Sometimes, in the past, I’ve been tempted to get Create a World and experiment with it. So, I downloaded it yesterday, and decided to get started by using the Sunset Valley template... and I remembered how bored I get when building. Just plonking down pre-made buildings wouldn’t be the same. I’d be better off opening the real Sunset Valley and just editing some of the buildings myself, or putting down new ones/getting rid of others.
I’m not much of a builder, either. The Sanchez family live in the Cornucopia pre-made house, which is one I use quite a lot. I’m not an architect or an interior designer, and my houses often end up looking rather similar.
I had some time, so I decided to play on my Riverview Save
Marius levelled up in Nectar Making, while Promethus, Canute and Cosima took turns with the gardening. Canute went to work, while Marius, Cosima and Promethus just did their own things. Elsewhere in town, I discovered a Wild Horse doesn't like Witches.
@king_of_simcity7 Looks like Tammy is thinking about blocks while Humara is worried about Nick.
That's always a good idea, having older Sims mentor younger or newer ones.
I wonder if Nick gave good advice or just advice he thinks is good.
The shy girls becoming friends may be helpful to them.
Anna seems a little full of herself, maybe that's why.
I don't agree with Anna either.
Go figure that Humara would talk to Nick instead.
Great update!
Lol about Ellie
Tammy is a much better person it seems.
Hopefully Carl doesn't retaliate.
Great update!
@Nikkei_Simmer 50 isn't too old, although when we were all younger it sure seemed that way. I'll be 30 next year and I always thought that was old when I was young. I have a great great aunt I was close to that just turned 100 on Monday. That seems old, lol
Great video! It would be cool if you did do a LP but that's up to you.
Cool JAG video!
@MoonandStars83 I usually forget too, although I'm gonna try to get all tombs finished before moving my family. I know it resets when they move though, just collecting the treasures.
Me too, I always try to get it when I can.
They probably were, got a lot going on there.
Thanks for the comments!
@GraceyManor Great job! For not being a good builder, I think your house looks amazing! Much better than what I can do. I always have issues with planning the layout.
@Puddinroy Hi! Yep, distant cousins on her mothers side. She has eyes similar to Cornelia, same color too.
@Silverofdreams30 You're welcome!
Looks like Rose and Damien had a nice day.
@Shadow_Assassin Sliding down the bannister seems oddly whimsical for a goth vampire.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tried to play my Coster save, and it crashed before my first save prompt. I think it was a really old, 'cause I'm pretty sure one of the kids that was still in the house had been moved out the last time I played.
In my non-Simming time, I've been playing They Are Billions, though I'm not too great at it.
@Brandontaylor Liking Ava's story so far. And glad to be able to catch one from the beginning - this is a long thread. Almost makes me think I should start something new (though I don't want to give up on the one I'm working on now).
Harold is close to getting on the Honor Roll, while both Arthur and Flora finally learned to drive. It was starting to get laggy towards the end of the Play session, so I saved.
Hello everyone, just wanted to stop by and say I'm not dead (yet ). Thank you very much for your comments. Other than being ill for some time, which still isn't gone completely, I was playing Terraria, which, 9 years after its release got another free expansion-sized update. Best $2.50 I ever spent .
With thousands of new items, two new bosses and even lots of new game mechanics, I just had to play this some more. Here you can see my guy with some of his new toys .
In Sims3, I have to move my whole town again, which, given I waited too long, proves to be a bit of a chore, and I can only take so much at a time. I have a plan and, provided Porter manages to still pack the town without running out of memory, it will be slow going until that will be wrapped up and done.
In the meanwhile, I was trying out a few sims. I have four sims from @Silverofdreams30 she posted a while ago, plus 20 more from the SV and Ambitions Posters sets by Emily4331 . They all went to a tiny island with three residential lots, and I let the game run for some time to see what happens. I guess, with two girls among 22 guys, the girls would manage to pick up someone to get closer with, but, well, they didn't, which for some reason amused me more than it should. Here's two of Silverodreams30's guys (Vince and Glen, I think), sleeping after some woohoo.
As Glen seems to spend all days woohooing more or less, only interrupted by eating, sleeping and using the restroom, I guess they still stand a chance, given he doesn't seem to care much about who it is he woohoos with. If one sim says "No", he immediately asks the next one.
As I don't have the cc for Emily's sims, they looked more like this, which necessitated a short detour via CAS (here Stiles McGraw):
These two are arguing most of the day . Not sure why, but they can't stop.
Xander Clavell is screaming at everyone and even getting into fights, so it amused me that this hot-headed guy with commitment issues actually was the first one to go steady, with Leighton Sekemoto.
Anyway, all of this is just a short distraction, although I have to say that I enjoy those households with dysfunctional members more than those that "simply work". But yeah, I'll have to get back to sorting inventories in SV soon again and hope the game doesn't blow up while I do so.
@GraceyManor I am so sorry to hear about your brother. Like any of us need anything else bad happening this year...
I will send prayers his way and hope he recovers very soon without any lasting complications. 🙏
I know I need to give out some reply comments. I promise to do that as soon as I get my next story update posted.
@GraceyManor So sorry to hear bout your brother, all thoughts and respect with him (and you, of course) at this moment in time, hopefully he makes a swift recovery and gets back on track soon.
@Nikkei_Simmer lol, that is a bunch of Phils.
Poor River missing her Mom.
Yes, I expect it would be hard for Mac to suddenly be Mom to a teenager.
She's smart though. She will handle it.
Great start to story forever and always.
Happy Birthday early cause I will probably forget! It's that old age thing that slows the memory.
The video was awesome.
@GraceyManor That was a great picture of Brian playing guitar. Nasty bully!
How convenient that Rachel is a home nurse. I hope he can afford her...we are pricey!
Bummer she lost her father and never knew him.
I hope they can work something out.
The house looks fantastic. You can build!
The rooms are decorated nicely and look like they have plenty of room.
My sims would live in it in a heartbeat.
@Silverofdreams30 She's got lots of gorgeous guys to chose from in uni! One down.
The pictures of Damien and Rose are terrific. They make a cute couple. I love seeing them play soccer.
hehe, bathtime!
@Sleepstar Congrats to Madea on her birthday and graduation.
@Lucy_Henley Yep, babies mean sleep deprivation. Nice that he helps out some.
It should be easier for them now they have toddlers.
CAW takes a lot of patience and time. I started one, but never finished it.
@Emily4331 No, I'm not having trouble, but see quite a few are.
@Brandontaylor Congrats to Ariana winning the competition. I'm sure she will be a great heir and provide a nice settlement on her siblings.
I liked the competition and if I ever do a true legacy story I will use something like that to determine the heirs.
I'm not sure how I missed that mod as I thought I had all the toddler/kids mods.
Rocking chairs are very popular and I think Granny will get one in her apartment.
Looking forward to your Ava reboot.
Nice to see Ava and she's met a few townies already.
It's good she had some help with leaving and a place to stay.
She's kin to Cornelia. Gunther was very nice to her.
@king_of_simcity7 It seems like certain people like Anna and Humara should not be a mentor. She is not someone that most people would look up to.
More drama! hehe
@MoonandStars83 Thank you. I'm loving seeing pets in a game again.
Bummer about the crashing.
@Puddinroy Hi! Thank you, glad you enjoyed the dancing.
@Turjan I hope you are able to salvage your save with Porter and safely move them.
It sounds like a fun time watching the sims you popped in that save!
This is the scene just before the grand finale of Chapter 7. Enjoy my friends.
******************************
Pelican Town to Sims Town Continuation of Chapter 7...
That evening, a little before 5 PM, Harvey stood in the foyer of the guy’s house, adjusting his shirt cuffs and asked Sebastian to fetch Elliott for him.
He tried not to feel nervous. It’d been years since he’d last been on a date; pretty much since before he moved to Pelican Town. He hoped he hadn’t forgotten how to properly court a woman, but he implored himself to not be afraid of being himself. There wasn't time for that anymore and there were some deep insecurities that always seemed to get the better of him, but not tonight, he thought. With Penny, he didn’t feel insecure at all, and he couldn’t ever remember feeling that with any girl he pursued or dated in the past. He hoped this would be the start to a bright and lovely future; the kind of future he’d been longing for for a decade.
“Hey Harvey, what’s up?” Elliott addressed, coming from his bedroom. He came to a halt before the Doctor and studied him a moment. It was strange to see him dressed in something completely different than usual. “Woah...what’s with the getup?”
“I have a date tonight,” Harvey smiled, adjusting his shirt collar now.
A smirky grin lit up Elliott’s face. “Alriiight Harvey!” he playfully cheered with a pat on the back. “With whom?”
“Penny.”
The man’s eyebrows suddenly went crooked. “Penny?” he asked, not expecting that, but quickly shrugged it off. “Sweet! So...you asked for me?”
“Yeah,” Harvey replied. “I wanted to remind you to keep checking up on Shane while I’m gone alright? I know you and Leah are pretty...uh...distracted these days, but--”
“Don’t worry Harvey, I won’t forget,” he assured. “Besides, Sebastian and Sam are checking on him too.”
“Yeah well,” Harvey stopped to inch in closer and speak softer, “I don’t exactly put as much trust in those two as I do you so…”
Elliott nodded. “Gotcha.” There was a brief bit of silence before he asked, “So how long do you plan on being out with Penny?”
“Oh,” he blew out a breath, “at least a couple of hours. We’ll have dinner and then I’ll see where we go from there.”
“Uh huh,” he smirked.
Harvey just playfully shook his head at him.
“Now remember, if Shane sounds worse, or says anything strange, like he’s hallucinating, call me immediately,” Harvey instructed with a hint of worry in his voice. “And if he doesn’t respond to you, kick that door down and give me a call as well, alright!”
“I will Harvey, don’t worry,” Elliott assured again with a gesture of his hands and then shook his head. “Man, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you actually care about your biggest enemy.” He’s not MY enemy, Harvey thought with his mouth forming into a hard line. “He needs medical attention, and is most likely suicidal,” he said, “so naturally as a Doctor I begin to care.” Truthfully he had always felt concern about the newest, heaviest drinker in town next to Penny’s mother. Only Pam would actually visit with him, Shane he could never get to set foot inside his clinic even his life depended on it.
The not knowing a single thing about Shane was what worried him the most. And it seemed no one else in town did either, except for Marnie, obviously, who was usually pretty quiet about her nephew.
“Wow,” Elliott whispered, glancing down at the floor for a second before looking back up. “I don’t think I could ever do that Harvey...show this kind of compassion and patience towards someone who treats me the way Shane treats you. You certainly have a gift.”
Harvey cracked a smile at the compliment. Oh if only you knew just how difficult it is Elliott…
Just then something appeared outside out of the corner of Harvey’s eye and it was the car Penny and Maru had been driving, returning from their errands. He watched through the glass door as Penny stepped out, wearing something different as well for their date, and thinking she looked beautiful felt like an understatement. He turned to Elliott and said, “Well that’s my cue,” and smiled.
Elliott patted him on the back again. “Have a great date Harvey and seriously...don’t worry about things here. Just enjoy the evening alright?”
Harvey nodded in appreciation. “Thanks.”
The girls found some very helpful supplies from the general store and also gathered up all the ingredients for the three medications Harvey was hoping to successfully compound. Maru assured him she was on it and raced up the stairs to get to work right away, after wishing them well on their date. Harvey and Penny then turned and gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, exchanging blushed smiles, and complimenting each other on their attire. Harvey once again opened the door for her as they stepped outside to head out on their date.
A familiar roaring sound, from a great distance, rang in Harvey’s ear and he stopped on the porch to look up towards the sky, shading his eyes. When he saw it, just barely through the thick clouds, his mouth dropped with excitement. “Oh wow! They have them in this world too!”
“What?” Penny asked, coming back to join him on the porch.
“Airplanes!” he replied. “Gosh she’s a beaut! And oh how much sharper they look, even at 30,000 feet.”
Penny looked up into the sky as well and it took her a moment to find it, but once she did she agreed, “Wow...they do look sharper.” Then she lowered her head and watched Harvey’s admiration with a smile. “Maru mentioned to me once how much you like planes and I’d forgotten until now. I think she said you were a Pilot once?”
“No, I wish!” Harvey exclaimed, finally releasing his gaze from the majestic vehicle and taking her hand with an embarrassed grin, leading her to the truck. “It’d always been a childhood dream of mine to become a Pilot, but,” he despondently sighed, “it wasn’t to be.”
Penny frowned, tenderly asking, “Why not?”
Harvey stopped them, hesitating for a moment to say. “Well, aside from my poor eyesight, it’s my crippling fear of heights,” he answered. “And no matter how hard I tried...gosh how I tried...I couldn’t conquer my fear.” He lowered his head.
Penny placed a caring hand upon his back. “I’m sorry…,” she said, just above a whisper. “That’s not an easy fear to overcome. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking that’s been for you.”
“It’s alright,” he shrugged, not wishing to drag her into his pain, which was all coming back to him now. “When I couldn’t do it that’s when my parents continued to push Medical School on me. They stressed that being a Doctor would give my life purpose and that I’d never have to worry about money like they did. My mom even joked that women are always attracted to Doctors to further encourage me.”
Penny smiled at that. She certainly was. That’s why she was always nervous around them, particularly Harvey.
“And yet here I am,” he went on, opening the truck door for Penny and she stepped in, “still thousands of dollars in student loan debt that seems like it’ll take my entire lifetime to pay off and no woman in my life.” He paused to meet her gaze. “Until now,” he blushed. She returned a blushed smile as he gently closed the door and made his way around to the driver’s side.
As they headed down the road in silence, Penny couldn’t help breaking it by asking him, “So despite not being able to fulfill your childhood dream, you do enjoy being a Doctor right?”
“Yeah...definitely,” he responded, glancing at her with a half grin before returning his eyes to the road. “More so now than when I was in Medical School.”
“Good. Because you’re a great one,” she truthfully expressed. “No one would’ve ever suspected it wasn’t your childhood dream to become one. I sure didn’t.”
“Thanks,” he expressed, then sighed. “You know it’s silly, but I’ve kinda found a way to live my childhood dream vicariously through this ham radio I have in my bedroom…”
“Really!?” she asked with a bright, surprised smile.
“Yeah…,” he shyly admitted, unable to meet her gaze to which Penny found adorable. “I know a bit of aviation lingo so I was talking into it one day and...an actual Pilot responded to me! He asked if I had anything to report. I flipped out!” He chuckled. “I quickly threw out a standard ground report - wind speed, outside temperature, humidity percent, that kind of thing - and then told him I was out and threw off the headphones! My pulse was racing with nervousness, but at the same time I was squealing like a little girl with excitement in my head.”
Penny laughed.
Harvey’s grin soon faded, fearing he shared too much, but that didn’t stop him from continuing in a somber, more serious tone. “I guess it’s pathetic of me isn’t it? Mourning that badly over what could have been…”
Penny looked upon him with pity in her eyes. “No,” she hushly replied. “Not at all. It’s normal.” Then she took his hand and gently squeezed it. “As long as you don’t let it consume you.”
Hearing that provided the assurance that Harvey’s soul needed and he met her gaze with a grateful smile. Many times he’d counsel himself in the same way, but it took hearing it from another person for it to finally stick and he loved that it came from her.
“I’d say you’re doing pretty well for yourself regardless Harvey,” she went on. “Becoming a Doctor isn’t easy and you should be proud of yourself. God had a reason for leading you in a different direction...I hope someday you’ll fully be able to see why.”
Harvey smiled at her again, squeezing her hand now. “Thank you,” he said.
They finally made it to the Steakhouse and found a pretty close parking spot to the entrance in the back.
Hand in hand they stepped inside, chose an outside table for two, and placed their order with the waitress. They surprised each other with their meal choices, being at a Steakhouse and all, but it didn’t negatively affect the way they feel about each other. If anything, it showed them just how like-minded they are which was definitely a plus and...appealing.
When their food arrived, they both delved right into it. It’d been a long day and they were famished.
Penny found herself chuckling mid chew at her thoughts and swallowed before asking, “So what could’ve possibly prompted you to order two grilled-cheese sandwiches at a Steakhouse? Because most men go straight for the meat!” She was pretty sure he wasn’t a vegetarian.
Harvey threw out a closed smile as he finished chewing. “Well,” he started, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin, “my mom always made the BEST grilled-cheese sandwiches growing up. I don’t know how she did it, if she’d thrown in a special seasoning or what, she’d never tell, but since leaving home I’ve always made it a point to order grilled-cheese at a new restaurant if they offer it, just to see if she truly does make the best in the world.” How cute! “And?”
“And so far...she does.”
“Really!?”
“Yup! No place has ever been able to top hers. Not even this one...in a whole different world even!”
They laughed.
“Maybe it’s because you’re secretly biased,” Penny said with a playfully raised brow, “because it’s a taste you grew up with so nothing else compares.”
“Nope,” he said, mid chew, then swallowed. “I’ve made myself be very open-minded. I just really can’t explain it...hers are the legit best; in taste, in texture, the cheese was always perfectly melted and the bread had just the right crunch to it. Oh and she never burned them. Ever!”
“Oh I believe it!”
Penny couldn’t believe this outgoing side of herself coming out when she was normally so shy and reserved. It would seem that being with Harvey brought out the best in her and she loved it.
“Now,” Harvey smirked, “what prompted you to order pancakes at a Steakhouse?”
Penny thought she’d completely swallowed her bite when she replied, “They looked fluffy and delicious in the menu picture so it got me all in the mood for breakfast for din--” and she began coughing.
Harvey stared at her for a moment in concern. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” she said, giving a dismissive wave and then coughing again. “Yes, I’m fine. Something decided to go down the wrong pipe I guess.” She lightly coughed again before picking up her glass and taking a big drink.
“I hate it when that happens…”
“Whew!” she whispered, putting down her glass. “I guess that’s what I get for ordering pancakes at a Steakhouse!”
Harvey lightly snorted, suppressing a laugh. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything but…”
“Oh like you’re one to talk Mister grilled-cheese!”
They both burst out laughing.
When they finished their food, they went on to talk about each other's lives; where they grew up (Penny’s story wasn’t as interesting since she did in Pelican Town), their families, what they did in school, what their interests are, home, and what they hoped for the future as the sun gradually set into the mountains. It was such fun and pleasurable conversation. They hadn’t had that with another person of the opposite sex in a long while and it felt really nice.
After leaving the Steakhouse Harvey asked Penny what she’d like to do next. She thought for a moment until her eyes fixated on a small park just down the street and they lit up. “That park looks adorable!” she expressed. “Let’s go hang out there...if you don’t mind?” Her chin sinking into her shoulders as her shy side resurfaced.
Her cute and innocent smile always got the best of him. “No, I don’t mind. Anywhere you want to go, we’ll go.”
When they both stepped foot onto the park grounds, Penny’s playful side came out and she immediately took Harvey’s hand, leading him toward the swing set.
Harvey somewhat hesitated, lightly dragging his feet. “Gosh I haven’t been on a swing in a LONG time…”
“Me neither,” Penny beamed, “but it’ll be fun. C’mon!” She tugged at his arm.
After only a couple of minutes of swinging, Harvey began to moan, “Oh boy...I think I’m finally at that age where swinging begins to create a sick, tickling feeling in the stomach.” He held back a light burp. “I’m getting too old for this.”
“You aren’t old,” Penny kindly countered, “it tickles my stomach a little bit too, but that’s part of the fun! If we keep on swinging, it should ease up.”
“Okay…”
To Harvey’s relief it did and it felt really wonderful swinging again while conversing with the sweetest and most beautiful girl on the planet.
The sun’s final moments of setting illuminated the land with a bright, orange glow. To Penny, it made the date feel all the more heavenly.
After swinging, they gave their stomachs a rest for a bit by taking a light stroll around the park with their arms wrapped around each other.
Penny gazed up at the adorable, little treehouse nested high up in the tallest tree. “It’s a shame we’re both too big to fit in there. That’d be fun.”
Based on her tone, Harvey knew she wasn’t implying anything sexual; maybe a little kiss or two. And he was okay with that. He had too much respect for her to jump right into that act on the first date. “Yeah,” he simply said.
They continued on strolling, talking about random little things, while blissfully lost in each other’s affections.
No man had ever been such a pure gentleman to Penny, not even her own father, and she felt like a Princess being escorted by the finest and most handsome Knight in the Kingdom.
They soon found themselves sitting on a bench before the fountain, snuggled close together, heads touching. No words were spoken...they just savored simply being together.
Harvey could feel her pulse beating rapidly once he wove his fingers together with hers and it made him crack a smile. He was glad to know that her heart was fluttering wildly at being with him now and not because of nervousness. At least, that’s what he hoped.
“This is nice,” he whispered toward her ear.
Penny drew in a breath and then released it as she said, “Yeah...it really is. This has been such a wonderful evening with you Harvey. I wish it would never end…”
He blushed. “You took the words right out of my mind.”
Penny giggled within herself.
Another thought that crossed Harvey’s mind was whether to kiss Penny in this lovely moment or wait. He sure wanted to, but he felt it better to not rush into anything. Take it slow. He wanted to show her that he was just as interested in getting to know her as a person as he was in becoming intimate with her.
“We still have plenty of time to do something else if you’d like,” he spoke. “Perhaps check out the Art Gallery? I was crazy curious to see how art looks in this world when Alex, Shane and I were exploring the town, but...they were getting a little impatient, particularly Shane.”
“Sure,” Penny said with a little chuckle, scooting in closer to him, “but let’s just stay like this for a few more minutes okay?”
Harvey didn’t mind that at all and now his heart fluttered wildly for her. He wondered if she could feel it too through her fingers. “Okay.”
Once the sun had completely set and it was getting darker, Harvey took Penny’s hand and lifted her up from the bench. They gazed into each other’s eyes affectionately, wondering if the other was going to initiate a kiss and yet still feeling a little nervous about it.
“Well,” Harvey sighed, “guess we should see if the Art Gallery is still open huh?”
“Yeah,” she happily agreed.
“I’ll race you over there,” he challenged her and instantly took off.
“Wha? Hey!” she cried, sprinting as fast as she could to catch up. Thankfully the building was only one block over.
Harvey laughed as he glanced over his shoulder often to see how close she was getting.
She was unable to catch up to him, but he took that as an opportunity to stop before the Gallery doors and turn, with his arms wide open, to catch her. She happily jumped right into them. They giggled as he twirled her around a couple of times before placing her down. Their cheeks were beet red.
“Oh look, there’s someone still at the counter,” Harvey noticed through the glass window in the door, “looks like we’re gonna get to check out some art after all.” He winked.
Penny nodded. She’d be lying if she wasn’t hoping for a long, insanely romantic smooch behind a grand masterpiece now.
The man at the counter greeted them with a robotic expression as he said, “Welcome to the Appaloosa Art Gallery.”
“Good evening sir,” Harvey addressed in return, “is it free admission or do you have a charge?”
“I’m sorry,” the man said rather abruptly, “the Gallery is now closed. Please exit the building. We will reopen tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock.”
Harvey glanced down at his watch and sure enough they were at the top of the hour of 7 o’clock PM. “Oh uh...forgive me,” he uttered, “I was thinking it was much later than that.”
Just then, the man’s body instantly disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and billions of light particles, like glitter, falling towards the ground. Penny screamed, cupping her hand to her mouth as Harvey’s eyes widened at the sight.
The two stood frozen in silence.
Frightened, Penny cried out, “Those aren’t Androids!”
Still staring ahead while deep in thought, Harvey uttered, “No...they are. They’re just enchanted with magic like other stuff here and…,” he glanced around, “they disappear when the businesses close and...reappear when they open.” He then stroked his mustache. “I guess that makes sense when they don’t have any homes or families to go back to.”
Penny could feel her anxiety returning, causing her chest to gradually rise and fall at a faster rate. “This is freaky,” she shook, “why all these creepy magical Androids instead of real people!? This isn’t making me feel any better about being stuck here!”
“It’s alright,” Harvey soothed, “come ‘ere.” He enveloped her in his arms and shh’d her lightly while rubbing at her back to calm her. “It’s okay, don’t worry.”
“I thought I had most of this experience figured out,” she said with a choke, “but what if the twelve of us all get sick of each other because there’s no one else to talk to and...we begin to hate each other instead of coming together?”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“But Harvey, how can you, or we, when there’s some strange magical forces at work here that could be working against what we think this whole quest is all about? It feels like we’re all trapped in the deepest pit of the unknown and I hate it. I can’t help feeling scared…” She pressed her forehead into the nape of his neck with tears escaping her eyes.
“Hey,” he whispered, stepping back a hair to wipe the tears from her eyes. Then he gently pressed his forehead upon hers. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m almost positive this quest was meant to do us good, not harm. And if any harm should come...I’ll protect you. I’ll protect all of you.”
I promise…
I’ll bring us all back home safely. No matter what it takes.
Comments
I’m not much of a builder, either. The Sanchez family live in the Cornucopia pre-made house, which is one I use quite a lot. I’m not an architect or an interior designer, and my houses often end up looking rather similar.
Marius levelled up in Nectar Making, while Promethus, Canute and Cosima took turns with the gardening. Canute went to work, while Marius, Cosima and Promethus just did their own things. Elsewhere in town, I discovered a Wild Horse doesn't like Witches.
@king_of_simcity7 Looks like Tammy is thinking about blocks while Humara is worried about Nick.
That's always a good idea, having older Sims mentor younger or newer ones.
I wonder if Nick gave good advice or just advice he thinks is good.
The shy girls becoming friends may be helpful to them.
Anna seems a little full of herself, maybe that's why.
I don't agree with Anna either.
Go figure that Humara would talk to Nick instead.
Great update!
Lol about Ellie
Tammy is a much better person it seems.
Hopefully Carl doesn't retaliate.
Great update!
@Nikkei_Simmer 50 isn't too old, although when we were all younger it sure seemed that way. I'll be 30 next year and I always thought that was old when I was young.
Great video! It would be cool if you did do a LP but that's up to you.
Cool JAG video!
@MoonandStars83 I usually forget too, although I'm gonna try to get all tombs finished before moving my family. I know it resets when they move though, just collecting the treasures.
Me too, I always try to get it when I can.
They probably were, got a lot going on there.
Thanks for the comments!
@GraceyManor Great job! For not being a good builder, I think your house looks amazing! Much better than what I can do. I always have issues with planning the layout.
@Puddinroy Hi! Yep, distant cousins on her mothers side. She has eyes similar to Cornelia, same color too.
@Silverofdreams30 You're welcome!
Looks like Rose and Damien had a nice day.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
****Don't worry, I'm not much of a builder, either.
@Brandontaylor A great start to Ava's story.
@GraceyManor Looks like a great house!
****I usually make room either way too big, or way too small.
@Nitroglycol Sounds great! And congrats on full-member status!
@Nikkei_Simmer Forever & Always, like the Taylor Swift song (not a bad thing if it is)?
@Puddinroy *waves*
@Silverofdreams30 I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere to watch it.
****Great little update!
@Sleepstar Great update!
****Congrats to Maruis.
@Shadow_Assassin Sliding down the bannister seems oddly whimsical for a goth vampire.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tried to play my Coster save, and it crashed before my first save prompt. I think it was a really old, 'cause I'm pretty sure one of the kids that was still in the house had been moved out the last time I played.
In my non-Simming time, I've been playing They Are Billions, though I'm not too great at it.
Until next time!
~MaS83
My Sims 3 Exhange Studio
My Blog // Click me if you dare.
I didn't know about "Taylor Swift's" song.
Always "River McIrish" ...and maybe some Bebe Hart. ~innocent expression~
Carl is heartbroken
But will Katie be able to trust Russ?
Thank you
wow,
the thread has been quiet overnight.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
Harold is close to getting on the Honor Roll, while both Arthur and Flora finally learned to drive. It was starting to get laggy towards the end of the Play session, so I saved.
In Sims3, I have to move my whole town again, which, given I waited too long, proves to be a bit of a chore, and I can only take so much at a time. I have a plan and, provided Porter manages to still pack the town without running out of memory, it will be slow going until that will be wrapped up and done.
In the meanwhile, I was trying out a few sims. I have four sims from @Silverofdreams30 she posted a while ago, plus 20 more from the SV and Ambitions Posters sets by Emily4331 . They all went to a tiny island with three residential lots, and I let the game run for some time to see what happens. I guess, with two girls among 22 guys, the girls would manage to pick up someone to get closer with, but, well, they didn't, which for some reason amused me more than it should. Here's two of Silverodreams30's guys (Vince and Glen, I think), sleeping after some woohoo.
As Glen seems to spend all days woohooing more or less, only interrupted by eating, sleeping and using the restroom, I guess they still stand a chance, given he doesn't seem to care much about who it is he woohoos with. If one sim says "No", he immediately asks the next one.
As I don't have the cc for Emily's sims, they looked more like this, which necessitated a short detour via CAS (here Stiles McGraw):
Xander Clavell is screaming at everyone and even getting into fights, so it amused me that this hot-headed guy with commitment issues actually was the first one to go steady, with Leighton Sekemoto.
Anyway, all of this is just a short distraction, although I have to say that I enjoy those households with dysfunctional members more than those that "simply work". But yeah, I'll have to get back to sorting inventories in SV soon again and hope the game doesn't blow up while I do so.
@GraceyManor My prayers are with your brother and hope he recovers quickly.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
I'm lurking and reading everyone's updates but haven't been playing much myself lately. I hope to get back to the game soon.
I'm sorry to hear of your brother, hope he recover
soon *hugs*.
@Turjan
Haha, hes a big flirt that Glen.
I will send prayers his way and hope he recovers very soon without any lasting complications. 🙏
I know I need to give out some reply comments. I promise to do that as soon as I get my next story update posted.
Happy Simming everyone.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
"Credete al mio dolore" from Alcina by Georg Frideric Handel.
Always "River McIrish" ...and maybe some Bebe Hart. ~innocent expression~
Always "River McIrish" ...and maybe some Bebe Hart. ~innocent expression~
@emorrill: Still need to read your story.
@Karritz: Hello
@Turjan: Hello
@bekkasan: Hello
@Brandontaylor: Hello
@Emily4331: Hello
@lisasc360: Hello
@Nikkei_Simmer: Hello
@Silverofdreams30: Hello
@king_of_simcity7: Hello
@coco: Hello
@Shadow_Assassin: Hello
@meerkattime: Hello
@sleepstar: Hello
@Mikezumi: Hello
@all: Sorry if I missed anybody. Thanks for letting me read/comment on your stories/pictures/videos.
@Nikkei_Simmer lol, that is a bunch of Phils.
Poor River missing her Mom.
Yes, I expect it would be hard for Mac to suddenly be Mom to a teenager.
She's smart though. She will handle it.
Great start to story forever and always.
Happy Birthday early cause I will probably forget!
The video was awesome.
@GraceyManor That was a great picture of Brian playing guitar. Nasty bully!
How convenient that Rachel is a home nurse. I hope he can afford her...we are pricey!
Bummer she lost her father and never knew him.
I hope they can work something out.
The house looks fantastic. You can build!
The rooms are decorated nicely and look like they have plenty of room.
My sims would live in it in a heartbeat.
@emorrill ::Snicker:: No, she wanted that rocking chair. I guess I'm gonna have to put one in her granny appt over the garage.
@Nitroglycol Wow...that is a lot of dying!
@Silverofdreams30 She's got lots of gorgeous guys to chose from in uni! One down.
The pictures of Damien and Rose are terrific. They make a cute couple. I love seeing them play soccer.
hehe, bathtime!
@Sleepstar Congrats to Madea on her birthday and graduation.
@Lucy_Henley Yep, babies mean sleep deprivation. Nice that he helps out some.
It should be easier for them now they have toddlers.
CAW takes a lot of patience and time. I started one, but never finished it.
@Emily4331 No, I'm not having trouble, but see quite a few are.
@Brandontaylor Congrats to Ariana winning the competition. I'm sure she will be a great heir and provide a nice settlement on her siblings.
I liked the competition and if I ever do a true legacy story I will use something like that to determine the heirs.
I'm not sure how I missed that mod as I thought I had all the toddler/kids mods.
Rocking chairs are very popular and I think Granny will get one in her apartment.
Looking forward to your Ava reboot.
Nice to see Ava and she's met a few townies already.
It's good she had some help with leaving and a place to stay.
She's kin to Cornelia. Gunther was very nice to her.
@king_of_simcity7 It seems like certain people like Anna and Humara should not be a mentor. She is not someone that most people would look up to.
More drama! hehe
@MoonandStars83 Thank you. I'm loving seeing pets in a game again.
Bummer about the crashing.
@Puddinroy Hi! Thank you, glad you enjoyed the dancing.
@Turjan I hope you are able to salvage your save with Porter and safely move them.
It sounds like a fun time watching the sims you popped in that save!
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
This was one that I was working on:
I was a bass-baritone. Unfortunately my Dad got to be the tenor in the family. He wondered where the heck I came from (in terms of "deep voice")
Always "River McIrish" ...and maybe some Bebe Hart. ~innocent expression~
@bekkasan Thank you. I still got another birthday and graduation coming up in that save then I'll decide on what her career will be
This is the scene just before the grand finale of Chapter 7. Enjoy my friends.
******************************
Pelican Town to Sims Town
Continuation of Chapter 7...
That evening, a little before 5 PM, Harvey stood in the foyer of the guy’s house, adjusting his shirt cuffs and asked Sebastian to fetch Elliott for him.
He tried not to feel nervous. It’d been years since he’d last been on a date; pretty much since before he moved to Pelican Town. He hoped he hadn’t forgotten how to properly court a woman, but he implored himself to not be afraid of being himself. There wasn't time for that anymore and there were some deep insecurities that always seemed to get the better of him, but not tonight, he thought. With Penny, he didn’t feel insecure at all, and he couldn’t ever remember feeling that with any girl he pursued or dated in the past. He hoped this would be the start to a bright and lovely future; the kind of future he’d been longing for for a decade.
“Hey Harvey, what’s up?” Elliott addressed, coming from his bedroom. He came to a halt before the Doctor and studied him a moment. It was strange to see him dressed in something completely different than usual. “Woah...what’s with the getup?”
“I have a date tonight,” Harvey smiled, adjusting his shirt collar now.
A smirky grin lit up Elliott’s face. “Alriiight Harvey!” he playfully cheered with a pat on the back. “With whom?”
“Penny.”
The man’s eyebrows suddenly went crooked. “Penny?” he asked, not expecting that, but quickly shrugged it off. “Sweet! So...you asked for me?”
“Yeah,” Harvey replied. “I wanted to remind you to keep checking up on Shane while I’m gone alright? I know you and Leah are pretty...uh...distracted these days, but--”
“Don’t worry Harvey, I won’t forget,” he assured. “Besides, Sebastian and Sam are checking on him too.”
“Yeah well,” Harvey stopped to inch in closer and speak softer, “I don’t exactly put as much trust in those two as I do you so…”
Elliott nodded. “Gotcha.” There was a brief bit of silence before he asked, “So how long do you plan on being out with Penny?”
“Oh,” he blew out a breath, “at least a couple of hours. We’ll have dinner and then I’ll see where we go from there.”
“Uh huh,” he smirked.
Harvey just playfully shook his head at him.
“Now remember, if Shane sounds worse, or says anything strange, like he’s hallucinating, call me immediately,” Harvey instructed with a hint of worry in his voice. “And if he doesn’t respond to you, kick that door down and give me a call as well, alright!”
“I will Harvey, don’t worry,” Elliott assured again with a gesture of his hands and then shook his head. “Man, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you actually care about your biggest enemy.”
He’s not MY enemy, Harvey thought with his mouth forming into a hard line. “He needs medical attention, and is most likely suicidal,” he said, “so naturally as a Doctor I begin to care.” Truthfully he had always felt concern about the newest, heaviest drinker in town next to Penny’s mother. Only Pam would actually visit with him, Shane he could never get to set foot inside his clinic even his life depended on it.
The not knowing a single thing about Shane was what worried him the most. And it seemed no one else in town did either, except for Marnie, obviously, who was usually pretty quiet about her nephew.
“Wow,” Elliott whispered, glancing down at the floor for a second before looking back up. “I don’t think I could ever do that Harvey...show this kind of compassion and patience towards someone who treats me the way Shane treats you. You certainly have a gift.”
Harvey cracked a smile at the compliment. Oh if only you knew just how difficult it is Elliott…
Just then something appeared outside out of the corner of Harvey’s eye and it was the car Penny and Maru had been driving, returning from their errands. He watched through the glass door as Penny stepped out, wearing something different as well for their date, and thinking she looked beautiful felt like an understatement. He turned to Elliott and said, “Well that’s my cue,” and smiled.
Elliott patted him on the back again. “Have a great date Harvey and seriously...don’t worry about things here. Just enjoy the evening alright?”
Harvey nodded in appreciation. “Thanks.”
The girls found some very helpful supplies from the general store and also gathered up all the ingredients for the three medications Harvey was hoping to successfully compound. Maru assured him she was on it and raced up the stairs to get to work right away, after wishing them well on their date. Harvey and Penny then turned and gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, exchanging blushed smiles, and complimenting each other on their attire. Harvey once again opened the door for her as they stepped outside to head out on their date.
A familiar roaring sound, from a great distance, rang in Harvey’s ear and he stopped on the porch to look up towards the sky, shading his eyes. When he saw it, just barely through the thick clouds, his mouth dropped with excitement. “Oh wow! They have them in this world too!”
“What?” Penny asked, coming back to join him on the porch.
“Airplanes!” he replied. “Gosh she’s a beaut! And oh how much sharper they look, even at 30,000 feet.”
Penny looked up into the sky as well and it took her a moment to find it, but once she did she agreed, “Wow...they do look sharper.” Then she lowered her head and watched Harvey’s admiration with a smile. “Maru mentioned to me once how much you like planes and I’d forgotten until now. I think she said you were a Pilot once?”
“No, I wish!” Harvey exclaimed, finally releasing his gaze from the majestic vehicle and taking her hand with an embarrassed grin, leading her to the truck. “It’d always been a childhood dream of mine to become a Pilot, but,” he despondently sighed, “it wasn’t to be.”
Penny frowned, tenderly asking, “Why not?”
Harvey stopped them, hesitating for a moment to say. “Well, aside from my poor eyesight, it’s my crippling fear of heights,” he answered. “And no matter how hard I tried...gosh how I tried...I couldn’t conquer my fear.” He lowered his head.
Penny placed a caring hand upon his back. “I’m sorry…,” she said, just above a whisper. “That’s not an easy fear to overcome. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking that’s been for you.”
“It’s alright,” he shrugged, not wishing to drag her into his pain, which was all coming back to him now. “When I couldn’t do it that’s when my parents continued to push Medical School on me. They stressed that being a Doctor would give my life purpose and that I’d never have to worry about money like they did. My mom even joked that women are always attracted to Doctors to further encourage me.”
Penny smiled at that. She certainly was. That’s why she was always nervous around them, particularly Harvey.
“And yet here I am,” he went on, opening the truck door for Penny and she stepped in, “still thousands of dollars in student loan debt that seems like it’ll take my entire lifetime to pay off and no woman in my life.” He paused to meet her gaze. “Until now,” he blushed. She returned a blushed smile as he gently closed the door and made his way around to the driver’s side.
As they headed down the road in silence, Penny couldn’t help breaking it by asking him, “So despite not being able to fulfill your childhood dream, you do enjoy being a Doctor right?”
“Yeah...definitely,” he responded, glancing at her with a half grin before returning his eyes to the road. “More so now than when I was in Medical School.”
“Good. Because you’re a great one,” she truthfully expressed. “No one would’ve ever suspected it wasn’t your childhood dream to become one. I sure didn’t.”
“Thanks,” he expressed, then sighed. “You know it’s silly, but I’ve kinda found a way to live my childhood dream vicariously through this ham radio I have in my bedroom…”
“Really!?” she asked with a bright, surprised smile.
“Yeah…,” he shyly admitted, unable to meet her gaze to which Penny found adorable. “I know a bit of aviation lingo so I was talking into it one day and...an actual Pilot responded to me! He asked if I had anything to report. I flipped out!” He chuckled. “I quickly threw out a standard ground report - wind speed, outside temperature, humidity percent, that kind of thing - and then told him I was out and threw off the headphones! My pulse was racing with nervousness, but at the same time I was squealing like a little girl with excitement in my head.”
Penny laughed.
Harvey’s grin soon faded, fearing he shared too much, but that didn’t stop him from continuing in a somber, more serious tone. “I guess it’s pathetic of me isn’t it? Mourning that badly over what could have been…”
Penny looked upon him with pity in her eyes. “No,” she hushly replied. “Not at all. It’s normal.” Then she took his hand and gently squeezed it. “As long as you don’t let it consume you.”
Hearing that provided the assurance that Harvey’s soul needed and he met her gaze with a grateful smile. Many times he’d counsel himself in the same way, but it took hearing it from another person for it to finally stick and he loved that it came from her.
“I’d say you’re doing pretty well for yourself regardless Harvey,” she went on. “Becoming a Doctor isn’t easy and you should be proud of yourself. God had a reason for leading you in a different direction...I hope someday you’ll fully be able to see why.”
Harvey smiled at her again, squeezing her hand now. “Thank you,” he said.
They finally made it to the Steakhouse and found a pretty close parking spot to the entrance in the back.
Hand in hand they stepped inside, chose an outside table for two, and placed their order with the waitress. They surprised each other with their meal choices, being at a Steakhouse and all, but it didn’t negatively affect the way they feel about each other. If anything, it showed them just how like-minded they are which was definitely a plus and...appealing.
When their food arrived, they both delved right into it. It’d been a long day and they were famished.
Penny found herself chuckling mid chew at her thoughts and swallowed before asking, “So what could’ve possibly prompted you to order two grilled-cheese sandwiches at a Steakhouse? Because most men go straight for the meat!” She was pretty sure he wasn’t a vegetarian.
Harvey threw out a closed smile as he finished chewing. “Well,” he started, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin, “my mom always made the BEST grilled-cheese sandwiches growing up. I don’t know how she did it, if she’d thrown in a special seasoning or what, she’d never tell, but since leaving home I’ve always made it a point to order grilled-cheese at a new restaurant if they offer it, just to see if she truly does make the best in the world.”
How cute! “And?”
“And so far...she does.”
“Really!?”
“Yup! No place has ever been able to top hers. Not even this one...in a whole different world even!”
They laughed.
“Maybe it’s because you’re secretly biased,” Penny said with a playfully raised brow, “because it’s a taste you grew up with so nothing else compares.”
“Nope,” he said, mid chew, then swallowed. “I’ve made myself be very open-minded. I just really can’t explain it...hers are the legit best; in taste, in texture, the cheese was always perfectly melted and the bread had just the right crunch to it. Oh and she never burned them. Ever!”
“Oh I believe it!”
Penny couldn’t believe this outgoing side of herself coming out when she was normally so shy and reserved. It would seem that being with Harvey brought out the best in her and she loved it.
“Now,” Harvey smirked, “what prompted you to order pancakes at a Steakhouse?”
Penny thought she’d completely swallowed her bite when she replied, “They looked fluffy and delicious in the menu picture so it got me all in the mood for breakfast for din--” and she began coughing.
Harvey stared at her for a moment in concern. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” she said, giving a dismissive wave and then coughing again. “Yes, I’m fine. Something decided to go down the wrong pipe I guess.” She lightly coughed again before picking up her glass and taking a big drink.
“I hate it when that happens…”
“Whew!” she whispered, putting down her glass. “I guess that’s what I get for ordering pancakes at a Steakhouse!”
Harvey lightly snorted, suppressing a laugh. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything but…”
“Oh like you’re one to talk Mister grilled-cheese!”
They both burst out laughing.
When they finished their food, they went on to talk about each other's lives; where they grew up (Penny’s story wasn’t as interesting since she did in Pelican Town), their families, what they did in school, what their interests are, home, and what they hoped for the future as the sun gradually set into the mountains. It was such fun and pleasurable conversation. They hadn’t had that with another person of the opposite sex in a long while and it felt really nice.
After leaving the Steakhouse Harvey asked Penny what she’d like to do next. She thought for a moment until her eyes fixated on a small park just down the street and they lit up. “That park looks adorable!” she expressed. “Let’s go hang out there...if you don’t mind?” Her chin sinking into her shoulders as her shy side resurfaced.
Her cute and innocent smile always got the best of him. “No, I don’t mind. Anywhere you want to go, we’ll go.”
When they both stepped foot onto the park grounds, Penny’s playful side came out and she immediately took Harvey’s hand, leading him toward the swing set.
Harvey somewhat hesitated, lightly dragging his feet. “Gosh I haven’t been on a swing in a LONG time…”
“Me neither,” Penny beamed, “but it’ll be fun. C’mon!” She tugged at his arm.
After only a couple of minutes of swinging, Harvey began to moan, “Oh boy...I think I’m finally at that age where swinging begins to create a sick, tickling feeling in the stomach.” He held back a light burp. “I’m getting too old for this.”
“You aren’t old,” Penny kindly countered, “it tickles my stomach a little bit too, but that’s part of the fun! If we keep on swinging, it should ease up.”
“Okay…”
To Harvey’s relief it did and it felt really wonderful swinging again while conversing with the sweetest and most beautiful girl on the planet.
The sun’s final moments of setting illuminated the land with a bright, orange glow. To Penny, it made the date feel all the more heavenly.
After swinging, they gave their stomachs a rest for a bit by taking a light stroll around the park with their arms wrapped around each other.
Penny gazed up at the adorable, little treehouse nested high up in the tallest tree. “It’s a shame we’re both too big to fit in there. That’d be fun.”
Based on her tone, Harvey knew she wasn’t implying anything sexual; maybe a little kiss or two. And he was okay with that. He had too much respect for her to jump right into that act on the first date. “Yeah,” he simply said.
They continued on strolling, talking about random little things, while blissfully lost in each other’s affections.
No man had ever been such a pure gentleman to Penny, not even her own father, and she felt like a Princess being escorted by the finest and most handsome Knight in the Kingdom.
They soon found themselves sitting on a bench before the fountain, snuggled close together, heads touching. No words were spoken...they just savored simply being together.
Harvey could feel her pulse beating rapidly once he wove his fingers together with hers and it made him crack a smile. He was glad to know that her heart was fluttering wildly at being with him now and not because of nervousness. At least, that’s what he hoped.
“This is nice,” he whispered toward her ear.
Penny drew in a breath and then released it as she said, “Yeah...it really is. This has been such a wonderful evening with you Harvey. I wish it would never end…”
He blushed. “You took the words right out of my mind.”
Penny giggled within herself.
Another thought that crossed Harvey’s mind was whether to kiss Penny in this lovely moment or wait. He sure wanted to, but he felt it better to not rush into anything. Take it slow. He wanted to show her that he was just as interested in getting to know her as a person as he was in becoming intimate with her.
“We still have plenty of time to do something else if you’d like,” he spoke. “Perhaps check out the Art Gallery? I was crazy curious to see how art looks in this world when Alex, Shane and I were exploring the town, but...they were getting a little impatient, particularly Shane.”
“Sure,” Penny said with a little chuckle, scooting in closer to him, “but let’s just stay like this for a few more minutes okay?”
Harvey didn’t mind that at all and now his heart fluttered wildly for her. He wondered if she could feel it too through her fingers. “Okay.”
Once the sun had completely set and it was getting darker, Harvey took Penny’s hand and lifted her up from the bench. They gazed into each other’s eyes affectionately, wondering if the other was going to initiate a kiss and yet still feeling a little nervous about it.
“Well,” Harvey sighed, “guess we should see if the Art Gallery is still open huh?”
“Yeah,” she happily agreed.
“I’ll race you over there,” he challenged her and instantly took off.
“Wha? Hey!” she cried, sprinting as fast as she could to catch up. Thankfully the building was only one block over.
Harvey laughed as he glanced over his shoulder often to see how close she was getting.
She was unable to catch up to him, but he took that as an opportunity to stop before the Gallery doors and turn, with his arms wide open, to catch her. She happily jumped right into them. They giggled as he twirled her around a couple of times before placing her down. Their cheeks were beet red.
“Oh look, there’s someone still at the counter,” Harvey noticed through the glass window in the door, “looks like we’re gonna get to check out some art after all.” He winked.
Penny nodded. She’d be lying if she wasn’t hoping for a long, insanely romantic smooch behind a grand masterpiece now.
The man at the counter greeted them with a robotic expression as he said, “Welcome to the Appaloosa Art Gallery.”
“Good evening sir,” Harvey addressed in return, “is it free admission or do you have a charge?”
“I’m sorry,” the man said rather abruptly, “the Gallery is now closed. Please exit the building. We will reopen tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock.”
Harvey glanced down at his watch and sure enough they were at the top of the hour of 7 o’clock PM. “Oh uh...forgive me,” he uttered, “I was thinking it was much later than that.”
Just then, the man’s body instantly disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and billions of light particles, like glitter, falling towards the ground. Penny screamed, cupping her hand to her mouth as Harvey’s eyes widened at the sight.
The two stood frozen in silence.
Frightened, Penny cried out, “Those aren’t Androids!”
Still staring ahead while deep in thought, Harvey uttered, “No...they are. They’re just enchanted with magic like other stuff here and…,” he glanced around, “they disappear when the businesses close and...reappear when they open.” He then stroked his mustache. “I guess that makes sense when they don’t have any homes or families to go back to.”
Penny could feel her anxiety returning, causing her chest to gradually rise and fall at a faster rate. “This is freaky,” she shook, “why all these creepy magical Androids instead of real people!? This isn’t making me feel any better about being stuck here!”
“It’s alright,” Harvey soothed, “come ‘ere.” He enveloped her in his arms and shh’d her lightly while rubbing at her back to calm her. “It’s okay, don’t worry.”
“I thought I had most of this experience figured out,” she said with a choke, “but what if the twelve of us all get sick of each other because there’s no one else to talk to and...we begin to hate each other instead of coming together?”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“But Harvey, how can you, or we, when there’s some strange magical forces at work here that could be working against what we think this whole quest is all about? It feels like we’re all trapped in the deepest pit of the unknown and I hate it. I can’t help feeling scared…” She pressed her forehead into the nape of his neck with tears escaping her eyes.
“Hey,” he whispered, stepping back a hair to wipe the tears from her eyes. Then he gently pressed his forehead upon hers. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m almost positive this quest was meant to do us good, not harm. And if any harm should come...I’ll protect you. I’ll protect all of you.”
I promise…
I’ll bring us all back home safely. No matter what it takes.
To be continued...