Rival Cowfolks in Newcrest: Akira Soma (4/4)
Previously in Week 5:
• When Akira tries the Negotiate Bonus interaction without preparing his mood, his job performance plunges to “ok” (the second tick);
• The Gen4 heir, Satoshi Soma, is now a Cheerful child with the Artistic Prodigy aspiration and Happy Toddler trait;
• Presently, Jungle Spice needs only the Cheaper Restocking retail perk, because it already has a resale value over $100,000;
• After returning from the shop, Akira asks the Wish for a promotion and his boss phones to guarantee him one after his next shift.
Week 6/Friday
Satoshi: I got pop-ups from Grandma Megumi and Grandpa Braddon! They’ve sent me gifts in the mail.
I’m not going to get two of those creepy Imaginary Friends, am I?
Ulrike: Pretty sure that’s only a Sims 3 thing, Satoshi. Let’s just focus on drawing for now, ok?
Akira: In case you’re wondering, here’s a collage of Satoshi with the childhood portraits of Jun and I.
Jun: Looks like he got your double-lidded eyes but my mouth and jawline.
Akira: Only his teen birthday will tell!
Maaike: So you mentioned having entered a Picky phase last night. Can you tell me more about it?
Erina: I guess I’ll have more foods I dislike, even if you call me to eat or encourage me to try new foods.
Maaike: *discusses better eating habits
Erina: Eh, it hardly matters anyway. Whenever I’m hungry, someone always rallies the troops.
The only ones who actually eat around here are nooboos and toddlers!
Akira: Today, everyone’s going to work and school.
Everyone, that is, except Jun (who’s unemployed) and Satoshi (who doesn’t start school until Monday).
I spend my hour before work trying to meet potential donors.
Look at Bjorn Bjergsen! I love the way he listens so seriously while I promote my cause.
Akira: It’s time for me to go to work. Thanks for the donation, Bjorn!
Bjorn: Anytime! I’m a huge supporter of your cause (whatever it was)!
Jun: We’ve hired a nanny for Ulrike’s nooboo so that I can stay focused on mentoring Satoshi.
Finally, I get to mentor Satoshi in the sun, instead of being confined in the Garden Room.
Satoshi: Is that why I hardly ever saw you when we weren’t at the shop?
Jun: Yeah, I was either gardening or using the microscope! But only five more hours and you’ll be a teen!
Satoshi: Cool, so around 4:30 p.m.? Papa will be so surprised when he gets home!
Nanny Liz: I keep hearing barking in the background? Did you folks get a dog?
Jun: No, but I’ve been hearing it, too, ever since Wednesday’s patch!
Satoshi: Oh Mama, can we get a dog? Please, can we? I promise to take care of it and walk it and stuff.
Lol, I used to always make that promise to my mother, but she was always the one who ended up taking care of the parakeet, the cat, the dog…y’all know how that goes!
Satoshi: Why do I need to switch to a piano? I prefer that purple electric keyboard, Mama.
Jun: You maxed Creativity but you haven’t acquired the Piano skill yet, so I thought maybe with a piano…
Satoshi: Nope, I still don’t have the Piano skill. But whatever, it’s not one of my unique skills anyway.
Satoshi: And I’m done! Where’s the birthday cake, Mama?
Satoshi: I appreciate your enthusiastic birthday bugling, but do you mind stepping back a bit?
Anyway, I’m now a cheerful Freelance Botanist who loves the outdoors.
Jun: Wow, Satoshi, you’re prematurely grey!
Satoshi: No, I’m not! The game wants me to have lavender hair, that’s all. When’s my makeover?
Jun: We’ll need to wait until Papa comes home.
Jun: Satoshi immediately goes outdoors to learn gardening. I think my son’s pretty cute even pre-makeover.
Apparently, our flirty nanny seems to agree.
Jun: Nanny Liz, don’t MAKE me run over like an enraged mama bear to protect my son!
How dare you try to chat up my teen-age son! How dare you!
Nanny: But I was just…
Jun: Did you even notice that Makoto is upstairs crying his heart out with a dirty diaper? You’re fired!
Akira: Now that I’m back from work, Satoshi finally gets his make-over.
I’m not sure exactly who Satoshi resembles. Jun, dear, are you sure he’s mine?
Ulrike: We open the store rather late since it will be a short shift.
It’s hard to concentrate on sales when a certain vampire gazes longingly at me from nearby.
Satoshi: After changing the backroom into a mini-kitchen, I start learning to cook.
You see, I’ll be joining the Food Critic career after I move out.
Though I’m neither a foodie (yet) nor a witty writer, running a store will be easier with a Critic career.
And, yes, you heard me right: I said “store,” not restaurant.”
Akira: Jun’s been a total pain tonight! Whenever I check, she’s either chatting or playing the violin.
She has the worse sales quota of the four of us. Maybe she should just ring up customers?
Despite our weak pillar, we manage to earn a total of 2,215 perk points.
Ulrike: Guess who aged up? Makoto is now a toddler.
I need to invite Masato over to spend time with our son.
Since wee Makoto is a born vampire, I wonder if he’d be happier living with his father?
Saturday
Akira: I have a guaranteed promotion after my next shift, but I don’t work again until Monday.
That’s buys me some time to seek more donations for my cause. Thank you, Nancy Landgraab!
Can teenagers also make charity donations?
Well, if any teen can afford a $250 donation, that would be my ex-girlfriend Luna Villareal.
And, yes, friends, teens CAN make donations. Good to know!
Akira: I see two of our watcher’s fave sims across the street and run over to ask for donations, um, I mean to say hello.
Caleb: Hey, buddy. I’m glad my tips helped you with your Serial Romantic aspiration. I hear you finished it in no time.
By the way, Akira, have you met my son Massimo?
Massimo: Why have you and I not met yet, Akira?
Akira: Well, when I needed to make an enemy from the Zanna line, I chose your brother Lio instead of you.
Masato: I come outside to watch Uncle Akira, and talk to these two strangers (because I’m inquisitive).
Caleb: You must be Makoto, Masato’s little boy! Looks as if you’re a born vampire, too.
Massimo: Masato will be so happy to hear that!
Caleb: Be sure to come see us when you’re older so we can help train you, little one!
Masato: Huh?
Satoshi: The Well arranges my promotion to Level 2 Manual Laborer this morning before work.
At the end of my first day, I’m so close to maxing my teen job that I can almost taste it.
Good thing, too, since it’s only a weekend gig. But you know I’ll be done with it tomorrow!
Erina (whining): Auntie Jun, I texted my classmate but she hasn’t texted back in, like, a whole hour!
Jun: Look around, Erina. We’re all hard at work, trying to earn the last 400+ perk points for Jungle Spice.
Maybe your friend is actually working, like you should be?
Just give her time. I’m sure she’ll reply as soon as she’s free. *rolls eyes
Satoshi’s out harvesting plants for his gardening skill, but you need to help out with the customers!
Akira: A little past 3 pm, we’ve earned enough points to buy our final perk: Cheaper Restocking.
With this, Jungle Spice has officially satisfied all of its requirements for retail perks.
Time to close Jungle Spice’s doors for business!
Akira: Jungle Spice sells for the pretty price of $150,148 and I’m free at last!
The customers look a little surprised to be standing on an empty lot.
Now I’ll have time to go around collecting donations for my career.
And Satoshi can work on his aspiration and skills without having to come here.
Satoshi: We still have nine more hours until The Big Switch and I intend to keep gardening and cooking until then.
But this is a good moment to conclude our update. See you again in Week 7.
Postscript: The gifts that Grandma Megumi and Grandpa Braddon allegedly mailed to me never arrived!
Final Week 6 Status: The Soma Line
Gen3 Heir: Akira Soma
*Completed requirements:
Store: Jungle Spice, resale value: $150,048
Retail perks: done
*Incomplete requirements
Career: Politician/Charity Organization (Level 8 )
Gen4 Heir: Satoshi Soma
Toddler Skills: Happy Toddler (Level 5 Imagination and Thinking)
Childhood Aspiration: Artistic Prodigy
*Incomplete move-out requirements:
Teen Job: Manual Labor (Level 2)
A in High School: B
Freelance Botanist: Tier II out of IV
Skills: L6 Gardening, L7 Gourmet Cooking
Collection: not yet
Museum Portrait: not yet
Good Friends: (Yukio Soma; 3 more)
Enemies: (Dinero, Zanna)
Spouse: (Erina Haas)
oshizu's asylum 