The Broke Legacy: Gen 5.0 (Part 2 of 2)

[simgaroop]

Previous update: Gen 4.7.


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After dealing with a couple of years filled with changes, my last two semesters at College were pretty uneventful.
You could even say they were quite boring.
Despite my scholarships, without Helena's support I could no longer pay the rental fee for our lot.
So, one week after Helena's departure, I moved into a medium-sized dorm in the middle of Academie Le Tour's campus.




But there was a more important reason for my move.
I didn't want to spend my last year alone.
Between the long distance between Veronaville and Strangetown and the fact that my only true friend around here was now traveling around the world, I felt truly disconnected from everyone.
I hoped that I'd be able to meet new friends at the dorm and move on.
But that was way harder than I expected it.




I was fairly known around campus, but I was still labeled as just the "funny, bald guy".
At lunchtime, my peers often asked me to imitate a famous character and actor, and I usually complied.
I was good for a quick laugh, but nothing more.
I spent most of the time reading, getting in touch with as many literary genres as possible.




I also had time to watch all those classic comedy movies my teachers often talked about.
As I observed how the actors did any kind of tricks to bring a smile to their spectators, my dream of becoming a famous comedian was reinforced.




I still had to pay a fee for my meals and books, though, so I worked part-time at the cafeteria for a while.




I just couldn't understand how come Buck was interested in the Culinary Arts.
After burning my third pot of Mac and Cheese, I decided to look for new ways to make some money.




One of my roommates told me about a new online project that was gaining force around Veronaville.
A group of bankers were hiring young students who had financial knowledge to assess their peers about the best ways to invest their savings.
Although I wasn't majoring in Economy, I knew quite a few tricks about the stock market, so I applied for a post as a financial advisor.




To my surprise, I was quickly hired, so I worked a few hours a day in front of the computer.
I also began to invest a bit of my savings here and there.
Before I knew it, I had doubled the money I had in my bank account.




With the extra money, I was able to visit Le Tour's popular hangouts, like the Loungarama Leisure Center.







Some habits die hard, so I still performed a couple of my routines around campus.
But this time, I wasn't interested in my classmate's tips.




Nope, I had something better in mind.




Being stereotyped as the "funny guy" had its perks, though.
While some girls are attracted to good looks or money, there are plenty who just can't resist a guy who can make them laugh.







I guess living with Helena influenced me in more ways than I expected.
After watching her make good use of her "charms", I was able to follow her example with excelent results.




I can barely remember the names of the girls I got involved with that year.
Even those I invited back into my dorm.
We had a lot of fun, true, but that was it for both parts.
I thought that fooling around with several girls would make me feel better.

But in reality, as I lay on my bed at night, watching the empty space at the other side of my bed, I felt lonelier than ever.

____________________________________________




All things must come to an end, though.
Before I knew it, I graduated from College.
And with a 4.0 GPA nonetheless!







Buck couldn't go to my Graduation Party due to job issues.
Hobbes and Marsha were at Pleasantview, signing the rental contract for their new apartment.
So, only my parents and Rose Mary were there that day.

My parents were so proud of me.
My father gave a little speech as we toasted.
He wished me luck in my future career as an actor.




Rose Mary looked happier than I had ever seen her.
When I asked her how were things at home, her smile grew wider.







She told me that Buck and she were doing fine in their respective jobs.
Buck still worked as a waiter, but was close to finish the bakery course he had been taking for the last two years.
He hoped he'd be able to find a better job once he graduated.




Now that Dawson and Max had also graduated from College, Rose Mary was getting ready for the Drama Llama's comeback.
She'd spent the last year composing new songs too, for Dawson had finally convinced a record executive to listen to their Demo CD.
The executive was pleased with the Drama Llama's work, so the band was going to sign a two year contract and to finally record their first LP.
Rose Mary could barely believe her luck.




Figuring that he had also inherited his sibling's artistic nature, Mom and Dad bought a violin for Cody's seventh birthday.
To their surprise, Cody wasn't interested in music at all.




He wasn't interested in art or drama either.




Nope, what Cody actually liked was to create and build stuff.
There was nothing he enjoyed more than to edify tall towers and beautiful cities with his building blocks.




He was still as shy as I remembered him.
Bright and curious, everything was a wonder for my little brother.
He loved to explore his surroundings and to figure out how most things worked.







He was a practical little boy, who hated being locked inside a classroom memorizing theories and data.
That was the reason behind his not so great grades that often got him in trouble with our parents.




According to Rose Mary, I wouldn't recognize Lyla once I returned to Strangetown.
She had grown up so much these last four years, although that was expected from someone of her age.




Lyla was also shy and serious, for her resemblance to her father went beyond her looks.







She was also a very smart girl, who learned to talk and walk without trouble.










Lyla had just turned five.
She would start school in just a couple of weeks.







Lyla and Buck were very close.
They loved to watch TV together every afternoon.
She was also interested in her father's job, and often watched him as he worked on his new culinary creations.
She was going to ask Santa for a mini-oven that Christmas.




Rose Mary said that, despite how much she had suffered when she had gotten pregnant, she was now glad to have Lyla in her life.
It wasn't easy to be a mother so young, especially with a career as demanding as the one she had.
That's why she felt lucky to have the support of her husband.
She couldn't ask for anything else.

__________________________________________




So in general, my graduation party was a celebration of not only my academic success, but of the fact that our family was still together and happy.







There was only one thing that would have made the party just perfect.




"Is it on?"
"I think so... there's a red light over there..."




"OK, Rosie! Come here!"




"Hey there Helena! We hope that by the time you'll watching this video e-mail, you'll be just fine."
"I did it, Helena! I finally graduated!"
"We miss you, Sis! Please come visit us soon! We haven't heard from you in almost six months!"
"We are sure you are busy marveling the world with you art, but please give us a call."
"We love you, Helena... never forget that."

___________________________________




___________________________________




I moved back to Strangetown the following day.
If there was something I'd miss from Veronaville, it'd be its green terrain and beautiful trees.




But it was time to move on to the next phase of my life.
Perhaps the most important one.




It was so odd to see my old childhood home again.
At first sight, nothing had changed these last four years.




I was welcomed by Buck, who was the only one at home at the moment.
He told me about his family.
About the General's new hobby as a dog breeder and his almost finished memories (who'd be published the following year).
He told me about Tank's marriage and his daughter Nancy (and the future arrival of a new son).
He still had no news about Ripp, though.
The Grunts feared that he had died during his adventure who knew where.
But so far, none of their attempts to locate him had worked.

After listening to his story, I got worried about Helena.
She's also been gone for more than a year... what if something had happened to her too?




My room was just as I had left it.
Mom had made sure to leave everything intact, including my half-finished painting.
Before I realized it, I got used to life back at Strangetown.
It sure felt good to be back with my loved ones.

_______________________




I quickly won a secondary role in a Science Fiction film that would be produced at Strangetown.
My job had me away from home most of the time, so I barely had time to even breathe.
I didn't mind, though.
With Marsha and Hobbes wedding taking place in just a couple of weeks, I really needed a distraction.




One afternoon, as I arrived home from another long day at the location, I heard some voices coming from the basement.
Those voices belonged to Cody and Lyla, who were playing around Grandpa Cosmo's machinery.




"Hey, kids! You shouldn't be playing here! This is not a playground but a..."
"Yeah, I know! It's Grandpa's laboratory, right?"
"Correct."
"Hey, Bro! Rose Mary told me that you used to spend a lot of time with Grandpa down here..."
"Yes... that was a long time ago, though..."
"Cool! Perhaps you could teach me about these awesome machines! I asked Mom and Rosie, but they had no idea!"
"I remember a little, Cody, but I'm not sure..."
"Please, Tim!"
"Oh... all right..."

__________________________



That afternoon, I taught Cody everything I remembered about Grandpa's machinery and experiments.
It wasn't much, though.
Perhaps it was time I re-read Grandpa's memories.
I first showed him the Dissection Simulator.
Cody was clearly disgusted by my futile attempts at performing surgery on an alien.
"Yuck, Tim! That's so gross!"




He was really interested in the Biotech machine, though.
I only had to show him a couple commands and before I knew it, he was preparing his very first medicine vial.




"Wow, Cody! You really caught on quickly to this machine's functions!"
"Well, it's nothing too complicated, Tim, although the language in which this program was coded is now obsolete..."




"Hey, Tim! What's that over there..."
"The green juice? That's Grandpa's secret potion, the Elixir. It's a very rare and secret medicine that can stop and even reverse the aging process of a human. It can also cure a lot of illnesses with just a few drops. No one knows the recipe, so we have to be careful with the potion. We can only drink from it on emergencies."
"I see... and that machine?"
"That's the lying detector... it's supposed to teach you how to lie convincingly. I know how it works, so I could teach you, but I'm afraid Mom wouldn't precisely approve my lessons..."
"Bummer..."




"Oh... and that phone?"
"That phone..."




"That phone is extremely dangerous, Cody. Grandpa even tried to destroy it once, but couldn't. He always got so angry when it was even mentioned its existence."
"Why? What does it do?"
"It's a phone that can help you get in contact with Death itself..."
"What? That's cool!"
"Of course it's not cool! Listen to me, Cody. You must promise me you won't ever, EVER, touch that phone. Do you understand?"




"I... I promise..."
"Good."




"And that one?"
"That's the last machine Grandpa ever invented. He built a couple of awesome machines with it, like the Learning cap he gave me when I was fifteen..."
"Wow! And what's that piece of metal?"
"That...."




"I left it here just before I went to College... I was trying to build a robot following Grandpa's blueprints."
"Cool! Could you finish it for me, Tim? Please?"
"Uh... all right... but I don't remember much about this machine..."




I wasn't lying, though.
As I worked on my little project, I could barely even remember how most of the tools were used for.
Obviously, the end result was... a complete failure.
"Damn it! What a disaster!"




"It's all right, Tim! I like it! Can I have it?"
"Sure... but it's just a piece of junk..."




A couple days later, I was surprised when I found Cody playing in his room with my toy robot.
My toy robot... who was now working just fine.




"How... how did you do it?"
"I fixed it, Tim!"
"I can't believe it! You did a great job, Cody!"
"Thanks! But it wasn't really that hard!"

The days went by without further happenings.
And before I knew it, it was the night before Marsha's wedding...

_________________________________________




When Grandpa died, Helena quickly developed an odd habit.
Every time she was anxious or worried about something, she used to sit in front of Grandpa's grave for hours.
I often watched her from my window and thought she was just being insane.
But for some reason, she always returned to the house looking way more relaxed than before.

Perhaps that's the reason I found myself in front of Grandpa's grave that night...




"Oh... Grandpa... I wish you still were here. I need advice so badly... I don't know what to do... or how to deal with what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm afraid I won't stand the sight of her joining her life to Hobbes for good...
You know Hobbes, Grandpa. He's your grandson too. He's a good man... and he's been so sad ever since Calvin left to Graslax. I don't want to hurt him... I've never wanted to do that...
But I can't deny my feelings for Marsha. And they've been killing me for years... I wish things were simpler, Grandpa. I wish I knew what’s the right thing to do..."




Looking for some answers, I went back to the house and looked for Grandpa's memories.
Now that I thought about it, I'd never read them on my own.
Rosie and Helena used to read them to me when I was little.
I opened the book at a random page and started reading.




"If there's something I've learned during my existence, is that life is always unpredictable. There's no way to tell exactly how things are going to work out. No matter how much I've studied the way our body works, the way plants grow or the movement of the stars, there are just some things that are far beyond my comprehension. And those are the details that enrich our otherwise boring lives.
Life is a mixture of many elements,
Those that remain constant,







Those that arrive unexpectedly,







Those that grow and mature across the years,




And those that eventually leave us for good,
Those that we'll always miss,
But whose memories linger inside our hearts for the rest of our existence,




There are several things I've done in my life that I'm not proud of.
But now that I think about the past, I realize that they are what made me the man I am today.
There's no such thing as right or wrong.
Because every life is unique, every experience is unrepeatable.
There's no way to figure out what'd happen until we try it.




For me, the only thing that's truly wrong is to wonder what would have happened.




To give up and not fight for what we firmly believe.
And that way, to become a prisoner of the so-called destiny...

________________________________





Everything was just the way she always dreamed about when she was a little girl.




The large party hall, decorated with her favorite flowers.




The perfect dress.
The perfect make-up.
The perfect bride.




This was literally the wedding of her dreams, but Marsha wasn't sure about it anymore.
Her mother had said that all brides usually felt nervous on the day of their wedding.
That it was normal to experience a little bit of cold feet.
She loved Hobbes, she was sure of that.
Then why did she feel as she were about to make the biggest mistake of her life?




As she glanced at her reflection in her mirror, she tried to recite the vows she had written specially for that day.
"I take you, Hobbes Broke, as my husband. I promise to always be faithful and to support you in sickness and... and..."
She shook her head: This was not the time to forget about her vows. This was stupid!
So, she recited them again,
"I promise to always be at your side. To always be your friend. To always be there to hold your hand when you need it. To love you, Tim Broke... as I've always done since the day we first met..."
"I promise that too..."




Marsha nearly had a heart attack when she realized her mistake.
How could she be so stupid? Mixing up Hobbes name in the day of their wedding? And to make matters worse, Tim had listened too!
"I... I'm sorry, Tim. It's just the nerves..."




Tim didn't respond.
He moved towards Marsha, closing the space between them.




And before she knew it, he was kissing her.
It'd been almost five years since their first (and only) kiss, but Marsha had never forgotten the smell of the attic, the goose bumps she had felt as his lips had touched hers. For an instant, they were a couple of teenagers again. Nothing else mattered...
Nothing, except for...




"What am I doing?"- she exclaimed as she pushed Tim away.




"We shouldn't be doing this, Tim! I'm getting married in less than an hour! Hobbes is gonna be here any minute now! This... this is wrong!"




"I agree. This is completely wrong!"
"Uh..."
"The biggest mistake I've ever made, the REAL mistake is to have waited almost ten years. To have let things grow up until this point before doing this..."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Marsha Bruening... would you like to go out with me? I've... I've got a reservation at Londoste and..."
"What? Are you freaking insane?!"




"No, I'm not. I'm just doing what I should have done for your fifteenth birthday. So... do you accept?"
"Uh..."
"I'm not expecting you to do so, Marsha. I know you love, Hobbes. But I also know that the reason I've not been able to forget about you is because I never had the courage to at least be honest with my feelings, so here it is: I love you, Marsha. I've loved you since I realized you were more than my childhood stalker. You are the best friend I've ever had and if you accept my offer, I promise I'll do everything to keep you happy for the rest of your life. On the other hand if you say decline, it's all right. I'll just go downstairs and be the first one to congratulate you after you marry my cousin. And I promise I'll never bother you again."
"Tim..."




"I'm just asking you to be honest with your feelings too. So tell me Marsha... what's your answer?"
"I..."


_________________________________




"Dear Tim,
By the time you read this letter, I'll be traveling far away from Strangetown.




I know you'll think it's your fault that I'm gone, but that's not true.




Last night, after months of unsuccesful trying, I contacted my brother at the Graslaxian Mother Ship.
The captain, P.T. 56 offered me a place as part of his crew.
My first impulse was to say no, for I had a duty to fulfill today with Marsha.
And that's when I realized that it'd be a mistake to marry her.
Love is not something that should be imposed.




I love Marsha, but I'm aware I'm not the one who's supposed to make her happy, no matter what others say.
And I also want you to be happy.
Nothing else matters.




I am also happy right now, Tim.
Being part of the Graslaxian mission is a dream come true.
I know our families won't understand my decision.
But I know this is the right one.




Promise me that you'll make her happy, Tim.
Be sure I'll keep a close eye on the both of you.
If you see her, give a hug to Helena on mine and Calvin's behalf.


Until we see each other again,
Your cousin,
Hobbes.

___________________________________




That night, I finally had my first date with Marsha.
Sure, it was ten years later, but I didn't mind.




Just like my original plan, I took her to Londoste.




There, I was finally able to tell her freely how much I loved her.




We got married at the restaurant, with only the waiters and the hostess as our witnesses.













We knew that the decisions that Marsha, Hobbes and I made that night would affect the rest of our family.




We also knew that there'd be consequences, just like there are for every choice we make.




Definitely, this wasn't the traditional, right way to do things.
And perhaps this was wrong for most people.
But at least that night, it felt like we'd done the right thing.

Only time would tell...



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Notes:
- Because we've finally reached the middle point of this legacy, there'll be a special entry with the notes of this update and some general Sim babbling (and random pictures) coming up soon.
- Thanks for reading!