The Allen Invasion, Chapter Five

Hey hey hey! Who's ready for more Allen Invasion? Hopefully you, because you're here now. We've got our dueling heirs on the cover here, ready to face off by trying to raise the child that will become the gen. 3 heir. But that's a ways away! Aspen's pregnant and Brady's still a teen. So I guess we better get to it . . .

(Reading-in-public warning: There is an uncensored sim butt directly below the cut. You've been warned.)

And that butt belongs to Caden because he's our household's biggest ass . . . while definitely not having the biggest ass. Caden, put some clothes on, you lanky weirdo.

At work, Aspen fends off coworkers that want to rub her bump. No touchies, lady!

Aspen doesn't get home until 7:00 and works five days a week, so we really had no choice but an evening wedding. She and Mike are going to get hitched before their baby arrives in the same spot in the courtyard that Aspen's moms got married. First though, since I literally just installed Laundry Day at this point, everyone has to brush their shoulders and admire their clean clothes. The biggest of eye rolls. Although all the kids but Alec are still in the house, I only made Brady and the parents attend the wedding because honestly, I can only handle so much sim-wrangling (little did I know this would be the calm before the storm).

For reasons unknown, the witnesses give the ceremony a wide berth, but that's fine. It's a pretty courtyard.

Welcome to the family, Mike Rubio, now Mike Allen! He and Aspen are officially married with a baby on the way. Great start to the next generation.

Upstairs, Caden has put on clothes, but it's an outfit I didn't actually dress him in, so I don't know whose clothes they are. I just can't even with him. Can he grow up yet?

Unfortunately not, but there are three other guys that need a cake. Looks like Mike is struggling a bit making it, though.

Mike: "I just can't understand this recipe."

Might help if you weren't looking at your texts. Just a thought.

Alec came over for the birthday and he is elated to hear his twin is expecting. Ever since their early days of living on the roof and then having little to occupy them in The Box, they've been very close, so it's been weird not having Alec around for Aspen to talk to. I think she missed him a lot.

Wendy, Mike, Sasha, Aspen: "Happy Birthday, Barry!"
Brady: *glowers silently at Aspen three inches from her face*
Bryce and Alec: *brotherly hug*
Caden: "Hey guys, what's going on? I was just reading this book and, oh are we doing a party thing? No one invited me."

First triplet age-up. Plenty of confetti. Don't know where Caden went. Don't care.

Second triplet (and co-heir) age-up. Even more confetti and horns. Caden found his way back. Shoot.

Third triplet age-up. Got creative with the camera angle because that's a lot of birthdays, y'all. Running low on confetti so lots of singing now.

Happy birthday to Barry, Brady, and Bryce, who are all now YAs. Barry and Bryce instantly move out and join Alec. Barry is an outgoing, active geek. Bryce is a neat, outgoing bookworm. And Brady, who will stay to carry on the Allen name, is a geeky, perfectionistic art lover.

After much deliberation, I've decided to give Ava Reeves a try. She is an alien, as you can see her doing the secret handshake with Brady here, but we've never seen her true form and she won't change out of her disguise, so she's a total mystery. Brady finalizes his friendship with her and asks her to move in. Fingers crossed.

Hey! Not only is she cute, she's NOT BLUE! I'm so excited! Welcome to the fam, Ava!

And here's her intro card. She's got great traits, but that aspiration is not getting fulfilled. No way are you cheating on my sweet Brady. She was fun to make over because I actually got to use purple makeup without it looking weird. She's got a bit of personality weirdness in that she's family-oriented and romantic (even wanting multiple partners), yet she still doesn't want to be around people that much. I guess she's kind of an introvert, and probably a little low-key conflicted about her social desires. She's probably slow to warm to people but then she's your best friend for life. Except for the Serial Romantic part, I kind of feel this on a deep personal level, honestly.

Little outfit makeover too. She's really thin.

Unpause, and Brady throws some flirts her way, and Ava is instantly receptive. Looks like this relationship is off to a good start.

In the middle of the night, out on the patio, they share their first kiss under some cute fairy lights.

They had just officially become boyfriend and girlfriend when . . .

. . . Brady got abducted. Whoops. Notice in celebration of both heirs being partnered I gave the penthouse back its exterior floor and wall coverings and opened up the upper floors. We're going to need room soon!

When Brady gets back from his visit to the home world, although he's glowing red with exhaustion, they pick right back up where they left off and the closet gets broken in.

Success! Brady and Ava are also now expecting.

Brady: "Ava, my love, that abduction did a number on me. I'm starving, and . . ."

Brady: "Wait! Did you say a BABY???"   :D

Haha, his face. He's excited to be a dad. This is great!

Ava shares the news with one soon-to-be mother-in-law.

And then the other. They're both thrilled, but no one can really believe it because she's not sporting even the slightest bit of a bump.

Wendy's birthday came and went fairly unceremoniously, but some people were there to see it. So besides Aspen working in science, Brady got a job as a botanist, Mike as an artist, and I think I put Ava in tech guru but I don't quite remember. Anyway, not everyone was home for this birthday, and Sasha was at the hospital, of course.

Aspen: "So, I hear you're pregnant too."
Ava: "Yeah, it's great! I'm so excited to get to know you and raise our babies side by side! I can't wait until we're officially sisters-in-law, but I feel so close to you already, sister."
Aspen: "Don't get ahead of yourself there, sweetie. I'm carrying the next heir. I can feel it. Your child will never be anything other than a nuisance to me. You disgust me."
Ava: "Haha, yeah, I've been feeling a little moody too! I hear you."
Aspen: "Ah, playing nice, huh? First you're going to upstage my pregnancy with your flat tummy one, and now you dare to be kind to me? Well, I'm on to you, 'sister,' and we'll just see about all this."
Ava: "Wow, this book is so interesting. Are you enjoying yours?"

Although it looks like she's not sure, Ava is actually accepting Brady's super-romantic proposal as he glows green with joy.

See? Ring on her finger, baby in her belly (allegedly), Ava is all ours but in name only now. And Aspen snored through the whole thing. Now that's some meta commentary.

Aspen: "True heir; don't care."

Nearly bursting, Aspen finally goes into labor. Off to the hospital!

Mike is being a very supportive husband. Good job, Mike!

Dr. Alien Enthusiast: "Ah, a new generation! God, I love my job."

This hospital has the worst hiring policies, and yes, I know that they hired my sim. That's Exhibit A in my argument.

Case in point.

Saanvi: "You're Sasha's daughter, right?"
Aspen: "Yeah, what of it?"
Saanvi: "I don't like your mother."
Aspen: "Are we going to have a problem, Saanvi? Because I make my mother look balanced, and if you thought taking 'the beatings will continue until morale improves' literally was the worst my family can inflict on you, you've got another thing coming."
Saanvi: "Gulp! No, ma'am. No problem. Please, right this way."

Mike: "My wife is so hot when she's angry. But I think I'll wait out here. Y'know. For safety."

Dr. Alien Enthusiast went through this three times with Sasha, and although he's had a break from delivering babies, he aptly applies glue (?) in such a manner to guide Aspen through the miracle of life.

And we welcome the first baby of generation 3, a girl named December! Remember my naming scheme is that each birth in chronological order advances through the alphabet (multiple births use the same letter for each child), and otherwise I randomize the names until I find one starting with the correct letter that I like. I love the name December for a little girl! She of course has blue skin with her two parents, but hopefully she'll be a little interesting when she's older.

Mike: "Love, I'm sooo tired. Can you take the first shift with December?"
Aspen: "Hmm, I would, but . . ."

Aspen: "Gotta get abducted first. Lol. Laterzzzz."

Mike: "Your mother is such a jerk, December. You're going to be just like her, my little doll. I love you so much. Yes, you will be such a jerk. We will raise you right."

Aspen's thoughts: "Look at her and her perfect tiny bump, parading around in one of the good hairs. I have good hair! That's my thing. Oh, I can't stand her."
Ava's thoughts: "It's so kind of my dear sis Aspen to make food for me while I'm pregnant!" :) :) :)

I don't know why, but the grandmothers just adore Ava. They're always chilling with her when they're not working on their money-making projects. They do those (writing and painting) a lot still, because we still do hope to have more décor than this childish planter some day.

Her first day back at work, Aspen decided to show up in her hospital gown. I guess she wanted to parade around the fact that she didn't take maternity leave.

Aspen: "These peabrains better appreciate that I came straight from the hospital, birthed my baby on the way in a cab, sent her home in a box, and am now here to run the important experiments that they'd screw up. They better notice me and act accordingly."

I'm sure they'll notice you, yes.

I see everyone is paying the appropriate amount of attention to Caden's birthday.

Sasha: "Fine, fine, I'll celebrate. Yay, you're older. Get out."

Seems about right. Caden is now a slob, mean, and noncommittal, and has finally come in first in the Terrible Personality Derby. Take your medal and kindly find the door, sir.

And then there was just the main family: three couples and a baby (which sounds like a sitcom premise).

December's parents work long hours and were too tired to celebrate her birthday, so Wendy stepped up to the job and took an . . . interesting approach to it.

Wendy: "The toddler and I have become one. I will teach her all I know from the comforts of inside my knees."

No, you won't.

Slightly better, but I really don't like the babies and children bald, but the game is usually pretty insistent on that. December is her dad's shade of blue.

There. That's much better. Let's take a closer look.

She's so stinkin' cute. I don't know whose blonde hair she has, but I like it with her outfit. Sometimes I wonder if alien hair is random, but she could have gotten it from the disguises (I guess?) because both Aspen and Mike have this shade of blonde on their disguise. Not really sure how the genetics of that works, but they are aliens. Who knows? She has Mike's eye color.

On to the personality, she definitely favors her mother. She's a fussy, uptight toddler who turns into a fussy, uptight child, teenager, and young adult. As a child, she'll eschew childhood pastimes for the wonders of art and educate all her peers through conversation (everyone loves a precocious, talkative know-it-all, right?), while as a teen, she will follow in Aspen's steps to make my life hard and hate all the children around her, while also catching a lot of fish, which she can't actually do without a loading screen thanks to them being in the city. Finally, she will realize in her maturity that her grandmother was on to something, and treadmills really are fun. Or something. Basically, she's always going to be insufferable and I am here for it.

Wendy: "And then the little puppy said . . ."
December: "Is this story really going to further my education and enrich my store of knowledge?"
Wendy: "No, it's cute. See, the little puppy misses his mommy."
December: "And that symbolizes the disconnect of man's emotional and rational self?"
Wendy: "December, no one has taught you to talk yet."

A miserable orange glow on Ava means it's time for the second child of this generation, first for Brady's side!

Amusingly, the game picked Sasha as her doctor, and yes, she was still controllable but she also fulfilled the situation. Interesting. Anyway, Brady was no help at all and immediately ran off, panicking.

Which left Sasha a little time to bond with her future daughter-in-law (whoops I forgot to get them married!) and her bump. Ava has gotten quite close with Sasha and Wendy in the last few days and they love her.

Nurse: "Dr. Alien Enthusiast is gonna be so pissed we didn't call him tonight."

Found Brady. Keep up the good work, man.

Sasha eventually headed off and Ava followed, and the usual scene took place.

Which rewarded Ava and a still-panicked Brady with -- sigh -- a blue baby. I had high hopes for purple, but this will do. Welcome to little Emery, another girl. I liked that the names December and Emery have some similar letters and vowel sounds, even though they're cousins and not siblings.

Back home . . .

Brady: "Sis, I feel like, now that I'm a parent, I appreciate things differently. I feel like it changes our relationship."
Aspen: "I could still murder you in your sleep one night."
Brady: "Oh, I don't doubt that. But now we have a deeper appreciation of each other as sims and as parents in our own right."
Aspen: ". . . murder . . ."
Brady: "Uh, you're hugging my neck a little tight there."

Brent/Brant (not looking it up) did our laundry. Thanks, dude! We didn't invite you in, but at least you made yourself useful.

Aspen spends a little time with December for the second time in her short life. Aspen doesn't hate her own daughter, of course, but she's not fond of the toddler furnishings, and she just isn't super interested in parenting. She does work long days, so she often has to work on new breakthroughs and her needs for most of the time that December is up in the evening. Still, I would like them to be a bit closer. Maybe if things calm down a bit.

Of course, that's not likely to happen because Aspen and Mike are trying for another baby already. We've got the house cap raised high enough and I'm stupid enough. I wanted each couple to have at least two children, and I was encouraged by the fact that they had singles the first time despite Ley Line still being active.

We interrupt this tryst to gawk at the closet. Why is your closet just pitch-black, boxes, and shelves? That's kind of creepy. This is definitely where Aspen stashes the bodies on the way to the trash compacter.

And with all that romantic talk, our co-heir has found herself pregnant once again!

Mike is slightly less pleased this time, but Aspen did interrupt Cake Time, so you know.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the endless expanse of uncovered walls that is our penthouse, Brady has been tending to Emery, but nothing much exciting has been going on with her. Thus, it is time for her to grow up into a toddler too. Two toddlers and one on the way. Not too bad.

Whoa! Will you look at that?

Emery grew up not just with a full head of hair, but a flower crown to top it off. I am in LOVE. The Garden Queen of our hearts.

Yes, she's blue (the same shade as Barry), and yes, she has Wendy's hair apparently skipping a generation (my least favorite hair shade in the game), but my goodness, I just love her to pieces. I had to keep the flower crown and I thought the color she chose actually looks nice with her hair and skin, so she got a bunch of violet and green garden-y outfits. Very appropriate with a father that wants to be a Freelance Botanist. She'll be an inquisitive toddler and a rambunctious scamp, so a bit of a handful, but her loner and geek tendencies should keep her from being too outrageous. She's got a bit of the bohemian spirit as she gets older, wanting to be a Painter Extraordinaire and taking after her mom in being romantic. Very interesting personality, and quite different from her cousin! We have two excellent contenders for heir so far.

To celebrate our Garden Queen and also make life easier for Brady and Mike, I enclosed our garden in a greenhouse and . . . heh . . . "spruced" it up a bit. There's even a woohoo bush in here. Hmm . . .

Sasha: "Argh, and I got my foot wet again in the pool! That's it, I'm tearing this down."
Emery: "What is wrong with Gramma?"

Oh, sweetie, I don't even know where to begin.

Once I could get everyone's needs balanced, we all pack into the greenhouse for a lovely wedding for Brady and Ava. They definitely got the better wedding venue, but this didn't exist yet when Aspen was getting married. Everyone had the bug where wedding guests dance, so all the adults are just going to be bopping along in the background of the pictures, but I also got the toddlers in here to be flower girls and amusingly it's the toddlers who can hold still longer.

Emery's look melts my heart. She sees her mommy and daddy getting married and she approves. What a dear.

Congrats Brady and Ava! Once Ava Reeves, she is now Ava Allen (I correctly gave Emery the last name Allen when she was born). But just as soon as the ceremony has concluded, almost everyone has to immediately vacate the greenhouse . . .

. . . because Aspen is pregnant and Brady isn't going to let her get that much of a lead on him in potential heir-producing. He celebrates his marriage to Ava in the most botanist of ways.

Brady waited tensely on the bench while Ava took a pregnancy test, and from their bright green glows and smiles, I think we can conclude that there is another Allen on the way!

I'm so glad that so far the slob gene moved out with Caden. Apparently Wendy also throws other people's clothes (such as toddlers that she bathes) on the floor. So infuriating. She then took a bath herself immediately after this picture, creating yet another pile of laundry.

At work, Aspen is having a hard time keeping up with her duties. Her pregnancy is really testing her, and it's a lot worse this time. She's just barely getting things done.

But she does have a simray now, so the day's not a total loss.

Back home, and . . . UGH, how are you dirty? You took a bath right before I left.

Wendy: "Yeah, I'm going to need another one. Better throw these clothes on the floor!"

Wendy, please!

Downstairs, Sasha has a quiet elder birthday. Those three pregnancies kept her younger than Wendy for a while, but she's finally catching up.

I had to tone down her makeup a little and elected to give her a small makeover on a few outfits, but she's still the Sasha we know and love and looks great as an elder!

Here's her grandmotherly outfit. She kept her stompy boots, though.

Aspen: "Stop making pregnancy look so good! AGH!"
Ava: "Thanks! You look great, too!"
Aspen: "No. I don't. I'm huge. I'm exhausted and I'm starving and I'm about to pee myself. This isn't right. I'm the competent one."
Ava: "Okay, Aspen!"
Aspen: "GRAAR!"

Ava is going to passively-aggressively "nice" Aspen into an early grave at this point. She just won't take the bait. It is funny how differently they carry their pregnancy weight though.

Emery: "Your mommy doesn't like my mommy."
December: "Yeah. I don't think they're friends."
Emery: "Are we friends?"

December: "Best friends!"

Awwwwww! And with the sweet wholesomeness of toddler familial love, let's conclude this chapter. Next chapter will see more Allens and potential heirs added to the pool. I might let them have a third kid each, but I might not. We'll see how crazy it gets. With two toddlers it's not too bad because I've had twins plenty of times by now in other families. Another thing we'll have to see is if the penthouse ever gets decorated! It is way past time! But don't worry - I have been working on it and that will start turning up next chapter one room at a time. Then it'll just be a case of watching all the third generation grow and getting to know them for the eventual fraught heir poll that will determine the truth about Aspen and Brady. I don't think we'll get there next time, though, for . . . reasons. Anyway, enough babbling from me! Thanks for reading and drop by Boolprop while waiting for the next chapter!