The Sanada Apocalypse Challenge: Dystopian Dearth
Week 7/Day 43 (Sunday)
Jade: Our last update skimmed past several important events that occurred between Saturday morning and our very first Gen3 baby’s birthday on Sunday evening.
So allow me to recap, please.
On Friday, we’d already received messages to throw birthday parties for Satoru and Erika, so it was just a matter of time for them both.
Since this challenge must move forward, however, Watchette chose to cake them both up sooner rather than later.
Please note that we are not being mean or miserly by not having birthday parties or dates! (Comedian restriction)
Erika aged up first thing Saturday morning. We’d hoped to sleep in but we all gathered downstairs in our sleepwear.
Upon changing clothes, we celebrated Erika’s birthday with much noise and fanfare.
Erika: Right after I aged up, it was Dad’s turn. He’s an elder now, but a charmer all the same.
No more running around shirtless, though, so the rest of the Sanada boys heaved a collective sigh of relief.
Watchette, you need a tissue?
Kenta: And here we are, sans Dad, in our post-dresser finery.
Yes, yes, you have me to thank for that. Please take a number and go to the back of the line!
Hehe, finally got rid of Jade’s yellow and black top!
From left to right: Erika, Kenta, Yuki, Sasuke, Tatsuya, and Jade.
Satoru: It’s Sunday afternoon and, yes, I’m on a computer, writing skill books.
Instead of retiring after my birthday, I quit my job and join the Writer career, which lets me “Write Books” as its daily task.
As a teenager, I’d planned out this strategy with my father back on the island.
In my remaining days, I’ll be writing skill books for my descendants and their extended household.
Looking back, I wish I’d written that final bestseller while on the island to finish the Bestselling Author aspiration.
I could have been writing a Book of Life for each family member now.
Day 44 (Mon)
Daia: My brothers have left for school and the grown-ups are all at work.
All the grown-ups, that is, except Auntie Erika.
Sasuke (left) and Kenta (right) attend the same high school but wear different school uniforms.
Dad’s dressed like an office worker, but he’s a writer. Grandpa wears the same outfit, too.
Mom never wears a uniform to work, Dad says. When you look as good as Mom does, who cares?
Erika: Since Daia is a Whiz Kid, I mentor her in Logic while she plays chess in the morning.
From noon, we leave for the riverside to go fishing.
I want to change the color of Daia’s glasses, but I can’t enter CAS while anyone’s at work or school.
Daia: Nooo, please let me keep the orange glasses!
Sasuke: The portraits of me and Erika are done today—they’re both masterpieces!
I painted Erika’s portrait and Dad painted my portrait.
Out of all the portraits, I like Sasuke’s portrait most of all. I love his black hair with red highlights.
Since the make-overs, Sasuke has become my favorite sim, especially since all Tatsuya and Yuki do when they’re home lately is sit at their computers.
Day 45 (Tue)
Erika: Mom’s work doesn’t start until 10 am, so she’s the last to leave home today.
Dad used to earn more than Mom, but not anymore.
Since he’s switched jobs, his hourly wage has dropped from $450/hour to $50/hour!
Mom’s really big-hearted and hasn’t complained even once! She says it’s important for our family that Dad write those skill books.
Jade, you are looking good!
Trashcan: Hey, what’s the big deal cutting me out of the picture? I should be in every picture when anyone comes and goes from the house!
Watchette: Sadly, it’s true, Trashcan! You’re probably in more shots than anyone else in the household.
I blame this challenge which doesn’t allow us to leave this lot.
But Daia will be changing that for us when she grows up!
Daia: I will?!
Erika: Now that everyone’s gone, I can relax and read my Rocket Science skill book.
Must be nice to just lounge around in your bathrobe all day.
Erika: Why bother to change if I’m not going out and nobody can see me?
Do you mind not working?
Erika: Not really. Daia and I did a great job yesterday! She’s almost Level 5 Logic already.
Daia: And we’re back from school!
Did you know that Sasuke (left) and Kenta (right) become young adults in four days?
I just realized that. How shocking!
Kenta had an annoying school day and stomps the ground in his fury.
Sasuke has the giggles and strange tiger-like stripes, because he’s sick.
As for me, I’m planning to keep these orange frames. Grandpa says they are “unique.” Is that a good thing?
Satoru: Tatsuya and I get home two hours after the kids.
Tatsuya gets promoted to Level 6 and selects the Journalist branch. Great job, son!
Daia: Mom, why does Dad get all the ugly work outfits?
Are the Journalist outfits just as bad as the Author ones?
Day 46 (Wed)
What are you up to on your day off, Jade?
Jade: Pretty obvious, innit? I’m trying to boost my Wellness skill from L8 to L10 so I can “share Detox secrets.”
It rids the other sim of several negative moodlets so it’s an extremely useful social.
Where’s Erika?
Jade: She’s leveling Rocket Science for her Renaissance Sim aspiration, though it’s a waste of time.
We can’t spend our reward points, anyway. (Pro Athlete restriction).
She’s fine. She can do what she likes as long as she drops everything as soon as Daia gets home.
Instead of getting a job, Erika can cook and mentor everyone in Logic.
Tatsuya: Hey, Watchette, I nicked a lemon today at work.
Excellent job, Tatsuya! Lemons are also non-local plants!
And I’m sorry about this morning, making you arrive at work with your daily task “Not Started.”
I’ve never played a Journalist before and didn’t notice your daily task had switched yesterday from Write Books to Write Articles.
Tatsuya: So, off I go to interview four people for writing my articles!
Hours later…
Tatsuya: I have to say this is one time-consuming career! I work from 8 am to 4 pm.
After dinner, I spend 4 hours chasing people down to interview, and then 3-4 more hours writing articles.
When do I sleep?
Day 47 (Thu)
Satoru: You’ve always given Sasuke extra attention, even after picking Tatsuya as the heir.
Tatsuya and Yuki even have a daughter already. What are you planning?
You know I love your whole family but—I can’t help it—Sasuke’s been my fave ever since he fought with Max Villareal in grade school.
And now he’s a teen and he’s even snazzier with his new hair and outfit. He resembles you much more than Tatsuya does!
Satoru: I’ll have to agree. So?
Since grade school, I’ve been preparing him for Comedian instead of Musician.
Once he maxes Comedian, we can move sims out of the household.
Then, Sasuke could even move someone else into the household, maybe even have a child of his own (inside or outside this household? I’m still unsure about passing on Jade’s lips).
I haven’t done all the math yet, but we’ll have more options.
Satoru: So what about the Musician career?
I’d love to have stereos and radios, but switching aspirations doesn’t matter if we can’t spend reward points.
Just look at you (left) and Sasuke (right) as high school students! And it’s not just the hair!
What are you doing home from school? You know you can’t use the phone to take a vacation day, right?
Sasuke: Grandpa’s an Author now, so he wrote me an excuse note last night.
So what are you going to do today?
Sasuke: Right now I’m obviously leveling three skills at once!
While Mom mentors me in Logic, I’m playing chess alone while socializing with Erika by alternating between Friendly (Charisma) and Funny (Comedy) socials.
Very clever, Sasuke. Since Erika doesn’t work, she won’t run off on you like walk-bys.
And by the way, Jade and Erika, I’m so glad we had Kenta clear the Teen Retail career, so you can both wear sleepwear all day long. *sighs
So, Sasuke, you gonna sit here all day with the PJ Brigarde? Anything else in mind?
Sasuke: What else? Victimize innocent walk-bys so I can keep skilling up Comedy and Charisma!
Right now, I’m L5 Comedy and L6 Charisma, but maxing Comedian requires L10 Comedy and L8 Charisma.
Looks like you made a new friend, dear.
Sasuke: Oh yeah, Sergio Romeo is all right. I know some folks avoid him because he hates children, but look at the way he laughs at my jokes!
Have you met Travis Scott or J Huntington III yet, Sasuke? I’m curious which Tech Guru you’d like the best: Sergio, Travis, or J.
Where’s Erika?
Sasuke: She’s fishing over there. Can you believe I actually had to remind her to change out of her bathrobe before leaving home!?
No surprise there. And by the way, Sasuke, you’re doing really great for a teen!
Yuki: In other news, Daia received an A in grade school and I got promoted to Level 7 eSport Competitor!!!
And funny you should mention Travis and J, Watchette. I just met them both at work today!
As far as housemates go, I’d probably vote for J. You also prefer dark hair, Watchette, right?
Day 48 (Fri)
Tatsuya: Well, I just want to share that I got promoted to L7 Journalist today.
And not only did I swipe a dragonfruit at work yesterday, but today I brought home some grapes.
Watchette, may I remind you that I’ve also brought a potato, onion, banana, and lemon so far?
Awesome stuff, Tatsuya! I don’t know how you’re swiping produce from Walrus Books, but we can’t get any of those produce in this neighborhood!
Can’t wait until we can garden and sell our harvests! (Teen/Manual Laborer and Business/Investor restrictions, respectively)
Erika: Excuse me? Would you run that by me again, Sasuke?
How exactly did you end up with the whole third floor to yourself, while I’m still stuck in that tiny room with Kenta and Daia?
Sasuke: Well, I need space for my piano and violin. Plus, I’ll need a computer station later for writing jokes and comedy routines.
And…and…and…Watchette likes me better cuz I look like Dad? Help me out here, Watchette? Hello?!
*ignores Sasuke and Erika
This is a partial walls-down shot so you can see Sasuke’s bedroom and a bathroom. What? No, of course I’m not spoiling him!
For those of you readers who feel Sasuke does not deserve an entire floor unto himself, I present Exhibit Number One.
By a happy coincidence of sim genetics, he looks like he just stepped out of a Japanese manga or anime, or maybe a jpop or kpop boy band… (if you’re familiar with any of those).
Sergio: Hey, Sasuke! Nice skyscrapin’ crib you got here on the third floor! How much longer you gonna be a teenager, anyway?
Not much longer, Sergio, not much longer!
Day 49 (Sat)
Sasuke: About an hour past midnight, my boy Kenta and I get the “throw a rocking birthday party” message so we summon the family to cake up right away.
You can see that my age bar is already bubbling, which seems faster than usual but whatever.
Grandpa is looking awesome for an elder and Dad forgets to change from his work outfit.
Kenta: Oh my, Erika. You’ve been spending too much time in your bathrobe, darling!!!
I just revisited your collage earlier and you’ve gained weight since then! Can you say “jogging”?
Sasuke: Hello: Can we get back to the birthday boy? To my Music Lover and Cheerful traits, I add Outgoing.
Kenta: So Watchette took another shot of me in all my hawt-teenager-turns-hawt-young-adult glory, but Watchette decides to replace it.
Instead, you see my profile (pffft) facing little Daia’s face emerging from Sasuke’s stomach.
Watchette, you have a weird sense of humor!
Oh right, to my Art Lover and Cheerful traits, Watchette adds Neat.
(I am Neat with Level 8 Fitness. Do you know what that means?)
Sasuke: Time for us to get jobs!
Recap of Careers
Satoru (69 days old): Writer/Author, L6* (unlocked Chef)
Jade (2 days to elder): Business/Management, L10 (unlocked)
Tatsuya (7 days to adult): Writer/Journalist, L7
Yuki (8 days to adult): Tech Guru/eSport Gamer L7
Erika (13 days to adult): All-around helper (unlocked Babysitter)
Sasuke (20 days to adult): Entertainer (Comedian), L3
Kenta (20 days to adult): Painter, L3** (unlocked Teen/Retail)
Daia (7 days to teen): Grade school
* Each sim can only lift a single career restriction. Satoru became an Author for its “Write Books” daily task, but cannot clear the Author restriction because he already cleared Chef.
**Kenta will quit the Painter career after reaching Level 7 for the taboret.