prequel stories #10: wedding pictures

I actually don't know why I had this post saved up in my drafts for so long. But I'm kind of under the weather this weekend, so I think I'll post this up to pacify you all so I can slack off on the next update for a couple/few more days ;)

Be warned, these are very old pictures. And this was long before I learned to download much proper CC, so some of these outfits are truly terrible, lol!

picspam, favorite family

I mean, not that I have favorites... lol! But "favorite families" was the picture theme over at N99 this week, so I decided to see if I could fit them ALL on the same lot at the same time. And it took me over an hour to do, but I did it!!!

(click through for the full size images)

I'll spare you the boring narrative, since you guys already know their stories. (Really, it was just too many bad jokes about poor Robbie not being as smart as the rest of them, lol!) But I figured you'd all enjoy seeing the pictures, so here's the whole Deppiesse clan (with spouses and fiancés).

Of course, you'll also have to suspend your disbelief for those who are not supposed to be "here," or are in the middle of a fight and probably would not be willing to pose so *adorably* together, lol!

LCU, landslide, part 2

October 2083 - LCU, fall semester (part 2 of 4) - Dallas Deppiesse is 19, Fenton Dyer and Iris Barton are 20. (Lucy Harris is 17.)
* soundtrack for all parts, "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac *

The residence hall at Takemizu Academy has an ancient wishing well hidden among some trees, but Dallas won't touch it. He refuses to touch it! Because the first and only time he touched it was the first day he got here - the first hour he got here, before he'd even unpacked his bags - and this is what it told him: "The time will come for you to make a decision."

What the hell is that supposed to mean???

He also didn't know that a swarm of bees had taken up inside it. The coin he tossed disrupted their sleep, and in the space of seconds, they woke up and rushed toward him. He was stung thirty-two times.

prequel stories #8: reconstructing the founders, part 1

In April of 2006, a group of young college graduates decided to start their brand new lives by settling in a once-quiet little town called Lakeside Heights. Until now, there has been little record of who these people were, apart from a few aged photos and the basic public record of their family tree. This effort is to reconstruct their lives as best we can, through their family who might remember them.

come undone, extras

Psst, Lara... that's not your husband...

After what was the longest "chapter" I've ever written for this story (totally got carried away there, lol!), I've decided to start doing these extras by chapter from now on, instead of by year.

Okay, so let's see what other extras, misfits, and outcasts we might have from the spring/summer 2083, "come undone" chapter...

more than I could ever promise, part 2

August 2083 - Dallas Deppiesse is 19, Delphie and Dakota are 13. (Lucy Harris is 17.)

* soundtrack: "The Way I Am," by Ingrid Michaelson. Warnings: cheese? Dude, I tried to avoid it, but sorry, it couldn't be helped :) And maybe a tissue or two. *

Problem one, Delphie and Dakota are bored. But that isn't the most pressing problem. Things can be done about that. Problem two, they're supposed to tell Dallas before they go anywhere, where they're going, and when they'll be back. That's not exactly the problem either. The problem is, it's only twelve hours until Dallas leaves in the morning, and he's busy saying goodbye to Lucy. They've been saying goodbye for months it seems, all gross and entangled in all that affection.

Dakota says, "No way, I'm not going up there. You go up there and tell him."

more than I could ever promise, part 1

July 2083 - Orion Deppiesse is 49, Violet is 48, Dallas is 18, Delphie and Dakota are 12.

* soundtrack: "The Way I Am," by Ingrid Michaelson *

Dallas is leaving next week, and his sisters haven't wasted a single minute trying to decide who gets to move into his bedroom when he's gone. They've been sharing a bedroom since they were born, and Dakota, for one, is ready to break free into her own space. She's already staked her claim. "I'm the second-oldest," she says. "I was born fifteen minutes before her."

"I hope you don't think you're getting the stuff in my room," he says. "It's just a room. It's going to be empty. I know you just want my computer."

"You can't put it in the attic," Dakota says. "Electronics shouldn't be stored outside of room temperatures, in the winter, that attic can get down to fifteen degrees."

"It does," Delphie says.

"Only you guys would know that," he says.

first, part 2

June 2083 - Ashlee Deppiesse is 43, Natalia is 13. (Charlie Roseland and Hazel Monif are 13, Fiona McCullough is 15.) Last update, February 2082.

It's probably much too soon for her mother to feel lonely. It's only been three weeks since they left. Instead, she just keeps herself busy here at the restaurant, which means Natty is kept occupied as well. It isn't that she minds spending time with her mother, if she were actually spending time with her, except that her mother is working, talking, selling, and Natty is left watching old cable reruns.

Which is better than washing dishes. Because she has that option too, her mother would say, if she wants to complain of being bored.

first, part 1

June 2083 - Charlie Roseland and Natalia Deppiesse are 13, Gabby Roseland is 4.

It's summer, finally. Charlie is just hanging out in front of his house, with his sister, doing what kids do on these long, sweaty days, which is waiting for something to happen. Nothing is happening here. He can't even score some free lemonade from his baby sister!

"That'll be a dollar ninety-five," Gabby says. "Just like everybody else."

sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g

A guide to different height kissing:

Height differences between lovers can add a lot of realistic value to a story, but the in-game standing kissing animations can get pretty wonky. This is always one of the first complaints people bring up when they consider using different heights in their game, and was also my biggest complaint until I found some work-arounds. In these romantically-inclined stories, you know how we need to get our kiss on around here!

So nobody specifically asked me to do this one, but I've been using different heights in my game for some time now, and discovered a few tricks, so I thought I would share them.

Dallas and Lucy are happy to oblige us in the demonstration of these techniques ;)

graduation, extras

*** graduation extras ***

I think I like posting the outtakes separately when they're as plentiful as this. I wish I'd been doing it all along, so I could have my concise and well-planned story posts, and then my long-winded and rambling gameplay posts... but you know, I didn't. Ah, well ;)

prom 2083, revisited

With four different scenes, and travel time to community lots, that prom update took forever to shoot and produced a lot of fun outtakes. And I was also feeling very particular about the mood of my narrative, so I didn't want to throw a bunch of funny outtakes at the end.

And besides all that, it was plenty long enough on its own.

So to start things off, this is what Melissa thought of my first idea for her prom dress! She says, "My cleavage is showing, I feel so naked!"

the things that make you panic

May 2083 (prom) - Dallas Deppiesse (18) and Lucy Harris (16) // Elijah Roberts (17) and Melissa Fortney (15) // Vicky Garth (18) // Summer Phoenix (18) and Tyler Jackson (19).

*** Sorry, I just realized three of my four girls have long dark hair, so I hope that doesn't get too confusing - none of them are wearing the same style. The first section kind of banks on you already knowing who these characters are, so new readers might want to read the linked posts above first. Before you think you're going crazy, yes, the first half is written in a wandering second person POV - and I intend it that way ;)

Box of tissues warning, and maybe NSFW?...

Soundtrack, "Details in the Fabric," by Jason Mraz/James Morrison. ***

You're young. You're growing up by the very minute, but inside, you're not much different from one minute to the next. Not deep down, where it counts, where you still feel the same things you've always felt. You're still the same girl you've been all along.

taken seriously

April 2083 - (2082/83 school year update)

*** as usual, I can't feasibly link to the family updates of each kid, so use the database and school enrollment if you need to ***
Bluewater Township: where Fiona McCullough shall rule the world!

As the school day begins in Bluewater Township, Robbie greets his best friend Liza with warm and questionably friendly hug. She looked a little cold, and she probably would be since it's only early April still. You know how these teenagers refuse to be bothered with jackets when they should.

But that's okay, Robbie insists, his arms will warm her just fine.

Fiona is thinking, Well isn't he a charming little booger?

His mother is thinking, Oh hell, already? At twelve?

one day, when there isn't much time left...

March 2083 (mini-update) - Dallas Deppiesse is 18, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, when there isn't much time left, Dallas and Lucy have a study date. The house is empty and quiet, but he locks the door anyway. He puts on some music, softly, her favorites. He figures they should have music. It seems like something people would do for this occasion, though they don't normally play music when they're together. He prefers to hear her sounds instead.

something she can do

January 2083 - Bryson and Madison Riley are 60 (Mariah and Micah Buchanan are 24, Quinn is five months. Justin Kim is 23, Keri is 22.) Last update, January 2081.

"Ally Schultz," Madison says. "She's running against me this fall. Can you believe it?" Madison can actually believe it. That Ally was always a go-getter, whether it comes to men, or her career. "And if I recall correctly, wasn't she the one who stole my niece's boyfriend?"

"I wouldn't know," Cabe says.

"Anyway, not even thirty-five and she thinks she's going to run for Governor. Apparently she even lost that louse of a boyfriend to help her public image."

Cabe isn't normally the type for mindless gossip, but unfortunately Madison had to unload this bomb on somebody. But Cabe was scheduled to meet her for a military briefing, and they do have serious matters to attend to.

Lakeside Heights, aliens, and the year 2082

Okay, so since there were at least a couple people wondering about this, I figured I'd do a little Q&A/ cheat sheet about the Deppiesse family's alien heritage. I know if there are two people wondering out loud, there must be more not asking questions, and I don't want anyone to be confused since aliens have become a sort of integral part of the storyline. Though, Orion's family was one of the first families I ever wrote about on this blog, so I guess aliens have always been a part of the storyline...

the truth about happily ever after, part 2

November 2082 (part 2 of 2) - Berjes and Hailey Monif are 37, Hazel is 13. (Mariah Buchanan is 24, Dakota Deppiesse is 12, Jodie Larson is 27.) Last update, December 2081. (part one here.)

Her mother leaves early in the morning for work, and Berjes knows this, which is why he comes to visit Hazel before school. She runs down the stairs to greet him, like she used to when she was little, and like she's been doing ever since he and Hailey started arguing. She was always her mother's little baby, but in recent months it's painfully obvious that she misses her daddy.

She says, "Have you still not figured that thing out yet?"

"Nope, not yet," he says.

2082, we don't need no education

Whoa! Who the heck are all these kids??? Let's see who all is growing up this year.

one day, while Dallas is working...

August 2082 (mini-update) - Violet Deppiesse is 48, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, while Dallas is working, Lucy needs somebody to talk to. She doesn't feel like she can talk to her own mother about this, especially because it's about Dallas. Her own mother "approves" of Dallas, but only in a necessary way. What Lucy needs is someone who really understands how great Dallas is, and who understands that better than his own dear mommy? So she climbs into the hot tub where Violet is relaxing, and Lucy pours her sweet little heart out.