The Broke Legacy: Cody's Story (Part 1)

[simgaroop]

Warnings: Partial (censored) nudity, implied sex and alcohol. Lots of fluff! :P






Everyone knew her as the Mermaid of Sunnyview Port.





No one really knew exactly where or how she was born, but that didn't stop the villagers from inventing tales that "explained" her odd eyes or swimming skills.

Most people believed that Maggie's father, a lonely craftsman named Luke Valenzuela, had met and fallen in love with a real mermaid several years before.

Luke neither confirmed nor denied these rumors the few times he was seen around town. When he was asked about Maggie's origins, he just smiled and said that his daughter was a gift from the sea.






Maggie suspected she wasn't really a mermaid, but she was also aware she wasn't truly human. No matter the many times she had asked her father, he still hadn't been able to give her a clear answer regarding her mother's identity.





And one summer, just before her eighteenth birthday, the sea finally gave her the answer she desperately needed.











*Gasp*





A young merman, whose eyes were identical to hers, arrived to Sunnyview Port that day.
And Maggie decided she wouldn't rest until she had her questions answered by him.

__________________________________





Cody barely noticed the curious stares and the murmuring behind his back.
For him, nothing was as amazing as the endless blue he had in front of him in that moment.





He had dreamed of going to the beach for so long that, now that he was finally listening to the calming sound of the waves and smelling the fresh and salty scent from the ocean, he could barely believe this was finally a reality.




The trip was a surprise present from his parents for his eighteenth birthday, who were perfectly aware of Cody's life-long infatuation with the sea.

It had started when he was a child, as he had looked through Tim's Honeymoon photo album so many times that its pages had fallen off.

After all, the sea was something so different from Strangetown's familiar landscape, and it seemed to hide so many secrets, that Cody wondered if he'd discover one of them in the two weeks he'd spend at Sunnyview Port.




Meanwhile, he'd make the most of this time with his parents, for he was aware they were very old now.









Besides, he'd be leaving for College in just a few months. He still wasn't sure where he would apply for, but he suspected he's spend the next four or five years far away from Strangetown.

He hoped that distance would make him forget of the guilt that was still eating him alive.





For now, he just hoped that the nightmares that had tormented him for almost two years would leave him alone during his holidays.





But that proved to be harder than he expected, for his father accidentally brought up those unpleasant topics during their second day at Sunnyview Port.





"Tell me, Cody. Have you already decided where do you want to apply for your college studies?"





"I... I... really don't know, Dad. I'm not even sure what I want to major at..."




"Why not? I thought you were going for physics or science like your grandfather. You've spent so much time working on his inventions and your mechanic skills are amazing. I'm pretty sure Lyla is counting the days until you leave so she'll have your car all for herself! You did an amazing job fixing that piece of junk..."





"Now, Puck. Perhaps Cody was interested in mechanics when he was a boy, but he's almost an adult now, and you know how much someone's interests change with age. Remember when we both wanted to start a music band with Andrew?"
"I know, I know... but Cody was way more into science than we ever were into music, honey. I just think it's odd that he's completely lost interest in that area."




"Dad, I..."
"I'm not forcing you into choosing the science mayor, Cody, but I wonder if what happened at the Specter lot two years ago might be the reason behind your change of heart."
"..."
"Honey, what my father did has NOTHING to do with you. Although I'll always believe he's innocent, don't let his past actions affect your future, Cody. None of you deserve it... not Rosie, not Tommy... and not you."
"Mom..."




Puck and Wanda were perfectly aware of Cody's guilt issues, and that was the most important reason why they had decided to go to the beach with him. So much had happened in their home since Rosie and Buck's divorce that they didn't have time to focus on their youngest son.

Between Tommy's lingering sadness, Lyla's anger and Chip's introversion, the couple had barely noticed the way Cody's spirit was gradually growing weaker. They hoped it wasn't too late to help him, though, and that these vacations would let them get closer to their son and convince him that his actions had been done out of kindness, despite their tragic outcome.




But what they apparently hadn't discovered yet, for Cody had been able to hide it from everyone so far, was the desperate, final measure he usually took when he no longer could handle the nightmares and the guilt,




when the sight of Lyla Grunt's face would not go away, no matter how hard he closed his eyes,




and when the terrified screaming of his cousin hummed inside his ears, and no noise was loud enough to drown it,




That day, not even the blue sight of the ocean nor the gentle sound of the waves were enough to make him forget the fact that he had condemned an innocent soul to an eternity of suffering, so once again he sought comfort in the one thing that ironically could still protect him from hid pain.
































And soon enough, he was lost in the warm numbness that let him forget everything.












Including his consciousness.

__________________________________




"Hey! Hey you! Wake up!"




Night had already fallen in Sunnyview Port when Cody was abruptly awakened by a warm, female voice. His head was pounding, and he was so thirsty he could easily drink the whole ocean regardless of its salty quality.

Nonetheless, he slowly opened his eyes, trying his hardest to fix his gaze on the odd girl standing in front of him.

"It really took you a long time, sleepy head! The beach's already closed!"




Cody shakily stood up.
"What... what time is it?"
"Almost midnight. You should go home, your family must be worried..."
"I... I agree..."- Cody blinked a few times- "Y... your eyes..."





"Yes, they are just like yours! You must be a merman too!"




"W... WHAT? Of course I'm not a merman! Where did you get such a silly idea?!"




"That's what the people around here have always called me, but I admit I'm not very sure of that..."
"I see..."
"Do you know where did we come from?"
"Yes, I..."




"Cody!"- Puck's worried voice was heard from above- "Cody! Where are you?"




"That's my father. I guess I should go now..."
"Wait! Please! Tell me what you know about our kind!"
"I'll tell you tomorrow. I'll be here by noon, all right?"
"All right..."




"CODY!"
"I have to go! See you tomorrow... err..."
"Magdalena, but you can call me Maggie."
"OK! Nice to meet you, Maggie! Good night!"
"Good night... Cody."

___________________________________________




"Do you have any idea how worried your mother and I have been? We thought you were lost! Or even worse! Is it so hard to call us if you are going to be late?"
"I'm sorry, father. I lost the track of time and..."
"That I can see, or more exactly smell, clearly. You've been drinking again, haven't you?"
"Huh? What? How?"
"We've known about your problem for a while, Cody. We were unsure how to approach it, though, for you've become so... distant lately."




"We are worried about you, Cody. It's not like you to act this way... to be so irresponsible."
"I've changed, Dad. And I can't go back to the way I used to be..."
"I know you've been suffering, but I can't let you fall down in this... trap! Alcohol won't make things better! It'll actually make them a lot worse in the long term. Please... just trust us again. You can always count on your family. You are not alone, don't forget about it."
"I... I'll try... And I'm so sorry... for everything..."

____________________________




True to his word, Cody went to the beach the following day.
Maggie was already waiting for him.




Now that he was sober (and therefore feeling much better), Cody had no trouble telling Maggie the story of his antecessors.




The Graslaxians first arrived to Strangetown three hundred years ago. My great-grandfather, P.T. Smith, was the first full alien who established a close relationship with humans, and he was an important element in the several pollinations that took place in the following years, including my great-grandfather Beau Broke"




"That way, Strangetown quickly became the center of the Graslaxian activities in our planet. Nowadays it's very easy to find their spaceships flying across the sky at night."




"Wait a minute! Do you really expect me to believe such a silly story? My Dad was not kidnapped by aliens! He'd surely remember if something like that had happened to him!"




"Several humans can't remember their abductions. The pollination process used to be very violent in the past, so it was common that their memories would block such a traumatic experience. That has changed in the last 10 years, though."




"Hmmm... I'll tell you what. Let's go visit my father and ask him if he remembers anything about being abducted. Perhaps once he hears your story, he might remember..."

___________________________




And so they did.
The following morning, Maggie introduced Cody to her father, Lucas Valenzuela.





Lucas remained silent while he listened to Cody's story.
Contrary to what his daughter and her new friend believed, he still remembered clearly the night he had conceived Maggie.




Once Cody was finished, it was Lucas turn to tell his version of the story.
And if there was one thing he was completely sure of, it was that Maggie's "other parent" hadn't come down from the stars.




He had emerged from the sea.




That night, eighteen years before, Lucas was working on his latest "masterpiece".
He was still struggling to maintain the old beach house he had inherited from his parents, so he often painted small canvas and sold them to the tourists that invaded Sunnyview Port every summer.
A couple from Desiderata Valley had asked him to paint a landscape of the port's amazing night sky. Eager to earn the extra money he needed to fix the bathroom. Lucas had placed his easel right by the seashore and got to work.




Several hours went by.
Lucas was so engrossed with his painting, that he didn't notice how a pair of black eyes were staring at him below the waves.




Huh?








*Gasp*













































"That was the only time I've ever seen him. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, leaving no trail behind him.
I'm afraid I'll never understand completely what happened that night."




"That doesn't matter, for he gave me the biggest present I could ever ask for, though.




I admit I was terrified and very embarrassed when I found out about your existence, Maggie. How could I ever explain that I was somehow expecting the child of a sea creature?
That's why no one in this port saw me while I was gestating you. I guess that gave them plenty of reasons to invent those silly stories about your birth, including the mermaid one.




"Though if I think about it clearly... perhaps you are the daughter of a merman."
"B-but I already explained you about the aliens and..."
"Well, I don't recall a spaceship, Cody. He also had gills and three belly buttons. Do..."
"No. The Graslaxians lack those traits..."

_____________________




Lucas' story left Cody very confused. He had never heard about the existence of another alien race in Sim Earth, and somehow he was pretty sure his grandfather also ignored that.
"What's wrong, Cody?"




"Well... I am in shock, to be honest. If what your father told us is true, and there really is another race pollinating humans in this planet, I wonder if the Graslaxians and... whatever your other parent is are the only aliens around here."
"And is that a good or bad thing?"
"I... I don't know, Maggie. I really don't know..."

____________________________________




The days went by.








And before he realized it, Cody and Maggie became good friends.












Despite their similar alien traits, Maggie couldn't be more different than the shy young man.
She was outspoken and loved to spend most of her time outside. Cody, on the other hand, prefered to spend his free time alone, reading and working on his projects.




That didn't stop them from having a lot of fun together.
By her side, Cody could smile and forget at least for a little while about the guilt and sorrow that tormented him.
He just hoped he'd be able to hide his secret from Maggie, for he was afraid of her reaction once she learned about the horrible crime he had committed in the past.








But Maggie wasn't stupid, and the more she got to know Cody, the more she realized that there was something wrong with his new friend.








"Are you ever going to tell me what is wrong with you?"




"Wh... what?"




"Well, you could barely walk when I met you. And somehow you don't give me exactly the vibe of a guy who enjoys drinking. And just... look at you! Sometimes your eyes look... so sad. Like now..."




"I'm sorry, Maggie. But I can't tell you..."
"You can't tell me... or perhaps you don't WANT to tell me?"
"I..."




"It's all right. We've only known each other for a few days, after all. I just hope you'll ever trust me enough to tell me what's making you sad. I know this is stupid and cheesy but... I already consider you a good friend. I'd never felt that way about anyone before."




"Thank you, Maggie. I promise I'll tell you everything when I'm ready to do so..."

(I just hope you won't reject me once you know the truth)

Cody had had few friends throughout his life, due to his loner tendencies. That had changed a bit since his niece's transition, because she had introduced him to several girls around his age. Many of them had shown an obvious interest in him, but so far, he had never felt anything for another girl.

At least nothing more than the normal feelings a couple of acquaintances share.

But then her met Maggie, who quickly became closer to him than anyone else he had met (besides his family). She already considered him a friend, but he soon realized that would never be enough for him.

Somehow, he suspected he was falling in love with her.

It was stupid and illogical, for he had only known her for a week. But then again, his sister Helena had told him in the past that love was one of the most unexpected things ever. She was an expert in that topic, of course, for her strange relationship with Calvin and Ripp was still frown upon at Strangetown. None of them really cared about other's opinion, although sometimes they feared that their children, Pippin and Fantine, could face rejection in the future.
________________________________________




Maggie Valenzuela celebrated her eighteenth birthday the following day.




Cody was invited to the small party that Luke prepared for his daughter.





"Do you like it?"- said Maggie as she twirled around the room.




Cody blushed- "I... I... you look beautiful, Maggie. That's a very p-pretty dress..."
"Thanks! It's a birthday present from my father"- she giggled- "And where's your present?"
"I... I..."
"Relax, Cody! I'm just kidding!"




"I brought you a present! But I want to give it to you later... because I... would you... would you like to...?"
"Of course I'd love to go out with you, Cody!"
_______________________




That night, they went to Maggie's favorite place: The roller skating rink.




Lucas had taught her to skate when she was very young. The many years of practice were evident in the way she easily jumped and twirled around the rink. For Maggie, skating was the closest thing to flying.




Cody, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as good as his friend.




"Uggh..."




"Hey, Cody! Are you going to spend the rest of the night on the floor?"
"Just a minute... ughh... I'm not good at this."
"Come on! I'll teach you!"




"Just hold my hands... and don't look down!"
"All right! All right!"




"I... I..."
"Relax, I won't let you fall. Just move along, Cody. That's it! Very good!"




"You are doing it very well!"
"Yeah..."





________________________________




"Thanks for taking me to the roller rink, Cody! I had a lot of fun!"
"No problem... ugh..."
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah, nothing a couple aspirins won't fix!"
"That was an amazing birthday present, Cody."
"What? Going to the skating rink? That's not my present, silly!"
"Uh?"
"Ta Da!"




"Oh! You shouldn't have bothered!"
"Nah, it's nothing!"




Maggie opened the box: A small toy robot was inside of it.
"A robot?"
"My brother Tim made it when I was little. He's pretty bad at making stuff, so it was broken when he gave it to me. This robot was the first thing I ever fixed. I... I added those lights and the music box."
"It's amazing! Thank you, Cody! This means a lot to me!"




"Maggie... I..."




(Come on, man! It's now or never!)












"C-Cody...?"




"I like you, Maggie. I-I like you a lot. I'd never felt something like this for any girl and...




And... I know this is too fast and too silly but..."








"The only one who's being silly is you, Cody!"




"I... I like you too..."


________________________________________




The following days went by very fast...
































These were without doubt, the best two weeks in Cody's life so far.




But as the inevitable journey back to Strangetown grew closer, Cody couldn't help it but wonder how would he go back to his old life after everything he had experienced with Maggie so far.

The only thing he was sure of is that he'd find the way to return to Sunnyview Port as soon as possible. Not only because of his girlfriend (though that was the main reason), but also because the mystery of Maggie's "father" had re-ignited Cody's curiosity.

He was sure there were several secrets hidden below the sea, waiting for someone with the right knowledge to uncover them. With the experience from many years working and studying his grandfather's projects, Cody suspected he could be the one to do so.

There was no college near Sunnyview Port, but Maggie had told him about the Oceanography Institute at the other side of town. It was founded by a foreign couple which was rarely seen around time.

Cody decided he'd get in contact with these scientists and seek a place in the Institute. If that wasn't possible, he'd pursue the Biology major at La Fiesta Tech and establish his own lab at Sunnyview Port as soon as he graduated.

Puck and Wanda's plans had worked in the end, at least partially: Perhaps Cody wasn't ready to let go the guilt and sadness from his past mistakes, but for the first time in two years, he was finally making plans for his future. And he was also looking forward to them.




In the mean time, though,





















He'd make the best of his final days with Maggie...







Riiiiiing!




*Gasp*
"What's wrong?"
"It's the telephone. Must be my parents..."
"Uh, just let it ring. They probably think you are asleep..."




"I... I don't know, Maggie. It's almost midnight... there must be a reason why they are calling. I... I'm sorry..."
"No... it's all right, Cody."




"Hello? Dad? Dad, what's wrong?! Is that Mom? Why is she cry...? Tim?! Is the baby all right? WHAT?! Oh no! Oh goodness, NO! No! T-Tommy, no! NO! This... this can't be happening!"





"Cody? Cody, what's wrong? Cody?!"




"They are dead, Maggie! Marsha... and the baby! And my nephew! They were murdered!"

________________________________




Lucas Valenzuela could barely believe Maggie's story.
Cody's brother was the star from the ARRRR! Movie, and he had traveled with his family to Takemizu Village. And for some reason, his wife and son had been attacked by criminals.




The following night, Cody called her.
He wanted to see her for the last time before he returned to Strangetown.
Maggie's selfish side was upset from this abrupt interruption to Cody's vacations.
But she was aware that there were more important matters in her boyfriend's life.




"So, is your nephew going to make it?"




"I... I really don't know. We are leaving in a couple hours, so I hope there'll be more news from the doctors by the time we arrive to Strangetown's hospital. I... I can't believe this is happening... It's as if we were still being punished for..."




"Punished? Why would you be punished for?"




"Maggie, I... Do you remember what I told you when we first me? The thing I was not ready to tell you and..."




"Yes, I remember. Why...?"




Cody stood up.
"It's complicated, Maggie. But what's important is that Tommy and I made a huge mistake two years ago. I... I don't think I'll ever be able to fix it and..."




"Listen to me, Cody. Nothing can justify what happened to your nephew and... the sadness I often see in your eyes. Nothing! So please, leave whatever happened in the past behind and focus in what's important right now, and that is to support your family, Cody. Promise me you'll do that!"




"I'll try... and I'll come back as soon as possible, Maggie."
"And I'll wait for you, Cody. I promise..."

_______________________________________




It's been six months since the last time Maggie saw Cody.
They are still in contact through e-mails and phone calls.
Although Cody's nephew survived the attack, he now acts as if he had really died that day.




Despite that, things are slowly improving for the Broke family. Cody's half-sister just gave birth to a set of triplets, and according to his latest letter, there's a wedding coming up next weekend.




Cody himself is feeling much better. He's been accepted at La Fiesta Tech, but he's still planning to apply for the Oceanography Institute.

Maggie misses him very much. She's almost finished High School, and she's planning to enroll at the Port's ballet academy. She's also looking forward to the spring break, because she'll visit Cody at Strangetown.




Beyond that, only time can tell what's in store for them...



TO BE CONTINUED

________________________________________
Notes:

- This was mostly a fluffy update. After the drama-fest from Gen 5.6, I needed a little rest!

- Magdalena Valenzuela is the Gen 5 spare from the "Valenzuela Legacy" by music_simbol. In her game, she's currently married to "Colby" (a Cody clone) and already have a son. Mag's parents are Guillermo "Mo" Valenzuela (the alien in this update) and Lucas (who I tried to recreate as close as possible to the one in that legacy). Thanks a lot for sharing your sims! :)

- The events in this update take place two weeks before Marsha's murder. You could say that Cody and Maggie's relationship is just a "Summer love". Let's see if they'll stay together in the future, once Maggie learns the truth behind Cody’s past.

- The only reason I gave both Maggie and Cody a makeover in the middle of the update was that I was tired of their old hairs ruining all my pictures. Those are nice meshes, but they tend to blend and cut through the sim's bodies (there were some pics in which Mag seemed to have loooong armpit hair! >__<). Maggie's hairs are from Rose (pay) and Nouk (free), while Cody's are Maxis conversions (from female to male) found at MTS2.

- The "sex" scene was courtesy of ACR, of course. Good thing I don't have Inteenimator!

- The second (and last) part of Cody's story won't be published until the birth of gen 6. I was going to wait until Cody has finished college before making this story, but in the end I decided to divide it in two parts to avoid confusions. Besides, this update also let me give some hints on what's coming up for the Broke family.

- Next update will be Gen 5.7., and it'll feature Tommy's, Chip's and Edward's transition into teenagers. Finally!

- Thanks for reading!

Comments

[robo-kai.livejournal.com]

:O Oh my! That certainly isn't your usual method for "pollination"! ...Now that I think about it, alien pollination is pretty rape-y to begin with, so I'm not sure if this aquatic alien's method is better or worse. XD