzhugh Legacy, has also donated a few 'celebrity' sims to my townie pool. Nadine and Allegra Fitzhugh will both show up at least briefly in the next chapter. Aerdrene, who made a brief appearance at Alan and Mary's party, writes the Godd Legacy, which I've bookmarked on my SimPage. Go check it out! Til next time... Happy Simming