Piers: Tell me what you see, Miss Vale.
Hera: Oh, I don't know...it reminds me of something from my childhood, though...something I made with blocks...a castle!
Piers: And this?
Hera: Now that looks like a car...a new sports car!
Hera: Flowers! I definitely see a lot of flowers there!
Piers: Hmm. I'm sensing some repressed fantasies breaking through here, Hera...uh, Miss Vale.
And speaking of repressed...Piers was going stir crazy. So having saved enough funds for more lab equipment AND a new car, he and Hera drove over to the Community College to check out the available services in the School of Science. (The Retro car is the fastest in that price range. I also bought them jet packs for even faster travel, since they're of a scientific bent.)
Piers told his assistant that they'd be working as Test Subjects in the Science Lab. He was unsure what tests the lab would be running though. Hera was eager to prove her worth. She even went into the lab listening to an entertaining tabcast on Charisma.
Meanwhile, back at the estate...just as soon as the car pulled away, Clouseau decided to forget all about his Non-Destructive training and started chewing on the furniture. Aha! Caught ya, you little twerp! Stop it right now! ...I don't think Clouseau was happy about being left behind.
Hera's science test was a huge success. All she had to do was take a nap while the researcher tracked her REM sleep patterns. She woke refreshed and 150 simoleons richer. While she waited for Piers, she chatted with a couple of locals and then sat down to practice sketching. (The message said Hera was "rejuvenated." Does that mean she gained a day of life back? I didn't think to check!)
Me: Piers? OMG, Piers! Do folks in this town HATE you? Why on earth do these things keep happening to you?
Piers: Sounding a trifle paranoid there, what?
Piers' test was not as successful as Hera's. He contracted Botanitis Minorous from a massage. Sure, he too earned $150, but the cure would cost him $3000. He needed that money for his own lab work! Well, Piers decided he'd just have to live with Botanitis Minorous until he could cure himself!
Actually, Piers wasn't too concerned about his condition. I think he considered the experiment an intriguing scientific opportunity. But he did seem to be a little edgy with a couple of the locals. Then again, maybe it's just his personality makeup of Nerd, Genius, and Avant Garde that made him act so condescending to the common folk. After this lady tried to talk to Piers about art, he berated her ignorance on the subject. Oh, Piers! You're not helping matters.
When the poor woman changed the subject, Piers fainted from boredom! Geesh.
Me: Couldn't you have just pretended to be interested, O Lord High and Mighty?
Piers woke up, went downstairs and told this tourist that she was a sellout! He hadn't even met her yet!
Finally, he switched over to his Sense of Humor interactions and patched things up a bit. But I decided Piers had done enough damage--I mean socializing--for the day. Time to head home and get serious about researching a cure for his ailment.
Piers: I was just kidding around the whole time, you know. I can't help it if people aren't able to grasp the depth of my humor!
Me: Sure.
Meanwhile, the Botanitis Minorous clock was ticking. Piers had 3 hours left. Could he find a cure in such a limited time?
Piers: If anyone can, I can! I'm a genius.
Me: Yah, right. I keep forgetting.
Hera used her jet pack to get home and did an excellent job of flying, especially for her first time.
Hera: Thank you. I'm a Perfectionist, you see. I'm careful about details.
Me: Yes, I know that about you. That's why you make your bed every time you get up, even if there's a fire raging in the house.
Hera: Well, one can't get sloppy about such things, now can one?
Me: No, one can't.
While Piers' moment of truth was drawing near, I had Hera fly around since she had a wish to do so. Flying in high heels, Hera demonstrated a style all her own!
Her landing was a little rough though, as it is with most new jet pack learners. But something about those high heels sticking out of the ground just added a bit more class to her crash!
Piers didn't have time to worry about Hera's jet packing. He stopped his research in mid-analysis as a strange transformation gripped him! Not sure of what was happening, he began to feel panicky!
Me: Do you have your paper bag at hand, Piers?
Piers: That's NOT funny!
Me: Sorry.
Here he is! Lord Piers of the Jungle. He changed into this form, except he had his socks on too. I gave him matching boots instead and green-shaded glasses.
Piers: I'm actually quite pleased with this new me. Very interesting process. Exploring the botanical side of sim nature will be highly educational.
Me: Right. ...In the meantime, you better get your lab set up. You'll need another science station for Hera too. I don't think your cure is going to be as easy to come by as kissing toads.
Piers: Kissing toads?
Me: Never mind. Private joke.
