#TS4 Story

[rebouks]

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Byrd: I don’t get it, why can’t he just go there n’ join em? Wren: It’s not fucking checkers. Byrd: Psh, whatever.. I’m going to bed. Wren: Niiiight bird brain. Wren: He goes to bed earlier than a grandma, I swear to-.. awh, what’s the matter? Levi: I’m concentratiNG. Wren: Too little too late, numbnuts-.. suck it. Levi: Rematch? Wren: You said the best of three hours ago, it’d be easier to admit defeat at this point. Levi: [sighs] I’m incapable.

[ellemant]

Michelle: Look at the ducks, Charlie!

Charlie: Where?

Michelle: Over there! See?

Charlie: I see them, Mommy! Wow!

[kamiiri]

Then, as if the universe couldn’t bear to allow them a second of peace, a glass plate smashed against the floor in the kitchen. Ophelia exchanged a confused glance with Ripp, and then she called out to Emily, asking if everything was all right. Instead of Emily’s tinkly voice chirping back from the kitchen, they heard the clicking of her heels against the floor as she charged toward them.

“Emily?” Ophelia repeated, taken aback.

The jittery maid grabbed Ripp by the back of his jacket and pulled him up from the floor. “You have to get out of here.”

“Woah, hey, easy,” Ripp yelped as he allowed her to bring him to his feet.

Ophelia was confused and a little more than alarmed by the woman’s sudden change in demeanor. “Emily, what’s going on? What did he do?”

“No, you don’t understand,” Emily roared, her eyes widening. “You both have to leave!”

[thebramblewood]

Naomi's supposed to be studying thanatology, but she can't resist a snack break. Luckily, Micah's able to deliver the mostly intact cake (and snag a few more tarot cards) before an unexpected blizzard arrives.

Beginning / Previous / Next

Naomi: A whole cake for me? You shouldn't have!

Micah: It's not for you, idiot. And if you steal even a single slice, I'll actually murder you.

-

Micah: What are you staring at, Mr. Crow? Do I have something on my face?

-

Naomi: She'll never even notice it's missing.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Ballerina B-Roll in a New Studio!

First, this is a janky video and I am no director. It's just b-roll because I was kinda desperate to show off the Ballet mod animations during skilling. Hopefully this adds a little something to tomorrow's Sims in Bloom episode (9AM PST), which takes place at the SanMy Ballet School's old studio, not this lot (but what's happening in this lil' teaser, and why there's a deco sim cameraman in the corner, is explained in tomorrow's installment featuring ballerinas!) Also there will be only stills, no janky vids. That's a promise!

This promo and tomorrow's post were made entirely possible thanks to collaboration with @changingplumbob (who had originally collaborated with @paracosmic-sims, @simmerbeans and @bloomingkyras to create these sims!)

Many of you may recognize this trio from her Struck By Love legacy - the incredible Sierra Prairies, Natasha Lobo, and Elyse Rockwell will be crossing over, in the pixels, to Sims In Bloom! And yes, they will come face-to-face with the most powerful member of the SanMy Ballet Company's board of directors - Nancy Landgraab herself, and a classroom full of little ballerinas!

More ballet stills and a lot tour after the cut...

(I wasn't smart enough to equip the room with music before rolling video, but with sound on you can hear Nancy sounding impressed by the new digs in the background.)

The fresh looking studio is by @oimygiblets! His Barre Raized lot on the Sims 4 Gallery (userID CTstephen) is absolutely beautiful. It's a small spa with a yoga studio, small gym, lockers, showers, men's and women's toilets, an indoor hot spring, and a ballet studio. Legitimately gorgeous lot, functional, and the girls all enjoy it!

We'll end this with Natasha, who skills so hard. When she was ready to pee and fall over from exhaustion, she kept going (Elyse got fatigued first so she got to be the model for the lot tour, mostly). AND! This screenshot is a mod animation, not a pose. 😍 This ambitious ballerina and her friends will see you tomorrow in Sims In Bloom!

In order to film this in peace, I made it residential and added a mini fridge so they wouldn't start to die, added the ballet barre and combination spots from the mod, but everything else is exactly as downloaded from the Gallery! WCIF details here:

[aheathen-conceivably]

Their name was Marichka. Mari, for short, they told me. We spent hours walking through the shady rows between the graves, talking about books and musing on the lives the people buried beneath our feet must have had. The sun dipping below the horizon was the only thing that told me time had passed.

Somehow, I found myself sad at the incoming darkness, a thought that usually filled with me quiet excitement that it was time to retreat to the atrium and write. Only going home held none of the promise it usually did, so when they told me there was a bonfire out in the countryside I responded yes with so much enthusiasm I was afraid I had embarrassed myself.

Only Mari was the type of person to ensure that you would never feel embarrassed. Or afraid or self conscious, or anything negative, really. Their lack of fear was infectious; and maybe it was that combined with the crackling warmth of the fire that made swimming in the freezing river seem like such a brilliant idea.

With the icy water numbing our toes and our fingers, it was hard to deny that they had been right. It was the most beautiful way to see the stars.

And as the night finally drew to a close, did I ever stop to think that it was all moving a little fast? Maybe. But when you’ve been told that death is chasing you your whole life, doesn’t it feel good just live a little?

[tricoufamily]

i don't want you, but i need you don't want to kiss you, but i need to

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[lynzishell]

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Transcript below the cut:

[Dog Barking]

Iris: Hello there.

Iris: You’re so sweet. What’s your name, baby? ???: That would be Milo. Iris: Hi Milo.

Iris: Is he yours? ???: He is. We were just making a quick stop on our way to the vet. Iris: The vet? I hope he’s okay. ???: Yeah, it’s just a checkup.

Iris: Well, Milo, don’t let them give you one of the stale biscuits they leave out on the counter. The receptionist keeps the good ones behind her desk, and she’ll give you one if you ask nice.

???: [laughs] Good tip. Do you have a dog? Iris: Did. He passed away last Fall. ???: I’m sorry. Iris: It’s okay. He had a very long and happy life. ???: I’m glad to hear that.

???: Well, we have to run or we’re going to be late, but it was nice to meet you--? Iris: Iris. ???: Iris, I’m Ezra. Iris: Nice to meet you, Ezra. And you too, Milo. Good luck at the vet. Ezra: Thanks. See you around.

Iris: See ya.

[cautiously0ptimistic]

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[perolesims]

Previous & Next

image transcript (pt-br):

Low: wow.

Orion: eu imaginei que a Srta fosse gostar, você pode me acompanhar, tem um lugar com a vista melhor.

Low: eu tô sem palavras… é o céu mais lindo que já vi, desde que mudei pra cá.

Low e Orion ao mesmo tempo: ali a constelação de Orion, que dá origem

Low: ao seu nome.

Orion: ao meu nome.

Low: como você soube? Digo, desse lugar.

Orion: Srta Herr, eu tenho o mapa dessa construção na minha cabeça.

Low: verdade, faz sentido. Pq me trouxe aqui Orion?

Orion: pq mais cedo a Srta Herr parecia triste, então quis aliviar sua mente.

Low: você foi incrível nessa. Obrigada, eu perdi alguem muito especial hoje.. o meu avô.

Orion: Srta Herr, se me permite dizer, tenho certeza que deve estar doendo, mas não acredito que você o perdeu, afinal você está aqui e é o legado dele. Ele continuará vivendo atraves da Srta.

Low: comando central, desliguem as máquinas -5, -8 e -13.

Low: acho que você tem razão. Boa noite, Orion.

[rebouks]

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Frankie: I’m pregnant, not infirm. Ivan: [laughs] Shut up n’ gimmie! Sawyer: Ugh, they’re so annoying. Pixie: Would you rather be moving back in with YOUR dad? Sawyer: I think I’d like to live alone… Pixie: Oh, boo.

[ellemant]

Trip to Copperdale Park. Charlie wants to feed the ducks.

[kamiiri]

Interrupting his thoughts, Ophelia continued, “This is important, Ripp. We…we can start small. Yeah. Maybe we can look around in your dad’s stuff? I don’t know. There has to be something, right?”

At first, Ripp was silent. He was completely certain they would find nothing. His dad wasn’t the type to just leave incriminating evidence out in the open. But he also didn’t have the heart to say that to her. So instead he said, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. There’s no guarantee we’ll find anything, but we can start there.”

Ophelia burst forward and wrapped her arms around him. Ripp returned the gesture, feeling a little guilty that he knew for a fact nothing would come of the operation. But when Ophelia finally let go, he couldn’t help but smile at how happy she looked in that moment.

[likelyamused]

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Transcript below the cut.

Celia: [silent] AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! [audible] Ugh!

Max: Did I just see you get out the window? What’s going on?

Celia: My parents are being assholes.

Max: Alright…

Celia: I got 68% in math in my report card-

Max: That’s great! (he sees her face) Isn’t it? You were afraid of failing that class. You passed. It’s almost 70!

Celia: See, that’s how I would like them to react. But no, it’s not good enough, I don’t put enough effort in. And now, I’ll  have a private tutor on Wednesdays to make sure I’m doing the work. As if I didn’t feel dumb enough.

Max: You’re not dumb. No one’s good at everything. You’re smart in ways I’m sure your parents would struggle with. 

Max: And you’re so underdressed for the temperatures we’re having right now. Come here.

Max: Better?

Celia: Better. I still hate my parents and don’t want to go back.

Max: I get it.

Celia: I guess you do.

Max: Celia?

Celia: Hm?

Max: There’s a lot of things I want to tell you. I’m not sure where to start. I guess talking about my parents is as good a place as any. 

My mom was really young when she had me. My dad is an addict, mostly alcohol, but he liked to try other things too. It didn’t take long before mom got into it also. They were mostly either passed out or fighting. I always had to be careful not to set them off. My grandma would check up on me often. She’d pick me up when things were rough. I’d live with her for a while. My mom would join us. Things would get better. I’d go back home and everything would start again. Until I was 8, got caught by the police destroying pumpkins with some friends on Halloween and they brought me back to my parents. They saw enough concerning things to call social services and I was put under the care of my grandmother. My mom got sober when gran got her diagnosis. She got custody back and promised her she would take good care of me. But when gran died, mom just went back to the bottle. She needed it ‘cause she was grieving.

Max: The day I left, my dad attacked me in my sleep ‘cause he was looking for my money to get his fix. And my mom came around right after to get her share. I hate my parents and don’t want to go back.

Celia: Max…

Max: Sometimes you have good parents that do shitty things. Other times, you just have shitty parents. Only you know which ones your parents are.

Celia: [sigh] I don't know.

Max: Holy shit! Your hands are cold!

Celia: You can warm them up for me.

Max: I’d love to, but there’s limits to what I can do out here. Let’s get you home before you freeze.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 129 (Nancy Landgraab and the SanMy Ballerinas)

Nancy Landgraab loved when Ash was in the city with her family. Where he belonged - if it were up to her, anyway. Her reputation for coldness preceded her, and she used it to her advantage in the cutthroat world of business, but those who managed to get beyond her icy exterior knew a different woman.

Her grandchildren were all but immune to tough judgment from Nancy, and she was thrilled to have them together at the penthouse for Easter. Today, she had both Ash and Bridgette with her to visit one of her pet interests - the SanMy Ballet School at the Performing Arts Centre.

"Pearl said she's even better at ballet than the last time I saw her," chattered Ash from a stool at the back of the room. "I asked if she can do the splits and she said of course she can."

"Most ballerinas are flexible enough to do the splits."

"Can you do the splits, Nan?"

"When I was a ballerina, I could."

"Nan! Nan! I'm a ballerina!" babbled almost four-year-old Bridgette, tearing off her coat to copy the dancers.

(Ash has called her Grandma Nancy before, but since Bridgette started talking, now they both call her Nan. I wanted something different than Grandma since that's what Ash calls Daisy, and I can't believe it took me this long to come up with Nan for Nancy!)

Ash's friend, Pearl, was the best young dancer in her age group, and Nancy had kept an eye on her for years. In her youth, Nancy almost made it herself, but a broken ankle ended her dreams and pushed her to focus on the family business.

Did this leave her bitter? Maybe. But she channeled it into serving on the board of the SanMy Ballet Company, focusing her interests on helping young dancers develop through the connected school.

The older girls were hard at work teaching their students. Elyse Rockwell was a classic beauty, quiet and reserved. She didn't talk much, but she was polite. Nancy liked her.

Natasha Lobo was the girl Nancy thought would drop out of ballet when she was young. She fought struggles at home, she was short, her hips too wide (this chapter is written from Nancy's POV and I disagree but Nancy's a cow), and it took her forever to learn simple grace. But now, Natasha was just as good as Elyse - probably better. Natasha reminded Nancy of herself and she respected her work ethic.

Then there was Sierra Prairies. Oh, Sierra. They could be the best ballerina to ever lace on a pair of slippers, but he insisted on being, well...zirself. Nancy didn't understand Sierra, but she was a good ballerina and great with the younger students.

As practice ended and the girls dispersed, Nancy applauded with a scowl as the girls nervously made their way to the intimidating CEO. "Sierra, we've been over this. Ballet is all about performance, but it's not a clown circus. What are you wearing on your face? And your leotard..."

"It's just animal print, Mrs. Landgraab. How aren't you itching through that drab wool coat?"

"This drab wool cost four-thousand simoleons."

Sierra laughed, unbothered by the wealthy woman's disdain. "You've got to learn to thrift, Mrs. Landgraab. Way better designers at way better prices, just because some rich trendsetter tossed them away when they were ready to spend another four grand on another ugly coat."

"Sierra, maybe don't talk to the school's top donor like that," Elyse suggested carefully. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Landgraab."

"I think your coat looks amazing, Mrs. Landgraab. You rock whatever you wear." Toddler Bridgette grinned up at Natasha, pulling at her tights until the blonde picked her up with a smile. "Your granddaughter's getting big. She'll be with us at the school in no time."

Sierra cleared her throat. "Suck up," she said, pretending to cough. "Tash, you're pretty, but you're so obvious. She comes in to see random practices over Easter break! She already cares about the school."

"Sierra Prairies, bite your tongue. Flattery will get you anywhere." Nancy smiled warmly at Natasha. She wasn't sucking up for the sake of the school, but herself. If students wanted to be considered for the company after they'd finished their training, Nancy was the SanMy Ballet Company's most influential board member.

She introduced her grandson as a friend of Pearl Richards, the school's prize student, forgetting entirely that Ash's cousin, Tetra Bell, had recently enrolled.

"Hey Ash," Tetra said, joining the conversation as the girls finished up after class. "My mom says to tell Aunt Heather to plan her wedding to Uncle Conrad already."

Nancy pursed her lips quietly. She was learning to hold her opinion of Ash's mother when her grandson was around.

"There's no time to talk about weddings. I came today to let you know I'm bringing in a film crew next week to show off the new studio. We'll finally be able to get out of this basement that smells like a sewer, and get some great promotion filmed for the school."

"We?"

"Practice before then. Get your spray tans early enough so they're dry when you put on your leotard, dye your roots neon pink if you must, but leave the face stickers at home."

Sierra opened her mouth to protest, but Elyse and Natasha both shushed her.

"I'm asking for one afternoon without stickers on your face, Sierra. I can't imagine they're all that good for your skin, anyway."

Sierra raised her hands apologetically. "I'm joking, Mrs. Landgraab. I can take myself seriously, believe it or not."

"Does that mean you'll show up in a leotard that doesn't look like you stole it from a showgirl in Lucky Palms?"

"What's a showgirl?" Ash wondered innocently.

"It's what your grandmother thinks becomes of every failed ballerina just because she-"

"I didn't fail as a ballerina, Miss Prairies. I broke my ankle and it ended my career."

"It can happen to the best," Elyse said warmly. "We really appreciate everything you do for the school. Even Sierra."

The pink-haired ballerina frowned. "Were you really the best?"

"I could have been big," Nancy admitted proudly as the children began to head home. "Took me a decade to work the ankle back to strength enough just to run on a treadmill."

"Could you still do some moves?"

Nancy shook her head. "Not many. But I still have more grace in my fingertips than any of you."

Easily persuaded, the girls got Nancy out of her expensive coat and into a pair of ballet slippers. She bent and stretched her toes over the polished hardwood, reconnecting with the moves that once flowed through her with as much muscle memory as walking.

She practiced the long forgotten skill as the students packed up to leave, and Elyse kept Bridgette company while Sierra and Natasha goofed off in the corner. Maybe they were showing off for her, which Nancy the board member certainly didn't mind. The company was sorely low on male dancers these days, so Sierra filled the masculine steps while he danced with Natasha.

Sierra whispered something in Natasha's ear with a flirtatious grin. Nancy chuckled to herself, seeing something between the girls that maybe they hadn't even recognized themselves. But they were stealing her thunder.

"Oh, go put that spark inside in a Layla Delarosa book," Nancy laughed. "I'm practicing here." ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary

Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary

NOTE: Tetra Bell, Ash's cousin and the daughter of Holly and Kris, is literally five years old and should not actually be in this ballet class with these older girls. She's no prodigy like Pearl, but she aged up recently and I wanted her to be here to fill the class and show her off. The other girls in the class besides Pearl are Cristal and Noemi Zest, Nancy's nieces who she ignored.

I made them skill and then got them chatting with Nancy and just kinda let what happened happen before setting up the poses. Sierra really did make Nancy angry before I had Nancy practice ballet, and Elyse spent the most time autonomously chatting with the kids after practice ended. Natasha autonomously picked up Bridgette when she asked and also autonomously sucked up with that hand on chest compliment for Nancy. Natasha skilled up in ballet and fitness the fastest of the three.

A huge, enormous, gargantuan thank you to @changingplumbob for sending me these beautiful sims and letting me play in the sandbox with them and the Ballet mod by @janesimsten! I know @paracosmic-sims created Sierra, @bloomingkyras created Natasha, and Elyse was created by @simmerbeans, and they're all stunning! Thank you! Additionally, thank you @paracosmic-sims for sending me in the direction of some awesome and colourful cc for Sierra, which I love even more because it really blows Nancy's goat!

And an extra shout out to @fallstaticexit's Nancy in The Art of Being Seen. She made Nancy look so good as a teenage ballerina that it altered my head canon for her forever! (But in this timeline, she loves to get freaky with Geoffrey!)

WCIF Poses: Pearl doing the splits is from Child Gymnastics Poses by @flowerchamber. Sierra and Natasha are posed using Ceci's Couples Dance I poses (before cut) and RayGun @rayw05771's Ballet Duet poses (after cut). Bridgette was posed using Toddler Ballet poses by @daisylove126, which are so cute, and since they come with an all-in-one option I just played that through while the other girls skilled and it looked like she was dancing along. My heart!

WCIF cc? Elyse and Natasha's bodysuits and tights come with Jane Simsten's Ballet mod (same for what they wore in yesterday's promo). Sierra is wearing @candysims4's Let It Go bodysuit and Marzmerizingsims' Decora face sticker accessories. In yesterday's promo, she wore @joliebean's Cindy leotard with tights.