Strangetown, here we come: Chapter Ten

[strangetomato]

Warnings: language, sexual situations, drug use


Chapter Ten





Pascal was spying on the Beakers. He knew it wasn't ethical, but he didn't care. He had to find out if Nervous Subject was okay. He had a very bad feeling about the day that Nervous had shown up at his house, and he hadn't heard from Nervous since. Not that he really expected to. Pascal knew it was dangerous for Nervous to leave the Beaker mansion, just as it would equally dangerous for Pascal to go over there to see him. It's not like he could pick up the phone and call him, either, so he was left to spying with his telescope.

There had been no sign of Nervous outside the Beaker mansion for weeks and weeks. This worried Pascal greatly.




Also worrying was the fact that he'd been observing some unusual activity on the roof of the Beaker mansion. Loki had been going in and out of the highest tower with increased regularity.




Pascal worried about that, and he was certain that Loki was up to something, and that it wasn't good. Had he locked Nervous up there? He had to find out what was going on, but how could he? Going over there was not an option, at least not for him. It occurred to him, though, that maybe he could find someone else to go in his place.

He decided to do what he always did in a time of crisis. He'd go visit Lola. Her wisdom and level head would surely help him work out a plan.




He dropped by after work, and Lola was thrilled to see him, as always.




They discussed the situation with Nervous and the Beakers over a game of chess, as was their custom during difficult situations.

"Do you really think that they might have harmed him, Paz?"

"I wouldn't put it past them. Loki is just a monster, plain and simple. I had him as a lab partner one year in school, and you should have seen him when we dissected a frog. He had this awful grin on his face the whole time, and then, whenever I spoke, he'd look at me with the very same grin."

"I hear that Circe is even worse."

"Well, don't dare say that around Vidcund, but yes, she's nobody you'd ever want to be around."




"So, you really think that sending someone in is the way to go?"

"Yes, but we'd have to trick them, which is a frightening thought in itself." Especially if they got caught, Pascal worried, but didn't mention. Lola would understand what he meant anyway.

"We could come up with some sort of cover." Lola suggested. "Something that will get them to open their door and let someone in. We'll appeal to their vanity. That's the way to do it."

"Yes, but who can we send?" Pascal pondered. "You and Chloe are out of the question too. He knows you, and he'd suspect what was going on."




"There's Erin and Kristen." Said Lola. "Erin could go there without any suspicion from Loki."

"I really don't know about her, Lola."

"Oh, come on, Paz." Lola smiled. "I wouldn't worry about Erin. If anything, she deserves your pity."




Erin had recently lost yet another job. The latest of several, Lola explained. She had also taken the opportunity to go get a haircut, since she figured she had nothing left to lose.




"The hair looks much better, I think," said Lola.




Erin was doubly disappointed with the loss of this last job, since she'd managed to snag herself a date with an attorney at the law firm while she was a receptionist there. His name was Ajay Loner, a local playboy.




Chloe, of course, said that she could smell Erin's desperation a mile away. She'd been nice enough about it to Erin, sure, but in private, she had said to Lola, "Who's the whore, now?"




"Chloe can be so mean about things like that." Lola said. "I'm actually very happy for Erin." Erin had, in fact, been bemoaning her love life for quite some time, and Lola was pretty tired of it.




"I think that Ajay really likes her too. He seems like a nice guy."




"Not to question your judgement, Lola..." Pascal said. "But I'm failing to see how Erin's love life is relevant to this discussion..."

"It's just to show you that she's not exactly a Loki Beaker, Pascal." Lola grinned. "She's just an odd little woman, from a questionable family. Ajay Loner is a very well-respected attorney, so if he sees some good in her, then she can't be so bad."




"We're supposed to take that as some sort of character reference? We don't even know Ajay..." Pascal frowned. "I really don't think that Erin would agree to do something against Loki. Chloe said that they're really close."

"Well, not that close... Chloe also said that Loki never tells her anything about his research. She's never heard him ever mention Nervous Subject."

"Still. Blood is thicker than water, Lola. She's just not trustworthy for something like this."




"Well, then there's also Kristen." Lola sad. "I think that she'd be perfect for this. She'd be interested in helping that poor thing, for sure. She's very nice."

"Well, then maybe you should ask her what she thinks. It'll be very dangerous though, most likely."




"That's another reason that Kristen would make an excellent person for the job. She's an athlete, Pascal. She won't look overly threatening, not if we dress her up the right way, but she's very strong. She'd be a lot safer than most sims, if something were to go wrong."




"I still feel really apprehensive about sending anyone in there, Lola."

"I do as well, Paz. I think that we're right to be so cautious. The Beakers are very dangerous people. They're probably more dangerous than we even realize."




Pascal agreed. "I know that they're dangerous, Lola. I have no idea what they've been doing to Nervous Subject, but that young man has been to hell and back from what I can tell."

Pascal thought of Nervous, and his dark eyes, which blinked constantly, and were filled with a deep sadness. The way his arms shook as he had reached to pick up Mint, but then, somehow, he had stopped twitching with the baby in his arms. He thought about the smile on his face, which never lasted all that long.




Lola scanned her brother's face. She knew Pascal very well, and it wasn't hard for her to see that this Nervous Subject meant a lot to him. She knew that Pascal had taken this on as a mission, and once her brother set his mind to something, he wouldn't abandon it until he achieved his goal.

"We're going to help him, Paz." She reassured him. "Don't worry. If it's possible to get him out of there, we'll do it."

"Thank you, Lola. So you'll mention the plan to Kristen?"

"I'll speak to her right away. She's out back, doing her training, as we speak. When she comes inside, I'll speak to her." Pascal hugged his sister, and bid her goodbye. When Kristen came inside, flushed with adrenaline, Lola asked her to sit with her for a moment.




"So, you have something important to discuss, Lola?" Kristen asked. "This seems like a pretty formal sort of conversation. Have I been slacking off on my share of the dishes lately?"

"No, Kristen. You've been great around the house. If anything, I'd be talking to Chloe, if that were the problem."

"So, what then?"

"I have a very serious proposition for you." Lola began. "Pascal and I need your help, but it's going to be something to think over carefully before you agree to it." She continued to tell Kristen everything about Nervous Subject, the Beakers, her brother, their suspicions, and their plan.




"So that's what we've come up with, Kristen." Lola said, "What do you think?"

"It sounds okay to me."

"It will be very dangerous, though."

"Well, obviously," Kristen agreed, "but the Beakers don't even know who I am, do they? Surely a complete stranger can go up to door and ring the doorbell without fear for their life." Lola briefly considered whether that statement was true, but she agreed.

"That's what we're hoping. So, you'll give it a try?"




"Yeah, okay, Lola." She said. "Sure. Count me in."




Loki had been spending a lot of time in the highest tower of the Beaker mansion lately, just as Pascal had noted. This had begun following his discovery of the true nature of Nervous Subject's genetics.




Nervous was still confined to the pit, but the Beakers had decided to give him a mattress to sleep on, at least. He took a small comfort in this. He spent the duration of every day just sitting there, trying to remember not to reach up and brush his head. Every time he did that, it really upset him.




Loki had enjoyed cutting off Nervous Subject's hair as a cruelty, of course, but he also really did need it. Those hair samples were very usefully for studying the genetics of his subject.




He had spent countless hours in front of his equipment, running tests. It was really quite puzzling to him, and unlike anything he'd encountered before in his studies.




Then, one day, he figured it out.




"So that's your little secret, is it, Nervous?" Loki laughed to himself.




"So much power at your fingertips, so much potential, and just look at you! What a pathetic waste of flesh. If I possessed what you do, surely I could put it to a much better use."




Then an idea dawned on him, and a smile spread across his face like a grass fire.




"You know..." He thought. "I think I really could."




Ripp had been playing guitar all morning, ever since he'd received an unexpected care package from Buck. He'd been a little confused at first, since the box it had arrived in had been quite large, and the return address said B. Grunt. Of course, it wasn't from Buzz, but Ripp had done a double take. Buzz would have definitely written General before his name, though, and Ripp finally realized this. Did he really think that it would be from him? For a second, inexplicably, he had.

Ripp had missed playing guitar, and there was nothing quite like the feeling of playing your very own guitar. Once he'd finally managed to tear himself away from it, Ripp called Buck right away to thank him.




"You are the greatest person to ever live, Buck."

"So... do you like it?"

"Fucking right, I do! What's not to like?"




"I meant the colour..."




"Yeah, it's sweet, Buck. Really, really cool. I love it. Thank you so much!"

"Make sure you put it to good use, now." Ripp could think of more than one use for it, right away.




"I love you. I fucking love you, Buck. You know that, right?"




"Yes, Ripp. I know it." Buck smiled. Unlike the rest of their family, they reminded each other of this fact nearly every day.

"I love you too, Ripp."

Ripp thought that this much was obvious, since Buck had just bought him a guitar for no apparent reason at all. Buck was his new hero. Once he got off the phone with Buck, he went hunting for someone to share his good news with.




Ophelia's room was the closest to his, so he decided to drop over there first.

He knew that Ophelia spent a lot of time alone with her flowers, and he didn't want to creep up on her and scare her while she was so focussed on her work, so he opened the door very slowly. He was just about to open his mouth, when he was stopped in his tracks.




Tank was already in Ophelia's room.




And he was kissing her.




Ripp maintained his composure enough to silently shuffle back into the hallway, where he stood dumbfounded for a couple of minutes.




"Hey, Ripp! What's up? You look as pale as a ghost..." That would be Johnny. Ripp shook it off as well as he could.

"Johnny! Oh, hi!"

"Are you okay? You're looking really pale, Ripp."




"Hey now... just because I have a milky white complexion, doesn't mean that you can call me pasty, Johnny! You're not so fucking tanned there yourself."




"I didn't mean anything by it, Ripp! Don't be so testy..." Johnny would have been fairly testy too, if he had just seen what Ripp had seen.




"I'm not being anything."

"Okay." Johnny threw his hands up. "Whatever."

"Oh, shit!" Ripp suddenly remembered why he'd left his room in the first place. "You're never going to guess what Buck did..."




"Wow, that's awesome, Ripp."

"isn't it, though?" Ripp grinned. "Buck is the greatest."




Something about Ripp seemed to transform when he picked up that guitar. Johnny noticed it right away. Ripp seemed much more like himself, somehow.

Johnny was a little concerned about the noise level, since they were making plans to move out into a house off-campus. All three of them. Johnny had some serious reservations about living in the same house with Ripp, but Ophelia had insisted on it. The dorms were different. There was more room, and nobody had to cook meals, or clean up the dishes afterwards. Johnny feared, reasonably, that the person who would most often be doing that would be him.




As for Tank, he was just about ready to call the number on that poster that was advertising for a roommate. He was ready to get away from the dorms, and the rest of them, as soon as possible. Johnny and Ripp were stomping on his last nerve, and he felt too embarrassed to be around Ophelia for a while. He'd obviously misread the situation with her.




Ripp had walked in at the exact moment to catch them kissing, so he had taken the situation out of context.




Tank had been greatly enjoying Ophelia's company those last few weeks. They had many long conversations, and she really did seem interested in learning more about him. She had even encouraged him to dance with her on several occasions, despite his awkward dance moves.




He wouldn't exactly be smustling with her any time soon, though. God no. He would never have the nerve to do something so silly, though it always seemed like Ophelia had a great time doing it with other people.




Even just dancing at all was something that Tank would never have done, only weeks before. Ophelia had a way of bringing him out of his shell. He wanted to spend all of his time with her, though he obviously kept one eye watching for Ripp and Johnny. Ophelia seemed to like spending time with him too, when she wasn't busy with her course work and her flower arranging.

Tank often felt like just dropping into her room to see how things were going, but he felt that this would be too forward. What would he even say, just showing up unannounced like that? He was really curious about the flowers, and often imagined Ophelia's delicate hands carefully selecting them, and forming them into something beautiful. Then, after he had asked about the flowers some more, Ophelia had agreed to show them to him.




She seemed reluctant, even embarrassed, but she had shown him all of her creations, and her working area. Tank complimented her work, but she shied away from his praise. She did smile a little though, and he could tell that she really was proud of them. Afterwards, Tank felt moved to thank her for her recent kindness towards to him.

"Thank you for being so nice to me, Ophelia." Tank said. "It's been really nice to hang out with you and talk lately."

"It was nothing, Tank." She smiled. "You don't have to thank me. I like our talks too."




Then something just happened. Tank couldn't explain it. He had just been standing there, with no intentions at all, but then he had felt compelled to kiss her. He didn't even think about it. He didn't stop himself.




It was a nice kiss, Ophelia had thought, and nothing at all like kissing Johnny. Tank wasn't aggressive or insistent about it. The kiss had been like a question. His freshly shaven face felt rough against hers, but everything else about it had been quite soft.




Perhaps that was why she had let him do it. Why she hadn't stopped him.

Ultimately, though, the answer to Tank's question had been no.




"Tank, I..." She frowned. "I hope I haven't given you the wrong impression." His heart fell. He didn't need much experience to know what that meant.

"I like you, I really do, but only as a friend." Tank didn't really know what to say.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry. It's okay." She didn't meet his eyes. "I'm not angry or anything, Tank. Please don't think of me any differently. It's just... I am still dating Johnny, you know." Of course he knew that.




"I know, Ophelia. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He wanted to ask her why, if she was still with Johnny, they didn't seem to spend all that much time together anymore, but he didn't. That was none of his business, and if Ophelia said that they were still together, then they were.

"Really, Tank. It's okay."




She had been really nice about it, but Tank was still really embarrassed. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to see her every day, remembering this painful conversation. And without Ophelia to talk to, what was he supposed to do? Sit alone in his room? His room was also right above Ripp's, and he had heard him torturing that poor guitar all morning. He knew that this, and the other ungodly noises that Ripp sometimes made down there, would likely continue to annoy him well into the foreseeable future. Yes, it was time for Tank to get out of that dorm.

Ripp hadn't wasted any time after the guitar had arrived. After he ate lunch, he made a trip to the student centre to find that poster about the band that was looking for a guitarist. That was going to be him, if he had any say at all in the matter. He called them up, and made his way over there as soon as he could. He was greeted before he even made it to the door.




"Oh, you're going to be just fucking perfect, I can tell!" Jasmine exclaimed. "Come on up to the roof with me."

Once there, they did their introductions.




"I'm Jasmine, but I go by Jaxy." She had a voice that sounded like it had smoked about ten thousand cigarettes in her lifetime.

"Doesn't that mean..." Ripp arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know, and believe me... Plenty of chicks on this campus know it too." Jaxy was the most renowned lesbian on campus, afterall.




That is, she had been, until she fell in love with her fellow bandmate, Zoe. These days, she considered herself a one-woman girl.




"Well, then." Ripp said, smiling. He wondered if he and Jaxy knew any of the same girls.




"Yeah, I decided to go with that because it just sounds better. More like a rock star, you know? Zo's the only one of us who had a decent name as it was. Zoe Zimmerman. That's pretty fucking cool, right? Gunnar Rogue is obviously a stage name too." She laughed. "I don't even know Gunnar's real name. Something dumbass, like Gerald, I think. I really don't even fucking care." She turned her piercing gaze back to Ripp.

"So, what do you go by?"




"Ripp Grunt." Jaxy laughed hysterically, while Ripp just sighed. "You're fucking kidding me, right? No, really..."

"No, that's really my name." Ripp tried to contain his mounting irritation.

"Shit... sorry." She continued to laugh. "That's actually your given name?"

"Oh, it's real. My old man has a sick sense of humour. He's just an asshole like that."




"Well, you should thank him, because it's the best name for a guitarist that I've ever heard, assuming you can actually play. The only way it could be any fucking better is if your name was Riff." She smiled. "Why don't you go ahead and show us what you got..."




Ripp played while Jaxy and Zoe scrutinized his technique. He was, of course, used to having his performance evaluated by women, but never two at the same time, and never his musical abilities.




"So..." He said, after it was all over. "Do you like what you hear, or am I completely out of my fucking league here?"

He really hoped that he hadn't messed it up too badly, since he had been fairly distracted by the way Zoe was twisting her torso and tossing her hips around. Sweet mother, she was hot!




"Well, I'm totally impressed." Jaxy grinned. "You're awesome. It's a bit sloppy, but that's fine. You have the right skills, and the right energy. I'm not really going for anything polished with this operation, anyway."

"It doesn't hurt that you're hotter than hell, either." Added Zoe, giving Ripp an enticing glance. "I wouldn't throw you out of bed..."

"Yeah, that also works in our favour." Jaxy considered. "Not to my tastes, obviously, but if I were into that sort of thing, I'd probably wanna tap your ass, for sure. Or you could tap mine, or whatever the fuck it is that you crazy hets do." Ripp laughed.




"Either's fine by me." Ripp said, truthfully. Jaxy laughed. She could tell that she liked Ripp already.

"Good man." Zoe smiled. Ripp was glad to know that this impressed her. Jaxy continued.

"How attached are you to your look?"

"I wasn't aware that I really had one."

"Sure you do... but would you be willing to experiment?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't give a fuck." He then added. "I won't cut my hair, but other than that..."

"Sure. That's understandable. If I had your hair, I wouldn't cut it either." Jaxy grinned. "My hair is as coarse as fucking chicken wire."




And so, Ripp became the fourth member of the Shifting Paradymes. In the weeks that followed, he wondered how he'd ever managed to survive as a person that wasn't in a rock band. His band members were great fun, and they all seemed to be becoming the best of friends, especially him and Jaxy.




Jaxy was something else. She was the only other person that Ripp had ever met that swore as much as he did, and she was so bitingly abrasive about everything that he barely ever stopped laughing. Ripp loved it. If she had been even remotely interested in men, Ripp would have asked her to marry him instantly. Well, it's easy to say that when it's not even a remote possibility, but he definitely would have slept with her.




Ripp's life had finally reached the exact ideal that he had been dreaming about forever: Sex, drugs, and even a little bit of rock 'n' roll.




Buzz would probably die if he even knew the half of it.




Tank was also branching out and meeting new people, since he had finally decided to move out of the dorms. He had called the number on that poster, and spoke with a man named Frances, who was looking for a roommate to help with the rent.




Tank had agreed to drop by and see the place before he made a decision. The rent was reasonable, though, so it seemed like it would be a good opportunity for him.




Frances was none other than Frances J. Worthington III, the son and heir to the sizeable Worthington fortune. The Worthingtons were the richest family in Sim City, and they practically owned half of the city. Their wealth even rivaled that of the Landgraabs in nearby Bluewater Village.




Frances Worthington was a very refined and cultured fellow. He played the piano very well. He always smelled like a fine, expensive cologne, and every piece of clothing on his body had cost more than the entire wardrobe of most other sims.

He had decided to look for a roommate to help with the rent, since he had been expected to pay his own way through college as a sort of learning experience from his father. That, and he was also expecting to have to get used to it. He was in line to inherit the family fortune, but there were several imposing restrictions on him that he would have to obey before he took ownership of that money. Frances was very doubtful about his ability to adhere to them.

That wasn't the only reason he had put that poster up. The other reason he had sought a roommate was because he was lonely. It was hard to make friends when everyone saw you as the poor little rich boy, and his reputation keep most sims at an arms length.




When Tank arrived at the address, he had to double check to make sure that he'd written it down right. The place was a palace, not a house. It put the Grunt household, back in Strangetown, to shame. Tank wasn't sure what to think of this. The idea of living in such a lavish dwelling was exciting, but it also made him a little uneasy.

What sort of person could have this as their house while attending college? Tank had been raised to value a dollar, and though the Grunts were actually quite well off, you'd never know it from their sparse, utilitarian base house. The General believed that money belonged in the bank, not tied up in useless objects.

Still, Tank would find out about it firsthand. He knocked on the door.




Frances opened the door and gasped. "Hello? Are you Tank Grunt?"

"Yes, that's me." Tank said. "Worthington, right? I was talking to you earlier on the phone..."

"Yes, yes, I remember."

Frances Worthington III didn't really believe in a god, as such, but he was suddenly inclined to go praise his name on a mountaintop. He couldn't possibly have thought of a man that would make a better roommate, not in his very wildest of dreams.

"Well, where are my manners?" Frances sputtered. "Please, come inside, Tank."




Frances proceeded to give Tank a tour of the house. Tank was just blown away. It had seemed expensive from the outside, but inside, it was even more elaborate.

"Here's the kitchen." Frances said. "I hope that you're handier in it than I am."

"Well, I'm passable, I guess. Do you like mac and cheese?" Frances didn't want to admit that he had never eaten it before. At home, he had a personal chef.

"Yes, of course. It's lovely."

The tour continued into the dining and living areas.




Tank felt a little tinge of sadness and embarrassment when he noticed that Frances also had a flower arranging work bench.

"You... arrange flowers too?"

"Yes, it's something to do to pass the time."

"Ophelia — my friend, Ophelia, does that too." Tank glanced at the lovely flowers. "She's really good at it."

"There is certainly an art to it." Frances admitted. "You can't just toss the flowers in there just any which way. It requires a lot of careful thought." Tank thought of careful, thoughtful Ophelia, alone in her room.

"Well, let's continue the tour upstairs, shall we?" Frances said.




Frances Worthington's bedroom was almost as large as the rest of the house combined.




"You do realize that you only have one bedroom, right?" Tank asked. "And one bed?"

"Yes, you do have a point." Mused Frances. "I guess that I somehow managed to overlook that. I can get another bed to put in here, though, if you don't mind sharing a room."

"Listen. Sharing a bedroom with one other person is nothing to me." Tank was well used to that sort of thing in the military.

"Well, perfect." Frances smiled. "I'll have that picked up right away, and I'll make sure that it's a good one too." Tank was a little shocked that Frances intended to just run out and buy him a new bed. This was certainly going to take some getting used to.




Tank couldn't really figure Frances out. He was surely a very different sort than he was used to. He reminded him just a little bit of Buck, but not really. They certainly seemed to have similar interests, anyway, and they put themselves together in a similar manner. At least Frances wasn't a slob, like Ripp.

Tank was beginning to get the impression that Frances really didn't need a roommate for the sake of the rent, as such, since the rent that he had asked Tank to pay would only cover a fraction of what that place had to cost. Frances seemed lonely, and that was definitely something that Tank could understand.




After the tour, they sat and talked for a while. The topics were limited to the basics, at first, like what they were doing in school. Frances was studying Economics, which he freely admitted to being extremely uninterested in. Tank wondered why he would have decided to do it if he didn't want to, but then he thought about his father. It's not that Tank didn't want to do what he was doing, but even if he didn't, would he have the nerve to stand up to Buzz?

Eventually, the conversation became a little more personal. "So, where are you from, Tank? Who's your family?" Frances asked.




"My father is General Buzz Grunt, stationed in Strangetown. I have two younger brothers. My mother, ummm, hasn't been around for a while..." He trailed off. Frances took this to mean that perhaps she was dead. He wasn't sure what to say, so he frowned until Tank continued.

"So, do you have any brothers, Frances?"

"Ummm, no... but I do have three older sisters." He seemed somewhat embarrassed by this fact.

Tank chuckled a little. "I assume your father was holding out for a son."

"Yes, it's hardly a secret. He expects me to inherit the family fortune and carry on the family name." Frances sighed, and stared off into the distance, at the idea of the imposing expectations of his father.

"Well, I know a thing or two about living up to a father's expectations," Tank said, with a smile, "so we have that in common, it seems." Frances smiled. He really did hope so.




"I hope you don't mind living with a neatnik. I'm pretty fussy."

Again, Tank chuckled. "Well, that's a relief." As if he wanted to live with Ripp all over again. "I'm used to a pretty rigid schedule, and I always pick up after myself. It's the military training."

"Ah, yes. The military. Well, things should work out well, then." Frances smiled with the sincerest of grins.




"Yes, Worthington, this looks like the start of a beautiful friendship..."









(Continue to Chapter 11...)

---

A/N: Just so you know, I have a very specific band in mind when I'm writing the Shifting Paradymes (though feel free to insert your own favourite in there, as long as it's a dirty rock band). I imagine that they sound pretty much exactly like Royal Trux, one of the very coolest of cool bands to ever have existed. Jaxy's character is really based off this, anyway, and I imagine that her "singing" is about that rough and awesome.

Here's a small video clip from You Tube to illustrate what I mean. As someone said in the comments on that page, I think they invented something called "being cool". Indeed.

Comments

[hidden-kitten.livejournal.com]

Lots of tags on this entry ;)
It's great still! How do you keep doing it?! And do I sniff an experimental encounter in Tank's direction?
LOL Ripp's got a hard-on for a devout lesbian. Beautiful.
I'm going to miss this when my 'net gets turned off. Good thing I friendededed you a while ago :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, lots of characters equals lots of tags. :) I didn't even add Worthington et al to the total.

You just might sense something there with Tank and Frances, and I think it's pretty obvious what's going on. Tank's not picking up on it quite so easily though. Good ol' Tank.

Ripp has a hard on for everyone. No joke. (Must be painful...) What he sees in Jaxy is more like recognition of an equal. Maybe he will marry her. Stranger things have happened.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Oh!!! I never wanted the update to end! I kept hoping as I scrolled down that more would just appear!!!! *sniff sniff*

OOOOOOOOO!! Ophelia and Tank sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Tank's thoughts on her relationship with Johnny are valid though, since I don't I've seen them in the same scene since they got to college.

It's really cool to see others outside the usual strangetown hood get involved with the story. New characters can make things really interesting.

*twiddles thumbs waiting for the next update*

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm very pleased to hear that, especially since the next one is promising to be a little long. *beatific smile* I'm looking forward to it.

Yes, Johnny and Ophelia have been distancing themselves (oh, hi there, Jayne!), but they are still spending some time together, mostly "off-screen". Like any established couple, you can assume that they are. I believe that I open the very next chapter with a conversation between them, so there you go...

*grin* I really liked the Tank/Ophelia kiss. It gives me a warm tingly feeling inside. There is a certain parallel there too, and I wonder if anyone noticed it. The outcome was slightly different, and that's significant.

Yes, new characters can be a very good thing. I'm not going to be messing around with too many of them, but some of these La Fiesta Tech. characters are pretty well known, and it is linked to Strangetown. I probably won't use anyone from, say, Bluewater Village, though. Not unless I completely run out of ideas.

These two new characters (the main two, Jaxy and Frances, since there are four altogether) help to better balance out a certain ratio among the characters, and they'll provide an interesting compliment to Ripp and Tank's personalities, among other things.

[loki-fenris.livejournal.com]

Now i've started commenting you won't be able to get rid of me!

I loved this chapter, especially Pascal, it was great seeing his close relationship with Lola and his worry for Nervous is heart-wrenching. I think that Pascal and Nervous have become a couple in every incarnation of strangetown i've had and not always by my design, an autonomous hand-holding by one of them, and subsequent instant love, has happened on more than one occasion.

I'm still in awe over the amount of work you put into your characters, i feel like i know Jasmine and Frances already although i'm sure there's more to them than meets the eye.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I won't complain at all about that! I love comments. The more the merrier. :)

I enjoy writing Lola and Pascal. It's a very nice relationship. It's similar to Ripp and Buck, but they have a completely different way of speaking to each other and relating. They're both very cerebral. Pascal and Nervous really should be linked in some way, whether it's friendship or some other type of close bond. It makes sense in the game, and even more sense once you analyze the characters.

Why, thank you. The story really is just about characters and how they relate to each other. Well, I'm trying to work with an actual "plot" too, and that should be actively moving for the next little while too. I can't wait to dress Kristen up and send her to the Beaker mansion. *grin*

I'm glad that Jasmine and Frances made an impression on you.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*grin* I seem to be getting a lot of support for that idea. Why would have guessed? I really think that this outcome is much more likely, at least at this point in the "game"... but it's hardly over, is it? We'll see what happens. I can think of a number (hmmm, is the number two?) of good reasons that Ophelia/Tank might not be a good idea, but you never know. *wink*

Frances is a nice enough guy, or he's trying anyway, these days (after realizing that money really can't buy happiness). Maybe his loneliness and Tank's loneliness will cancel each other out.

[jessicus.livejournal.com]

What a shame that Ophelia didn't feel the same way and something is odd with Frances. Is it just friendship he wants? I speculate.

I loved Tank's last line.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's sad for Tank, but he did get a kiss out of it anyway. That's something. Ophelia really does want to be his friend too, which is nothing to sneeze at either.

Yes, Frances is a little odd, isn't he? Or, he might just be something that is a synonym for odd. He's certainly new to this friend thing, isn't he? Tank has finally met someone more socially clueless than him.

Yeah, it's a good line. Why not borrow from the best? :) I certainly have no qualms about it.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Nice update. All the sims I love (Pascal--and Nervous though only a peek, and FRANCES!!).

GO. Run and get Nervous, Pascal. Then makeout with him. Ooh, sorry. I get a little crazy when confronted with Pascal/Nervous love.

I like what you're doing with Lola. I never much cared for any of the Singles women. They just seemed kind of tacked onto their respective families (well, Kristen doesn't have a family, but you get what I'm saying). Lola's quite the little gossip, too (but would never admit it, I'm sure--I like how Pascal carefully calls her on it). I want to see Erin happy, what with having a crappy brother and bad work luck (waves to Ajay--hey boy!).

I'm officially going on record and saying La Fiesta Tech is the best college. I love the set up band and the Maxis students. There are so many Maxis students you can have generation after generation meet new ones (like the frat boys and sorority chicks--I haven't even touched them yet). And *clears throat* FRANCES!!! I'm a complete Frances junkie. I love him in my hood, I love him in your hood. He's just so. . .

Forgive my dirty mind, but I want a Buck/Frances pairing. Nevermind that I see Buck as completely straight (not so much for Frances) but the two of them all married off and having a cute little family just makes me grin. And wouldn't that chap both the General and Frances's fathers' asses. BURN.

All the dialogue was excellent. I especially like Lola's gossiping and Tank and Frances's chit chat. I really want to see Frances's sisters now (I never thought about his family more than his purse string controlling father--and maybe a second trophy wife).

I also appreciate your patience with relationship development. Ophelia and Johnny's slow movement away from each other. Tank's slow growth away from his father's control. Ripp's headlong plunge into what he thinks he wants. Pascal's worry for Nervous (GO, get him and makeout!!). Nicely done.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, lots of Frances goodness in this one. I love Frances too. He's just so cute. You'll notice certain similarities between my Frances and yours, because, well, c'mon! *grin* It's almost too obvious, isn't it? Actually, his character bio says he doesn't think that he needs friends, but I figure he'd have gotten over that by now.

My Jasmine and Joey are also lesbians, like yours (well, Jax is, and Zoe's more omnivorous), because they autonomously fell in love in the first five seconds of game play, and they have something like three bolts together. I also really wanted a couple of completely gay characters to even out those that I see as completely straight ones (like the General, Ophelia, etc.) In my mind, sims have a sexuality meter in their personality profile too, and I have an idea of where all my characters range from 0 to 10.

*smile* I always think of you when I write anything about Pascal and Nervous. It's not hard to see that what Pascal feels for Nervous is indeed a certain type of love. We'll see how that plan works out in the next chapter.

The more I play the Singles, the more I like them. I recently had the greatest idea for Erin and Lola too, but it doesn't relate to anything that's in the plot yet, at least not explicitly. I think you'll enjoy it. *grin*

La Fiesta Tech. really does rule. Especially the band (!!!). I'm really not interested in the whole Greek house system, since it's not something that we do in Canada. I really don't have clue one about it, so I may choose to ignore that entirely. Or maybe save it for another generation of college kids, if I feel adventurous.

*snicker* Buck/Frances would be cute, especially since they are somewhat mirror characters. You're getting the right impression about Buck though. We haven't exactly covered that topic yet, have we? Good for you for seeing the difference.

Thanks! It's nice to get the thumbs up from someone who writes dialogue as well as you do.

Since writing about Frances' sisters, I have a serious desire to create them in CAS, based on Frances, and have some scene down the road where he goes home to visit. I just might do it.

I'm glad that you like the slow pace. I prefer it, since it makes for a better payoff when things finally do happen. I always did prefer a slow burn to a flash fire (though I like those too). I like your summary of what's going on with the characters. *smile* Ripp's headlong plunge, indeed. It gets worse, trust me.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on the "completely gay" comment. I noticed I rarely have lesbian couples, so I'm trying to expand my horizons (so to speak). Zoey and Jasmine make it easy. I think the Zoey/Jasmine pairing was set up that way (like I believe the Pascal/Nervous one was "programmed" that way, too). At least you got their names right (I flipped them--durh, I'm so bad with names).

I'd love to see a Worthington family reunion. I toyed with the idea of having Daddy Worthington show up in Peculiar, but I really don't want him wandering around (I toyed with Daddy Summerdream showing up, too, but I'm over that now).

I can't wait to see The Plan enacted. Kristen to the rescue! And Ripp's continued debauchery. I like that your band is far more exciting than the one I've hatched in Peculiar (tentatively re-named The Science Fiction Idols).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm all about equal representation on the sexuality front. It's not all about whether it's titillating either (though, honestly, sensuality is sensuality to me... it all works). I really cannot tolerate heterosexism, and the world as I know it is filled with all kinds, so my sim world is too.

*grin* Well, I just called her Joey, didn't I? Keeping all the names straight can be hard. Tank, Buck, and Buzz tend to blend together, and all the Singles girls can be confusing too. I feel like I have it all worked out pretty well now though. Just watch me mess it up at some point, though...

I really think that I may show Worthington's home, sisters, and father at some point. I'd have a lot of fun conceiving of the three sisters, that's for sure. Three women that were not even an option for heir - sounds like something with a lot of potential to me. At least one of them is bound to resent that.

Oh, The Plan. It only fully formed as I was writing it today. Before it was only a vague idea. (Yeah, right now I'm caught up on my game, and am writing and playing at an equal rate. It seems to make things easier for me.) I thought it turned out rather well. We'll see.

I like your band! Especially Percy as a drummer (that seems like a natural fit to me). The Science Fiction Idols is a great name too. I'm looking forward to seeing them perform. I have been ever since you mentioned it.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I try not to play too far ahead, either. I THINK far ahead (and sometimes have to write up a little snippet just to get it out of my brain) but I don't like to have a huge backlog of pics.

I stole the band name from a real band. I might even pilfer a few of the lyrics from a song for the concert. I'm thinking the next update might open with the show. I have to get it out of the way before the students move back to Peculiar.

(oh and if you mess up a name it's kind of fun--I wouldn't have GlaM Curious if not for a name mess up)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

When you have babies to deal with (like all those little Curiouses), playing too far ahead can really throw off the continuity, I find, that's why I'm trying not to. Also, tiny things like changing appearances can get in the way too. I have to send them to the mirror too much for my liking. I think really, really far ahead (and I write some of it too, like you do), but some of my long term plans also shift as I write. I had one particular thing planned, which would have been great for drama, but since writing the characters involved, I really couldn't believe it anymore. I'll mention it later, when I get up to that part.

There's nothing wrong with a little stealing, or "borrowing", as I prefer. Just about everything has already been done anyway, so why not be conscious about it when you can be?

Yes, Glam is a great name. I like it better than Glarn, really.

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

I have to say I love the opening shot of Pascal on the roof looking over at the Beaker house (castle?). If I turned the settings up that high on my computer it would most likely hate me and refuse to play.

What is it with poor Erin never being able to hold down a job. I've never had a sim lose so many jobs as she did with me. Poor things always come home so disappointed when they lose a job.

Heh, heh...Ripp getting testy with Johnny after catching his brother kissing Ophelia. Guilty reaction much, Ripp? That was good. The kiss was really sweet, too. Tank really grows on a person. He's really rather sweet when you get to know him.

Poor Nervous! At least he's got a bed (of sorts) now. Maybe somebody could push Loki off that parapet. It's a long way down and the ground looks none too soft. Kristen rocks. I bet she'd have no problem knocking Loki around although I don't know if I'd want it to come to that.

I've been seeing a lot of Frances lately but I've never done anything with him myself. I may have to change that as it seems like he could be a good sim to play with some good possibilities.
I almost didn't recognize Ajay Loner. I made him a townie and he wanders by my lots all the time. Hopefully he gets some bolts with someone and then he's mine!

A very nice update and I can't wait for the next!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm loving those graphic settings, and my game runs fine when set like that. Very lucky, really. Things off in the distance look especially good. You still get the pixels with the closer lots.

Erin is sort of drifting through life with no direction, I think. She has a tonne of money from her Beaker inheritance, so she wastes all her time like a stereotypical trust fund kid. She probably doesn't put enough effort into a job to keep it (in the game, of course, it's the chance cards, and my inability to ever pass them by).

Yeah, Ripp's reaction there was interesting, wasn't it? There were a lot of things going through his mind, no doubt, but I decided against revealing exactly what they were, at least for now. Of course, he didn't want Johnny to think there was anything going on, just a few feet away from them. And yeah, I liked the kiss too. I'm glad I decided to go for that.

Yeah, Nervous isn't in total agony anymore, but the Beakers are still keeping him on a tight leash. Kristen is up for the challenge, no doubt. She's a very no-nonsense sort of girl. If anyone can do it, it's probably her.

Oh, you should totally play Frances! He's great. Very fun to play too. he really is quite neat, and Tank and Frances almost fight over who gets to do the dishes, etc. It's funny.

*chuckles* Ah, Ajay. I roughed him up pretty well there, didn't I? I actually find Ajay exceedingly boring, so that's my attempt to make him interesting for me. He's got the serious bolt for Erin too.

Thanks! :) It shouldn't be too long coming, really.

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

Erin is sort of drifting through life with no direction, I think. in the game, of course, it's the chance cards, and my inability to ever pass them by
Yeah, that's me. I've got to learn to just ignore some of those things. In fact, my Ripp (who just finished collage) lost his job in show business on the first day. Wonderful.

Tank and Frances almost fight over who gets to do the dishes, etc. It's funny.
I can imagine that. Before when I had Buck I married him to Andrew (a sim I made just for him) and he had a lot of neat points and Buck has ten so, yeah, they were always cleaning up things. It was funny as hell watching them both clean up the kitchen then start flirting with each other. I think it was their own version of foreplay. "I love you, let's clean the house." "Alright!!"

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*snort* Sudsy foreplay!

Buck is so funny, with his 10 neat points. He does an air fist when you tell him to clean the toilet. Such a good boy. *smile*

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, neat sims are so happy about all that.
"I get to clean the toilet with the slime all over it and the green gas rising up from it? SWEET!!"
I only wish I could get that enthusiastic over cleaning the bathroom.

[katsuko]

Oh wow. I honestly have no idea where to start aside from my usual squeals of joy to see an update of this story. It's great to see Ripp finally getting to play guitar ♥ I never got him one in my game, in either of my Strangetowns, but he did get a bass in Strange-Alt and I'm contemplating sending him on a date somewhere that may have instruments lying around it's terrible that I want to build a club for my sims and have a stage for performances, isn't it? in Strangetown proper....

And, oh Frances and Tank. So utterly clueless you are, so sweet. It would utterly kill the General if the two kids he's most worried about turning out gay are straight and the perfect son isn't... oops, probably reading too much there, hahah! I hope to see more on the roommate situation soon.

And Loki. What can I say about Loki? He's not pure evil incarnate, but he is devious and I don't trust him. Kristen, go kick his ass and leave Erin in the dark, or send her to Ajay's so she doesn't really care that her bro is getting his ass kicked!

More please soon?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Ripp's pretty happy with that guitar. It's something that is his, and his alone, and he's good at it. It's good for him.

Tank really is clueless. It's like he can't even conceive of that. Buzz has had a serious influence on him in that regard. I like that you're reading into that, but I'm not going to spoil the surprises.

That's very true about Loki. He's not necessarily completely all bad, but he will do almost anything to achieve his goals, and his pursuit of knowledge.

Kristen's going to give it her all. She always does. :)

[franwi.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love the new characters you've introduced!! I can't wait to read more about Frances and see what sort of trouble Ripp gets into with Zoe and Jaxy! I felt sorry for Tank again, when Ophelia had to turn down his affection. I do wonder how strong her excuse is, because it seems she's hardly hung out with Johnny since they started university. Would Johnny even be jealous if she told him what happened with Tank? It has me pondering if she thinks things are still fine with Johnny or if she sees the growing gap. I have to agree with Pascal instead of Lola regarding Erin. I think Erin is closer to Loki than Lola realizes, but then Chloe's earlier opinions might bias me. I don't think Erin would turn on her brother, I think she'd be more likely to run and tell him all about how the Curious family is out to get him, lol. Kristen seems like a good choice. I loved that pic of her kick - she looks vicious enough to give Circe pause! I'm looking forward to reading about this little infiltration plan. I hope they manage to get Nervous out of there in one piece. Sounds like Loki's up to something wicked.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

The Shifting Paradymes definitely have some interesting things coming their way, as does Frances. They're so different too, which is interesting. Of course, it's no surprise that Ripp and Tank find themselves around different types of people. Ripp and Jaxy do become rather fast friends.

Ophelia's a family sim, so her interest in fidelity is very strong. You know that she also felt bad about the thing with Tank. Maybe things would have played out differently if Johnny had told her about the whole situation with Jayne.

I have no doubt that Johnny would have been jealous if he knew that Ophelia had kissed his "main enemy". Johnny's actually the jealous type, and he's very flighty. You'll see.

Yeah, Erin was a bad choice. Pascal's no fool. She's not so much aware of what Loki's up to, but she's very loyal to him. A Beaker is a Beaker always.

Kristen is so badass. I love that pic too. That is so her. She's a good choice for this mission, but does she really have what it takes to take on Circe? And also Loki? Few people can. Let's wish her well.

Loki is up to something, and it really is wicked. ;)

I have to say that I really like your comments! :) You seem to notice things that others don't mention. I appreciate it.

This is the best...

[ricamarcella.livejournal.com]

Strangetown story I have ever followed. You REALLY know all the characters inside out, down to their most subtle drives. With you it's more than just personality points and scales... in your hands these Sims really come alive, and even the ones I'm not that interested in become fascinating in your stories!

Please keep the episodes coming! I can't wait to see what happens to Kristen in the Citadel of Doom!

Re: This is the best...

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's really encouraging to hear that you think the characters are accurate, or at least believable. I do base a lot of it on the personality points, aspirations, and all that info that comes with the game, but also how they would react to their situation and relationships. It's a very interesting exercise for me. It's a lot of fun.

The Citadel of Doom. How great is that? *evil grin* Oh, it's coming... and it's going to be fun (for some, and not others, obviously).

[kin-thalas.livejournal.com]

Wow, lots of families in this chapter.
Very brave of Kristen to go to the Beakers. Now I´m curious if they´ll smell the bacon, if she shows up.
Pascal is cute as ever in his worries (I love tha fcial expression on that one pic).
Ripp seems to be happy with sex, drugs and rock´n roll. He´s the type for it. Oh yes, Buzz don´t want to know the half of it. ^_^
Poor Tank. I think Tank and Ophelia would make a good couple. Dunno why she still holds on Johnny, if they don´t spend any time together. I think Johnny is not too serious about Ophelia, so what.
Tank and Frances could be good roommates I guess. I´d never have the idea to put them togetehr in one household.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this chapter almost jumped around to every family, didn't it? I suppose it is because it's a bit of a bridge to update a number of threads in the plot.

That is a really cute expression on Pascal's face, isn't it? He's such a sweetie.

Yes, that lifestyle really does seem to suit Ripp's personality, doesn't it? He's a born rock star. Luckily, Buzz isn't getting much information about this passed on to him, since Buck is no fool.

Tank and Ophelia do have certain compatibilities, but with the current situation, it just won't happen. It's something that might work in the future though, so who knows...

Tank and Frances have a lot in common, really, as their conversation illustrates, even though they are also quite different. The idea to put them together didn't come to me right away either, but I'm really glad that I did. I think they'll learn a lot from each other.

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Tank actually went for it with Ophelia! I had a feeling she wasn't interested. And Ripp and the two women were hilarious. I'm so glad he's living his dream. ;)

Tank's roommate is interesting...I sense a bit of a vibe from him...that whole bedroom thing was...yeah. Hmm. ;D I'm wondering if maybe a different son may eventually come out than the one most assume? (if one assumes that Buck is of course which isn't what I assume) ;)

This is so so great. :) I love love LOVE this. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Tank somehow found the nerve to go for it. It's too bad that his rejection will likely send him another step backwards with his shyness. Ophelia's kindness may be easy to mistake for affection, so it was an honest mistake. Good for Tank for taking a risk, though.

Ripp fits right in with his band, and I think that few people could stand up to Jaxy and Zoey quite as well as he did.

*grin* I'm glad that vibe from Frances came through. Although, the bedroom thing wasn't intentional. He was just being really clueless there. And who knows what might eventually come of those Grunt boys... but you're very wise not to assume anything just yet.

Thanks. :)

[aledstrange.livejournal.com]

So cool! I was wondering if Ajay would ever appear on the story! lol ... He's my number 3 :D Love him!
Also very cool that your are including the LFT band. Awesome!
I only recently started playing with Worthington, so I still don't know him well (but surely never imagined him with a girl so I paired him up with one of the guy on the S.S. lol)

[foxy-princess.livejournal.com]

Y halo thar Frances!! :D

This story just keeps getting better and better!

[missgan.livejournal.com]

I never thought much about Kristen before, but now I love her already, just for agreeing to take part in Lola and Pascal's plan.
Hopefully, it all goes well - but that wouldn't be very exciting, would it? XD

The Tank-Ophelia kiss really caught me off-guard, I didn't expect their relationship to have any romantic interactions on anyone's part at all! Maybe I'm just naive? Poor Tank, he doesn't seem to have much luck with girls, does he? I hope he and Ophelia will still continue to be friends.
Oh, and lucky for Tank that Ripp only saw the kiss and not the rejection that followed - Ripp would never have let him forget it!

The Shifting Paradymes are awesome, Jaxy and Zoe seem to have great attitudes, and I can't wait to see Gunnar Rogue. I hope I'll be seeing more of the band in the following updates!

Ah, Frances Worthington. I never paid much attention to him before, but now he's caught a lot of my interest. I'm going to enjoy watching Tank and Frances get used to living with each other, I know! And yes, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of Frances' family too! :D

Loved the update, as always!

[ohflark.livejournal.com]

aww I am glad you did more with Kristen I think she is adorable.

and I wish Phi and Tank would end up dating. I mean even though I think that Phi and Ripp have something for eachother I think Phi would be better off with Tank since Ripp is such a player.

It's nice to see that Ripp made some friends he seems to fit in with more I wonder if this will do anything to hinder his other friendships.

Frances is quite the hottie :D

[pnkpnthr334.livejournal.com]

Oooh, do I sense something between Frances and Tank??? I sure hope so! :D

[simstate.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Awww, Tank and Ophelia - didn't ever think that they'd ever be friends. I like how you're slowly developing Tank's character. And Ripp isn't doing too badly himself. Come to think of it - things are looking up for all the Grunts.