Author's Note:This only vaguely ties in with The Devereaux Legacy, but I've gotten a few PM's about where I got the idea to turn Pleasantview into an industrial type town.

I wrote this story in March of 2007, when I was combining all of the neighborhoods into one mega-hood. Of course, I did it in the worst way possible, and it needed to be scrapped. Current Pleasantview doesn't look like this.

In fact, there are only a few similarities between this story and how I have Pleasantview now: Looks, Frances having an inheritance, out of town Pre-Mades, all of that is completely different.

But the idea stuck with me, and I ran with the idea for regular game play, and thus into my legacy story. So, essentially, when one of my characters refers to 'Project Pleasantview,' they are talking about this.

The funny thing is, the people who liked this story wanted me to write follow up stories. I always declined, as I had no desire to commit myself to writing a series...

Yeah, A LOT has changed in the last two years.

~peasant007

***

The view is no longer pleasant in Pleasantview. Gone is the green grass, the huge estates, and spacious lawns. There won't be any more rainbows arching gracefully over the town, or any birds flying free over the ocean.

Instead, all that is left of this once beautiful suburb is fear, caution, and a hint of despair.

Some people have been evicted from their homes, as the homes themselves were examined for suitability. Others have suffered from a massive memory loss that made them unable recognize their own friends and acquaintances.

Shop owners have lost their businesses and are trying to regain what was once rightfully theirs.

What has caused this massive epidemic? Was it aliens? Is it the end of the world? For some...it may as well be. To get these answers, we went straight the mastermind behind the situation.

Zane, the Incarnation of Death, or more popularly known as the Grim Reaper, has given us his official statement.

"The Sims just need to relax and stop being so paranoid," the Grim Reaper sighed in a harassed manner, "there is no conspiracy and it's not the end of the world. Well, unless of course, it's their time. This was all a simple project made specifically for ease of tracking and transportation.

“I've gone high tech and I found that it was just much simpler to relocate everyone in Sim City into one central area. With a few observations based on money, lot size, independence, and the simple question of what species they are, everyone from Riverblossom Hills, Strangetown, Veronaville, and any other off-shoot town got relocated here to Pleasantview or one of it's suburbs."

The Grim Reaper went on to say, "Naturally, with the more dense population, particularly in Pleasantview itself, it might cause some confusion, but in the end, everything will turn out alright."

When asked what happened to the aforementioned towns, The Grim Reaper informed us that they were slated for demolition after all of the evacuations were complete.

"It was all done very humane, and there were only a few casualties, particularly in Strangetown and Veronaville. A slight glitch in the system made it so that those poor souls were forgotten so unfortunately even their bodies were lost in the rubble. Reparations will be sent to their families along with my personal condolences.*

"In the end, I feel that this was a good thing. The bitter rivalries that were in the past will stay in the past, as their rivals are forgotten. Businesses will be more successful as there are more people to frequent those establishments. Inbreeding will, hopefully, be at an all time low as there are more people to couple with. This renovation should be looked at as a fresh start for everyone."

*(Editor's note: A memorial service for the lost Sims is scheduled to be held in the near future.)

Many Sims are suspicious of the Grim Reaper's benign intentions though, and they fear the worst.

"Goths and Roths, living together, MASS HYSTERIA!" a local transient, who was newly transported into the Downtown Residential District, shouts in between his asking for spare change.

When asked if he felt that is was immoral to cash in on other Sims fears, his only response was his angry shaking of his tin cup filled with coins and simoleons. It appeared that many Sims have donated, perhaps hoping to earn some 'good points' with the powers that be.

Coral Oldie, shown here with her husband in their modest home, is very unhappy with the new changes taking place.

"These new people just don't do things the way we're used to here," Coral stated.

Coral elaborated on that comment, "Their clothes, hairstyles, and even hair colors just aren't what was originally available in any catalog that I've seen. These new people might give our children ideas that this is acceptable and start dressing the same way!

“I thought the young women already dressed like hussies, but that was just downright mild compared to what's out there these days. I foresee dark times ahead, very dark times," she stated ominously.

(Keith and I existed in the game way back when, too.)

We tried to get an interview with some of the new residents infiltrating Pleasantview, however we were ignored and the only comment we could get was that someone named 'Mike' got 'aggro' again. Apparently these new people talk differently as well.

So just exactly how are the Sims "sorted out"? After doing some research, we found out that everyone was given a questionnaire that had only five questions on it:

1. Do you have a number after you last name?

2. How big is your lot?

3. Do you like living with complete strangers?

4. Do you like to garden extensively or fish?

5. What species are you?

After the questions were all filled out everyone was given a residential assignment in one of the following: Pleasantview itself, Rolling Hills Estates, Pleasantview Downtown Residential, Pleasantview Farming Community, or Outcast Island.

Each residential area was also assigned a college that students were able to attend. Pleasantview, and it's farming district shares Sim State University, Rolling Hills Estates attends Academie' la Tour, Downtown Residential attends La Fiesta Tech, and Outcast Island will get specially flown out to Outcast College, which has yet to be built.

So far, most people are satisfied with their placements.

Mortimer Goth however is one of the few that is not. Mortimer was both miffed and mortified to find out that he wasn't considered part of the upper class and he wasn't going to be moved to Rolling Hills Estates.

Instead, his house was only moved a few blocks down and placed right across the street from the Roth family in Pleasantview.

"Apparently, though I have over $500,000 in the bank, I'm only considered 'Upper Middle Class'. It seems as though the term 'old money' holds no bearing on the residential sort. I just don't get it, my family and I have been around forever it seems."

Mortimer claims though that his worry is more for his son, Alexander, and his education.

"He's going to only get a sub-par education at Sim State University. I wanted the best for him and the best meant Academie' la Tour (inset). Now Alexander's only destiny is to become a cubicle dweller or at best, middle management, for some no-name business working nine to five. He might as well move to Outcast Island now," Mortimer groaned.

Mortimer was slightly mollified though, when the evacuation and demolition of Strangetown brought his estranged wife, Bella, back home.

"She's had a tough time of it, Bella has," Mortimer said, "with not only the memory loss epidemic that's going around among the outsiders, she can't even remember her life with us prior to her alien abduction. She's taking it all in stride as the kind citizens of this fine town have welcomed her back with open arms.

“She's even renewed her friendship with Don Lothario, though I don't especially enjoy that part in light of the entire situation regarding our daughter."

"Mortimer has been so kind and understanding, I fell in love with him. All over again, I suppose," Bella stated.

Mortimer and Bella have since renewed their wedding vows.

It has been reported that Dina Caliente, the former would-be lover of Mortimer Goth, is less than pleased at Bella Goth's return.

However, neither Dina nor her sister Nina, would answer their door, so they could not be reached for any further comment.

Don Lothario (shown in this file photo) is one of the few people who is actually pleased with what is now dubbed as "Project Pleasantview".

Mr. Lothario went on to say that he looks forward to wooing the influx of new women who know nothing about his Casanova reputation, or about the "Goth Wedding Scandal" which involved leaving Miss Cassandra Goth at the altar (inset).

"I've got a way with the ladies," Don said, "they just can't keep their hands off of me. Can you blame them? Giggity giggity giggity."

Miss Goth, having suffered a nervous breakdown shortly after being left at the altar, now resides in the newly built Pleasantview Sanitarium. Her doctors have advised that due to her fragile condition, she would be unable to make any statement, particularly in regards to Don Lothario.

Mr. Leod McGreggor is also one of the many that was drastically affected by the 'Project'. It seems that a slight mix-up in paperwork has transferred him from his former, spacious farmhouse to his current small tin shack, which apparently came with two 'critturs' named Danny and Sarah. McGreggor remains hopeful though, stating that these things just take time.

"The thing that strikes me as a real slap in the face is the fact that my old farm is right across the street. I'm staring at it right now, and I can see that it's empty. I can only hope that it remains that way until things get straightened out."

An aerial view shows that, indeed, the two residences are in very close proximity to each other.

Despite everything, though, McGreggor can still find the proverbial 'silver lining' in this cloud, due to the fact that he could have been slated to live on Outcast Island in light of a 'goat incident' he didn't wish to elaborate on.

"I have saved orphans, nuns, and a town with my own bare hands. Ach, this is a clean slate for me," was all he comment on the subject.

Other paperwork mistakes have also been made, as in the case of Dread Pirate Alexandra O'Mackey and Cyd Roseland. At least this error turned out to be a positive one.

"It could have been much worse," Alexandra said, "I could have been moved back in with my ex-husband, Gabriel, instead on being placed with Cyd, who is a wonderful man.""She had me at 'Yarr'...she had me at 'Yarr'," was all Cyd commented.

Titania Summerdream, however, is incredibly upset at her placement on Outcast Island.

"I'm an elf, not some freak of nature like all the others placed here! It's always winter! What part about my name 'Summerdream' says that I would even remotely like cold weather? Oh, and don't even get me started on the college that Puck is expected to attend! Its motto is 'Abandon All Hope All Ye Who Enter Here'!"

It has been reported that Ms. Summerdream won't even socialize with anyone in the neighborhood, but her attitude is just attributed to the fact that she's an elf, and they are, by nature, haughty and aloof.

Stella Zorbit (formerly Terrano, shown here with her husband, Auron) was more upset at the residential screening than at her actual placement on the Island.

"Now I understand why humans get so upset when they are probed," Stella wept.

“There’s always time for lube,” Auron whispered to the camera as he consoled his wife.

Thomas Farmer is confused about his placement in Outcast Village.

"It's not that I particularly mind being placed here, though the fact that it's always cold kind of affects my crops, the sand under the sparse grass is horrible to plant in, and my roof is made of sod so it's cold, drafty, and it always leaks. That, I can deal with. I'm not one of the 'City Folk'."

"What I DO mind is the fact that my immediate neighbors are (file photos shown left to right) a vampire, a creepy looking animated doll, a couple of zombies, and some weird Alienzombievampirelycanthropedryad creature. My family and I are peasants.

“These types of creatures, by nature, are drawn to attack people like us. With no adventurers around to protect me and my family, there is little I can do to fend these abominations of nature off! My address being changed from 'Farmer's Hill' to 'Random Peasant Farm' doesn't really help, either!"

When Mr. Farmer's neighbors were questioned, Raggedy Ann (the only one who wished her name to be made public) insisted that they were only trying to organize a Neighborhood Watch, but Mr. Farmer chased them off with a torch and pitchfork. By doing this, the Neighborhood Watch has placed Mr. Farmer himself on their 'to watch' list.

"I just don't feel safe knowing that he's out there. People need to be warned," stated Raggedy Ann.

The lower to upper middle class are not the only ones affected by the drastic changes. It would appear that the extremely wealthy are as well. Frances J. Worthington III (shown at his sprawling, inherited estate) has registered complaints at every single office he thought was involved.

"Oh, sure, we have our own exclusive country club, but we don't have our own shopping district. That means I have to go downtown and shop with the common folk. These leather Gucchsim shoes were NOT made for slumming!" he complained.

Will the dust ever settle in Pleasantview? Will the old inhabitants learn to get along with the new ones? We'll keep you updated as more of this story unfolds.

***

(Special thanks to Modthesims2, InSimenator, VariousSimmers, and The Sims Resource for the Custom Content and houses featured).

~peasant007