Chapter 19: Finals

Welcome to Seasons... and Finals

So Seasons is here now and, along with changing all my camera settings back to the defaults, it's brought a whole new set of variables into the lives of Texas and her gang.

It's also led me to believe I have the most... unique... sims ever. Even the animals are into handcuffs. *chuckles*

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But lets head over first to La Fiesta Tech, as fall semester slides into spring semester. I've set LFT to be on a Fall Spring Fall Spring schedule, to take advantage of the fall skilling and spring romance bonuses (why else do we send them there, but to build skills and find a partner?)

My opinion is still out on the lighting changes.

Here Orrin discovers that earning those fall skill points...

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... often has consequences. Actually, I think this may be the first time Orrin has ever incurred the wrath of Vidcund.

"Who are you, you strange little man, and why do you poke me?"

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As spring semester starts, life in the Hoh House begins to revolve mostly around studying for those upcoming finals. This is Salina, Cirrus, and Euphemia's last semester. But they don't spend all their time studying...

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There's still plenty of time left for watching the rain...

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... and playing in the rain...

[Cirrus wanted to be hit by lightning. Sadly (?) lightning decided to strike only the orange tree they planted in the backyard.]

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... and time for the other sorts of play Spring brings about. Yes Salina, I think we can tell what's on your mind.

"Cirrus, are ya busy fer the next lil while?"

"I didn't have anything planned."

"Would ya like ta be busy?"

Lets leave these two alone for a bit...

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Oh by the hundred little gods, I thought I'd patched that.

"Patched what?"

Potential overlords should not be slack jawed, slump shouldered mouth breathers. I'm pretty sure it's in the rules somewhere. I must've installed the wrong YA walk fix file. *hurries off to check* In the meanwhile, go call your father.

"Why?"

Because I said so.

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It's nice to know that even power hungry tyrants in training still care about their parents.

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Someone followed Waylon over to Hoh House, however. When Robin the cheerleader started hanging out at CAH a lot, I turned the cow head off, hoping a mascot might wander by. It didn't take long for one to show up and put the moves on Orrin.

"Ugh! I do not do bovines!"

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It also didn't take long for Robin to put the cow in its place. But Orlando is not easily chased off once he's around. After getting his tail handed to him, he wandered aimlessly around the house for a while, annoying the maid Aiyana Dallas occasionally. (When I'm playing other houses it's funny to have her occasionally stop during her cleaning and fume with the flaming cow in her thoughts)

But who's that cheering on the fight? That's not Waylon, is it?

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Nope, that's Joe somebodyorother from the Garden Club. Scary resemblance to Waylon, isn't it? Waylon seems thrilled to meet him.

"I had heard that Mr. Noodle was experimenting with a cloning device. I didn't realize he was so close to perfecting it. I must bring this information up to the NPMSBGS."

"Eh? What're ya talking about, ya old coot?"

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A little hot under the collar there Orrin?

"That bovine just propositioned me again."

I think he just hit on Cirrus too. I seem to hear a scuffle going on outside.

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Yep, definitely a scuffle. Maybe even a tussle. In either case Cirrus, who has crappy luck winning fights (Euclid's kicked his butt to Sim State and back) managed to beat the cow. But instead of trudging off the lot in defeat, what does Orlando do? He heads upstairs to take a shower.

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Turns out this is what was hiding under that costume.

Ummm... we may keep Mr. Cow around until Omaha's made it to college. She has a thing for blondes.

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And he's actually fairly civil if you can get him out of mascot mode. Can't cook worth a damn though.

"Salina, I understand you're graduating soon. Might there be a spot opening in CAH for a former mascot? I'm looking to hang up my horns and do some actual studying for once."

"Over my dead body, cow."

"Orrin! Sorry Orlando. Ya'll jes have to wait an' see how it works out next semester or so."

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Speaking of next semester, that magic time has finally arrived. It's time for finals! Salina wastes no time in high tailing it off to her test.

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Euphemia is in such a rush that she doesn't even let closed doors stop her. Looks like she's putting that "cartoon physics for actors" class she took last year to good use.

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Cirrus has to get away from the coach before he head out though.

"Five more reps and then you can go."

"But Coach! It's my final! It's on theoretical polynomial calculus with imaginary numbers! I can't be late."

"Five more reps!"

At least he won't have to worry about cheaters trying to scoot next to him to copy off his paper. He'll be too stinky to sit beside.

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And Orrin has...

Orrin?

Orrin! Gah, wake up! Get out of bed. You've got a final! You can't ignore it; I see it queued up for you.

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You might want to hoof it a little faster. You're going to be late at this rate.

"I've already got an A+ in the class."

That doesn't mean you can slack off. Besides, these are the finals you've been waiting for. Do well on them and there may be a reroll in your future.

"No more Family Sim?"

No more Family Sim. Maybe.

"All right, I'm moving."

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A few hours later three graduating seniors and one happy junior-to-be come strolling up to Hoh House. Yes Salina, we still know what's on your mind. I'm not sure how Cirrus found time to study this semester with you all over him like that.

"Will you stop the chattering and just reroll for me. I can't abide being stuck in this aspiration any longer."

Just stroll on up to the mailbox and I'll get the prompt. *digs out her trusty gaming dice*

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*shake shake shake*

*roll roll roll*

*clackety clackety clackety*

"Why do I have this sudden urge to go jump on the couch and juggle things?"

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Ah, that would be because you're now a Pleasure Sim.

"I'm a what? Oh geez..."

A pleasure sim. They want to do all those slacker, cushy things like going bowling, dancing, dating, hanging out in your pajamas, juggling, stuff like that.

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"I can't believe you turned me into a lounge lizard."

I didn't do it. The die rolled it. Heh. Guess I meant 'rusty gaming dice' not 'trusty gaming dice'.

"Couldn't you have fudged and rolled again?"

Actually I did. I rolled a 7, which is roll again. Next roll I got a 6, which is Pleasure.

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"Oh no no no. You'll just have to roll once more. And roll something better this time."

No can do. The aspiration change opportunity only comes once during college. No do-overs. Sorry.

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"I cannot be an evil overlord as a... a... pleasure sim."

I don't know. I could see it working.

"Couldn't you have rolled something else?"

I figured you had even odds of coming up a something overlordy. Wealth, knowledge, and popularity I could all see working with the world conqueror thing you have going. Romance, family, and pleasure, not so much.

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"You have to change me to one of those. I can't be stuck as a pleasure sim. What sort of overlord rules in his pajamas?"

Well you're a Holldum...

"Seavey."

Whatever. Like the rest of the family, you do everything in your pajamas and underwear already. Not that some of us mind, but... what I'm trying to say is that you're halfway there even without the aspiration.

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"No, there is a way to correct this. I know it. Just wait and see."

"Salina, where's your brother off to now? He's muttering again."

"Dunno. I done thought I heard him say something' about jammies."

He's just peeved about rolling up the pleasure aspiration. He wants... ah crap. He's headed out back isn't he? Frell. There's a cement mixer back there.

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"A what?"

A ReNuYuSenso Orb, Salina. That thing that changes your turn ons.

"Oh that there thing."

Yeah, that thing. It can change your aspiration too. But bad things happen if you're in a bad mood.

"Ah @&$#."

You can say that again, Salina.

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Damn, too late. I'm ashamed. You three have decent to full active bars and you still couldn't catch up with a lazy bum like Orrin.

"Oooo"

"Ahhh"

"Should I call Sim-One-One?"

Orrin, just let go of the cement mixer and slowly back away. You're not gold. Heck, you're barely green. Bad things will happen if... you're not listening, are you? *sigh*

But we've reached the end of the page, and you know what that means. Yep, we'll have to pick up this drama at a later point because there's still more Holldum drama waiting to unfold.

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