Post by Pally on Sept 9, 2017 2:07:48 GMT
More time passes here at the gym. I was still doing pretty good. Still making money and evolving plants. I hadn't quite reached any of my goals yet, but I had made some great friendships and strengthened old ones. Even Hank was sort of not as bad as he first was. He still got on my nerves when he was pestering me about going out with him. Then there was one afternoon I saw him sneaking into the tent I used. I was beyond creeped out. I wouldn't be sleeping there anymore and he was back to being creepy.
I also had one of the Turbo Pumpkin gals who was always asking me about the cream I made. "Will it really make me smell better?" She would ask. "Yes ma'am," I'd tell her,"I use it myself all the time." "But will I smell fresh and clean?" "As fresh as a bright new day!" "Well, I just don't know,"she'd say,"I better think about it more." It got to where when she was around, I would hide out and tend my plants. Sometimes Heather would come down and keep me company and sometimes Eli would.
He was great at giving me motivation to keep going. I could see why the Mayor had hired him to be a trainer at the gym. He was also turning out to be a great friend. I spent a good amount of time boxing and maxed my fitness skill. One evening after a great workout, Hank showed up and leaned close to me, "Hey Pally, want to know a secret?" He asked. I was in a good mood so I said, "Sure."
Instead of saying anything, he whipped out an air horn and blast it in the air. It was so close and loud I covered my ears. There went my good mood. After I could hear myself speak again, I told him how rude and thoughtless he was and how that was not the best way to get a girl's attentions if that's what he was after. Blue Dustwind came over to see what was going on. Seems she doesn't like loud noises either. I hoped maybe he'd see how upset I was and leave me alone for a while and it did feel good to tell him off. I was getting a headache so I ate my fruit and crawled into the red tent to sleep it off.
I had gotten used to sleeping with the noise outside my tent. Most evenings someone was always out there talking or cooking something or playing basketball. In the wee hours of the next morning I was awoke by the quiet, of all things. When I stepped outside my tent I noticed a half eaten veggie burger sitting on the ground. It was still fresh and since no one was around I helped myself.
I had just finished my burger when I smelled something murky. Then I heard someone clearing their throat behind me. I turned to see a rather murky, gloomy looking, Hank. "Hey," he began,"I just wanted to apologize about earlier. Are you still mad at me?" "Look," I told him,"I'm willing to forget it if you promise not to do something like that again, okay?" "You bet!" He agreed,"So does this mean there is still a chance of us getting together?" I sighed and felt like my headache was coming back. After Hank left I made some more creams and then went to the roadside of the gym to start a sale.
Well, little did I know this was going to be the best sale ever! I packed the table full and marked up prices. I started calling and sims came running. Brennchan showed up, along with a couple of Mad Mudders, and they all bought some. After a few more came, I was sold out. I was so happy and surprised. Had I found the secret sale spot? I told Cora about it while making more creams. She seemed pleased about my success.
I was still really excited about my great sale and had to tell Sunshine. I went to visit the Freegans as soon as I had stocked up on more cream. When I told Sunshine about it he was really happy for me and started clapping, "Alright Styles!" Some of the others came to see what all the clapping was about and I told them about my sale. Then we all celebrated with my famous baked potatoes.
Later that night Sunshine took me across the street and we sat together on a bench. He pulled me close,"Your doing it, Styles. Your reaching your gym goals and stuff," he grinned at me,"And that means we are that much closer to, well, you know, swimming out to the deep water and stuff." I smiled back and since I was in such a great mood told him,"I wouldn't mind splashing around a little now. If you know what I mean," I added with a wink. He just smiled, then said he needed a nap first and curled up on the bench and went to sleep. I sighed and went back over to join Forest and Brennachan by the bonfire.
I danced with Forest until almost midnight. I stopped in time to eat my trash fruit. Since it was so late I said goodnight to them. Sunshine was still sleeping when I left. Back at the gym I had an idea for a new song. I called it, 'The man who slept too much.' After playing for a little while I went to sleep on the gym couch.
Early the next day, after rummaging in the trash for some breakfast, I decided to push my luck and hold another sale in the same spot. Jeep girl came to congratulate me on my great sale the day before. Then Hank and one of his pals showed up. I wished they would all go back to exercising so I could focus on my sale. "Don't you two have workouts to finish?" I asked, hoping they'd get the hint. "I figured I'd help you sell creams," Hank began,"You know, show people how gross they really are." Since I sold a cream while he was talking, I let him stay.
Cora came out to give me a hug, and told me again how happy she was about me helping the gym. I had another super great sale that day. People even showed up from the deep woods of Nukecrest. Yevette even came and actually bought something this time! Brennachan stopped by to visit me and smiled, "I guess the word finally got around about how great these creams are!" "It sure looks that way!" I agreed.
Since I sold out, after my sale I went to make more cream. Sunshine had finally made his way to the gym and found me. "Hey, I am really sorry about over sleeping and stuff last night," he sounded really sincere,"I guess I was, you know, more tired than I thought." "It's okay," I smiled at him. My great sale had me in a super happy mood. We hugged and then he jogged off to chat with someone else.
After he left, I harvested the trash plant that had grown from a pile someone left sitting for too long. Then out of nowhere, a Turbo Pumpkin came up to me and started gripping because I was,"Hoggin all the free food!" he also told me to "Watch out!", whatever that meant. I felt a little like hitting someone or something so went to punch it out on the old bag. I worked up a good stink and then, after I smeared on some cream, I found some franks and beans someone had made and had dinner.
I was joined by Willow Creek. She wanted to congratulate me on another great sale day. "You know, if that stuff is as good as everyone says, maybe I might just give it a try sometime." I remembered our dance off and how I promised not to mention it anymore, so I just nodded my head happily. She wandered off to play basketball while I finished my meal. It was surprising how things were working out. I happily ate my trash fruit later that night. Thankful for a couple of great sales days.
Later that night there was so much commotion going on outside the tent, more than I was used to. It seemed nearly all the Freegans were at the gym tonight. Well, since I still needed the practice, my guitar skill was almost maxed, I started playing and everyone came to watch. (they did give her some tips, I didn't know they would do this, but I subtracted them from her money. It was like 120$ or something) After that they all calmed down, but I was wide awake now so went to tend my plants. I was close to having a perfect one of each kind.
The next day went by quickly, rummaged for food, made creams, same old same old. Blue and Alice came to ask about creams. I still wasn't selling very good to the regular gym goers. They both asked me questions about them but still didn't buy. I was getting tired of making creams and talking about creams, so even though I was really murky that night, I just went to bed smelly.
Soon Friday rolled around again and I was out playing for tips. It was a good thing too, since the Mayor walked by about that time. I guess he had never found out about me living here yet. Because he acted like his normal sweater wearing self. After a lunch of grilled fruit, I'm not sure who made it but it was free, I played some more but didn't get a very good crowd. Although they did show up after I decided to go to sleep for the night.
A few days later I felt like life here was getting stuck in a rut. My sales had sort of leveled off. I was out of dragonflies and it was slower to make money off just deodorant cream. I was trying to save every bit of money I could, but knew I'd have to go back to Granite Falls if I wanted to reach my money goals faster. I kept my friendship with Eli up. And made sure to take time to dance every now and again.
Next thing I knew I was running through the woods at Granite Falls determined to get some dragonflies. I went to the hermit's glade and waited and waited. I practiced my guitar and my singing. In the end I got enough to make 2 jars of cream. I was playing some blues when the last set appeared. I followed my routine of eating a trash fruit and sleeping on a log then caught the bus home the next morning.
After stopping at my camp to drop off other collectibles I wanted to save, I went to visit the Freegans. Sunshine slept most of the time I was there, but it was fun catching up with the others. I danced with them until they all one by one went of to find a place to sleep. Only Veegan stayed to chat while he at a snack. When I got back to the gym I had a hot dog before getting a little sleep. (This was another night I didn't get a picture of her eating trash fruit but she did eat it. By this time I had her eating like 3 or 4 a day since she always had them with her and they were free.)
A couple of days later, I was at the Puffer Dome with Sunshine. We chatted and joked and laughed. He wasn't really in a flirty mood that night. I did try a few romantic interactions but he never returned them. We had just ordered drinks when he excused himself and said he needed to go use the bushes. I closed my eyes and shook my head. 'Would he ever change?' I wondered.
Soon I had word from a waiter friend that he was back sleeping in one of the bushes, a freshly used bush at that. I sort of felt bummed out. This hadn't turned out to be that great of a date. Maybe I was taking too long to finish my gym tasks and he was 'cooling off' in his feelings for 'us'....
I didn't see him for a few days after that. Sunday I played for tips to a good sized crowd, but Sunshine wasn't among them. Later I asked Forest about him and he said he was off doing another task for the Mayor. I decided maybe that was why his mood was so off the other night. That evening I told everyone a great story I had made up. I was planing on making it into a book when I went to work at the library. I was still thinking about my Sunny Boy later when I was heading to bed.
The next morning he was among some of those who showed up to work out for the day. I went to greet him but Jeep Girl was there too so we didn't get to talk. Later when I was tending the plants he came down, covered in murkiness and eating a baked potato. He was joking and flirting just like his old self. I swear this man has more mood swings than a whole herd of teenagers. I held another sale that day, it turned out pretty good. I was getting close to making all my money now. I had trash fruit for dinner that night while talking with Autumn and Hank.
On Wednesday I went to the hot springs and then held another sale. The Vardo brothers were turning out to be some of my best customers. I think the smells coming from the gym goers really made them not want to be stinky. Then, to my surprise, Willow decided she wanted to try some cream after all. I was so happy and gave her one of my freshly made jars. That night I did a happy dance, then watched a Turbo Pumpkin doing some sit-ups while I ate my fruit.
Thursday was a repeat of plants, sales and hanging out at the gym. Friday, I invited some friends to the hot springs. We had a lot of fun on the mud slide. Then I went back to the gym to play for some tips. I was so close to making the money I needed now, this would be the last time I had to do this. I made a good profit and later that evening, while munching my fruit and waiting for the last few plants to evolve, Autumn joined me. She was really murky looking,"You got anymore of that cream made?" She asked. I nodded. "I could use like a whole case of the stuff." she grinned.
Saturday I set up my sales table near the road again, I ran the sale for a couple of rounds and sold out in the end. The Mayor's wife even showed up to see how things were going. I told her I had made my money goal and I was sure the Mayor would be pleased. Toward the end of my last sale, one of Hank's roommates started hanging out with me. I hoped he wasn't going to turn into another Hank. Later I was making some more deodorant cream for my own use, when Alice came over to me, "Um, hey. So could I, um, have some of the cream?" She asked. 'Finally..'I thought. I gave her a couple of the ones I just made.
Late that night, the last plant I was waiting on finally evolved! Woo! I had finished all the tasks here at the gym. I ran and found Sunshine and gave him a big hug to celebrate. The next morning when Cora showed up, I told her how to tend the plants and how to make creams. I waited around and told Eli the same thing when he showed up that afternoon. Now I could go back to living at my camp and start my work at the library.
I like how each of our games throws something different at us, and how different sims seem to come our way.