Sanada Apocalypse Challenge [Completed]

[oshizu]

Week 22/Day 152: Shirtless in Seattle

Day 152 (Thu)

Tao: Since Amanda has today off, I ask her to sit down for a chat to discuss our relationship.
I’ve known her since she was a child, so I need to be honest with her.

Tao: I thought I could perhaps just ignore the issue, Amanda, and it would eventually go away.
But now that Jade and Makoa are in grade school, the truth may come out sooner or later.
There’s a reason why I can never fully commit to you. Well, actually, three reasons.


I had a high school sweetheart, named Nana Miura, who lives in Windenberg.
When Watchette asked me join this household, I discussed the matter with Nana and she encouraged me to help the Sanadas.
So I reluctantly broke up with her and got into a relationship with you, Amanda, as Watchette wanted.
Nana and I had been planning to live together after graduating from high school.


When Nana and I broke up, she asked that I never contact her again.
I understood the necessity of staying apart, but it ripped a big hole in my heart.


Since then, I’ve realized that I’ll never love anyone as much as I love Nana. She’s my very soul!
She is one of three reasons why I can never love you, Amanda.
There’s no room in my heart for anyone else, Apocalypse Challenge or not.
Some shots of Tao and Nana in happier days. One thing about Tao and Amanda--they've never been autonomously lovey-dovey.




Later, I learned that Nana had been pregnant when we broke up. She’d never mentioned it!
And now we come to the two other reasons why I’ll never be able to fully commit to you, Amanda.
Nana and I have twin sons, named Kyle and Albert, who live with Nana in Windenberg.
They were born shortly after I moved to Newcrest.
@Nettlejuice already noticed Kyle in a shot of Jade playing pirates the other evening. (Nothing gets past you, Nettlejuice!)

Kyle (above) is older than Albert (below) by only a few minutes. Kyle has a slightly slimmer build than Albert.
From left to right: Everyday outfit, Formal outfit, Party outfit.



Tao: You understand why I can’t just push them out of my life, can’t you, Amanda?
Amanda: I understand, Tao, and I feel a little better now that I know exactly why you couldn’t love me.
I will let you go, Tao. Nana and your sons need you. Also, I want a family of my own someday!
Tao: Is there any way for us to break up without both of us getting super depressed? “Divorce” is a mean interaction, you know.
Amanda: Tao Kaneda, I am formally divorcing you.
Amanda and Tao both have a two-day Sad +2 “Divorce” moodlet, plus Tao has a five-hour Angry +2 “Aggravating conversation” moodlet.


Amanda: I’ve known for a while that you never really wanted to marry me. And I have a confession of my own.
As soon as you cleared Pro Athlete yesterday, Watchette kitted me out with a half dozen reward traits to help with my career.
Morning Sim, Night Owl, Savant, Carefree, Entrepreneurial, and Great Kisser—I understand the reasoning behind these trais.
I wasn’t sure about the Beguiling trait but you were out, so I invited my fellow bro Paolo over to test the trait.
I was wrong to be with Paolo before we officially broke up, but I really need to get moving with my career.
Also, you and I haven’t been a couple in a long time. And how many days have I been sleeping in Jade’s room?


Needless to say, Paolo helped me max Charisma in just one evening of smooching.



Tao: Not so surprising, actually. I’d heard from Mitch that you’d been skilling charisma with Paolo the other day.
Amanda: So, my bro, are we still good to go?
Tao: You bet, friends to the end!
I would have loved for these two to part amicably but, in fact, their Romance bars are 100% red.
And yet, Amanda still considers Tao her BFF and Paolo her Soulmate.


Later that day in Windenberg…



Meanwhile, back at the house…
Sara: Poor Makoa! He came home from school feeling terrible.
We can’t take medicine yet, son, so please take a nap. I hope you feel better soon!
Those splotches are so conspicuous against Makoa’s pale skin!


Sara: Mitch and I leave for work at the same time, but I come home at 11 pm with my last promotion.
Yay, I’ve cleared the Astronaut/Interstellar Smuggler career!
Watchette deleted the pop-up by mistake (*glares) but you can still see my career panel!
Anyway, unlocking the Interstellar Smuggler career means that we may FINALLY place, use, or sell career reward ojects (though we can’t enable their mood auras yet).
And we now have the freedom to upgrade all the new furnishings we bought after Go completed his career.
Let the upgrading commence!!!


Day 153 (Fri)

Tremain the Trashcan: Wow, look! Go actually does have a work uniform!
Mel the Mailbox: That’s a nice turtleneck! I wonder if it comes in different colors. So what else is new today?
Gned the Gnome: Well, Mitch and Tao become adults today. Also, Tao quit his Pro Athlete job this morning.
Tremain: Wow, divorce and retirement? What’s Tao going to do with all his time?
Mel: By the way, Gned, with all the investment income coming in from the Fab Wealthy aspiration, do Go and Sara even need to work anymore?
Good question! I’m not sure!


Mitch: When I woke up this morning, I noticed that my age bar was bubbling so I quietly caked up by myself.
I didn’t want to disrupt everyone getting ready for work or school!
Now that I’ve maxed cooking, I’m thinking of quitting work after I max Mixologist!
My dream is to be a stay-at-home dad so I can visit different restaurants and learn to prepare experimental food at home!
Watchette, don’t forget to buy me a chef station!


Mitch: Now that Watchette has bought me a chef station, I want to learn how to prepare some experimental food.
I use Tao’s birthday as an excuse to take the whole household to the restaurant Chez Llama in Willow Creek.


Go: We notice that the restaurant has no table for eight, so Mitch and I each request a table for four.
When Mitch goes to order, however, we learn that we’re being treated as a party of eight seated at two tables for four.
Mina: Amanda, dear, would you mind sitting down instead of standing there, glaring after the waitress?
Frankly, you’re embarrassing us and setting a poor example for the children.
Jade: We can’t take her anywhere!
Go: Jade, you hush!


Makoa: The waitress returns with our meal just as Jade and I become BFFs.


Jade: At the other end of the table, I watch Uncle Mitch trying to figure out how to prepare whatever it is that he ordered.


Jade: And finally, we celebrate Uncle Tao’s birthday.
Happy birthday, Uncle Tao! You’re almost as hawt as your son Kyle!
Mina: Go darling, how did Jade find out about Tao’s “situation” so quickly?
Go: I hear she’s friends with Tao’s son Kyle at grade school.


Day 154 (Sat)

Mitch: I get home just past midnight so technically it’s already Sunday, but I’m including the news for this week, anyway.
Tonight, I earned my final promotion and became a level 10 Celebrity Mixologist!
Now finally, after all this time, sims may drink bar drinks, quick-meal drinks, medicine, and potions. And, although it no longer matters to this household, babies may be bottle-fed.




Career Recap

Go Sanada (2 days to Adult): Tech Guru/Start-Up Entrepreneur, maxed
Tao Kaneda (19 days to Elder): Athlete/Pro Athlete, maxed
Sara Kalani (15 days to Elder): Astronaut/Interstellar Smuggler, maxed
Mitchell Kalani (19 days to Elder): Culinary/Mixologist, maxed
Mina Arata (12 days to Adult): Painter/Patron of the Arts, Level 7
Amanda Fyres (5 days to Adult): Astronaut/Space Ranger, Level 6
Makoa Kalani (7 days to Teen)
Jade Sanada (7 days to Teen)

[Nettlejuice]

True love wins! I didn't think things would end this way (for their relationship) but as long as Tao and Amanda are happy then that's all that matters. I love the blonde with pink tips on Albert and is Nana named after the two Nanas' from the manga?

Three maxed careers in one chapter, amazing. (Typo with Tao's name in the stats).

Little Jade has a crush on Kyle, how adorable and it's great that a group of eight can sit and be considered as one party.

[Joria]

Wow, I can hardly believe you are this close to the end!  Kudos to you for not only sticking to it but also for doing it so brilliantly and beautifully.  I've loved every second of reading this so far.  After this, perhaps an RDC?

[oshizu]

@Nettlejuice
Oddly, Paolo is very romantic with her in a way that Tao never was, so I'm happy for Amanda in that sense. Now I'm ga-ga over Tao's little twins. Sadly, Albert can't have that pink-tipped hair as a teen (I think), but I'm still looking forward to when they age up. And yes, Nana is from the manga which I haven't read but I love the TV adaptation, with Tetsuji Tamayama.
I hadn't really thought about Jade crushing on Kyle, actually. Isn't it possible to just think someone's hawt without having a crush? (Thanks for catching the typo--I'd done it the last update, too.)

@Joria
When I noticed you'd posted, I'd wondered if you were snagged by "Seattle" in the chapter title, lol. I still have four adult careers and one teen career to go, but yes I'm nearing the end.
The AC's really given me new appreciation for such little things, like a glass of orange juice or beds with a comfort rating, lol.
To be honest, I'm rather terrified of the RDC as I'm not good at rotational play. The Sim Supply's "Dining Out: Rags to Riches" video looked pretty fun.
Well, I better stop counting my chickens...my teens still have their adult careers to complete.. What are you up to now? Collecting?

[Nettlejuice]

There is an adaptation? I need to hunt it down and watch it, thank you for letting me know! Aw, I'll ship Jade and Kyle nevertheless ^^

[oshizu]

There is an adaptation? I need to hunt it down and watch it, thank you for letting me know! Aw, I'll ship Jade and Kyle nevertheless ^^

@Nettlejuice
It's actually two films Nana (2005) and Nana2 (2006). Here's the Nana trailer with English subs.
https://eigapedia.com/movie/nana/video/id/68200
I think I watched both films on Netflix, not sure.

[LivvieLove]

So I'm just now caught up and I have to say I'm pretty bummed about Tao and Amanda.
I was rooting for Amanda, but I guess as long as they're both happy that's all that matters.

I the kids though - their makeovers are so cute. You're almost there Oshizu! You can do this!

[oshizu]

@LivvieLove
I'm sorry to disappoint about Amanda--I just ran out of love for her, mostly because--although she is very attractive--she's been a moody, high-maintenance member of the household.
The fact that she and Tao don't have much chemistry was another factor.

Now I just want to help her max her career and move out, so I can move in the final sim to work on the 25th (the last) career. I'm not in the final lap yet, but the finish line feels within grasp!

[oshizu]

Week 23/Day 155: Introducing Izaiah Landgraab

Day 155 (Sun)

In the last update, Mitch had arrived home just after midnight with his final promotion…
Go: Friday night at Chez Llama, I ran into my sis Karina and brother-in-law Mauricio. They’re both looking really well!
We should go visit them Sunday afternoon! I can’t wait to meet my nephew Izaiah!


Mina: Since Mitch completed the Mixologist career, Amanda and I are the only adults in the house who haven’t maxed their careers.
Paolo Rocca helped Amanda max her charisma last week.
When Watchette gave me the Great Kisser trait, I only had Level 1 Charisma, so I’ve taken a page out of Amanda's book and asked Go for assistance.


Mina: Go doesn’t seem to mind helping me out. Pucker up, sweet thing!
Go: Mina, you’re starting to scare me!



Mitch: Hey, Tao, you still down in the dumps about the divorce?
Tao: I’m so relieved that everything’s out in the open now, but I still have 5 hours to go on that two-day Sad +4 “Divorced” moodlet.
Mitch: *tries to cheer Tao up
Tao: Thanks, man, but that just bored the heck out of me.
Instead of a five-hour Sad +4 moodlet, Tao now has a three-hour Bored +1 “Unenlightening lecture”  moodlet with the description: “Listening to that would put anyone to sleep.”

Mitch: Hey, dude, everyone’s just glad that you’ve stopped shuffling around with slumped shoulders.
All your moaning and sighing were starting to get on everyone’s nerves, yo!


Autonomous bro bonding.


Okay everybody, off to bed!

Gned the Gnome: It’s 10 am Sunday morning and Mina is off to work!
Tremain the Trashcan: I hear she kept Go up until quite late and maxed charisma!
Mel the Mailbox: I’d never realized that was her work outfit. I’d just thought Watchette had made another poor fashion choice!
Thanks, Mel. And in answer to your earlier question about whether Go and Sara need to work, Go received $27,500+ in investment income this morning.
So the answer is no. Once a sim in this household clears their career, they can afford to quit working.


Go: After dearest Mina comes home from work (with the Level 8 promotion, go Mina!), we all descend on the Landgraabs in Oasis Springs.
All of us meet Izaiah Landgraab for the first time. Karina and Mauricio must be so proud of their adorable geek son!


Mina: Izaiah is so incredibly charming! He’s the ideal blend of the DNA of Mauricio Landgraab, Kage Takeda, and the Sanadas!
Go: If you’d like, Mina, we can return later and age Izaiah up to a teen, just to see what he looks like.
My library bin agrees!


Go: After everyone in our house meets all the Landgraabs, we kill time until Mina finishes up her painting on the third-floor easel.
Mitch: Why is it so hard to get my old waistline back since the baby!?


Tao: Amanda goes home to prepare for work tomorrow, but Mina and the kids have finished their tasks for tomorrow.
So we decide to have dinner at the Diving Pelican in Willow Creek because…why not?
Mitch: The restaurant has an interesting exterior but I don’t think this is the best location for it!


Tao: I’ve also invited Nana Miura along, so the household can meet her.
Oh, this restaurant can’t really handle a party of eight. I wonder how they’ll seat us.
Sara: I can’t say I like how they’ve split us up!


Jade: Auntie Sara, why isn’t Uncle Tao wearing a shirt?
Sara: Shhh, not so loud. Apparently, his everyday outfits include one with a shirt and a hat, or two shirtless ones with different hair.
Jade: So Uncle Tao decided it’s more polite to be shirtless than wear a hat indoors? Weird.


Mitch: Since I’m the epicure of this house, I’ll just go ahead and order for everyone.
Hmmm, hmmm, the menu consists mainly of dishes that I can prepare at home. Well, that’s disappointing!
Every restaurant should have at least one or two experimental dishes!

 
Tao: Nana is seated with Go, Mina, and Makoa. It worked out perfectly!
Go is the head of the Sanada line, so I really wanted him and Mina to get to know her.
Nana looks as if she’s enjoying herself.


No one cooks at the Landgraab house, it seems, so all of us are starving!
Our food has arrived at last!



Mitch: Sara, Tao, what’s wrong with you two? You haven’t touched your food!
Tao: I was just thinking how I prefer your cooking, Mitch! Everything else is so second-rate!
Sara: I have to agree, honeybunch, your cooking definitely surpasses this!
Mitch: Awww, you guys are too nice! We won’t be coming here again!


Tao: C’mon, Mitch, show me what you got! If you really want your youthful waistline back, you’re gonna have to try harder!
Mitch: I’m trying, I’m trying.  Lazy trait here, remember?
Tao: Bro, you gotta want this!
Mitch: Woooo, check me out! My ribs are showing!


Day 156 (Mon)

Go: Grrr, this is so frustrating!
Mina: What’s wrong, honey?
Go: Well, I’ve been trying to do two things for the last hour: quit my job and pay our bills.
But I’ve made the phone calls 4-5 times each, but the phone call ends without me being able to quit my job or pay the bills.
Mina: That always happens when we try to pay the bills by phone. You think it’s a glitch?


Sara: What’s that you’re about to drink, Go?
Go: This? It’s a potion of youth.
Sara: Isn’t today your adult birthday? Why would you drink a potion of youth? And, most importantly, is it legal?
Go: Well, this is what the challenge creator has to say about potions of youth, cowplant essences, and Books of Life:
(Quote) Pinstar: There is nothing really locking down life-extending things in this challenge, mainly because you can only lift one restriction per sim, no matter how long they live. (Unquote)


Mitch: But why bother with a potion of youth? You could just move out if you don’t want to die!
Go: No way am I leaving my daughter’s side before she maxes her career! Don’t you want to help Makoa, too, Mitch?
Mitch: Of course, I do.
Go: Oh come on. Everyone knows that, since the last patch, elders and adults have more wrinkles.
That’s not for me! I want to stay youthful and purty.
If you’d maxed Mixologist earlier, Watchette would have asked you and Tao to drink potions of youth, too.
Mitch and Tao: *speechless
Go: But don’t worry, you will not age up to elders before this challenge ends. We have enough potions of youth for that!


Mina: When Amanda returns home, we all head out to Desert Bloom Park for some fishing.
The kids bring their violins to continue building Creativity.
I see Tao over there and that little boy must be his son Kyle. What’s that look on Kyle’s face?
Tao: *lies about career
Shame on you, Tao, being mischievous to your own son like that! But Kyle’s expression is just too cute!


Day 157 (Tue)

Mina: Jade and Makoa will soon complete their third aspiration, leaving only Social Butterfly to do.
Go: Watchette had really wanted to move in a third child and level them up all at the same time, but Amanda just reached Level 7 of her career yesterday.
I wonder what Amanda’s problem is? I’m only two days older than her, but I maxed my career a week ago.
And, Mina, you’re five days younger than Amanda yet you’re already Level 8.
Mina: And did you notice that I’m very likely to max my career this coming weekend?
It really feels like Amanda is taking forever. At this rate, she’ll probably need another two weeks to earn her last three promotions.
Have you already guessed who will be the last sim to move in?


Go: By the way, I hear that a night festival has started setting up in that empty lot in Windenberg near the Shreiking Llama Bar!
Once that festival opens, we should go check it out!
Tao: Looks like it won’t be ready for awhile. Look at all those booths that are still empty! But yeah, when it’s ready, let’s definitely go!
Mitch: Don’t you just love a Japanese night festival?

[Joria]

Oh that festival looks awesome!  A lot like our Rose Festival here in Portland, except we have a lot of rides and carnival skill things too.  We usually have a Japanese festival when our sister city in Japan does, though I've never been. 

All of your Sims have turned out so beautiful to look at.  The kids seems to always age up into real lookers and are as adorable as can be while children.  I'm still not thrilled with EA substituting babies in onesies for the absolutely charming toddlers we had in Sims3.  I didn't mind the burrito babies at all since the toddlers were so cute.

As for what I'm up to, playing Sims so I'll have something to add to my stories of course.

[FrancescaFiori]

Oh, poor Mitch! He's maxed his career and he still has to wear the paper fast food hat.
Giggled at Mitch trying to get back his pre-baby waistline. I hear you, buddy!
I'm hoping you move in one of Tao's kids. They're unbelievably cute!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nettlejuice]

Yay, the festival is coming soon! Tao in a kimono (or is that a yukata since it's a summer festival?)

I'd definitely want to see Izaiah when he's grown a bit older, I love his blue earrings, did you make him over? Is he the last Sim you want to invite over? Or maybe one of Tao's kids?

Poor Amanda, I hope it doesn't take two weeks I can just imagine how frustrating it is. I haven't even mentioned Mitch's shirt yet, it's gorgeous! I recently put him in the flowery shirt/shorts outfit and he's so youthful looking in it.

The real question at the restaurant is: why isn't anyone else shirtless? 

[KRae]

I finally got all caught up. Thanks for showing all the adorable children.

[LivvieLove]

Oh Izaiah is gorgeous! I love his Sanada genes! I can see them!
Amanda! I LIKED you! What are you doing?! I'm sorry she's giving you such grief. :/ I was always rooting for her but now I'm just frustrated for you.

Mina and Go are adorable, and I can't wait to see how the kids grow up! You're really heading into the final stretch! The boys are handsome as usual, and Mitch is looking fantastic! =D

[Luna264]

Oh, a festival? That sounds exciting! I wonder what shenanigans everyone will get into.