The Broke Legacy: Generation 5.7. (Part 1 of 3)

[simgaroop]

Previous update: Gen 5.6


Time is a river whose waters change everything they touch, despite our efforts to avoid it.




Nothing can escape from the spell of time, and that includes what was once just a road in the middle of nowhere.




When I was young, my father bought an old lithography in a flea market. It depicted the Strangetown that my Great-great grandfather, Beau Broke, first found during his youth many years ago.




I often sat down in front of it and imagined how life was back then. After all, nowadays it is hard to picture a time in which the alien race was forced to hide and pretend they were normal sims to escape from the aggressive persecution campaigns orchestrated by the Army.




Perhaps that's why the Smith household is one of the few buildings that still remain from those days. It's perfect green garden, enclosed by a little white fence (which ironically made it stick out among the simple desert houses that surrounded it) is a reminder of the battles fought by both Graslaxians and sims alike (including my family) to achieve peace and tolerance between these two races.




Besides that, I'm afraid good old Beau wouldn't recognize this town as it is today.




Inspired by the Graslaxian technology, a group of scientists from all around the region joined minds and forces to develop the "Bullet SimTrain", which gave birth to a network that made the long and uncomfortable journeys between all the major towns a thing of the past.




Attracted by its alien tradition, hundreds of sims took the Bullet SimTrain and migrated to Strangetown. And with them, our town's economic "boom" began.




Several new buildings sprouted along the "Road to Nowhere", from small apartment units and cheap motels that catered the needs of the new and hip "Alien Tourism" trend (which included a tour to the exact spot where P.T. 9 Smith's spaceship first landed)...




... to ultra modern scientific facilities and laboratories where the most advances research in alien and medical technology took place.




Since its early days, Strangetown was known for its scientific tradition, considering that it was founded by the Curious family. And let's not forget Cosmo Broke's research, which also took place here.

But it was the LCB Institute, which began its operations a couple years before the Bullet SimTrain (and it is said that the train was actually built there), what transformed our town into the Science Capital of Sim Earth. I don't remember very well the whole story, only that its construction was so fast that it almost felt like it had magically appeared one day. It is said that the owners are vastly rich and powerful, for they wasted no time buying and demolishing several old buildings to expand their scientific empire.




One of the first lots to fall was my mother's childhood home, sold by her brother Oscar for an incredible sum of money. Naturally, since that moment I began to hate those bastards.

But I wasn't the only one who had a bad opinion of them: Eager to build more laboratories and a new dorm, the LCB Institute tried to buy both the house where Grandpa Puck was born and the Grunt's place. They even tried to convince Grandma Wanda of selling Cosmo's old projects and blueprints! But when both Grandma and Tank Grunt rejected their offer, the Institute began an aggressive campaign (complete with threats and harassing phone calls) to force them to sell, but luckily they never succeeded.




They also even tried to buy the abandoned Curious laboratory, but they were never able to contact its current owner, my uncle Mars Curious (son of Grandma Wanda's cousin, Saturn). Mars had left Strangetown fifteen years before, and no one had heard from him ever since.

In the end, the LCB Institute dropped its plans to expand across the road and focused on their own side. They quickly became the most advanced and recognized research facility in the world. So much that they only accepted the best Scientifics to work with them. They had also recently opened a small campus where the most promising students around the region would get a head start for their college education (which in turn would open to them the doors to power and fortune in the future). It soon became a huge honor to be offered a place at the Institute, so most teens worked hard to win one of them.

So, in short, both the LCB Institute and the SimTrain were responsible of the long chain of events that changed Strangetown. But they weren't the only ones, for there was also a third element behind this transformation.




And that was my mother's death.

We buried her late one night, immediately after we recovered her body from the morgue. Neither Edward nor I were allowed to see her, for our father didn't want our last memory of our Mother's to be the mere remains from both the attack and the autopsy practiced to her corpse.




No words can ever express the deep pain and sorrow we felt during her funeral. This was just... so wrong! This shouldn't be happening! We were supposed to welcome my baby sister, not to say good bye to her and our Mom!




Finally facing the harsh reality of what had happened at Takemizu Village, our father nearly lost it. He couldn't imagine how was he supposed to move on without the one person he truly considered the love of his life. After everything they had sorted out in order to be together, to lose her this way was a sick joke from destiny.




It was then when Grandma Wanda started to believe that life was somehow punishing the Broke family for the so called crimes of her father, Cosmo.




But I knew better! What had happened wasn't a joke or punishment from destiny.
It was my entire fault! If only I hadn't been so stubborn! If only I had listened to my Dad!
If only I hadn't dragged my Mom to those abandoned ruins in the middle of the night!
If I had only been smarter... or stronger, we wouldn't have fallen in those ninja's trap and Mom and Bianca would still be with us!




Nonetheless, my Grandparents decided they should pay something back to Strangetown in exchange of all the damage done by Cosmo.
So, following the Brokes ancient philosophy regarding the importance of providing our youth with the best education as possible, they donated our home and transformed it into a park where everyone would be welcome to practice sports, learn music and art and experience a closer contact with Nature.




And that's how Strangetown's first youth center was born.




My grandparent's rented a small apartment close to Aunt Helena's place.





Now that both Dad and Aunt Rosie had moved out to different places, and with Uncle Cody leaving for College the following year, they no longer needed a big house.

There were now just the two of them, enjoying their last years together.




Although they had both retired a few years before, that didn't mean they no longer had things to do every day.




For example, Grandma Wanda now worked as a Senior Advisor and Beta Player for the videogame company that employed her for so many years. She spent a significant part of the day trying out the new titles and projects that were sent to her, and every month she visited the company's main office at Sim City to present her observations and suggestions for the title in question.

Although she could now be considered just "an old woman who has no idea about videogames" by most people, her co-workers knew that Wanda Broke was a deeply respected designer in the video gaming field.




Grandpa Puck, on the other hand, was working on a more private project. Just a few months before my mother's murder, he was contacted by a man called William Capp. He was the son of Hermia Capp, Grandpa's first love. William informed him about the recent demise of Hermia, and how she had left him a letter and a small package.

The package contained most of the correspondence she had sustained with her sister Juliette, from the day she had eloped with Romeo to the night she had committed suicide immediately after his death. Grandpa Puck had no idea about what had happened to his childhood friends, and was obviously shocked by this revelation. He couldn't believe that all of them were dead now...





Hermia has asked her son to contact Puck, as he was the last living witness of the origins of Romeo and Juliette's tragic story. She wanted both of them to make the story public, for her deepest desire was that this tragedy shall not be repeated ever again.

And that's how Grandpa Puck and this William fellow worked together for a long time. Grandpa read William's drafts and sent his impressions via e-mail, for they both wanted this story to be as accurate as possible.

Only time could tell if this project would yield the effect Hermia had wished before her death.




But my Grandparent's weren't the only ones who were busy!
Uncle Cody mind was also quite occupied in two topics: One was his girlfriend, Magdalena, whom he had met during his vacation trip to Sunnybeach Port.




And the other one was a mystery whose answer he had sworn he would find one day, even if that project took him the rest of his life.





Magdalena Valenzuela was the daughter of a sailor and a creature she once believed to be a merman. When Cody listened to her story, he quickly noticed that her origin was extremely similar to the one of the Half-Graslaxians like Uncle Calvin and Hobbes.

The Sailor, Lucas Valenzuela, firmly denied that he was abducted by a spaceship. He said that Maggie's conception took place in the sea, and that one of the few traits he remembered from the "merman" were his gills.





This led both Cody and Maggie to believe that there must be another alien species impregnating humans in our planet. Oddly enough, no matter how much they researched, they couldn't find a single mention about this "new" alien race anywhere, not even in Great Grandpa Cosmo's memories.

So, Cody decided it was time to make good use to his grandfather's blueprints and went back to work on them, two years after the events at the Specter place.




Although he had claimed he had given up on his scientific tendencies, working once again at the crafting table made Cody feel like the kid that he used to be. The one who enjoyed fixing my father's poor attempts at building toys and who dreamed of being a great scientists like many Brokes in the past.




And by the time he had finished his first creation, the hydrobot, Cody realized he just couldn't forget about science. In fact, he was ready to merge his childhood love with his new life project.




And so he set the hydrobot to roam freely around Strangetown, collecting samples of water and bringing them back to Cody's place.




Although he still lacked both the equipment and the knowledge to do so, Cody analyzed every sample he received. He took notes about the composition of Strangetown's water, and looked for traces of alien genetic material in them. Then, with the help of the Bullet train, he traveled to Sim City and Pleasantview, and also set the hydrobot free to collect more samples.

With time, he planned to build a database of the water composition in every town in the region, hoping to find one that was similar to the water in Sunnyview Port. And then, he expected to discover right there the truth about Maggie's existence.

After everything she had done to help him out of his depression, it was the least he could do for her...

______________________________________________





While I was recovering from the attack, Aunt Rosie and Uncle Buck realized that they shouldn't let a mistake from the past to hinder everything they had done during the years in order to keep their family together. Well, at least something positive happened during those dark days.

Aunt Rosie and my cousins moved to the Specter State and tried to go back to their old lives. Rosie took a yearlong break from her music career to spend with her family and to support her brother.





I barely saw little Monica during those months, but according to my father, she resembled Uncle Buck more with each passing day.




It was obviously hard for all of them to just forget what had happened. It took a while for Aunt Rosie to not feel shame in the presence of Lyla Grunt, although she hadn't been responsible for her tragedy.

And one night, my cousin Lyla prepared a special dinner for her odd family.





When asked about the reason for such a treat, she just smiled at her father.
"Well, I think Dad should answer that question for me, right?"





"Yeah, well... Rose Mary, after everything we have lived together all these years, I just can't see myself doing this the traditional way but... here I go..."




"Would you like to marry me... again?"




It's been many years since that night, but my cousins still remember that Aunt Rosie's face when she saw the ring was just priceless.




"So what do you say? Would you like to try this out again?"




Aunt Rosie obviously accepted the proposal. It was a huge change from the fast and odd way he had asked her to marry her for the first time all those years ago, back when she had told him about her unexpected pregnancy.

In many ways, it was a second time to start things over. This time, she was going to marry Buck because she wanted to, not because she felt force to do so, regardless of how much she has always loved him.




Anyway, as soon as the engagement became official, Uncle Buck realized that the Specter State was too small to raise a large family as his.
Not to mention the constant haunting, especially now that Olive had figured out how to escape from her concrete prison. My poor cousin Lyla couldn't sleep for weeks after a particularly nasty encounter with the evil specter.




And so Uncle Buck looked for a new place to live. A couple weeks later, the whole family moved out of the Specter State.

Well, except for one person...




Lyla Grunt didn't want to leave her husband alone. And she also felt she had to protect the resting place of the many souls she had shared a home with for so many years, before her horrible resurrection.
With the help of her three sons, Lyla turned Olive's macabre garden into a place where all the people of Strangetown could consider as their final home.





Lyla the Zombie therefore became the grave keeper of Strangetown's Municipal Cemetery.




Most of the old house was demolished to leave plenty of space for the tombstones, the flowers and the benches Lyla placed for her visitors. She also made sure a moat was built around Olive's grave, hoping that would keep her condemned soul trapped inside it for the rest of eternity. Too many people had suffered from her crimes, after all.




Only the two lateral wings of the house were left almost intact. The left side became the Broke family's crypt. Soon enough, the urns of Brandi, Beau and Cosmo (along with their spouses) were placed in what we expect it to be their final home.




The right side became Lyla's home. She didn't really need a bed or a bathroom, but her sons insisted on building her a place she could call her own. She now spent most of her time making quilts and teddy bears for her grandchildren (her weak and deteriorated muscles made it hard for her to practice her former hobby, sculpture).




She also took care of the garden...




And dedicated at least an hour everyday to the only man she ever loved, and who she dreamt about meeting one day in another dimension... if she was ever allowed to go there.




Of course, her sons tried to visit her as often as their work and family duties allowed them.








For Lyla, it was still so odd to see her children talk together in complete harmony. Although she never witnessed the horrible relationship between her elder sons, she still remembered that as children their opposite personalities often placed them in the middle of long and annoying discussions and fighting.




And she was also aware that although time had stopped for her, it was still going on for her children, who grew older with each passing day.

Tank, for example, had recently reached his elder transition. His resemblance to her husband was now more evident than ever.




Tank had recently retired from Strangetown's police force. His wife, Kristen, had also retired after a long career in politics. They still lived in the Grunt's old household.




Their daughter Nancy, had just left to Sim State U the previous years. And Kristen's eldest son, A.J., had just graduated from La Fiesta Tech. Just like my Grandparent's, the Grunts were finally on their own.

And according to Chip, they were planning to embark on a long journey around the world.




Ripp was also very close to reach his elder years, but he was still working as a Space Pirate (a term Lyla never understood very well). The missions out of Sim Earth had become quite long recently, so she only got to see him once or twice every six months. He looked very tired, and Lyla was worried about him...




Lyla was aware that sooner or later her children would grow old and die. She told herself that everyday, as if she were getting ready to endure that painful blow.




I only hoped we could find a way to send her to the other side before that happened, because in the months after my mother's death, I slowly began to care about her.

After all, I visited my mother's urn every single day.




Pretty soon, I could no longer find more reasons to cry. I felt as if all the tears that were destined for me had finally dried out. I had failed my mom and my sister... and I couldn't think about anything else but avenging them.




Although Lyla Grunt tried to console me, it was in vain.
It'd take a long time before I would be able to even smile again.




Worried about our security (and to escape from the press), we moved to a cheap motel in Strangetown's outskirts.




We weren't allowed to leave the room at all. And we nearly lost that school year too. But until it was cleared if my mother's murder was committed as a form of revenge against our family, Dad made sure we were never seen around town. At least not without him as near as possible.




"Hey Tommy, I brought some pizza. Are you..."
"Thanks Dad... but I'm not hungry..."




"You have barely eaten since we arrived to this place. Please, Tommy, you know what the doctor said... your recovery will be slower if you don't eat and sleep well."
"I..."
"And I need you to be strong, too."




"I..."
"I know it's hard, Tom. But I promise that tomorrow will be that last day you'll have to go to that place. Just hang on a little more, all right?"

_______________________________




And "that place" was Strangetown's Police Station, where the investigation to find out and capture the responsible of my mother's death took place. For the following six months after the attack, I frequently went there to give my testimony to the officers in charge of my case.

I truly hated it. The last thing I wanted was to remember those guys... and the way they had made my mom suffer... the pain I felt... and... and her screams just before I lost consciousness.





It didn't help that I was approached by the press every time I arrived to the station, eager to get a declaration for their TV shows or newspaper articles.




For my Dad, it didn't matter if they were serious journalists or not, he often got very mad at them. It frightened me to see him that way.




I..."




"Don't worry, Tommy. Just take your time and look closely at those pictures. Do you recognize anyone in there?"




"I... I am sorry, Detective Latrodectus, I don't know these people. And the guys who... who attacked me had their faces covered..."




"I see... well, Mr. Broke, in that case there's nothing we can do for you for now..."
"What?! How can you say...?"
"I wish I could help you, but we've been working on this case for almost a year and we still haven't found a single clue that could lead us to your wife's murderers. There were no traces left at the crime scene. Not a single fingerprint! Not even a hair or piece of cloth. And our officers have searched high and low all over Takemizu Village without results.

As long as your son can't identify his attackers, I'm afraid there's not much else to do..."




"Then what do you expect me to do, Latrodectus? I still don't know if what happened to my family was an act of revenge or not! How am I supposed to keep my children safe?! How..."




"I understand, Mr. Broke. I promise we'll keep your expedient open just in case we find a clue. Meanwhile, I recommend you to go low for a while. Move away from Strangetown, to a place where neither the press nor your enemies could ever find you."




*Sigh* "I just wish Mole was still here..."
"Who?"
"Detective John Mole. We studied together at Desiderata Valley's police academy. He was an amazing policeman and an even better detective. There was nothing that could ever escape from his gaze. He was a truly gifted man..."




"And what happened to him?"
"Intelligence got him. I haven't heard about him ever since. Man! I'm pretty sure he'd love to work on this case. This is exactly the kind of mystery that he loved the most..."

_______________________




Of course, my father didn't want to wait until this super Detective Mole or whatever showed up in Strangetown, something highly unlikely to happen.

So, he just listened to Latrodectus advice and, the following day, we took the Bullet Sim Train, hoping to find a town that we could consider our new home.

A town where we would be able to start over.





And that's how we arrived to BellaDonna Cove.



________________________________________

To be Continued (Part 2 will be posted tomorrow)

Comments

[kingmike1224.livejournal.com]

oooo the story is getting very very interesting!!! I can only hope that things work out for poor Tim and Tommy...that the killers are caught and punished for their crimes.

I can't wait for the next update!!

[similly.livejournal.com]

I spy with my little eye something beginning with TRISTAN. Wow, it's sad that's the first thing I noticed in those last shots.

Can it be tomorrow yet? You've pulled me into your story again and I need to know more! More! More! Moar? Very well written :)

[racetrackd.livejournal.com]

Oh man. Can't wait for what's coming up next!
You do such a great story ;3

[barbsbookfreak.livejournal.com]

Great update:)
I really love the way how you take pictures.
It's so interesting to read about the Brokes life.

[quean-of-swords.livejournal.com]

You tie together the different families in the game better than anyone else I've read. I'm so glad you're posting story again. Can't wait for part 2!

[simkittensims.livejournal.com]

Squeeeeeee! Great update! It's getting really intense and I love it!

[angy182.livejournal.com]

Ripp *_* so adorable! btw, I really loved this new update, so interesting and amazing. BellaDonna Cove? now I'm more curious to know what will happen there :D

[fnrsgrl.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love this legacy. The Brokes are my favorite Maxis Sims! PS: I can't seem to find that pink and black hair of Wanda's on Garden of Shadows. Could you give me some help on where it is?

[simgaroop.livejournal.com]

http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=6.0

Here it is! :)

[fnrsgrl.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Can't wait to use it.

[fafy-goldie.livejournal.com]

Love ur updates. They're so fabolous and realistic *_*. But wait a minute. Let's recap for me XD: In one apartment there are Puck and Wanda, in another Helena's family. In the Specter Lot lives Lyla, in another house live Rosy's family and Ophelia too. Cody is in university and Tim, Tom and Edward are in Belladonna Cove!!! Ok i feel good now XD See you tomorrow!

[patrick04.livejournal.com]

This is awesome. <3

I'll be checking like a maniac for part 2 now. *shifty eyes*

[muukau.livejournal.com]

Woo! Yay! The Brokes are back! I love where you're taking the story :) Looking forward to the next update.

[simonym.livejournal.com]

So, so awesome as always. I can't wait to see how everything develops!

[simsbarbie.livejournal.com]

Excellent update...so now we will see new characters come in to play!!

[a-gates.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!! YOu ROCK AT THIS!