The Sanada Apocalypse Challenge: Dystopian Dearth
Week 2/Day 09 (Mon)
Satoru: Monday morning begins with the whole household giving our best!
First, mama Jade discusses “Cognitive Focusing Methods” with Tatsuya so that our boy leaves for school with a four-hour Focused +1 moodlet.
Next, I offer “Mental Relaxation Tips” to Jade, sending her off to work at 9 with an eight-hour Happy +2 moodlet.
As for me, I work from 3 p.m. to midnight today, so I have six hours to fish, prepare for work, and possibly make some friends to introduce to the family.
I’m taking it easy this afternoon, though, so I won’t be too tired to try for baby when I get back from work tonight.
I’m thrilled to fish up a treasure chest, only to find an apple inside—what a buzzkill!
Since I’m standing right next to an apple tree, couldn’t this fishing spot offer something a bit rarer? Sheesh!
Oh, I did fish up a cowplant berry the other day, which wasn’t in a treasure chest! Now that’s a real find!
So Watchette is hoping for neighbors and drops three houses into our hood.
The choice of houses actually adds nothing at all to the challenge itself, except perhaps more incentive to unlock Oracle (so we could move sims into these homes),
then unlock Diamond Agent (so that we could actually visit them).
This large and lovely home—“Bahama Breeze” by Kulthero777—is located on the 50×40 lot next door, though it was designed for a 40×30 lot.
The house faces a small path between our two lots, not the wider street where cars and trams travel.
Named “Steampunk Inspired Villa” by iitatti, this stunning house sits on the 40×30 Avarice Acres lot, which is diagonal to our lot.
Watchette loves Brasil, so this charming house is a personal favorite which, however, she’s never actually used in a game.
Its creator Audryce named it “Bahia Beachhouse.”
After I complete my daily tasks, our total cash reserve is $802.
When I check our mail, there’s a bill for $722. No way!!!! I rush home to pay it!
Mwahaha, the mob receives only $80 from us this week and our funds have been reduced to zero again.
Yay! The paychecks that Jade and I bring home later today will be ours to spend!
W: I’m not great at math, but I wonder if there’s a way we could guesstimate our bill, based on our lot’s worth listed in the Build mode’s Info panel, minus its $3,000 lot value.
Satoru: By the way, I made a game-changing discovery a few minutes ago!!!
Like many others, I store my crystals, fossils, and other such collections in a Buyers Beware Chest.
Just now, I discovered that I can also store all my fish, both fresh and foul, in that unassuming little chest!
This is probably old news to all of you.
But if you recall, I’d been consuming precious floor space by leaving caught fish on the floor of a doorless room.
Buyer Beware Chest, I love you! (Was I the only one who didn’t know about the fish?)
Tatsuya: I come home from school just as Dad leaves for work!
No one’s home, so I ponder moves for a Focused mood then start on my homework.
Mom gets home before I’m done and helps me finish it up.
I’m a Whiz Kid, so I need to keep leveling my Mental skill, but I’m going to do something else until Dad can mentor me.
Jade: I got promoted today to Level 5 Regional Manager.
Thanks to my Ambitious trait, this promotion earns me a seven-hour Happy +3 moodlet. Pretty powerful stuff!
I hear a Very Happy mood is the best time to level Charisma, but I’m always afraid to procrastinate filling out my business reports.
Tatsuya: Sheesh, how’s a grade-school kid ‘sposed to get any sleep around here?
Here I am, minding my own business, trying to get my sleep on when my parents tiptoe into my room in the middle of the night.
They’re giggling and whispering about some owl named Hoohoo.
Tricer (cuz he’s my triceratops homie), they are completely unbelievable!
Next, they go back to their room and start screaming about something.
When they start whispering in the hallway, they don’t even notice me coming out of my room!
Just look at them over there, Tricer! Dad’s grinning like an idiot and Mom’s pumping her fist. What’s going on?
Why are they whispering? What’s their big secret anyway? Tricer is as mystified as I am!
W: Ssshhh, here’s a weird moment that—after much effort and patience—I was finally able to capture.
I’m assuming that the hairiness of the calf means that the leg belongs to Satoru?
And why is Jade making that face?
Did he accidentally kick her? Does he need to replace his Odor-Eaters?
Jade: Well?
Satoru: Well, what?
Jade: What do you think?
Satoru: What do I think about what?
Jade: About whether we’ll become parents again soon?
Satoru: I think Tatsuya will make a fantastic big brother!
Jade: Well, I guess you wouldn’t really know, either. I’ll just wait to see if I get the notice tomorrow!
Day 10 (Tue)
Satoru: Mystery solved!
At 5 a.m., Jade leaps out of bed and runs into the bathroom, which can only mean one thing!
I wonder what the story is behind that dolphin tattoo on her ankle…
W: Jade has some awesome traits! You already heard about the happy moodlet she gets with every promotion, right?
Well, she’s also a neat sim. For example, after she throws up in the toilet because of morning sickness, she gets a Happy +2 “Blissfully Clean“ moodlet for cleaning the toilet that she just dirtied.
Satoru: Not to question your judgment, Watchette, but don’t you think this chapter is getting slightly bizarre with all this talk of hairy calves and toilet cleaning?
Okay, okay, I’ll move on. Just thought people might be interested in something a little different from the usual woohoo shots.
Satoru: I understand, I really do. I’m just a little worried that the readers might not appreciate your excusing your own weirdness by blaming the readers’ entertainment preferences.
*sputters Who’s saying who’s weird, huh? Huh?
Jade: Everyone’s up early so Tatsuya and I play some chess while Satoru mentors Tatsuya.
Tatsuya: Dad, why aren’t you in your pajamas like me and Mom?
Satoru: Well, I was about to start meditating when Watchette suddenly decided I should mentor you instead.
Tatsuya: Oh, sorry, Dad!
Satoru: Don’t be, son. I have three days off in a row so I’ve loads of time to meditate.
It’s more important that you max your childhood skills, but I can only mentor certain skills.
Now focus on your game! Haven’t you noticed that Mom cheats?
Day 11 (Wed)
Much earlier this morning, Watchette noticed that Jade popped the Eating for Two moodlet around 2:33 a.m.!
I guess this means our second child will be born Saturday around that same time, then age up on Monday at that time, too.
Stepping outdoors, I savor the sight of our neighborhood with its newly constructed homes, even if they’re vacant.
Looks like our cubic domicile with its sandy lawn has turned into the neighborhood eyesore!
W: The Steampunk Inspired Villa doesn’t really match the tropical feel of the other two homes, but neither does our grungy cube…
Day 12 (Thu)
Satoru: Soon after Tatsuya leaves, Jade leaves for work, too.
She got promoted to Level 6 Senior Manager yesterday. Check her out in her new olive suit!
Day 13 (Fri)
Jade: Several newsworthy events have occurred since Wednesday morning.
I should have gotten promoted to Level 7 Senior Manager, but “someone” (gives Watchette a dirty look) carelessly set my work tone yesterday to “Take It Easy” instead of “Work Hard.”
W: *suddenly finds her fingernails intensely fascinating
Jade: Satoru works today for the first time since Monday—we’re hoping he brings home a promotion.
As for Tatsuya, he earned an A grade on Wednesday and finished Whiz Kid today after school.
Day 14 (Sat)
Jade: Around 2:30 am (well, 2:33 am, to be exact), I abruptly awake from my sleep because I’ve gone into labor.
It’s that time again…
Meet Erika, our second child.
A nod to Tatsuya for becoming good friends with Tricer during a recent sleepless night.
And here’s a lovely shot of you and Erika, Jade, just because you’ve been such a trooper!
Jade: Thanks, Watchette! Those labor shots are never pretty! On to the next one, eh?
Yep! But now you have Saturday and Sunday to….
Jade: To do whatever I want? *eyes light up with joy
Actually, I was going to say “level up whichever skill you want.” You need to max Charisma, girlfriend.
At least, you and Satoru both get home at 5 p.m. on Monday. These late nights are exhausting for everyone. Right, Tricer?
Tatsuya: Here I am, shiverin’ me timbers with my homies, I mean, my mateys. Ahoy there!
Cut the ropes and hoist the sails! There be a storm abrewin’! Yaaarr!
Alex Goth and Maximilliano Person (in unison): Aye aye, cap’n! Arrggh.
W: Have I told everyone recently how much I love this new lot? *sighs happily
Week 3/Day 16 {Mon}
Satoru: It feels like late Sunday night, but it’s technically early Monday morning.
There’s a reason why we’ve stayed up extra late tonight.
Erika ages up into a Social Butterfly who loves the outdoors.
She and Tatsuya look a lot alike! She’s got my heart-shaped face and high cheekbones, too!
I wonder who they’ll resemble as teens?
Author’s Remarks
Studying Hard
Even after Tatsuya earned an A grade on Thursday, he continued to “Study Hard” but his total Vacation Days peaked at 4 days.
Today (Monday), his age bar shows 5 days till he ages up, so he’ll only be attending grade school on Friday.
Too Repetitive?
If it seems to you that the narrative so far has described an endless parade of baby-making and young’uns ageing, that’s because it has.
The founding parents will raise three children: two to clear adult careers and one to clear a teen career.
Once the third child is born (on Friday night), there will be no more baby-making for several sim-weeks.
DD 1.4: The Tricer is Watching You
oshizu's asylum 