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One Month One World One Year Challenge (Selena Lilly)
lilypadmeulin
Posts: 1,655 Member
So, I started this off in the hopes that I could keep up with it, and immediately couldn't. I've decided to instead do it in this thread, but please check out the main thread with all its wonderful stories here if you're interested!
I'll be picking up from where I left off in the thread, which is here if you want to catch up.
Selena Lilly
Our protagonist! She's struggling to make her way through life after being kicked out of her house.
I'll be updating as often as I can!
I'll be picking up from where I left off in the thread, which is here if you want to catch up.
Selena Lilly
Our protagonist! She's struggling to make her way through life after being kicked out of her house.
I'll be updating as often as I can!
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Comments
Sofia had been at Selena's workplace today, and had been laughing and talking loudly. Selena knew she wasn’t here for the food, and her fears were confirmed when Sofia only ordered a small milkshake and sat in a booth with her friends. Of course, her manager had asked her to carry their orders over to them, and Sofia had smiled like a cat when she’d seen her.
“Aw, thanks!” she’d said, brightly. “You know, that shade of orange really suits you, Selena. You should wear it all the time.”
Her friends had snickered, looking down at the table, and Selena had to resist the urge to pour Sofia’s milkshake all over her bratty head. Instead, she’d placed it gently on the table, along with the rest of their order, and hurried back to the kitchen. She couldn’t get the image of Sofia’s smile out of her head, and once she was home, she’d screamed in frustration.
So, today was pretty slow, with Selena pretty much just working on her project while she chilled out.
She finally finished it, creating this adorable robo-buddy!
Then, it was time to finish up her homework, and go to sleep. Gotta keep those grades up!
It didn't end up being a very busy day, but she got everything done she needed to. Hopefully she can make the house bigger with enough time!
Daughters of Hesperia
Luckily, Selena wasn’t on shift today, but her coworker had texted to let her know that Sofia and her friends had been back in, though they’d left soon after finishing their drinks. So, now Sofia had a new after school hobby, it seemed.
She slumped, just texting back briefly that she was sorry, but her coworker told her not to worry. Still, it stung to be picked on, and during school it hadn’t been any better. The girls had whispered and laughed when she passed by, and she’d eaten lunch alone as usual. It wasn’t as if she minded being alone when she chose it, but it was very clear that this wasn’t getting better any time soon.
It didn’t help that Sofia reminded her too much of her cousin, either. Both of them had that horrible habit of picking on somebody else to make themselves feel better.
We started out the morning by taking care of the garden! It's Selena's primary source of income, as her job doesn't exactly pay out much. Just like Stardew, you've also got to take note of the seasons, so it's worth keeping an eye on it as often as possible.
After that, it was off to school! She looks way happier to go than I write her to be, lol.
Also, while she was at school there was a thunderstorm, and we got this. Can't sell it, but it's super pretty!
So, that's it for today! Hopefully see you all tomorrow!
Daughters of Hesperia
Today, she’d been back at work, and Sofia hadn’t been there, but her manager had been angry about the situation.
“All they do is come in, order drinks, and refuse to leave. If you know them, you talk to them about it, Selena. The blonde girl said she was your friend.”
“She’s not my friend!” Selena had said, quickly. “They don’t like me!”
The manager had shaken his head impatiently. “Look, either you sort it out or I’ll have to talk to them the next time they’re in store. We have a fair use policy, and I have to stick to it.”
Could things get any more embarrassing? She could imagine what Sofia would say if the manager did talk to her, and the rumours that would fly around the school. She just wanted this to stop, even if it wasn’t like they were technically doing anything wrong.
Selena got up early, and honestly seems to be doing much better with keeping on top of her needs! However, it was right back into keeping on top of her homework, because falling behind when you start off this challenge is just the worst.
Then, of course, it was off to school to turn in said homework. Between school and her job, she's having a pretty hard time, but hey. It's worth it...
Because we finally upgraded! Look at this! A separate bedroom! I was going to make it a kitchen, but for now it's a bedroom, and I plan to keep updating it as the money from the garden comes in.
Obviously, we can also now work on the living room, but that's a whole other kettle of fish. Things are looking up for Selena though!
Daughters of Hesperia
Quite by chance, she'd run into Sofia, who had been wandering around as if she owned the place. It was the weekend, and one of Selena's days off, so she'd walked up to her, keeping her shoulders back and steeling herself for the confrontation. Better to talk to her when she had the chance, rather than have the manager scold Sofia.
"My manager asked me to talk to you," she said, head held high. "You shouldn't be harassing me at my workplace, and you're going against my workplace's policy. If you don't like me, I can't do anything about that, but at least think of how you're affecting my coworkers."
"What sort of garbage is that?" Sofia scoffed. "Are you trying to tell me I can't come in?"
"No. You just can't order one drink and sit there for my whole shift. You're taking up a table that other customers could use, and we have a fair use policy in place. You're violating it. Don't you think this whole thing should stay in school?"
Sofia rolled her eyes. "God, Selena. Aren't you harassing me, by your logic? You're coming up to me outside of school--"
"I'm making a polite request, nothing more, and explaining things you seem to be ignoring. You don't like me, I understand that. I also understand that you think this is funny, but at this point, you're affecting my workplace, and I am simply asking you to stop. That, as far as I am aware, is all above board."
Sofia didn't reply, and Selena inclined her head.
"However, I feel it is unnecessary for us to talk further than this. I can't make you do anything, after all, but please think on it."
With that, she walked away, feeling triumphant for having kept her temper, and even more triumphant that her phone had been in her pocket, recording the whole conversation. She didn't want any trouble, after all, and she knew Sofia was the sort to make it.
Hurrah, it's the weekend! Poor Selena always works so hard during the week, and usually not for much return other than good grades and a pittance of cash. Also, I'm aware I haven't posted for a while, but turns out I felt down because I was coming down with a cold, which is...not great, but hey, at least I've now got time to catch up on things?
First order of business was homework, of course, because those grades need to stay up!
Next, heading over to the Simmi machine to test our luck. This is probably the number one way in Mt. Komorebi to raise your money, and I really enjoy the gacha element.
We ended up getting a good amount of money from it, which was great, and as a treat I let Selena get some sushi from the stand nearby. She's been working hard, she deserves some takeout! It definitely brings back memories of last year, too, when it was Jenny getting sushi from the same stand.
With those earnings, it was time for a comfy new sofa! It's in her theme colour, and I think it's quite pretty, myself.
Selena certainly seems to like it! Hopefully with tomorrow's post, we'll be able to garner some more funds, although I probably need to start saving a little bit now that we have the basics (not pictured, the bins I also bought so her inventory isn't full of spoiled food.)
Daughters of Hesperia
The next day, Selena headed out early, making her way up the mountain to the hot springs. She was definitely in need of some relaxation, and given that this was the quietest, possibly cheapest option, she checked in and went to get changed.
It had been a while since she'd really had a day to herself, and she felt herself relaxing just from stepping through the doors. The chatter of other customers wasn't even a distraction as she stepped into the shower area, and for the first time in quite a while, she just let herself be. She didn't think about Sofia, about all the hard things she was dealing with, or any of her worries. Instead, she listened to the sound of the people and the birds, and the sound of traditional music as it played over the radio.
She had needed this.
I decided that this was a perfect day to work on the Onsen part of Selena's aspiration, as we're already halfway through the month and she hasn't been able to sort that out. First, it was time to scrub up...
The it was time to soak! It actually took a while to fulfill the achievement, but as evening fell, she was fully relaxed. Now, she just needs to go sledding at some point to move onto the next part of the aspiration!
Thanks to having been there a while, she ended up taking a little nap on one of the sofas. I wonder what the other customers thought? Ah well, she's still doing well.
Of course, after that, I sent her back to her own bed, and she got a well-deserved good night's sleep. I think this challenge is definitely going well, and I look forward to the next day!
Daughters of Hesperia
It had been cold when she woke up, and so she'd tried her best to dress warmly. She was very grateful for the beanie as she went outside to the garden to check up on how the flowers were doing, and gathered some of the mushrooms to cook later. A vegetable garden was always a good idea, but pretty flowers sold well at the weekend market, so she'd ended up with a bit of both. Fried mushrooms were surprisingly delicious, either way.
She waved to a neighbour passing by, and the woman waved back. Selena knew the neighbourhood a little better by now, and all of the adults were pretty friendly towards her if they met her. She'd been told to stop by if she needed anything, but she'd found her pride hadn't allowed her to before now. Maybe she could stop by and say hello, soon.
We now have a collectables shelf! I'm going to start gathering Simmis that aren't worth selling and collectables like this that you can't actually sell, so hopefully it'll go well. I think it looks pretty cute.
Selena's also been getting much better at cooking, and we have had zero fires so far. Much better than my track record in other games.
When she came back from school, she brought back a project, and started working on a second robot buddy. Her grades are going to be so good!
Also, Yamachan popped by. I think he's checking that Selena is okay, which is sweet of him. Maybe they're even friends!
Daughters of Hesperia
Sofia and her friends had been quiet this last couple of days, and Selena was at least thankful for that, though she still didn't trust the girl. She had been taught by her grandmother from a young age about people who acted this way, and she had always been grateful for the lessons, but interacting with Sofia exhausted Selena.
She had been able to explain the situation more to her boss, as well, and things had settled down at work, thankfully. Her grades were keeping steady, and so, in a way, things were as good as they could be. Sometimes, she wished that she could talk to her family about everything, or her old friends, but that wasn't possible anymore.
Besides, they would hate how she lived. Even if she was doing her best, they would look down upon her these days.
It's been a while, so I'm reconstructing the screenshots I took. Fairly obviously, the power was briefly cut, but this is more of an overview of what the house looked like. It's actually bigger now, which is a relief.
I also got this really funny shot of Yamachan looking at his own statue. You do you, buddy.
Then, it was back to the gacha machine to mine for gold Simmis! I actually had really good luck, and got some that weren't for selling in the end. The Simmi machines are definitely a gamble, and I know I talk about them a lot, but they're really worth it.
Here's our little collection of ones that aren't for selling, by the way!
Finally, we actually have a kitchen! Selena looks super psyched about it as well. I love how the house is growing in such a short time.
That's all for now!
Daughters of Hesperia
Today had been horrible at school. Someone had tripped her in the cafeteria, and she'd been shoved a couple of times in the hallways. The worst part was it didn't even seem personal. More like another day in the high school crab bucket. She didn't want to become cynical, but it was slowly happening, whether she wanted it to or not. It was hard to keep your head held high when it just earned you a slap in the face.
Still, wasn't she used to that?
A girl with dark hair had been gossiping next to her locker, nearly blocking it.
"I wish I was Mia Michaels, you know? Arthur Feng is just..." The girl had pretended to swoon. "Did you see the picture of the two of them having drinks together on her Simsta?"
Her friend, a diminutive redhead, had sighed with a similar jealousy. "Oh, I know. Some people just live such a charmed life, it's disgusting. Why are there no boys in our school like Arthur Feng?"
"Ugh, I know. Where's my hot millionaire boyfriend, huh?" The first girl had laughed, before the two of them had walked away. Selena had sighed once they were gone, shoving her books back into her locker with irritaton.
Another update/upgrade for the house! I'm slowly getting the hang of this, and I think this is a really good upgrade, honestly. Now Selena can do her homework at an actual desk, which we can afford! Yay, us!
The garden is also doing pretty well, although some things are suffering because of the weather...
And Selena's cooking is also coming along nicely! I feel a little safer letting her cook without watching too closely now.
Despite having a desk, she still ended up doing her homework at a picnic table, because of course she did.
That's it for today, but check in tomorrow for some cool stuff!
Daughters of Hesperia
Whilst things might be tough in school, Selena found herself enjoying the scenery outside of it. Mt. Komorebi was a truly beautiful place, and more than anywhere she'd ever been, she found that this place was peaceful enough that spending time outside helped to set her at ease. Occasionally, she still thought of her family, and how they had treated her, and of course, she thought of Donny.
Perhaps it hadn't been fair to ask him to keep their relationship secret, after all. She could admit fault for that, but then, he'd been the one to suggest it in the first place. He'd been the one to ask her out, and then he'd been the one to stab her in the back, too. But maybe she could have stuck to her guns a little more, and...well, she could have stood up for her relationship, if she held it so dear. She had known all along that her family would react badly.
But she hadn't quite known how badly, not really. It had never crossed her mind that this could be a possibility, and yet, she had also never imagined she would deal with it as well as she had. Her money was pretty nonexistent, but she'd still struggled through, and while it wasn't the best at times, and she still felt panic when she got her bills, she would never have imagined she could do something like this. She hoped that her grandmother would at least have been proud of her, and she more and more could believe that she would have been.
Well, today's story portion is a pretty big hint on what happened with Selena. I'm still figuring out where I'm going with that story-wise, and building up slowly to writing more. Once I get to a certain point, I'll try writing chapters under a spoiler, but I think I'm going to slightly go with the flow. I'm not sure about my original plan, as it doesn't so much follow Selena's path as it does her past, so maybe things will change for her in the future.
Selena started off the day nicely by trying to appeal 'roughhousing encouraged', which is currently in our neighbourhood. We've only got twelve days left here, but might as well do some good with them!
I'm thinking of moving Selena to Moonwood Mill, because the new pack recently released, and as always, I'll give her something of a makeover when I do. I'm really looking forward to the move, whether it ends up being MM or Windenberg. I'll probably make my mind up at the time.
But today, it was time to work on the Sightseer Aspiration! It's definitely been a hot minute since I actually did, so off to the golden statue of Yamachan we go!
I was expecting Selena to fall off on the slopes at least once, but she went down the bunny slopes all three times without falling over once! She actually had a blast.
As she was finishing up, she ended up being asked to join the Renegades, and for story purposes, I accepted. All the old crew are still there, including Morgan, who I definitely missed. Max is a teen as well now, and still the leader, because this is the same save as last year. Selena looks so sad because it's cold and this meet up requires being in your swimsuit.
Happily, I also saw Iris, who is now a child! Aw, she looks so much like Jenny. She was busy falling out with Agatha for some reason, though. Not sure exactly why this is her swimsuit, either. But still, Iris! For those not in the know, Jenny was my Sim for this challenge last year, and Iris is her daughter.
Then, it was off to the Snow Festival, and to see Yamachan, again! I think this is probably why Yamachan ends up at our house so much. Still, Selena did the Mountain Move.
I had Selena change into her festival outfit, and she just looks so cute in it. Pale blue really is her colour! She spent quite a lot of the festival trying to get Simmis, of course.
However, I also had her try the festival food, and chat with other residents of the town. It'll help once she's trying to get more signatures back home, plus she seemed pretty chilled out the whole time.
SoulGal7's Sim from last year, Sakura, was also at the festival, and we got to chat with her. I always like it when other people's Sims cameo! Sakura was definitely one of my favourites from last year, too.
And at the end of the day, Selena went for a hike for her Aspiration. We knocked quite a lot of it out of the park today!
So, that ends our jam packed day! There's a fun day for tomorrow, too, but I really enjoyed this. I think Selena did too...
Daughters of Hesperia
On Saturday, Selena found herself at a flea market. She’d always liked the idea of this sort of thing, and she’d been to a couple before when it was a novelty, but now it was somehow better. Now, she genuinely did need some of the things that were being sold. She’d been invited to go with one of her neighbours, who seemed like a nice woman, so she’d accepted.
There was one big downside, though: it was in San Myshuno.
She’d thought about rejecting the offer, but San Myshuno was a big city, and her neighbour was a nice woman, so she’d still come along. She felt jumpy, however, and kept checking discreetly to see if she recognised someone. So far, nothing, but she didn’t feel any less out of place.
Would they even recognise her, though? She’d changed a lot in the time she’d been gone, after all.
It's here, the updated house! Selena finally has a functioning room!
She also managed to complete the Sightseer aspiration, with the help of meditation! Not completely sure we'll get through the Extreme Sports Enthusiast Aspiration on time, but I didn't quite complete the Sightseer one last time, so this is definitely some improvement!
Sakura invited her to the Flea Market, and she went along to see if she could find any bargains. There, Sofia was actually performing, though we had no chance to stop and say hi to her.
She tried and failed to haggle for a bargain, quite sadly, using her new perk from the Sightseer Aspiration. Oh, well! Guess it's not 100% every time...
Finally, the item she ended up buying was this gorgeous lamp, and in addition to that, we have this plaque to commemorate collecting all the Simmis! I'm pretty happy to have found them all, but I'll probably still keep buying them. It's one of the best ways to make money, after all! But it definitely looks nice in her room.
That's it for today! See you tomorrow for Day 20!
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena had been daydreaming in art class as they worked on their projects, blending colours together as she idly thought about yesterday's flea market. Being back in San Myshuno had been slightly unpleasant, and she'd ended up sleeping a little later than she might usually have done. She'd enjoyed the street food, and she'd even had some fun, but there was still that old feeling in her heart, the one that felt as though she was building a house of cards and expecting it to withstand a hurricane. She'd never wanted to feel like that again, and she hadn't been sure who she'd been more scared of running into.
The project in question was 'self-reflection', which was, as usual, a broad topic. Still, she found herself wanting to do her best, even if her initial idea hadn't stuck with her. She'd wanted to paint a cracked mirror version of herself, but that had seemed too...well, even so. Instead, she found herself beginning to paint something else. She sketched it first, outlining the women with their masks and claws, and began working harder.
She didn't even notice when the teacher came to stand behind her, eyeing the piece.
"Impressive, Miss Lilly." Her voice made Selena jump and turn around, brush still in hand.
"I..." She looked around, to find other students leaving. The class had ended, and she hadn't noticed. She looked back at the canvas, but began tidying up as the teacher watched. It was a good feeling to wash the paint out of the brushes she had used, and she felt proud of what she had done.
"Good work today, Selena," the teacher called out, as she left, and Selena felt a slight glow of pride. Perhaps that explained why she spent the extra bit of budget on a large easel and some paints, and why she found herself doing something she never thought she'd do again when she got home that night.
We started the day off asking for more petitions! It seemed to be going well, but I actually got a notification that night that voting closed. Oh, well.
Selena's skills are hiking up slowly, including cooking, which is definitely a relief. Again, I can leave her alone without too much fire risk now. As you've probably guessed, her Painting skill is definitely getting up there as well.
She's also doing pretty well in school, thanks to these beautiful projects!
But of course, she still is tired most of the time. I really can't wait for the High School pack to come out, although Selena will likely age up before she sees it. High school just really tires out your teens...
That's it for Day 20! I've also started to get more of an idea where the story is headed, too.
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena had found herself painting more and more since that day. She'd picked up her brushes again, and started to go with the flow - though it wasn't always easy. Frustration, sketches going awry, and paint being wasted were common, but she began to really love what she created again, and in the end, she found herself starting to relax more while she was painting. Her worries simply didn't seem to exist with a brush in her hand.
Her teacher began talking to her about creating a portfolio, and mentioned Britechester casually from time to time. It seemed like a very long way off, and Selena wasn't sure, but Mrs Fox kept on about the importance of a portfolio, and finally, Selena relented slightly. Sketching was also fun to do while out and about, practicing capturing people's expressions and movements.
Some of the other students had started to take a bit more of a look at her, which she wasn't sure about, but the other art students had begun to talk to her a little more, and she wasn't as lonely. Luis, one of the boys, had even called the mask painting she'd started 'creepy cool', which she guessed was a compliment. It made her smile a little, even.
Selena's Painting is just getting better and better! I decided to actually keep the one she's working on in the image of the day, and hung it up above her desk to help with homework. It seems to actually be working well, too.
The Simmi collection is coming along nicely, too, which I'm happy for, though it being a shelf, water and plates do appear on it quite a lot.
Also, the fridge broke, but Selena fixed it up right away. She then decided she doesn't like Handiness, and frankly, I can't blame her. I don't imagine that was pleasant in any way.
She also had to clean up after, but she's pretty responsible these day - by which I mean fully in range to earn the trait when she becomes a Young Adult!
Daughters of Hesperia
It might have been the influence of picking up the paintbrushes again, but Selena had found herself longing to go up to the slopes once again. She'd always had fun skiing or snowboarding when she was younger, and she'd been happy to find out that there were rental boards available if you didn't have your own. Given that the paint supplies had already stretched her budget, that was a good thing.
It was as if her mood had simply started picking up again this last week or so. Sure, things weren't perfect, or the way they used to be, but she was slowly getting used to how they were if nothing else, and it was no longer as nightmarish as it had been at the start. She even wondered sometimes if she could ever have had the freedoms she did now if things had stayed as they were.
She'd also been thinking about Donny again, recently. Slowly, she was starting to wonder if it really was so much her fault that things had turned out the way that they had. He'd told that she couldn't blame him for getting sick of the way things were, and that she expected too much of him, but she'd been clear when they were dating about why that was. Selena couldn't help but think that maybe Donny wasn't as reliable as she had thought, and that...well, that maybe it was for the better that they weren't together anymore.
If she was honest, she was also beginning to think wistfully about dating again. She'd always been cautious, of course, but even with this newfound freedom, she found herself not wanting to get her heart broken on a whim. But it was nice to at least wonder what it might be like to go on dates again, or to get to know someone.
She took a deep breath of the cold air, and smiled.
We've hit Day 22! Still a little while to go before we move out, but the end of our Mt. Komorebi stay is in sight, and I have to say, I'm a little sad. Selena has been taking excellent care of the garden, and it will of course be coming with us when we move.
I sent Selena to get some snowboarding in, as part of the Extreme Sports Enthusiast Aspiration. I'm not sure that we'll complete it, but I wanted her to get as much of it done as possible. So, off to the Bunny Slopes we go!
She got the hang of things pretty quickly...
...with only minor failures.
She was eventually able to head to the beginner slopes, and to my surprise, didn't fall over as often there, either. She actually seemed to be having a blast!
At the end of the day, she'd levelled up her skill a little bit, and it was time to head to bed, sore but happy. She definitely seems to be smiling a lot more these days, and she's gotten a lot better at a lot of things!
Also, one last screenshot - she went hiking up a trail and got a blessing from the little spirits, and I got this beautiful picture of her smiling and energized. I think this might be one of my favourite pictures of her to date!
Catch you tomorrow!
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena carefully mixed colours, trying not to think about what everyone would be up to right now. It was Harvestfest, and she'd ended up not actually doing anything for it. She'd just been pretty busy, today. Last year, she'd been sat down with her family for a massive meal, and this year, she was ignoring the whole thing.
It didn't feel as good as she'd hoped it would.
No real screenshots today - Selena got a bunch of seed packets from the gnomes, though!
Unfortunately that's about the only thing I can show. It was pretty much 'painting and gnomes' for this day.
Daughters of Hesperia
The next day was the Festival Of Lights, luckily for Selena, who desperately needed a distraction. She'd carefully put on a yukata that she'd been loaned by one of the neighbours, and actually found she was looking forward to the whole thing. They'd had festivals in San Myshuno, but the only one she'd ever envied tourists for was the Romance Festival. She'd never been, not even when she had a boyfriend, and the other festivals weren't really worth risking getting caught sneaking out.
But this festival was beautiful, with lanterns, and lights floating down the river, and the smell of sweet taiyaki drifting through the air. She could hear the soft murmur of a growing crowd, and felt a tentative smile creep onto her face. No one would scold her for being here, or make her go home, or anything like that. She really could just enjoy herself.
And wasn't that wonderful?
Apparently, Sofia's desire today was to break in and play the violin? Oh, well...
And yes, a festival arrived again! Megumi Ito made an appearance, of course, as did Victor and Lily Feng, although you can't see them in this picture.
Selena got a Taiyaki, as is traditional, and I was watching very closely. The blonde lady is the same one who used to steal from Jenny, after all...
This is also one of my favourite shots of this day! Selena got to make a wish, and I can't help but be curious what she'd wish for. Maybe 'better luck in romance this year', although perhaps that's too much of a hint for the storyline.
And as the night came to a close, Selena ended up doing some firedancing! She did very well, and gained a little bit of fame, too.
Hope to see you tomorrow!
Daughters of Hesperia
Halloween had finally arrived, and Selena was actually pretty excited. She'd found an old cheerleading uniform in one of the thrift shops, at least, and she'd been pretty excited to buy a pumpkin this year. Halloween had just been a party holiday for her before, usually going along with her cousin to some big, expensive party which wasn't really any different from any of the other parties they had to go to. She'd never had to buy candy before, and so she tried to put her all into carving the pumpkin.
She probably could have gone out herself, but she wanted to be the one handing out candy, and to thoroughly enjoy her Halloween.
And yes, Selena dressed up as a cheerleader this year! There were many fun options to choose from, but this was definitely the best choice for her.
The pumpkin carving station was my gift to her, this Halloween/Spookytime, and she had a blast making a pumpkin on it. We went with the cat one, and in my mind, Selena has hot chocolate and is watching Hocus Pocus between people trick or treating. Cozy, right?
A better look at the costume...
And here's our first trick or treater! I don't remember her name, but she's the youngest Goth (she may very well be Cassandra's daughter, if I remember correctly?)
Our second trick or treater was Billie Jang...
Then, this kid, who I don't remember, but who makes an awesome pirate.
Gemma Charm showed up dressed as Princess Leia, which was pretty cool! I think she ended up getting some candy, but all the teenagers I saw were pretty much dressed in Star Wars outfits. Maybe it's a GeekCon thing?
But THIS was the highlight of the night. Celeste dropped by, dressed up as a skeleton! Celeste is Iris' twin sister, and Jenny's other daughter. It was so sweet seeing these two interact.
Finally, Duane Maul stopped by for some candy, and a chat with his classmate.
I was really happy with how this turned out, honestly. I didn't expect Celeste or Iris to drop by, but seeing Celeste again was amazing, and also, in case you can't tell, I really miss her. I might try to weave Jenny into the story a little bit if I can once Selena goes to Windenberg, which is where Jenny is currently, I think. I could be wrong!
See you all tomorrow!
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena had found herself back at the slopes today, with a rented snowboard and slightly less stress than usual. She'd been picking up her old skills with it quickly, and even when she fell over, it didn't feel as though that really mattered. Every small jump was exhilarating, and she'd started to recognise others who regularly practiced here.
The snow, the clear air, and the privacy of Mt. Komorebi was beginning more and more to feel like home, and recently, she'd followed her teacher's advice and started selling her paintings at a local cafe. To her surprise, some of them had actually sold, and she'd felt pride and happiness beginning to swell.
She was doing wonderfully until she overheard someone talking excitedly on the phone. Selena recognised the girl from one of her classes, and almost raised her hand to greet her - and then she heard possibly the worst thing she could have.
"I can't believe Mia Michaels is actually going to be coming here for her next reality show! My aunt said they'll begin filming by the end of the month, isn't that amazing?"
Her heart dropped into her boots, and she excused herself quickly, trying to focus on her breathing. It couldn't be right - no, it shouldn't be, anyway. She found herself on a bench, and began calming herself down.
What am I going to do?
Selena's painting continues to improve day by day! Look at this, I'm genuinely impressed. I love all the lovely paintings you can collect within the Sims.
She's also reading to learn about rock climbing, just to try and get part of the Aspiration at least. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do with that.
As for snowboarding, it's going well! Selena's skill level is climbing rapidly, which is actually a lot of fun for me. I've never used this feature much before, as I hadn't completed the first aspiration previously with Jenny, so this is a bit of a wild ride.
She's getting onto better slopes these days, which is rougher, but a lot of fun - and definitely more cinematic than the Bunny Slopes.
Of course, she still fell over.
Finally, it was time to send an exhausted Selena back home.
As for the story, it's slowly moving along! Selena's got a lot to think and worry about now, but she's not in the position she used to be in, so there's that. Our next world will be Moonwood Mill, which is going to be fun to explore given that it's such a new pack. I'm honestly loving what I've seen of it!
Daughters of Hesperia
A hike the next day brought her to a ruined house, with graffiti all over the walls. Selena could see where a fire had been lit, and she carefully struck a match against one of the bricks, lighting the fire again. As she stoked it, she tried to calm her racing thoughts.
She'd been unable to sleep most of last night, waking up and falling asleep, in and out. It had left her irritable for most of the morning, but here she could think more clearly. Of course, what she dreaded most was what she had to do.
She would have to leave.
It wasn't as though she could run away forever, of course, but certainly she knew what would happen if she were to be discovered. She'd been avoiding things on that front for quite a while now, anyway. She took a deep breath as she reviewed the facts, mentally.
Mia was her cousin, and possibly the worst person that Selena knew. They'd been a little close in childhood, but slowly, as they grew, Mia had turned spitefully against Selena. If Mia came here and Selena was still here, her reality show would turn into exposing Selena's new existence on live television, or possibly something worse. It hurt that Selena had so little to uproot, but the chances of being discovered by Mia were too high to stay.
She would have to talk with the counselor about moving, as she was doing it on her own. She didn't even know where to begin with that, and she certainly didn't want to start over the way she'd had to before. She also wanted to talk to the art teacher, and maybe see if she had any advice.
Plot point reveal! Yes, Mia and Selena are cousins, and Selena will have to leave before Mia arrives. There's definitely more to that story, but for now, let's roll the images! Selena got invited to a party that...pretty much didn't happen.
I did spot Luis Goth wandering around, though! This is Alexander's younger brother, and he's Selena's age.
Selena was, however, too busy setting herself on fire to notice him.
There were a couple more pictures, but I decided they didn't make the cut. Anyhow, I hope you're enjoying the story!
Daughters of Hesperia
Day 28
It had taken a couple of weeks, but things were finally in motion for Selena to start leaving. The hype about Mia's imminent arrival kept making her feel nervous, but she'd found that eating lunch in the art room usually calmed her down. Her teacher had been very supportive when she'd expressed that she needed to find somewhere to transfer.
It had been Mrs Fox again who suggested Moonwood Mill, which was an out of the way town with very few people. Apparently, Mrs Fox had a friend there, who she promised to recommend Selena to as an artist.
"Keep building your portfolio in the meantime. Britechester could be a wonderful option for you, Selena, if it's what you want, and you'll need to show them your talents." She'd smiled, and then left Selena to her lunch.
Mrs Fox was, Selena had realised in the past couple of days, her favourite teacher here. But it wasn't like she could change her mind with how things were. She already had a prospective place lined up, anyway. Still, she'd miss Mrs Fox, at least.
Not much happened today! As we go into Moonwood Mill, I'll be working on getting a lot more story in, and maybe only a few comments. Selena is doing a lot better than she was when this challenge started.
I've been focusing her on Painting, as it's a very versatile skill and great for building up money...
And, as always, Yamachan dropped by the house. He always starts baking and never finishes.
Finally, Selena finished up with some homework. I really do think the Focused painting is very good for this, but I'm also intrigued as to what will happen when the High School EP comes out. I reckon it'll spice things up some!
Onto the next day!
Day 29
With her house pretty much packed up, and most things sorted out, Selena found herself with quite a lot of free time. As such, she decided to take the time to check out the best slope that Mt Komorebi had to offer for snowboarding, and see the best sights she could at high speeds. And, to her delight, she found a breathtaking view from the very top that she could see again and again.
She took in the sight for what could be the last time (who knew if she'd be able to come back here?) and then started down the slop, feeling her eyes grow wet. She'd enjoyed living here more than she'd realised, and she knew she'd miss it. She resented Mia for being the reason she had to move, and she wished with all her heart that she could stay.
But just like snow, wishes never last.
So, a lot happened in this day! This was pretty much the chunkiest day it could be, and it ended up being a lot of fun given that I hadn't really tried out the slopes like this before. I think I'll be way more prepared for them for next year's challenge, and it definitely felt like a wonderful goodbye to Mt. Komorebi, which is already one of my favourite worlds.
To start the day off, Vlad came knocking but with no luck...
Then Selena went to build her skills on the slopes! I really like a lot of these shots, although I'll have to trim down quite a few.
She was doing incredibly, honestly, and even though it was really early, she wasn't getting any injuries...
Despite falling over every now and then. Oof, that looks like it should have hurt her, honestly. But she gets back up each and every time!
This was the point at which I spotted freakin' GREG running around the slopes at what, 5am? I got very worried that Selena was going to get turned into a werewolf before even getting to Moonwood Mill, but luckily I didn't see him after this.
As for Selena, she was doing just fine, despite grumpy werewolves running around while vampires were knocking on her doors. I'd pay to see those two run into each other, frankly...
And she was doing all these tricks, too. I could actually never.
Of course, she built up an appetite, so I had her come down and get something from the vending machine because it was still too early for anyone to even be around. One lukewarm hotdog, please!
Then it was time for the big, very scary, please-don't-perish one. Whoops!
But just like before, she absolutely had this, and I'm so PROUD of her. We started off sleeping on benches and showering at the onsen, and now she's crushing it on the slopes with her own house!
This was also a beautiful shot, with the trees just below her, but honestly the scenery in SE is just amazing anyway.
She did end up eating it, though.
There were plenty of other screenshots like this, but eventually, I sent her home to get some real food and rest up. It was a lovely day full of snowboarding and beautiful views, honestly, and I'm always impressed at the effort that was put in for this.
Also, I decided she deserved a new fridge in time for the move. Tomorrow will be the very last day in Mt Komorebi, after all...
Now, for the last couple of images, I did try to get her to climb the mountain, but it didn't go as planned at all. I had Sakura join her, but in the end, I couldn't get Selena to climb very well. Here is a picture of her *attempt*.
Also, Sakura! For posterity.
So, while I was able to complete the Sightseer Aspiration, I wasn't able to complete the Extreme Sports Enthusiast. Still, I had a lot of fun trying, and I look forward to showing off Selena's life in Moonwood Mill in a couple of days! (Yes, I've been playing ahead a little, which is a lot harder when writing the story!
Daughters of Hesperia
It was her last day.
Her paperwork was sorted for the transfer to Moonwood Mill's high school, and now she just had to get herself across there tomorrow. She'd started to wander around the area she'd first found herself in, just one last time. The mascot statue stood as bright and cheerfully as it ever had in the centre of the square.
Selena would miss Mt. Komorebi, but maybe someday when she was older, she'd be able to come back here properly. For now, she'd have to focus on building up things in Moonwood Mill, and sorting out her new life there.
Yep, officially the last day! I'll definitely miss this place, but hopefully Selena can come visit it in the future.
So Selena started off by making what I think is french toast, and she looked pretty sad, too. I think this process will get easier as time goes on, but for now it's not easy at all.
As we'd be moving, I sent her to have one last play of the gacha machine...
And we ended up expanding the collection, which was great! Unfortunately this is the last screenshot from today, as I think she went to school and pretty much collapsed, and then I had to move her to Moonwood.
I'll be attaching her new look below, which I love, but we'll be upgrading to full chapters now that we're in Moonwood! Or rather, starting from Day 2 we will.
Moonwood Mill Makeover!
Everyday
Formal
Athletic
Sleep
Party
Swimwear
Hot Weather
Cold Weather
Daughters of Hesperia
No chapter today! I'll be showing off Selena's new home, and a little upgrade, but her Moonwood Mill makeover is above. I went with a less classic look this time around, too.
As for her home, it's pretty similar to before, but this is the new place! It's spacier, which I love, and just seems overall a nicer place.
Also, I did upgrade the kitchen a little more right after this photo was taken. Tada!
I look forward to getting into Moonwood Mill with all of you!
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena looked around her house with satisfaction. She hadn’t ended up with much to unpack, in the end, and she’d been able to sell on some of the stuff she didn’t need anymore for a good price, given it was now second-hand. The new house wasn’t that much bigger than her old place, but it definitely felt bigger, and she already felt like painting some of the beautiful scenes she’d seen outside. Moonwood Mill was dusted in snow this winter, with a forecast that only spoke of thicker snow to come in time for the holiday.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about spending her first Winterfest alone, but she knew it would have been better than the alternative. She hadn’t really enjoyed Winterfest much ever since she’d started to notice things about her family she’d rather not have, but she also didn’t even know how she was supposed to go about getting everything together.
Well, plenty of time to worry about that later. Right now, she was a woman on a mission.
She had been lucky enough to speak with the librarian in Moonwood Mill before she moved, and been told to head down when she had time to have a look at things, as the library often sold paintings and other such stuff as a way to support the local community and the small businesses within it. Mr Wilder had been very enthusiastic when Selena had showed off her art via social media, and Mrs Fox had assured her that Mr Wilder was a good friend to her, too.
It had taken her some time to get settled in, though, and she'd finally contacted Mr Wilder yesterday, and been told to head in today to see how things went. He'd been a little hesitant, and she'd found herself growing nervous soon after.
As she walked in, however, she could see no sign of a librarian, and began to get worried. Maybe she’d gotten the wrong day? Or the wrong time? That would be embarrassing.
As she was about to head back out, a tall boy with curling dark hair looked up at her, and walked over, looking a little bored.
“Are you the artist? Wolfgang’s not here, but he said to show you around.” He looked her up and down. “Guess you’re new in town, huh?”
“Oh.” Selena blinked at him, a little flustered. “Well, hello. I mean, yes, I am. My name’s Selena.”
“Cyrus. I volunteer here. Anyway, Wolfgang’s all for local artists and small businesses, so he’s pretty thrilled you’re here.” He gave her a bland smile. “Want the tour?”
“You seem busy,” she said, immediately. “I can come back another time, so it’s really no trouble. I’ll bring the paintings with me tomorrow on my way back from school or something.”
“Huh? No, really, I’m supposed to give you the tour of everything.” He seemed a little flustered now, instead of her. “Wolf told me-- I mean…”
She couldn’t help but laugh then, trying to stop herself, before holding her hands up.
“Look, you seem really nice, but I don’t want you to have to give me a tour. I’d rather explore on my own another time, not bothering anyone. Just tell Mr Wilder I had somewhere to be, I’m sure he’ll understand.” She couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, though.”
“Wait, you said school, right?” Cyrus said, quickly. “Are you going to school around here?”
“Yeah, I just transferred to Moonwood High from Buckingham.” Selena smiled at him. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to my first day for once.”
“Oh, uh.” He paused. “I guess we might have some classes together then. I mean, I go there too.”
“That’d be cool,” Selena said, still unable to stop smiling. He was kind of funny, honestly, but she wouldn’t mind seeing a friendly face there.
“Yeah, I guess it kind of would.” He gave her a smile back, a genuine one this time rather than what had clearly been his customer service smile. "I'd be happy to show you around the library, seriously."
"I mean, if you insist," she said, a little mischievously. He laughed, and she almost did as well.
"Come on, give me a break." He grinned at her. "Can't blame me for putting my foot in my mouth, can you? I promise, I'll give you the best tour you've ever had of this library."
"Oh, yes. And the only one." She found herself smiling back. "Lead the way, then."
Daughters of Hesperia
Meeting Cyrus had put a smile on her face, and seeing him again in school had been good too. They’d waved to each other, or said hi during the day when they bumped into her. Moonwood was a very small school, compared to Buckingham, and Selena was surprised to find she somewhat preferred it that way.
She was also surprised to find that people wanted to talk to her, rather than ignoring her. One of the girls in her class even stopped her after school.
“Hey, Selena, right? Me and Candice were going to go to the bar after school, if you want to come with?”
Behind her, a confident-looking girl had waved to them both. Selena had blinked.
“The...bar?”
“Well, they serve sodas there. Moonwood’s pretty small, so it’s a good place to hang out, you know? I’m Nikita, by the way. Most people just call me Kita.”
Selena had hesitated, but nodded. After all, she’d be here for a little while, and it wouldn’t hurt to make friends.
They’d gone to the bar, sitting down together, and the girls had introduced themselves properly.
“We’re foster sisters,” Candice had said, giving Selena a lazy smile. “We were the new kids before you, so Kita wanted to show you the ropes a bit. Moonwood’s pretty friendly compared to other places, though.”
“It doesn’t hurt to help people out!” Kita had admonished her sister, quickly. “Anyway, you’re from Mt. Komorebi, right?”
“Uh, technically I’m from San Myshuno,” Selena said, quietly. “I used to live in Mt Komorebi before, though.”
“And you’re really living on your own, huh.” Candice eyed her for a moment, before clearing her throat. “We live with our foster dad, his friend, and our foster brother. It’s a bit of a crowded house, you know? I bet you never have to fight for the bathroom in the morning.”
“Jacob takes the longest showers,” Kita agreed, before leaning forward. “So, how do you know Cyrus?”
“Oh, we just met at the library,” Selena said, quickly. “I, uh, sell my paintings there. Or I will be doing.”
“Aw, I thought there’d be more to it. I’m so starved for gossip these days.” Kita slumped. “I just want one big scandal or something! At my old school, we had the weirdest stuff going on, but Moonwood is just...soul-crushingly normal.”
“A tragedy, of course,” Candice said, straight faced.
“It is, though! I mean, I remember at Brightdale, one of the cheerleaders got married to the captain of the chess club right after graduation, but she and this other guy had been going steady, so everyone was really surprised. I got told about it later, of course, but it was really strange. And there was rumours about a kid getting hit by a meteor out on the field during a practice or something...Oh, and everyone swore that there was the ghost of a girl in the science rooms if you ended up in detention! But Moonwood is so normal.” Kita rolled her eyes. “I wish something would just happen!”
“My grandmother always said to be careful what you wish for,” Selena said, with a smile.
"Your grandmother sounds wise," Kita said, sighing. "Oh, well. I guess normal old Moonwood isn't such a bad place."
"Besides, there's always the mystery of the tunnels if you don't mind rats." Candice said. "I've been down there--"
"Ew, no! It's gross down there, Cand!" Kita cut her off. "The tunnels are gross. You got me down there once. Never again."
"The...tunnels?" Selena asked.
"Yeah, the old sewer tunnels. They've got all these rooms and passageways, and everyone always talks about how this woman disappeared down there. Apparently you can hear her screams if you go there at night."
"Creepy." Selena shivered.
"Maybe we could go there during the day instead, but you can find all sorts of things down there. It's pretty interesting. Last time I found this old notebook, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, and Kita found a locket."
"Sh! Those are secrets, Candice!" Kita turned to Selena. "Promise you'll keep it a secret, too? It had this picture of this woman inside, and it's just beautiful."
It sounded like an interesting place, rats and all. Selena fell quiet as the two girls began bickering back and forth about the things they'd found, a little quieter than they'd started doing. They were pretty interesting too, come to think of it.
Daughters of Hesperia
Selena hadn't intended to go exploring so soon, not when she had so much to do with moving in, but on another snowy day she found herself navigating the treacherously icy steps down to the tunnels. Kita and Candice had become closer friends of hers in school, and it had been Kita who again mentioned them in passing, shuddering about the rats. Of course, it hadn't been the rats that caught her interest, but still, here she was.
Perhaps she shouldn't have been so surprised that the gates seemed to be locked, but she peered through them, trying to discern something, anything, from the darkness beyond. The dripping of water and a slight scurrying noise was the only thing she could hear, and she felt a surprising amount of disappointment. She'd not exactly been looking forward to ruining her boots, but at the same time, it would have been thrilling to have an adventure to share with her new friends. Perhaps she might have even found something interesting to show Cyrus. She leaned forward, wondering if she could stick her arm through the bars and jiggle the lock somewhat.
"Um, I'm Selena."
"Oh, so you're Selena?" His face lit up with good humour. "Well, you better take care of yourself, or who else is Cyrus going to talk to?"
She hesitated, but the guy held up his hands.
"Hey, no judgement, I promise. I'm Lou, I'm kinda like...Cyrus' cousin, I guess? Well, not by blood, but you know how it goes." He gave her a grin. "The kid mentioned you a bit."
"Really?" Selena asked, trying to sound casual. "What did he say?"
"You'd have to ask him. I'm not that much of a gossip." Lou laughed, and then his smile faded a bit. "Stay away from those tunnels, though. They're bad news."
With that, he lifted his hand and began walking away towards the bar that she'd gone to, whistling as he did so. Selena didn't know whether she wanted to chase after him with more questions, or whether to unpack what he'd just said, but she settled for turning around and walking towards her new home, mulling over what he'd said about Cyrus, and wondering what he could have said about her.
Daughters of Hesperia
Unfortunately, school didn't give you time off to solve mysteries about local tunnels, and so Selena found herself swamped with a report on local history. As her classmates became excited for their own projects, the report being an open ended one, Selena found herself lost at sea with what she could possibly write about. She didn't know anything about the local history, and she certainly hadn't grown up in Moonwood Mill.
Cyrus must have seen her face, because he came over to her desk as she was packing up to leave.
"Hey, want some help? The history here is kind of..." He shrugged. "Only if you want it, of course."
"I'd be honoured." She grinned at him. "After all, you give such wonderful library tours."
She was satisfied to see his cheeks go slightly pink, but then smiled at him.
"Why don't you come to my house? I really do need the help, and it's the weekend, right?"
And so, Cyrus had come home with her. It was only once they were outside that Selena started to feel somewhat self-conscious.
"It might be a bit barren. I didn't exactly bring too much with me." She tried to sound casual about it, but Cyrus smiled at her.
"Hey, no worries, right? I mean, you live alone and all..." He paused. "What's that like?"
"It...works, I guess." Selena tried not to think back on her first days in Mt Komorebi. Cyrus didn't have to know about any of that, after all. "It's warm, and I can cook, so I don't need to worry too much. Plus, no one's nagging me to do chores. Still have to do them, though."
She led him inside, and then turned around.
"So, what's the deal with Moonwood Mill, then? I know it's a pretty old town, but I'm kind of behind on local history."
"Well, it was founded ages back, obviously, and it's got ties to Forgotten Hollow. Though the Hollow wasn't actually called that back then, it was called Hollowheart, and the Bloodvein family were in charge of it back then. Of course, Moonwood has its own old families, like the Lunviks and the Zhus, and so on. Any small town does. Forgotten Hollow and Moonwood have had a rivalry for centuries, though."
"How did that start?" Selena asked, interested.
"Oh, uh, the heads of two different houses really fell out. I mean, like, really. But there's a lot of local history, so if you give me some pointers as to what sort of thing you're interested in, I can probably help you out. I mean, my cousin Lou knows more than I do about the whole Moonwood-Forgotten Hollow thing, but then I can help you research stuff at the library if you want. I already know what I'm doing my report on, anyway."
The mention of Lou reminded Selena of the other day, and she raised an eyebrow at Cyrus.
"Actually, I met Lou, the other day." She paused. "He mentioned you'd been talking about me?"
"Oh, God," Cyrus said, immediately. "Um, I mean, it was nothing bad, I swear."
"Hm." Selena looked at him, eyes twinkling. "Should I be worried that you're not telling me what you were saying?"
"Selena!" Cyrus was trying not to laugh, but also reddening. "I swear, he's got such a big mouth. I didn't-- I mean..."
"So, you were talking about me, then?" Selena asked, innocently. "He said I should ask you about it, anyway. So, what did you tell him?"
"Just...that I met a cool girl, that's all. I mean, I kind of mentioned that we go to the same school now, and that you're really good at painting..." He trailed off. "I mean, you are a really cool girl. I mean it."
Selena could feel her own cheeks turning red. She didn't know what she'd expected, but it certainly hadn't exactly been this. Cyrus held his hands up.
"Hey, you were the one who asked. I'll get him for telling you, though. He can't keep any secrets."
Selena managed to find her voice, raising a finger. "Isn't that your fault for telling them to him?"
"Lesson learned, I guess." Cyrus looked at her, as if trying to judge something. "So, do you think I'm cool?"
Selena paused, just for a minute. Open conversations had never been part of her upbringing, and honesty had always been something that could be used against you. There were undertones to this that she thought she might recognise, but then this was Cyrus, not some social climbing backstabber. He didn't have anything to gain from manipulation, and besides, she liked him well enough. Plus, he couldn't lie to save his life, which she'd never thought of as a reassuring trait before. But now, it was worth its weight in gold.
"Yeah, I do." She gave him a quick, embarrassed smile. "I think you're cool."
He grinned back at her, red faced. "Cool."
Daughters of Hesperia