Round 7 (Spring): Castaway
4 - 5 - 6Previously, Marco survived winter on the beach without getting frostbite once (and not for lack of trying), had some quality time with Una Two, and then surprised everyone with some eleventh-hour studying just in time to enroll in classes at SMCC. Let's see what's in store for spring...
Life is quiet on the beach for Marco and Una Two. They seem to be flying under the radar, for the most part, and they go about their daily lives without fear of prying eyes.
Which is not without its downsides...
Marco heads over to the SMCC Student Center just about every day since the meal plan is included in his financial aid package. Plus, it's a good chance to socialize with non-dogs.
He's been focusing pretty hard on finishing up his big term paper, though.
In fact, he ends up deciding to move his work over to the student center's mobile classroom unit. The coffee may be older, but the distractions are fewer (the open mic sessions right outside the main computer lab do grow tiresome after awhile).
He does occasionally break for some really intense TS3 sessions.
Peeking at his LTW sheds some light on his recent hard work. And wanting to become a lawyer makes sense, too, given his experience with SimCity's (and, let's be honest, Ste-Margo's) failed social net. It's easy to imagine him wanting to be in a position to fight for the welfare of kids like him, who might not ever be so lucky to fall into an unexpected college education. Good for you, Marco!
Una Two, who waits patiently back at the beach for her nightly bath, is similarly proud of her person.
It all pays off at the end of his freshman year. And not just the Dean's List-Marco gets word that the mayor herself wants a meeting with him at City Hall...
It's a big deal! He's a little nervous and wonders if his fanciest outfit is nice enough; but Frida Batavus looks happy to see him when he gets there.
After offering him some coffee, Frida launches into an explanation of her recent talks with SimCity's Child Protective Services department. The recent opening of Tabitha Sweet's orphanage has been a good first step toward alleviating some of the problem, but SimCity and the mayor are still concerned about the number of homeless teens who are falling through the cracks.
Frida: "And that's where you come in..."
Ste-Margo is once again opening its doors to the unwanted children of the big city and establishing the Ste-Margo Home for Teens, and who better than Marco Castaway, a former runaway teen himself, now a promising SMCC student, to take charge?
F: "I know it's a big job, but I also know you want to see these kids off the streets and in a place where they can be safe and have someone looking out for them."
F: "What do you say, young man? Do you think you're up to the challenge?"
M: "I... uh..."
F: "That's a sport!"
"You're going to be great, I just know it."
It's a lot to process, and the whole thing brings back some painful memories that Marco had been hoping to forget. His desire to study starts to take a backseat to his desire to distract himself with sandcastles and seashells and anything that isn't too serious or real-worldy.
He barely even makes it to his next final exam.
Still, he manages to eke out a passing grade, and with his sophomore year behind him, it's time to move into his new digs and start his official role as house chaperone.
There are four new residents from SimCity: (clockwise from front left) Lee, Hanne, Gustavo, and Larry. As with the orphanage children, I'll be playing them mostly hands off and more to keep in sync with the aging of the rest of the hood (that's the plan, anyway, though it's likely I'll end up getting attached and wanting to make them "full" playables). I'm also trying out Katya Stevens's Motivation rules, which take the sim's Active - Playful points to come up with a number that determines whether a sim is an average/over/underachiever, which then affects their choices and performance levels throughout their lives. So:
Gustavo: Underachiever (-7)
Larry: Overachiever (+5)
Lee: Average (+3)
Hanne: Overachiever (+5)
and Marco: Average (-3)
(That Marco is a low-average achiever makes the work he's done so far, with the kind of life he's had so far, all the more impressive!)
Una Two feels pretty good about eating with a roof over her head.
And Marco is enjoying having the extra company around, especially at night.
Still cute.
Lee gets introduced to the wonders of the chore chart.
M: "Oh the places you'll sweep!"
Una Two watches her kids go off to school while Marco contemplates how good his back feels after sleeping in a bed instead of a tent.
Our two overachievers already in action!
The Ste-Margo Home for Teens is a comfortable, if not lavishly appointed, residence. Its one major flaw is that there's only a single bathroom, so lines are a regular occurrence.
It doesn't help when Hanne keeps running in to check herself out in the mirror, either.
Good grades, hot body-she's overachieving at life!
Geraldine Morceau is over for dinner after school.
Una Two's dream: Yes, I am dog.
Marco really should be more sensitive to his charges' feelings. Teenagers! They're full of new hormones and... smells!
Speaking of hormones...
And Hanne's at it again! Aw, she just looks so durn happy.
Marco finishes out his penultimate year with a respectable B+, even with the added responsibilities.
The road leading up to this point has been a bumpy one, but it seems like he may have found his niche. :)
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