Ann's Birthday Party: A Special Tri-Leader Episode



It was very early in the morning at Camp Milk and Cookies. On her side of the cabin, with shelves full of secret ingredients and stuff all over the floor, Ann slept. On the other, rather spotless and organized side of the cabin, Roses slept.



Next door, surrounded by Christmas decorations, clothes, shoes and makeup, Holli slept. In the same cabin, but surrounded by a traffic cone, a pink flamingo, a werewolf cardboard stand-up, chains, handcuffs, CDs, power tools, and a large green lockbox that did not, in fact, belong to her, Tails slept.



In the third and final cabin, beneath his own crayon masterpieces and next to his journal-writing desk, Tyrael slept. And, of course, with Sally and her possessions at his side, Roseidous slept.



However, when it comes to the Tri-Leaders, as most people know, life is never dull. If you're awake, something interesting is happening. And you can't sleep forever. Roses started her day at dawn. She had plans.



Which started with making her bed. Oblivious to these important plans, Ann slept on.



Holli and Tails, being involved with said plans, were also awake early. They decided to go to the showers and use all the hot water before everyone else. Roses ran into them on her way to the camp kitchen.

"Morning, girls!"

"Good morning!" Holli replied.

"We're going to use up all the hot water!" Tails said. "Did you need any?"

"Not at the moment."

"Great! See you at breakfast!"

"Hang on," Roses studied them critically. "When did you get new pajamas?"

"Yesterday!" Holli said. "Vic got them for us. Vinnie said that we had to be cute when we were sleeping in case there was a fire or we had to evacuate or something. Al said it was in the budget!"

"Oh. Well. Carry on, then!"



Roses walked up a small hill to the kitchen. Vinnie was already inside, working on pancakes.

"Can I help?" she asked.

He made a vague noise and gestured toward another bowl on the counter.

"Will I stir this for you please? Is that what you meant?"

He glared and went back to stirring his own bowl of pancake mix. Roses smiled brightly and grabbed another spoon from a drawer. "Why so grumpy today? I mean, not that it's an unusual mood for you, but you like getting up early."

Vinnie frowned. "I just don't understand why I'm cooking a special breakfast for someone who won't be here to eat it."

"Not the point!" Roses said.

"Oh?"

"The point is to have a special day today, whether certain people are here for all of it or not!"

"You people make no sense."

"I know. But we pay you very well!"

"This is true."



Meanwhile, Holli and Tails had an idea.



An exciting idea.



A fun and entertaining idea.



And, most importantly, an evil idea.



They grabbed some shampoo and poured it all over the steps of the boys' cabin.



Then, they stood under Tyrael's window and shouted "Fire!"



The results of this exciting, fun, entertaining, and evil idea were spectacular.



The boys were not quite as pleased, though.

"I have a grass stain on my new pajamas!" Tyrael complained.

"And I have grass stains on me!" Roseidous added.

"Yeah. Nice pajamas." Holli giggled.

"You expect me to cover up all this while I'm sleeping?" Roseidous gestured at himself. "And besides, Sally likes--Sally!"



Roseidous realized that he had left Sally inside a theoretically burning building and, avoiding the steps, jumped over the balcony to get back to her.

"So." Tails said. "A good morning so far."

"Indeed it is," Holly agreed. "Breakfast now?"

"Absolutely!"



Having witnessed the prank through the kitchen window, Roses saw the girls coming and served breakfast.



Soon, everyone was seating in the dining room, including their mailman, Mr. Packard, who was delivering a package for Tails and Holli.



"You're sure you can stay around?" Roses asked. "Ann's birthday party isn't until later this afternoon."

"I'm sure. I delivered all my mail early this morning so that I could hang out here."

"Efficient and sexy," Holly said. "This is why we love you."

Mr. Packard blushed. "But speaking of Ann, where is she? She's missing her birthday breakfast. Oh, and before I forget, happy birthday to you, too!"

"Ann can sleep until at least three on her birthday," Roses said. "And it's not my birthday."

"Oh. Um. Aren't you twins?"

"Yes." Seeing his blank stare, Roses laughed. "You recall the whole memory loss, adoption, Dance of Eternal Happiness, Hawaiian vacation thing?"

"I heard about that."



"When we were adopted, we didn't know our birthday, so we were given new ones. So we just celebrate the individual ones and the shared one. Twice the parties. And twice the presents."

"It's very logical," Tails nodded.

"Of course."

***



"Ann."

"I hate you."

"I know. But you have to get up."

"Why?"

"It's your birthday! Happy birthday! Party time!"

Ann sighed and climbed out of her bed. "I still hate you."

"Always. I saved you some pancakes."

"That might help a little."



Over in the dining hall, the others were cleaning up a little for the party. Or trying to, at least. Vinnie, Mr. Packard, and Tails were actually cleaning the kitchen area while Tyrael ate the rest of the leftover pancakes with Ann. Everyone was not quite so helpful.

"I love this song!" Holli and Roseidous shouted at the same time, immediately breaking into a dance and forgetting to wipe down the table.



"It's like taking care of children." Roses cleared Ann's plate for her. "But worse."



"Ty! Dance with me!" Holli demanded.

"I'd rather not!"

"Yes, you would!" Roseidous shoved him towards Holli. "Get your groove on!"



Tyrael attempted a half-hearted dance move. Tails emerged from the kitchen to torment him.



"Come on, boy!" Vinnie growled. "I've taught you better than that! Let's show him how real men dance, Mr. Packard!"

"Well...I suppose. I did take a few lessons in town."



The girls stared as all the boys in the room danced.

"Why are we watching this?" Ann asked Roses.

"Because it's awesome. In an awesomely bad way."

"I think I'll be scarred for life."

"Nah. Stan and Al are landing the spaceship in the empty field now. If we go, we can save your brain and meet the clones, Katherine, Jan, and Bubba in the woods."

"Then by all means, let's go."

***

"Remind me again why Stan and Al only dropped them off." Roses said to Ann.

"Oh. We're doing a time sensitive experiment at the Moonbase and they can't stay away for long. And why aren't Murry, Vic, and Billy Jo coming to the party?"

"Do you really want Murry and Vic? They'll end up getting into a fight and ruining things. Then Billy Jo will have to separate them and it'll be a bad episode of 'When Squirrels Attack.'"

"I see your point."

"At least the clones and Bubba are coming!" Roses pointed at the woods, from which the clones, Katherine, and Jan were approaching.

"My girls! Heidi! Tyra! Naomi! Claudia! Cindy! Gisele! In your party dresses, as expected!" Roseidous greeted them cheerfully, despite having Sally on his back. "Did you miss me? I know you did!"



The supermodel clones surrounded their creator and Katherine ran over to chat with Holli and Tails. Jan Chovy, Ann's cousin, greeted Mr. Packard.



"Hey, hot stuff."

"Um," he held out his hands in self-defense. "Hello."

"Jan," Ann said.

"What?"

"Don't forget about Ian."

"Oh, fine." Jan stepped away from the mailman. "Happy birthday. I guess."

"Thanks. I guess."



"Excellent!" Roses said. "Now we can get to the good stuff. Party time! Everyone follow me!"

Back in the dining hall, everyone was suitably impressed with the decorations.

"Who did this while we were out meeting the guests?" Holli asked.

"Bubba," Roses said.

"Really?" Roseidous surveyed the room. "He didn't even eat any of it."

"Oh, he did. This is only a small fraction of what I bought. But it's not a bad job, I think. He'll be spared the tranquilizer gun. For now."

"QUACK!" Bubba shouted from the kitchen.

"Okay! Fine! You can come out now. Bring the cake! And if you eat it, I'll ban you from all future parties!" Roses threatened.

Bubba brought out the cake while Tails and Holli handed out noisemakers to the guests.

"Okay! Everyone's ready to sing!" Tails said, giving the last noisemaker to Claudia Schiffer. She immediately started blowing on it and Bubba joined in. Roses rolled her eyes.

"No! Hold on!" Ann held up a hand. "Do not sing the birthday song."



"Why?" Mr. Packard asked.

"Because that's how this whole crazy thing started in the first place."

Roses sighed. "Whatever. Just blow out the candles."





"WOOHOOO!!!!" Roseidous shouted. "PARTY TIME!"

Bubba reached over and grabbed the first piece of cake. Ann shrugged. "At least he didn't take the whole thing."

"I claim a piece without a lot of icing!" Tyrael waved from the corner.



***

In the kitchen, Tails and Holli stopped Jan.



"Does John know you're here?" Holli demanded.

"I doubt it. Although he is her brother, so I don't know why he wasn't invited."

"Nevermind that. What did you do with the invitation?" Tails asked.

"I destroyed it as soon as I read it, just like it said to."

Tails eyed her suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"And Ian doesn't know where you are either?"

"No! He thinks I'm shopping for new shoes! That takes all day!"

"Good!" Holli said. "Enjoy the party! If you're not lying!"

***

As the party continued into the early evening, people enjoyed the cake, the buffet table, and, of course, dancing. Bubba danced rather wildly with Tyra Banks. Tyrael shyly danced with Heidi Klum. And Roseidous danced with the birthday girl herself. Vinnie stood in the corner, giving fashion tips to anyone who asked while Holli, Tails, and Mr. Packard made sure the room was kept as clean as possible. All Roses had to do was sit and watch.



Eventually, though, she had to take over the role of hostess and seat everyone for present opening time.



"Ann, as you turn another year older, we all have some special gifts we would like to present to you," she announced. "Holli and Tails have requested to go first."

Holli disappeared into the kitchen for just a minute and returned with a strange, white, lump of something with eyes.



"We're not quite sure what it is, except that we knew you'd like it," Tails said.

"Even if it smells a little like a llama," Holli frowned.

Ann regarded the gift thoughtfully. "You know. I do kind of like it. And I certainly don't have one already. Thanks, girls!"

The guests clapped while Ann set the blob on the floor next to her chair. Cindy Crawford looked at Roseidous as if to ask when she could have a lump of white llama-smelling stuff. He studiously ignored her.

"And Roseidous asked to go next," Roses said.



"That is correct," Roseidous stood up. "If you'll join me?"

Ann raised an eyebrow at him, but stood up anyway. "Do you know what this is about?" she whispered to Roses.

"Not a clue. And it worries me."

"As another year passes in your life, we have come together to witness and celebrate such an auspicious occasion. I have prepared a short speech in honor of this wonderful day."

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on the viewpoint, Roseidous never got to give his speech. He was interrupted when the door flew open and a surprise guest ran inside. Naked.



He dashed around the room, coming to a stop in front of the Tri-Leaders. Everyone stared in horror and shock.



"John!" Roses shrieked.

"Obviously," he said.

"You weren't invited!"

"Again, obviously. Which I don't understand because I am related to you. Didn't it occur to you that I'd want to attend the party?"

"John, you're naked."

"Yes."

"This is why we can't invite you to parties." Roses sighed. "Where are your clothes?"

"At home."

"Wait!" Ann said. "You mean to say that you ran all the way through the woods with nothing on?"

"Yep," he said, proudly.

"Well, that was stupid," Roseidous told him.

"Look who's talking!" John said. "Oooh, snap! I told you!"

Roseidous ignored this. "I'm just saying--not from personal experience or anything--that there is poison ivy all over the woods."

"Really?"

"Yes, John," Roses sighed again. "Now go home. In fact, everyone go home. The mood is ruined now, anyway."

"I do need to go wash my eyeballs. With bleach." Katherine shuddered.

***



"That was fun," Holli said, later that night.

"Yep," Tails agreed. "And, in a twist of events, Bubba isn't the one who ruined the party."

"I know!"

Tails tossed another CD into their stack of 'party favorites.' "So whose birthday is next?"

Holli grinned evilly. "Tyrael's."

***



"And so I am really sorry you had to see that," Roseidous apologized to Sally.

Sally stared blankly.

Roseidous nodded. "I know. But you see--"

"Hey!" Tyrael interrupted.

"What? Sally and I are having a conversation, here!"

"You've already apologized eleven times! I counted! Go to sleep!" Tyrael buried his head under his pillow.

"You just ignore him," Roseidous said.

***



"Thanks for the portable baking oven," Ann said. "It's awesome and I can use it in here!"

"You're welcome!" Roses said. "And thanks, Vic, for bringing it over!"

The garden gnome in the corner grumbled something in response.

"Squeaker squeak!" Billy Jo said from his perch on a shelf.

"Thanks, Billy Jo!" Ann said. "It was a great birthday!"

"Good!" Roses said, putting down her magazine. "And now it's bedtime! We have to get up early and go to town tomorrow!"

"Oh, I think not."



The end!!!! Happy birthday, Laura! But what Sims episode would be complete without outtakes! Not this one!



The hardest part of all of this was getting Sally to be still. She likes to talk a lot.





And...show off her muscles?





Also, this unfortunate glitch happened. Ann was so excited, she lost her hair!

And, by popular request, a closer look at the Tri-Leader cabins:



Roses' side of the cabin. That gold-ish thing on the shelf above the white flowers is actually Murry. Yes, I found a skull. It comes in rainbow colors, but not white, so I picked gold. He is possessed, after all. And Billy Jo and Vic! :)



Ann's side! I particularly like the box of Oreos. I tried to put a lot of cooking things, but I also included books, knitting (because of the Madame Defarge reference in To The Barricades!), and a mini-Tardis. For research purposes, of course.



Holli's side! The ladder is for hanging Christmas ornaments. And I put a lot of clothes and shoes and makeup. She also has a mini-replica of Michelangelo's David on her nightstand. Because where else would she put it? Oh! And the bulletin board of pictures that is referenced in other stories is there.



Tails' side is completely random and hilarious to me. The Mona Lisa, traffic cones, a pink flamingo, power tools, a beach ball, Rosey's lockbox, CDs, manacles, chains, a werewolf movie stand-up, a broken sink, kitchen knives, a pentagram on the floor, and an Oscar statue? I laugh every time. EDIT: oops! I took that picture before I put the Mona Lisa in the room, but you can see it in the story when she and Holli are looking at the CDs.



Roseidous is the only one with a fancy canopy. I saw that and I had to put it over his bed only. He also has a lot of stuff for Sally...a fancy dress, shoes, candles, pillows. And his own hairbrush on the table!



Tyrael obviously has his crayon drawings and a robot toy to play with! He also has a rubber ducky and his writing desk. We know he likes to keep a journal.