Strangetown, here we come: Chapter Sixteen

[strangetomato]

 

Warnings: language, violence, death, drug use


Chapter Sixteen



Ripp was having a terrible nightmare.






His father stood before him in the empty desert, with his back to him, and as much as Ripp yelled at him, he would not turn around. Ripp walked towards him, but couldn't get any closer.




Then, it was his mother. He kept walking, then began running. He was yelling at the top of his lungs, but she didn't turn around.

And then, suddenly, she did.










She crumpled into a heap before him. Dead. There was nothing he could do about it.




Then it was Ophelia. She was drowning.




It was too late. There was nothing he could do.




Then Ripp himself was the one drowning.








Then he was witnessing the marriage of Johnny and Ophelia.








Johnny seemed distracted and uninterested. Ophelia looked at Ripp with a pleading expression on her face.




All he could do was watch.




Johnny had everything he could ask for, but he wasn't satisfied. Ophelia knew that he didn't really love her anymore. She was holding back tears.




Ripp wanted to kill Johnny. If Johnny didn't love Ophelia enough, like she deserved, then Ripp would have no choice but to kill him.

Then suddenly, he was able to move, and he was attempting to kill his best friend.








But Johnny was much stronger than he was.




"You should mind your own fucking business, Ripp! This was all your own fault!"




"You deserved this. If anyone deserved anything, it was you!"




"Would it have killed you to call me Dad, just this one time?!"




Then he was marrying Ophelia himself.






She was happy. She wouldn't have anything to be afraid of ever again.




Ripp carried her over the threshold of the Grunt family home.




She was his. All his.




"We might not have much, but we do have each other."




Ophelia was making him omelettes.




They were just like his mother used to make.






She was a perfect wife. It was a perfect marriage, and they would have a perfect family.




Then they were fighting and cursing at each other.




He was calling her down to the dirt, telling her that she was a whore.




He said that he didn't love her anymore, and she was doing the same. She had never really loved him.








She left him, and she never came back.






Then he was watching it all. His mother leaving his father. Except he wasn't. He was being watched. By himself.




"It was all your fault that she went away! You didn't love her enough!"




"It wasn't good enough! You're such a fucking asshole! Why would she want you?! Of course it wasn't enough!"




"It would never be enough."




"Don't be a fucking idiot! What the FUCK were you thinking?!"




"You should NEVER have fucking married her!"




Ripp was already crying when he woke up, and Johnny and Ophelia were in his room. They had heard him calling out in his sleep.






They were by his side, as they always were. After the dream, he felt like he should apologize to them. The lingering traces of confusion left him feeling as if he had betrayed them both, and that it had been real.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" It was all that he could say.

They stood there with him until he was able to calm down. After he was reassured that everything was okay, they were able to get him back into bed, and he slept through the night without incident. He'd been sleeping often, but poorly, ever since he had heard about the General.




The next morning, he felt a little better, and they ate some cold leftover pizza for breakfast, then watched TV together.




Johnny and Ophelia were more than willing to talk about what had happened with Ripp, but he didn't seem to be interested in dealing with it head-on just yet. Ripp was much more interested in just talking about cartoons, and that was fine by them.




"This show is just ridiculous," said Johnny, "How did it ever get on the air? It's so violent."

"It's fucking hilarious." Ripp added.

"It is pretty strange for a kid's show." Ophelia said.




"My favourite part is when the flamingo goes to this fucking flamingo-themed lounge to rally the troops - look, there he goes! Look at him fucking go!" Ripp laughed, and Ophelia shrugged at Johnny. They shared a smile.

"Can we see the game for a minute?"




"Fuck that, Johnny! I want to see if that soap with the fucking hot redheaded twins is on." Ripp switched the channel, whiled Johnny sighed. He was sick of watching Pleasant View, which was Ripp's favourite soap opera, and, in Johnny's opinion, the worst piece of trash on television.

Ripp often argued that Johnny would like it more if he watched it more often, and actually bothered to get into it. It was great if you knew the whole story and figured out the characters and such, as Ripp constantly explained. But who had time for that, besides Ripp?




"Oh yeah. Now we're fucking talking. Pleasant twins, indeed. They are the source of many an inappropriate twin fantasy."

"Ripp, we always watch this shitty show. I want to see the score."

"I can't decide which one is hotter. I mean, they have the exact same face and body, but -"




"Ripp! Take your hand out of your pants and just change the channel for a second! God, you are such a remote hog!"




"Yeah, so I like to control the remote!" Ripp shrugged, dramatically. "it's a MAN thing! You wouldn't fucking understand, Johnny." Johnny's hair seemed to stand up even further in rage.

"What?! You stupid asshole!"




"Guys," Ophelia cut in, "Is this necessary?" She sighed.

She wondered how many other women had to put up with two men every single day, like she did. Not that she'd trade them for anyone else.




"I'm just saying, Johnny." Ripp continued, as if he hadn't even heard Ophelia. "You can't compete with my Grunt manliness. I have so much fucking testosterone, I don't know what to do with it! I have to give it away on the street."




"That's not the only thing you give away on the street." Johnny smirked.

"Oh, shut up and grow some fucking facial hair, or something, Johnny, you big pussy!"

"Hey, that's just an alien -"

"I said, give it up, you two!" Ophelia scolded. She had to stop this before they ended up taking their pants off and going to find a ruler.




"We're only carrying on, Phi." Johnny said, sheepishly.

"Well, I think you should stop it."




"Okay, Phi. You're the boss." Ripp laughed, but then immediately stopped taunting Johnny.

Was she really the boss? Ophelia hadn't really thought of it that way before, but Ripp was probably right. They did actually listen to her, most of the time, and she was left with the task of mediating all their silly ego wars. And they basically tripped over themselves and fought over who would get to do something as simple as getting her a glass of water.




It was probably just one more thing for them to be competitive about. She didn't really fully understand it, and she didn't expect to. She decided that she may as well get used to it, and just enjoy the attention.

Johnny's cellphone rang. "Sorry. I'll take it into another room."

"Yes, for fuck's sake, Johnny! Please do. They're about to bitch slap each other. I don't want to miss any of the dialogue." Johnny made a rude gesture at Ripp, but then proceeded to run upstairs to answer the phone.




"Hello?" He had no idea who it could possibly be at that hour in the morning.




"Johnny!"

He had no trouble placing the voice. "Oh, hi, Jayne."

"How are you? I haven't heard from you in a while."




"No, you haven't." He said. "Things have been a bit crazy around here lately."




"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. It's fine. I've just been busy." He didn't feel right about telling Jayne all about it. At least not yet.

"How about you?"




"Oh, everything is great. I wanted to let you know that I moved out of the dorms too."

"Oh, did you?"

"Yeah, with Stella! God, she's a riot! Well, not really. She's pretty quiet, but she's such a nut. You have to meet her! You still haven't met her."




"Yeah, we should all get together sometime."

Yeah, totally! You have to come to our new place. We could have a party!"

"Yeah, I guess so." Johnny usually loved the idea of throwing a party, but he didn't exactly feel very festive lately.




"Well, that doesn't sound very enthusiastic, Johnny! I think it would be really fun."

"Yeah, it would be. I'm sorry, I'm just a little out of it."

"Hey! You should bring your friends too!" Jayne chirped. "Bring Ripp and Ophelia with you! I want to meet them." Johnny felt like he was having a small heart attack.




"Really?"

"Well, why not, silly? Are they your secret friends? Why wouldn't you want to bring them with you?"

"Well, no reason, I guess." She was right. She'd have to meet them sooner or later.

"Of course, you'll invite them! I'm just dying to meet them, you know. Well, I'll let you know when I've worked something out, and them we'll totally get together, okay?"

"Okay. That sounds great." After he ended their call, he stood there for a minute, in a daze.






After she hung up with Johnny, Jayne made another call. To her father, this time.

"Hi Dad. I didn't interrupt you, did I?"




"Well, actually, you did, but that doesn't matter. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm great. The move was pretty painless. We're all settled in now."

"How are things with your roommate?"

"Oh, Stella's great. She's like my long lost sister, or something." There was a pause.

"And Johnny?"




"He's fine too, Dad. He's a really nice guy."

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Jayne."

"Dad!" She huffed. "Haven't we been through this enough already?"




"I just wish you would reconsider. Or, at least, take some time. You're young. You should be out there discovering what it is that you want."

"Dad. Just because I'm planning to marry Johnny after college, doesn't mean I'm not experimenting. I'm in college! I'm not even really dating Johnny, so I'm still free to see other people."

"You don't have to get married. Especially not so young."




"I know that Dad. You didn't get married. But that was your choice, wasn't it? I don't want to be alone for my entire life."

"Getting married doesn't mean that you won't be alone."

"Oh my GOD, Dad! Do you always have to be so mopey?!" She sighed in exasperation. "Yes, I know! I get it. We all die alone - it's the sim condition. I've heard the story before!"




"It's just this plan that the pollinator has - you're just a piece of genetic property to him! He's out there making these deals like you're a commodity, and not a person."

"Dad, you always have to look at the negative side of every situation."

"You don't even have to have children - do you even want them?! That's what this is all about, you know! Reproduction. It doesn't have to be that way, Jayne. You're still as much a person if you don't reproduce. Biology is not destiny."




"Well, you didn't think you'd have children, and you were happy enough to have me, weren't you?"

"Yes, Jayne, I was very happy to have you."

"Well, why wouldn't I want children of my own? And nobody is holding a gun to my head, Dad! We could get married and not have children, you know."

"Marriage is just so... definite."

"I'm not going to make the decision lightly, Dad. I'm really thinking about it, you know."




"Well, you know what's best for yourself, dear. Just be sure that you examine it closely before you do anything too permanent."

"Dad! If I spent my whole life "examining" it, like you do, I wouldn't have a chance to live it, would I?"

"That may be true, but a little self reflection wouldn't hurt." Jayne sighed.

"How's your work coming along these days?"




"The same as always."

"When do you think it will be ready?"

"It will be ready when it's ready. I'll know it when I get there, but for now, I couldn't say." He paused. "And how about you? You're still painting on your own time?"

"Yes, Dad. I'm surprised that I have any interest in it after all the silly exercises they have us working on in class, but if I didn't do my own work on the side, I'd go crazy!"

"Good for you. Still mostly portraiture?"




"Yeah. It's the only thing that really interests me. The sim form. And well, faces are probably the hardest thing to really paint, so it keeps me struggling."

"I agree completely."

"I've been doing some work on some sets and stuff for the theatre program too. Pretty silly stuff, mostly, but good experience. And I get to meet lots of people. The theatre kids are great. They're all so MUCH."

"Well, we're all actors, aren't we? At least they're honest about it."

"Okay, Dad. I really should go now." Jayne laughed. "I'll call you after the big crit tomorrow, okay?"

"Good luck."




Buck hadn't dreamed at all that night. Lately, he had been sleeping the sleep of the dead. The Smith's place had a very tranquilizing effect on him.




That first morning, when he woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, he had been confused. It took him a while to realize that he was in Johnny Smith's old bedroom. It was weird. He'd been in the Smith home about a million times, but he didn't recall ever recall spending more than a couple of minutes in Johnny's room.

It was strange to sleep in a room that wasn't his. It smelled different, and even the temperature wasn't the same. The bedsheets felt different. Nothing ever stayed the same, he thought, so he may as well get used to it.




Johnny's room had that weird empty frozen-in-time feeling that bedrooms sometimes get after the kids go to college, and their parents are too sentimental to change it.

Buck's father had turned Ripp's bedroom into a study within a month of him leaving for La Fiesta Tech. Buzz had no illusions that Ripp would ever sleep in it again, but Buck wondered if he would have cared either way.




When he went to Jill's room, she was still asleep, so he coughed a bit and called to her. "Jill... are you getting up?" Buck didn't want to have to wander around the house by himself. It felt too bold.

"What time is it?! Why are you up so early?"

"It's almost 0900 hours, Jill." The General would have had a fit if Buck had slept in this late at home.




"What?"

"Oh. I meant nine o'clock. Sorry, force of habit."

"Ugh. It's so early, Buck."

"Well, I can't sleep in until noon like you do, Jill." He shrugged. "You invited me over, so now you have to deal with me."




"Sorry. I'm just cranky in the morning." She got out of bed. "How do you feel?"

"I feel okay, I guess. As good as can be expected." Buck tried to avoid drawing attention to the fact that he had noticed that Jill was obviously not wearing a bra.




"Thanks for inviting me over, Jill."

"Well, you're welcome here anytime, Buck. My home is practically your home, you know." Jill suddenly thought of something, and got very excited.

"Oh, you have to see the twins now! They're so much bigger!"




"See?!" Jill grinned. "Aren't they sweet? Jordan's a little blondy, just like me and Johnny."

"He's cute." Buck smiled.

"He has The Chin, though. Poor thing. I got off the hook with that one." Jill laughed. "It was obviously a narrow escape."




"Look at her red hair!" Buck exclaimed as he picked up Jolene. "It's so pretty with her green skin,"

"I know! Isn't it great?" Jill smiled. "I'm so jealous. Dad had red hair too, you know... before he became the old silver fox."

"They're just perfect, Jill." Buck smiled.




Buck was so good with the babies. Jill couldn't help but think that he'd make an excellent father one day. Well, if he ever got married, that is. To a woman.

She mentally scolded herself for the thought immediately. What was she thinking? He could be a father anyway. That didn't matter. There was always a way, especially in Strangetown. She, of all people, should know that.




"Tank, you've been staring at those dishes for over twenty minutes. Do you want to talk about it?" Tank really had been standing in the kitchen for quite some time without realizing it, and Frances had spent that time working up the courage to approach him again.

"What would I talk about, Worthington?" Tank snarled.




"I don't know." Frances said, timidly. "Your father. About him... you could talk about that."

Tank just stared at him.




"You want me talk about Dad? What good would that do?"

"It'll help you, Tank. You need to talk about what it's doing to you."

"You want me to talk about my feelings?!" Tank was embarrassed to even say that.

"Well, yes. Why not?"




"Listen. That's not going to happen." Tank said it in a way to suggest that the discussion was over, but Frances didn't take the hint.

"I really think you need to get that off of your chest, Tank."

"Look, I'm just not used to doing that, Worthington."

"Well, you could start now."

Frances J. Worthington III clearly did not know Tank Grunt very well yet. It was going to take more than a little coaxing from Frances to get Tank to spill his guts.




The phone rang, causing Ripp to stir from his nap. He was all alone in the apartment, since Johnny and Ophelia had gone to class.




"Hello?"




"Ripp, get your hairy ass over here right now! We need to jam. You fucked off last time, and we were waiting for hours, and I'm fucking sick of it!"

"Well, I -"




"I don't want to hear your fucking excuses, Ripp!" Jaxy raged. "I will tear you a new asshole if you don't get over here right now! Do you want an angry dyke on your back, Ripp? I promise you that I can kick your ass something fierce."




"Okay, Jax. I'll be there." He hadn't left the house in days, so he figured that he may as well go.

Tank was also getting out of the house for the first time in days.




He had gone to the library to clear his head, and to get away from Frances. He couldn't deal with all of his questions. As he entered the main room of the library, he saw Ophelia on her way up the stairs.




"Ophelia! Wait!" He called out to her, and followed behind her. If anyone could understand him, it would be kind, caring Ophelia.

She kept walking and didn't turn around. Maybe she hadn't heard him.




"Ophelia! It's me. Tank." She stopped, but didn't turn around.




"It's good to see you. I really need someone to talk to right now who would understand -"








Ophelia spun around suddenly, and slapped Tank across the face with all of her might.

"Understand?! Understand YOU, Tank?!" She screamed. People stopped and stared. "How could I understand you?!"




"I - I'm sorry."




"You're lucky I'm even willing to look at you, after what you did to Ripp!" She yelled. "You don't deserve to have someone to talk to! You should just sit there alone and think about what you've done! You deserve everything you get."

"Ophelia, I didn't mean to -"




"It seems a bit extreme to have been a mistake, Tank."

"But he - he said -"




"Ripp doesn't make your decisions for you! You were the one who chose to beat the shit out of him, and you are completely to blame!"

"Ophelia -"




"Don't Ophelia me! Don't even say my name." She turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Tank pleaded. "I didn't think. I didn't mean it."

She kept walking.




"I would take it back if I could." It came out almost as a whisper.

He had been a fool if he had any doubt about where Ophelia's loyalties lay. And he thought that he really must be the worst person in the world, if he had done something terrible enough to bring Ophelia Nigmos to lash out at him like she had. He was a terrible, terrible person.




Ripp walked into the kitchen at Jaxy's place, and she was waiting impatiently at the kitchen table. She turned to look at him when he entered, and was about to lay into him, but then noticed how terrible he looked.

"Holy shit, Ripp! What the fuck happened to you?!"

"I had a pretty shitty week." Ripp said, languidly. "My father just disappeared without a trace. Then my brother beat the piss out of me."




"Oh, well come in, honey. Don't worry about jamming. Gunnar's half in the bag anyway. It's a fucking dead loss. Let me get you something to eat, or something. Zo made some tomato soup. Do you like that?" Jaxy ushered him in.

"Yeah, sure."




"I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it too. I make a fucking deadly grilled cheese." Jaxy patted Ripp on the back like a pet dog, and Ripp half expected her to scratch him behind the ear.

"That sounds great, Jax." Ripp smiled. "Thank you."




"The bubble blower is all fired up there, Ripp, if you're interested." Zo said, as she headed to the stove to warm up the tomato soup.

"Well, the doctor gave me these crazy painkillers, so I'm pretty fucked up as it is."

"Really?! Are they any good?"




"Well, they do the fucking job on the pain."

"You have any to spare?"

"Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out." He tossed her the bottle. "I don't really even fucking need them that much anymore."




"You're still on them, though, I see." His pupils looked like he was staring into the sun.

"Yes, indeed."




"Good man." Zoe laughed, as she swallowed some pills with a swig from the bottle of vodka that she'd been drinking from. She wiped her mouth and gestured to the bubble blower. "Like I said, it's all fired up for you, Ripp. Go nuts."

So he did.




Ripp knew that it probably wasn't the most intelligent thing to do, but when had he ever claimed to be intelligent? The best he could really hope for was that he might be less stupid than most other people. He sat down and took one very long drag and held his breath.




He was right. The painkillers and the bubbles did have a compounding effect. He slowly fell back onto the floor, the room tickling him with warm, fuzzy fingers.




"Well, he's certainly feeling no fucking pain." Jaxy remarked, with a laugh.

He really wasn't. At least not for the moment.




Buck was getting used to staying with the Smiths. He was beginning to feel right at home.




That evening, Buck found himself in the kitchen with P.T. It was where he spent most of his time, and Buck was all too happy to join him. P.T. was baking, and Buck was hoping to pick up a couple of tips through observation. When the pan was finally in the oven, Buck got up the nerve to speak.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Smith."

"You can call me P.T., Buck." It wasn't entirely true, since Buck found that way too informal.

"Okay," he said, "but really, I don't know what I would have done without all of you."




"Listen, Buck," P.T. began, "I want to apologize for the friction between our families in the past, especially between your father and me. I hope that you don't feel that this had anything to do with you."

"Of course not, sir."

"Please, call me P.T." He said with a kind smile. Buck really doubted that he'd ever be able to call him that.

"I've always felt welcome here, Mr. Smith. And I know that my father was mostly to blame for that feud."

"That was just as much my fault as his, Buck." P.T. said, solemnly. "I don't want the Grunts to go on thinking that they are to blame for all these petty rivalries and dramas in our town. You boys should just forget about it and move on."




The oven timer went off. "Looks like this is just about ready." P.T. said as he checked on his baked alaska. It was quite a masterpiece of baking, and doubly impressive to Buck for being entirely vegan in its contents. He wouldn't have even thought it was possible, but P.T. had worked some sort of magic.

"Wow. That smells great." Buck considered adding his name, but again failed. "I could only dream of making something that complicated."

"You'll be a pro at it one day, Buck, I'm sure."




Buck thought that P.T. was just about the greatest guy he'd ever been around. He had this really functional extended family, and he didn't act at all like Buzz. He baked cakes and did domestic things, while Jenny had a career.

It was so very different from how Buck's father had thought the world ought to work. Lyla had unquestionably been the housewife, and though Buck had been too young to know for sure, he now thought that she must have been extremely bored, and lonely too. Why else would she have done what she did?




Well, if Buck wanted to do things the way the Smiths did them, there was nothing to stop him, was there? Especially with Buzz no longer there to disapprove. Not that this would have mattered. Buck had already decided that he would do things his own way, with or without his father's approval.

There was absolutely nothing to prevent him from doing it, and he had proof that it could work out just fine.




Having dinner with the Smiths was like eating on a different planet from the one that Grunts had eaten on. They carried on pleasant conversations, and they even listened to Buck when he spoke. At first, this confused him, and he felt really nervous about having everyone's full attention.

"You didn't have any trouble for missing school, did you, Buck?" asked Jenny. "I could write you a note."

"I don't think it will be necessary, Mrs. Smith."

"Oh, Buck. You can call me Jenny. Your brother always did." Buck smiled, and then continued.

"They excused me from the work for that week, which is nice. I'd never be able to catch up, after having missed so much school. Well, I would, I guess, but it would be hard."




"Buck, I'm sure you would have no trouble catching up at all." Jenny smiled. "Jill has been getting her homework finished twice as fast since you've been here. I hope she isn't just copying your work."

"Mo-om!" Jill whined. "I wouldn't do that. Besides, Buck wouldn't let me!"

"Yes, he would, Jill. If I know you at all, and I like to think that I do, I am sure that you'd talk him into doing it. Buck is so nice that he'd probably let you." Jenny was right. Buck would let Jill copy his work if she wanted to. And he did.

"Oh, mom. Give it a rest! You're SO annoying!"

Yes, the Grunt home it was not. He felt slightly out of his element, but he also really enjoyed it.




Buck had been pretty young when his parents had split up, but he remembered them fighting. They were careful to hide it from him, at least the shouting and more aggressive fighting, but he always knew when it was happening. After they fought, they would be unnaturally quiet, and a wall of silence would hit Buck as soon as he entered the room.

He didn't remember ever seeing his parents flirt with each other like Jill's parents did. He'd only seen that in photographs, and he could never really reconcile those images with his reality. Obviously, his parents had really gotten married, and they had smiled for the picture, but he thought that they must have dropped the smile once the flash went off, and then went back to their serious lives. It had seemed normal to him, until he began to spend time at Jill's house, and witnessed the Smiths in action.




Buck's parents had given him the impression that marriage was a tedious chore, and hadn't really sold him on the idea, but that had changed when he met the Smiths. They had fun. They genuinely enjoyed each other's company.




What they had, Buck wanted. He wanted that more than anything. They were so in love! Jill always rolled her eyes, gagged, and said that she hated it when her parents got all lovey-dovey.




Sure, Jill found it annoying now, but she'd be happy enough to have that herself one day, Buck was sure.

"What do you think your brothers would like to eat, Buck?" Jenny asked. "I know that Ripp hates tofu, but I've been able to pass seitan by him before without any complaints. What about Tank? Has he ever had it, Buck?" Jenny was going to have everyone over for supper later that week.

"I don't know, but Tank will eat anything. I don't think he has any taste buds."

"Well, I think that a stir fry should be acceptable to all." Jenny decided, making a mental grocery list for herself.

"You can help me to bake a cake, Buck." P.T. added with a smile. Buck flashed a shy grin, while inside he did somersaults.




Ripp was leaving his bandmates' apartment one afternoon, having spent the morning sleeping on their couch after the night before. He was trying to get back to his own place before Johnny and Ophelia had time to really worry about him too much. He knew that they'd worry, even though they knew where he was. Maybe even because of it.

When he left, he instead found himself walking in the other direction towards the house next door. Before he really thought about it any more than that, he was knocking on Tank's door.




And Tank answered it. He was staring into his brother's face without saying a word.




Tank felt his body go cold as he observed Ripp's face, which, though mostly healed, still showed signs of what he had done to him. Ripp said nothing, but eyed Tank with an icy cold glare.




Ripp motioned towards him suddenly, and Tank automatically recoiled in fear.




But Ripp wasn't going to hit him.




He was trying to pull Tank into a hug. Tank tensed as Ripp's arms enclosed him.




"Hug me back, you fucking asshole!"




Tank hugged his brother, and pulled him close. He hadn't been in such close contact with Ripp in years. He had almost forgotten what he smelled like.




"God damn it, Tank!" Tears were rolling down his face. "I didn't mean that. I didn't mean any of it! You know that I didn't mean it, right?!"

Tank said nothing. Had he known that?




"Please forgive me! You have to forgive me, Tank."

Tank mouthed the words, silently, then managed the tiniest of breaths, until the words gently floated into Ripp's ear.

"I forgive you, Ripp." He said.




"And I know that Dad would have forgiven you too."

Ripp's body shuddered as he was racked by uncontrollable sobbing. Tank held his brother tightly while he cried.




Tank had always hated to see Ripp cry. Sometimes it was simply irritating, seeing him cry like a girl, like a baby, but it was also very upsetting to him. He did care about him, and despite everything, it always hurt him when Ripp was upset.




Tank knew that he wouldn't cry. Not then, and maybe not ever. He was very grateful that Ripp was crying enough for both of them. He held Ripp until he ran out of tears.

Finally, Ripp became calm again, wiped his eyes, and turned to face Tank.




"Thank you."

"I'm sorry too, Ripp. You didn't deserve that. I wouldn't have done it if I had only been able to stop and think."

"I understand, Tank. I know why you did it."

"That doesn't excuse me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I forgive you."




"You look terrible, Ripp."

"Well, you kind of fucked up my nose, Tank."

"Well, how does that prevent you from doing your laundry and washing your hair?"

"Oh, fuck off, Tank. I don't look that bad."




"You're covered in lint. You shouldn't wear black if you're going to roll around in dog hair." Tank proceeded to pull strands of hair from Ripp's clothing.

"That's MY hair, Tank!" Ripp huffed. "And watch where you're putting your fucking hands!"




"What about these blond hairs?"

"Those could be anybody's."

Ripp could list off four or five different people offhand. Tank continued to remove hair samples, of every colour, from all over the LFT campus.

"That's pretty gross, Ripp." Tank grimaced.






"God, you're covered in them!" Tank said, thoroughly disgusted.

"Aren't you done yet?" Ripp whined.

"Ummm, hello?" Frances entered the room, tentatively, as Tank finally finished his task. "You must be Tank's brother."




"That is correct." Ripp laughed. "What gave me away? Surely not my face, right? Or my dress and deportment."

"Well, I just assumed." Frances began.

"I'm only fucking with you. Worthington, is it?"

"Yes." He smiled, mostly at the fact that Tank must have mentioned him. "Frances."




"Well, it's nice to meet you, Frances. You must be a pretty fucking brave soul to be shacking up with Tank here. That's not for the faint of heart, you know."

"You seem to be right, but I never would have guessed that he was so destructive."

"Well, he is named Tank, you know."

Watching Frances talk, Ripp couldn't help but think that he may not be faint of heart, but he surely must be limp of wrist. Ripp hadn't been dragged to all those gay bars with Jaxy and Zoe without picking up a thing or two. He'd picked up plenty, at least in the sense of general knowledge. He could have picked up more than that.

Ripp wondered how the hell Tank had ended up with him, of all people, as his roommate. It seemed to defy logic.




"Listen, Ripp. Do you want something to eat?" Tank asked. "I made mac and cheese."

"Ummm, no thanks." Ripp had eaten Tank's cooking before.

"It's really good. Frances says so all the time. Isn't that right, Worthington?"

"Yes. It's... very lovely." He hoped that the pause hadn't been too noticeable.




Ripp was somehow convinced to stay and have a bite, despite his better judgement. He chewed it and swallowed with great effort, while Tank watched for a reaction.








He looked over at Frances, who was obviously feeling the same revulsion that he was, but was trying to hide it.

"Well?"




"Tank, this tastes like ass."

"What?!" Tank fumed. "Worthington likes it! You like it, don't you, Frances?"




Frances smiled, but said nothing.




Ripp bit his tongue, hard, to avoid saying the first thing that came to his mind, which was, "Clearly, he likes ass." Instead, he just started to laugh hysterically.




"What?! What's so fucking funny, Ripp?"

"Oh, nothing."

Ripp decided that it might not be such a bad idea to come over to visit Tank more often.








(Continue to Chapter 17 (part one)...)

---

A/N: I'd like to make a little shout-out to Madame Ugly's open letter from Parents Against Needless Debauchery and Ruffianism (P.A.N.D.R.), which can be found here, for a deeper look into that sinister children's programming that Johnny, Ripp, and Ophelia were watching. Just go read it. Please. It's funny.









 

Comments

[katsuko]

Holy shit, how'd I wind up being amongst the first to comment? O.o *mind boggles*

This update was fantastic. The nightmare stuff at the beginning was a great peek into Ripp's mind through all this, poor thing. This whole ordeal has him really fucked up. And hooray for the reference to the Madame's letter! After reading that I watched the kids' programming and about died; I still can't hear the music without giggling like an idiot.

I'm glad Buck's settling into life with the Smiths. I think the environment will be good for him and if he stays longer, maybe he can revamp Johnny's old room. I always wince when I look at it, it's so obvious that Jenny is holding onto her kids' childhood a bit too hard!

Yay, Ripp and Tank made up! I know it probably won't last, but that's how families are sometimes. The Grunts just put the "fun" in "dysfunctional" is all. And how did I know that Ripp would be able to pick up on Frances' leanings in a manner of minutes? Poor, oblivious Tank.

Great update, as always! I am so looking forward to more soon ♥

Note: This reply took forever to write as my roomie doesn't get that while at work, I don't have every second to devote to replying to her IMs, plus no doctor here can find his ass without an assist....

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The dream was a good way to tackle some of those feelings head-on, without coming right out and saying them. Since dreams are garbled fragments of thoughts and things that happened, it doesn't give you the whole story. The poor boy does have some issues, especially about commitment and marriage, after what happened with his parents. All of the Grunts do, but they deal with it in different ways.

Buck does fit in rather well with the Smiths, doesn't he? Living there might even bring him out of his shell a little. As for Johnny's room, I doubt Buck would have the nerve to even consider asking if he could change it, but maybe someone else will encourage him to do it. That room does need a makeover. Johnny must have drawn that picture on the wall when he was five years old.

Ripp and Tank will not magically morph into best friends, of course, but they have made a first step in the right direction. I'm sure they will always have their differences, since they really couldn't be any less alike.

Ripp notices all things involving sex. That shouldn't be surprising. And he does spend a lot of time with Jaxy and Zoe, who like to throw their sexuality in people's faces, so why wouldn't he be more aware of that than Tank? He obviously enjoys laughing at poor clueless Tank, and he'll probably play around with that situation, to Tank's expense, if he gets an opportunity to do so.

I love Madame Ugly's letter to KidzTube. It's too funny. Johnny, of course, fully agrees that it should be taken off the air. Maybe he should join P.A.N.D.R.

[hcraig480.livejournal.com]

That was great. Ripps dream sequence was amazing.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Just wait until you see my light-hearted follow up to that dream sequence.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

OMG!!! An update when the sun's out!! (At least where I am, it's EST, so usually you're updates are late at night, which is why is so surprised to see this!)

Holy shit, that dream was trippy! Lord knows I could spend all day reading into every image, like Ripp marrying Ophelia, but then it turns into his parents marriage, or Johny and Ophelia getting married, even though they don't love each other anymore. I can't imagine how many times you had to quit without saving to get all those shots. Yeesh!

Hmm, Jayne seems fine with an arranged marriage of sorts, but if memory serves me correctly, Johnny never officially agreed to it. He just told his father he'd consider it. Last time I checked, he was still dating Ophelia. Of course, it's not like he's been honest with either of the women in his life. All I can say is that if he brings Ripp and Ophelia to the party with him, I'll be sure to get the popcorn out.

The twins take after their father so much! Looking at them makes me think that Johnny and Jill received much from their mother, while the twins got tons from their father. I wonder if there was any reloading involved to get those genes? Buck is such a family sim, baking, excited about settling down. The major question is: gay or straight? He could go either way. Even Jill has her suspicions, but I have a feeling that you've already got someone in mind for him.

Frances is so adorable. Trying to get Tank to talk about his feelings is like trying to get water from a boulder. It's about time Tank and Ripp hug! Bastards took so damn long, a good beating was about to be had (course Ripp got his from Tank, and Tank got his from Ophelia). I figured Frances was lying about the mac and cheese, but Tank is so naive to think it's good. Is Frances gay? I'm sure you've already decided on that one too.

It started so grim, but end so happily. Talk about a full circle. Perhaps Strangetown is heading towards more peaceful days (once the Beakers are dealt with!! I haven't forgotten about them!!!>__<)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Look at you! Charting my habits. *chuckle* You're right. I usually work on this stuff late at night, and then post before bed (then getting all excited to see if anyone read it overnight), but last night there were just too many loose ends, and it was getting too late, so I tidied it up and posted during my lunch break. I've also noticed that I have a habit of almost always posting something on Thursdays, which I really can't explain. Maybe I will stick to my pattern and get an outtakes post up there by Thursday if all goes well...

I'm glad that you liked the dream. I've had a few choice nightmares over the years, so it was fun to concoct this one. People in dreams are always blending together and changing, so that was fun to do. I'll explain how I did it all in the outtakes, but it was all shot in only two locations, and I used a lot of InSIM.

Yeah, the Jayne/Ophelia situation is complicated and Johnny has been pushing it aside, so we'll have to dive back in at some point. Jayne does approach it differently than Johnny does, and we'll see that in more detail. It will be very interesting to see how Johnny's new friends react to his old friends, won't it? *wink*

The twins were just what nature (and the game) gave me. I'm so pleased. You can't really tell what you're getting when they're babies anyway, since these darlings seemed to have noses, but clearly, they do not. *smile* I'm so glad that I got one red head out of it.

To gay or not to gay, that is the question... You're right, I do know exactly what's up with Buck. I always have (unlike some of the others), and my plan thus far hasn't wavered one bit. We shall see.

As for Frances, I may not have come out and said so, but I have highly suggested that he's gay. I think it's pretty obvious (though I suppose I could always be messing with you... but probably not). He's trying so hard to be agreeable.

Yes, Tank and Ripp both had some sense knocked into them. They needed it.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

WOOT, shout out to me (thank you, too).

Quality update. You're the mistress of dream sequences. I loved the match on action with the food preparation and Ripp and Ophelia as his parents. The child Ripp becoming the teen becoming the young adult. Nicely done.

But what I'm really loving is the Smith house. PT in particular. He's just so goddamn CUTE! Looking all plump and happy in his high socks and shorts (you can tell he enjoys his own cooking--you never should trust a skinny chef, you know). So I take it Buck has a celebrity chef LTW? Too funny the thing about not being able to call PT and Jenny by their names (I'm the same way with my in-laws and I've been married for SIX YEARS--it wasn't until this christmas that I called my mother-in-law by her name--usually I just avoid those moments, just like Buck does).

Now, about those twins. TOO effing cute. Jolene? Oh my god. (not that Jordan isn't good) I can't wait to see what I get from Paul/Aggie (though I doubt I'll get a redhead what with Aggie's black hair). Did you fiddle with them at all (like make them in CAS) or was that just good luck? Either way, I have complete and total Jolene LOVE (and the name is great, too). Seeing them, I'm not crazed to see Vidcund's pair. Just remind me, b/b, g/g or b/g?

I'm glad to see the reconcilliation is happening (though I do have to wonder if Ripp's drug use might not have had a role?). I like to have things drawn out, but too drawn out gets irritating. And FRANCES!!!! He is SO smitten by Tank. And Ripp KNOWS it. (the line about liking ass was funny--rude but funny--and I almost typed ass crack!)

Again, thanks for the shout out (and I loved Pleasant View as a soap opera).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I had to mention your P.A.N.D.R. thing, since that was how I came to really notice that show in the first place, and it's really funny. It makes me laugh every time I read it.

And Pleasant View as a soap opera just had to be done. The Pleasant twins are on the TV, so why not? I think I may even have it so that the twins in Pleasantview are actually actors (they are both popularity sims anyway) that act as these characters on the soap, Pleasant View (which is written about the writer's home town, much like Dawson's Creek was - I'm not sure who'd be writing it, though - maybe Kaylynn Langerak). Yes, they are just like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. With Bella's connection to that 'hood, I can't resist letting some of the other character's make an appearance. We might run in to them from time to time in Sim City or other such places.

Thanks. Dreams are so much fun to do. I decided to switch so that it wasn't all in black and white too (that was mostly so I didn't give away the General's death in Nervous' dreams). I have another little dream for next time too. Not as elaborate, but much funnier.

Pop quiz: How many Ripp Grunts are there in my game right now, based on that dream sequence? And... he's not the only one with some stunt doubles either. *wink*

I knew you'd like all the Smith goodness, and we get to return for more in the next chapter. I'm not sure if Buck has that LTW or not, but baking has always been one of his interests. I think he may even have a child-related want. I'll have to go check.

I have the same problem with in-laws and using their names. That stuff can be awkward, especially after too much time has passed. We should form a club with Buck. At least they are being very familiar with Buck and insisting he use their first names, and not the other way around (though he seems more comfortable with that).

I didn't actually fiddle with the twins at all. That was what the game gave me. It was a good draw. Jolene has P.T.'s looks, but a chubby little Jenny face too. She's very sweet. Vidcund's twins were b/g too, and they are also very, very cool. Now I'm wondering where I can work them back into the story... maybe in another plot dump conversation?

Hmmm, that's a very good point. How high was Ripp when he wandered over to Tank's place? He did have a chance to sleep it off beforehand, so he probably wasn't THAT out of it. I agree about drawing things out. I like to see some things happening too, and we're getting there.

Yeah, poor Frances. He's even starting to irritate Tank a little. And having Ripp aware of it is probably not a good thing for Tank or Frances. He's definitely not above having a laugh or two at their expense. He could make a bit of a nuisance of himself.

That line about liking ass was slightly ruder when the Ripp in my head first said it, so I actually toned it down a little. *grin* You can use your imagination...

[franwi.livejournal.com]

Great dream sequences! I love how Ripp/Phi were dressed like his own parents. I really wonder what will happen with Johnny/Phi's relationship. I'm hoping Ripp's not as "psychic" as Nervous! :(

"Hug me back, you fucking asshole!"
That whole thing had me all teary-eyed and smiling. I loved it!! I was REALLY hoping for it. The reconciliation was wonderful.

Buck's life with the Smiths seems to be giving him the encouragement he needs. It's sad that his dad couldn't show him as much support as his rival has. I love that PT hopes the boys aren't holding anything against the general.

The last part with the mac&cheese still has me laughing!!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It was interesting that they fell into that role in his dream, wasn't it? It was also interesting that Ripp put himself in his father's place, quite literally (and from back on, he could BE the General, since they resemble each other in that way), and saw things from his point of view.

Ripp is definitely not as "psychic" as Nervous (as few people are). These images should be viewed only as hopes, fears, observations, comparisons, etc.

It was good to see them reconcile, wasn't it? *smile* They'll be okay. Their relationship will never be an easy one, but it can be so much more than it is. I liked that line too, since it is such a good reflection of how he feels about Tank. Ripp is still cursing him out, even while reaching out to him, and he's demanding outright that he return the favour. Tank almost needs to be commanded to return his affection.

Buck fits in well with the Smiths, and their encouragement does bring him out of his shell. P.T. and Jenny have no problem with taking a few more "children" under their collective wing.

*grin* Tank cannot cook. At all. It's nice to know that he can count on Ripp to give him the cold, hard truth, even if he is rather rude about it.

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

This was fantastic! Ripp's nightmare was so sad and chilling. I think between this and Madame's punch last night, I'm still reeling. What an amazing job you've done with this update!

I know they'll never be bff, but I like the realistic approach you've taken to healing their rift. Now we just need to get that stick out of Johnny's butt! Even if they never hook up, I think Jayne'll definetly loosen him up.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad it worked for you.

You're right. Tank and Ripp will never fully see eye to eye, but they may be able to better understand each other and accept each other for what they are.

A stick in Johnny's butt? What stick? *grin* That's just Johnny. He'll never completely relax (though maybe Ripp could introduce him to his friend the bubble blower). Jayne is certainly effervescent enough to have a positive effect on him.

[saunasims.livejournal.com]

... I'd never even considered that one of the reasons Ripp is a Romance Sim is because he fears turning into his father/ending up in his broken marriage/having children and hurting them the way his father accidentally hurt him. That and the almost tangible fear of people leaving him like his mother and now his father did-- I tip my hat to you. This is excellent. And you also have the honor of being the first Sim storyteller to make me actually tear up reading. That was the most awkward hug and the sweetest moment ever.
I also enjoy the touch of after Tank forgives him Ripp's bandages vanish. Healing process finally begun!
*muses* I'm starting to see some patterns as far as symbols go, other than flowers. Tank = the staircase? Stairs in general, or that specific one, or the glass blocks-material in that specific one?
And bah. I was hoping to be able to show you some amusing shots of my story (knock on wood!) to come but I discovered that after my recent reinstall of the game I'd of course forgotten to set my pictures to the biggest size and best quality. Bah humbug! :P But, I'll make some real ones tonight. I think you'll like 'em.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It makes a certain amount of sense that Ripp would be skeptical of marriage, doesn't it? And if you don't let people get that close to you, they can't leave you or hurt you, can they?

Thanks. It's nice to know that the scene had an emotional effect on you. That hug ended up being ultra awkward looking, since I pieced it together from several different hugs, and each was initiated by a different brother. I like how it gives the effect of them awkwardly moving their arms around before they finally figure it out.

*laughs* That bandage thing was NOT intentional, but it does actually kind of work, now that you put it that way. I noticed it after I posted this (allow me to go over here now and distract from any other continuity errors you may notice *flails limbs*). I did so many different "shoots" for this chapter that I sometimes forgot to get the sims in their proper costumes, etc. *groan*

But yeah, it does make for a nice symbolic touch... what a happy accident. And he COULD have gone to the bathroom to tear it off. I think he was milking the bandage thing a bit, anyway, and wearing it longer than he needed to. Seems like a Ripp thing to do. He'd get more attention that way.

Hmmm, the stairs? Maybe... we'll have to see, won't we? *smile*

Yeah, I'd love to see some photos. I hope you're able to get it to work out for you.

[aeonnox.livejournal.com]

wow, i actually teared up when Ripp and Tank hugged :(

your chapters just get better and better, wow.. and i think i'm all caught up now.

and if Buck DOES turn out to be gay........ Totally count me in on rooting for he and Francis to hook up. They'd be adorable.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm really drawing some tears with this one, aren't I? I find it hard not to respond to them myself, when Ripp and Tank are so easy to sympathize with, and you can't help but root for them to finally come together as brothers.

Thank you. I do have some good things planned for the next two chapters, including something that I hope will be a BIG surprise. *grin*

You're the second person to suggest that Buck and Frances would make a good pair, and they do have a number of things in common. It could work... if Buck's actually gay, and I'm not giving that one up just yet.

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

This was so strong. I really have no words.

Okay, that's not true, I do... :) But they feel superficial... ah well.

1. Dream sequence... wow. That was amazing.

Is that really Lyla? I have never seen her, though I've heard of people resurrecting her. She looks a lot like Ripp.

2. Those are the cutest PT spawn! OMG. I could eat them up. But about the noses -- if you look at PT, he actually does have a tiny little nose. I'm betting the reason your twins had noses as babies, but not as toddlers, is when assembling a baby's face, the game looks merely for the presence of a nose (regardless of size) and puts a generic one on the face.

The Maxis PT who actually contributes to abduction baby genetics, on the other hand, has no nose at all. So if his children inherit his "nose" data and not their other parent's, the baby has the flat face. (This is all conjecture but I think it's sound reasoning)

I've heard people say "all babies look alike" but it's not completely true... they do display some variation in facial data. There's variation in eye size, obviously; nose/no nose; and I've also seen babies with thin or full lips. I'm pretty sure I've seen gaunt-faced babies too. I'm thinking one or more of Mme. Ugly's GUCCI kids had a gaunt face as an infant.

Sorry, I geeked for a minute there. :)

3. Re: Buck and Frances... I might be one of a very few NOT thinking that's a great idea. For one thing, I've known too many real-life situations where two people were thrown together just because they share a sexual orientation. That's never a good situation. I'm not saying I think Buck's gay, either. And it doesn't matter to me if he is or isn't. It's not the defining aspect of his character at all. He's Buck and that's what matters.

4. Ripp's bandmates taking care of him, in their own way... that's actually really sweet in a dysfunctional, druggie way... let's just say I've been there. Sometimes it really does help to just make the noise in your head quiet down.

5. The Smith family dinner made me smile really big. And knowing Jenny was inviting all the Grunt bros over leads into...

6. The Ripp/Tank reunion. I teared up, too. Then Tank picking lint and hair off Ripp made me smile all over again. And the mac & cheese. "Clearly, he likes ass." Thank god he kept it to himself (Frances might be hurt) but LOL!



Thank you for an absorbing and delightful read!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

This is how much you write when you don't have words? :P I love it, though... I really do appreciate the comments! And especially when we can discuss finer details.

First of all, thank you! It really means a lot to me to know that you're enjoying it.

1. Thanks. I was happy with how the shots for that sequence worked out.

I know you've already answered your own question about Lyla by reading that extras post, but for anyone else that might be reading this, I did create that Lyla in CAS from extracted versions of Ripp and Buck. The Lyla in Olive's graveyard is supposed to be missing genetic information, so I didn't want to tempt fate and resurrect her. She also resembles a bland face template instead of her sons. I figured that we could tie her looks into Ripp and Buck, since Tank looks a lot like Buzz, and thus they will all make genetic sense as a family. Lyla has most of Buck's facial features, and Ripp's eyes.

2. Thanks. I think they're pretty darn cute too. They make Jill seem even less genetically likely, though. She really should be green, since her father is a full alien, but what can we do about that now?

I picked up on that thing about the baby facial features too. I think they allowed for some differences, but only to make the alien babies look different from normal babies, so those alien features (lack of nose, gaunt face, giant eyes) can show up on babies. I realized that about P.T.'s nose as soon as they became toddlers, since I had assumed they both had Jenny's nose until they transitioned. Their noses shrank as they aged, which was funny.

Don't worry about geeking out... we're all geeks here. Well, I am, anyway, but I prefer the term nerd. ;)

3. Very insightful comments re: Buck and Frances. They haven't even been in the same room together yet, so it's pretty early to make any calls there, isn't it? They have some hobbies in common, but that's hardly a reason to pair them off in itself. I hear you about the orientation thing. Just because they COULD, doesn't mean they WILL (if Buck is even gay... had to throw that in there). When did anyone ever attempt to pair off two people for the sole reason that they were both straight? (Well, I'm sure it does happen, but probably less often.)

Then again, I suppose it makes more sense than pairing off two characters that obviously have completely different orientations (from the sex of the person they get paired with), and acting like that instantly happens all the time. I wouldn't venture to do that if the characters were really tied to one end of the sexual spectrum (but I also believe that few people are truly that black and white about their sexuality).

You're right, Buck is Buck. How much does his sexuality really define him? It's amazing how much people can think that it does...

4. I totally think that Ripp's bandmates are looking out for him there. They're good friends to Ripp. They don't think there is any harm in it, and neither does Ripp (and, to a point, there isn't... unless it becomes too much). Ripp gets the parental thing from Johnny and Ophelia, and the band doesn't judge him or censor his actions, so that's good for him.

I've definitely been there too. That's why I feel it has a place in the story. Like the cursing... some people might find it distasteful, but it feels realistic to me.

5. I love the Smiths. It will be fun to have all of those kids in the same house for dinner. Tank hasn't been over there since Johnny kicked his ass that time.

6. I loved that lint thing. I was pondering how to show Tank being brotherly and affectionate that would suit the characters, and that appreciate-groom interaction was just perfect. Tank is neat. Ripp's a slob. Tank can fuss over him, while still being critical, and I love that Ripp just seems irritated the whole time, but holds up for it. That's a great little interaction. It should get more use.

*grin* Ripp might have said it, but he's having more fun laughing at them behind their backs. Poor Frances would die if he just threw that out there!

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

WAAAAH! (I'm crying because now I'm caught up and I have to WAIT for an update, lol)

This is so good... I love how Ripp's every-other-word is the f-bomb, lol. I can so see him being that way... one of those people who curses constantly but doesn't mean anything by it, hee hee. Love how he reached out to Tank, too. (sniff!) Lots of warm fuzzies, there!

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to happen with the Johnny/Opheila/Jayne triangle. Doesn't matter... I'll like whatever happens, hee hee!

And *is* Buck gay? I'm starting to think he's not... just one of those totally not-gay-but-still-feminine male types. You know the ones that go to Lamaze with their wives and instead of sitting back out of the way and wishing they were ANYWHERE but there, they're the ones actually doing the breathing exercises while they're laying on the floor with their legs back imitating the proper way to push (giggle, snort.)

But a gay! Buck wouldn't be unheard of... (wink)

Anyway, great story! I'm really loving to see how you're bringing my favorite Sims to life!

Hugs
Cindy

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm glad you'll be looking forward to it! I'm hoping to have the next chapter up before the weekend is over, anyway. I might do some outtakes first. I have lots of them.

Yeah, Ripp is exactly that type of person where cursing is concerned. Like you said, he means very little by it, most of the time, and doesn't even realize he's doing it. Ripp really would be the one to reach out to Tank, and not the other way around. He's the one who lets his emotions guide him.

Well, something dramatic has to happen with that love triangle before it's all over, right? Someone has to lose an eye (not really, but maybe a heart, or two, will break).

Hmmm, I wonder... I don't think Buck's little secret will remain a mystery all that much longer. A few more chapters in, I suspect. I totally agree with you about feminine guys. They really DO exist, and maybe more men would be like if it wasn't so frowned upon. The fact that people tend to approve of women with masculine interests and traits, but not the opposite, is definitely telling of the dominant opinion of femininity in our culture. I think that it would be healthier, for both men and women, if men were free to embrace their feminine side more often. *ends feministing*

But yeah, Buck might also be gay... we'll see.

Thank you for reading! *smile*

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

I'm writing this after having had very little sleep (stupid wind)so I'm going to apologize if I get a little incoherent.

First, everyone's already said it, but, yeah, that dream sequence was great. Such a shock to see Ripp suddenly become his father and Ophelia become his mother. And then young Ripp blaming him for chasing his mother away. If you keep cloning Ripp you could start a whole neighborhood just with him! :)

Also got to say a little LOL for "mother" Ophelia and her two boys. ("If you too don't knock it off I'm putting you in separate corners. Now beHave!") like that.
I can see where Jayne gets her eyebrows from now. :)
It would be really interesting if Johnny bring Ophelia and Ripp to meet Jayne. He really does have to work out what he's going to do with his women, isn't he?

Ophelia turning on Tank in the library. wow. "You deserve everything you get!" Those words, or similar ones, really seem to be making the rounds lately, huh? They seem to explode from everyone's lips.

OMG, PT spawn! They are adorable! I'm gonna sneak into your Strangetown and steal them! They are so cute!! How strange must it be for Buck to sit down to a meal with a family and not feel all the tension that obviously he felt at home where nobody gets along. And to see PT and Jenny interact because they obviously love each other very much. I hope he can open up because he'll really bloom if given the chance. And PT trying to get Buck to call him something besides Mr. Smith. And apologizing for the problems between Buck's father and himself. I remember once looking through Buzz'es memories and realizing PT was the only person who ever beat him in a fight (and when I first played him it remained the only fight he ever lost).I know that couldn't have set well with the General.

Ripp and Tank making up. I love how they both look rather uncomfortable to begin with. And the "maybe he likes ass" comment. LOL! Oh yes. Definitely a comment best left thought and not said. Unless, of course, Ripp would like to get his nose broke again. I wonder does Tank truly have no clue about Frances? And, if he hasn't got a clue, it makes me wonder how he'll act if/when he actually finds out.

As always, this was great. I read it last night at work but didn't get a chance to comment (I'm really not supposed to be on LJ at work so I usually just look but don't really comment) until this morning. I can't wait until the next chapter!

[katsuko]

If you keep cloning Ripp you could start a whole neighborhood just with him! :)

...

*wipes drool off desk and keyboard* Sorry, don't mind me. Just slipped into a happy place for a moment :D

[jessicus.livejournal.com]

Nothing like a dream sequence to get things going. Oh, it is good that Ripp and Tank sorted things out. The episode ended perfectly on the light note of Ripp laughing.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Ripp really needed a good laugh after all that, didn't he?

Keep writing, please!

[ricamarcella.livejournal.com]

This is such good stuff, I can't wait for the next installments. It's quite addictive... checking every day now, even though posts only come every few days. Write as fast as you can, because I just can't /wait/ to see how Olive turns up at the Beakers'. These stories about the good guys are marvelous as usual--what with the strong plots, complex relationships, ongoing conflicts, excellent photography--but I want to see some bad characters soon, especially when they face off against each other!

Personally, my bet's on Olive; I picture her as a king snake eating up other snakes. I have a feeling a lot of bodies are going to hit the floor when /that/ episode arrives (I think you said something about how it's not the next one but the one after next). If I remember correctly, you also said Olive was nearing the end of her life... and that there would still be evil left in Strangetown after the encounter... and that you had something good/unexpected up your sleeve. Well hurry, 'cause I'm on the edge of my seat!

*passes around hat to collect bets on the three camps (Olive, Nervous, and Beaker)*

Re: Keep writing, please!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. If I could write faster, I would. I have to be careful that I won't rush over something or forget to include it (or otherwise write myself into a corner), since I won't be able to go back (which is one of the interesting things about writing in installments like this). I'm also not an overly fast writer, so you'll have to be patient with me. *wink*

Does this story actually have good guys and bad guys? I suppose that it does, but I have never really thought of it as a conflict between good and evil, with the exception of Pascal's quest to rescue Nervous. I think that most of the plots are interpersonal, and will continue to be that way, but I'm hoping that I won't drop the ball on the action-based plots completely after the big showdown.

Don't worry. Olive will get there. *grin* The exchange will be between Olive, Nervous, Loki, Circe, and Death himself (who, let's face it, has some bias in this situation). Also, don't forget about what Loki may be hiding up in that tower. Olive is sure to be prepared, but is she prepared for that?

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

This was good as always. :D And it was long too! :D YAY. :D There was so much in this too... Where to start? I love Ripp,,,and I absolutely can't WAIT till they all go for dinner at the Smith's and he sees Jill! :D :D :D I'm glad Buck is enjoying being there, I think PT will have a wonderful influence on him. :) It'll be interesting to see Jayne meeting Johnny's friends too...I wonder if Opheila will pick up on anything....Hmm. Also, I loved the Tank/Ripp exchange. I'm glad they made up but still bug each other. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

We'll finally get to see young Jill face to face with her crush, won't we? It should be interesting. I'll bet that she's getting ready right now. His face might be slightly different than she remembers, though, thanks to Tank. I had considered that Ripp might still have the bandage on, but that would be REALLY milking it for sympathy (from Jenny, I'd say), and it *ahem* "fell off" in the last few photos, so I dropped that idea. *snicker*

I'm still working out the details for that meeting between Johnny's different sets of friends. There's more than one thing that Johnny will be a little taken aback by at that party, I'm sure.

Thank you. :)

[blaiseparker.livejournal.com]

Okay, first off:

Kick-ass dream sequence. Awesome.

I love your writing and you actually make me like Strangetown. Never thought anyone could do that!

I hope you stay with this for a long time cause you are doing a GREAT JOB!

Also, you are being pimp'd around the sims 2 community:

http://isleofthyme.squarespace.com/backtalk/january-2008-pimpage-the-best-in-the-sims-2-community.html

Thanks for a great sims 2 story!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad that the dream sequence went over so well. It was a lot of fun to do (by far the easiest part of this update, in many ways).

I made you like Strangetown where once you did not? Nice! I'm quite excited to hear that. *grin* We can't have too many Strangetown fans around here.

Barring any extreme circumstances, I plan to be writing this for quite some time. Though many smaller details of the plot change almost daily, I do have a rough outline that extends up until most of the main characters are elders or dead and buried of old age. I have so many plans. there are some things that I can hardly wait to get to, but all in good time...

Oh, how nice! I will have to thank them. Thank you for making me aware of that!

You're very welcome. Thank you for reading!

[aledstrange.livejournal.com]

YEAH! I'm finally up to date ..
Amazing dream sequence! AMAZING! soooo moving and that hug .. got me to tears, but such great way to finish the scene
.... "Clearly, he likes ass" ... ROLF!

Now I have to wait for next!! EEK! the horror! lol

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Good things come to those who wait. *grin* That's the plan, anyway...

Thank you. I liked ending things there, with the brothers opening up, so now they can finally try to deal with everything between them. It will be a help to both of them. They should have enough sense to be there for Buck too, instead of wallowing in their own self pity.

Well, if it tastes like ass and Frances liked it, then clearly... *snicker* Leave it to Ripp, right? He's a jackass, but at least he's nice enough to not say what he's thinking.

[treesahquiche.livejournal.com]

TANK AND RIPP RECONCILIATION! *squee* It's going to be interesting to see how Tank and Ripp try and get along with each other. Will Frances Worthington feature more in the plot?

Ripp's dreams seem like foreshadowing to me, especially with Johnny's upcoming party. I can't wait to see how Ophelia and Ripp react, especially if Johnny doesn't bother telling Jayne what the situation is and she lets something slip.

Thank you for another wonderful update. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*smile* It's good to see, isn't it? It really should be interesting to see how successfully they manage to get along. Ripp argues enough with Johnny, and they're best friends, so you can imagine how it will be with Ripp and Tank. Of course, that has a lot to do with Johnny too, and how flighty he is.

Hmmm, foreshadowing? We'll see. The dreams certainly might reflect some of Ripp's feelings about the situation. I'm not sure if Johnny is careless enough to go into that situation without saying something to someone. Even so, he may be backing himself into a tough corner.

You're welcome! Thanks for reading.

[moofable.livejournal.com]

Wait... Jayne’s dad is...Morrissey?!?

(P.S. My fiancée and I love your story!)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Bingo! We have a winner. *grin* You are correct. That is who Mr. Doe is based on, and I thought the hints were pretty heavy in this installment. *wink* A couple of others did figure it out as well, I believe.

The pun, of course, being the connection between Morrissey and The Smiths, and the fact that Jayne is supposed to be marrying into the Smith family in Strangetown. It amused me, anyway. *grin* I am also a huge Morrissey fan. I think the resemblance is decent. Not perfect, but he does look something like him.

And, thank you! Always happy to hear that.

[(Anonymous)]

"I said, give it up, you two!" Ophelia scolded. She had to stop this before they ended up taking their pants off and going to find a ruler.

LORL!/OMFG that's funny!/Perfect!


Thank you,
-Dr.X

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm happy to amuse.

Thank you for reading. :)

[missgan.livejournal.com]

The nightmare sequence was excellent! I'm sure Ophelia would have loved to hear about it, so she could decipher the psychological background of it. XD

Sim TV is incredible. All the news ever seems to report is massive disasters in the city/robot rampages/car chases! And my sims always, invariably, laugh their heads off when the news comes on!

Aww, Buck's doing well in the Smith household. I'm so happy that he gets to be around a normal, loving family for once. PT & Jenny are adorable! :) I'm going to be sad when PT passes on, I think that time is drawing near, unfortunately?
Oh, and I've never thought of Buck as gay - I'm hoping he gets together with Jill, in fact! :D

I'm so, so glad that Tank & Ripp have made up! I know they love each other more than they realise, and Tank trying to 'groom' Ripp was hilarious. XD
Kinda disturbing to know that Ripp doesn't change his shirt in between girls, though!

[ohflark.livejournal.com]

It's so cute when Johnny and Ripp fight.

I think they do it in more of a friendly way. Sometimes I wish Phi was so... motherly.

Even if that is something that Ripp probably needs. That might be why he likes her so much.

I still feel like there is something fishy about Frances I am not sure what it is yet but I am interested to see if I am right about that.

haha when phi slapped Tank she looked crazy as hell. I think it's kind of shitty she was so mean to Tank even if he did beat the shit out of Ripp. In my eyes Ripp deserved every second of that beating.

It is nice to see Buck finally happy and able to be himself. His move to the Smiths seems to be exactly what he needed.

I am so glad that Tank and Ripp are friendly to eachother! I just wonder how long that is going to last...

My guess would be it doesn't take very long for Ripp to end it.

[pnkpnthr334.livejournal.com]

I love how you do the dream sequences! That was a very touching chapter, and I'm glad Ripp went to see Tank. :)

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

Oh what a great denouement for the Ripp-Tank conflict. It gives me hope that the Grunt family will be alright.