The Nishijima Immortal Dynasty: Farewell! As someone without children, I’d always felt mystified whenever I ended up in the clutches of a proud parent who insisted on sharing all the photos of her children on her phone.
Today, as I skimmed over my previous chapter, I thought to myself, “Watcher, you have become one of
those people!”
What can I say? I love my sims! Sorry to say I’m going to subject you all to just a
wee bit more fam spam.
Takao: Possibly in a gesture of rebellion against my Dynasty House, whose rules prevent me from living there with my wife and offspring, I have seven—yes, you heard that right, seven!—children with my live-out wife, Stephanie Holiday.
Here I am, attempting to feed our last son, Rocco.
These days, I’ve stayed continuously at the Dynasty House lately, monitoring the growth of the Growfruit trees.
First, I planted a grove of trees using the Normal fruit we received from the Challenge Coordinator.
Next, I took cuttings from the threes and grafted them to Perfect Fireleaf (because of its 18-hour growth cycle).
After planting a Perfect fruit at the Dynasty House and the BFF House (Steph’s home), I return to see Jasmine Holiday.
After I give her 20 Growfruit and one Perfect Growfruit, she tells me I have two new planters in Buy Mode and also gives me more Super Fertilizer.
I can’t wait to get home and see what the planters look like!
(Hmmph, only two packs of Super Fertilizer!? I bet Jasmine would have given me 3 packs if I were Brian! *snorts indignantly
I was surprised at the changes my family have undergone during my brief absence!
My fourth child, Holden, and his twin sister, Belinda, both aged up to teenagers.
Holden plays chess with my BFF Bowen.
An Outgoing Dance Machine, Belinda can now do the Secret Handshake!
An Insane Genius, Holden can’t do the Secret Handshake but seems to have, uh, other talents.
Rocco, the infant you saw at the start of the chapter, is now a child.
And my darling wife is now an elder, thanks to that recent patch which causes women to continue aging during pregnancy, darn it.
By the way, my “Known alien” son Branson is now a teen who can do the Secret Handshake! (He couldn't do it as a child)
And that’s his sister Stevie.
When she visited the dynasty house the other day, Mom took her to the closet and changed her clothes.
Watchette: @MarianT was kind enough to explain to me that I can change the clothes and hair of an alien in my active household.
But if I see a sim around town with an alien skintone, hair, and human clothes, they are probably a hybrid. (MarianT's explanation was much clearer than mine....)Watchette: Her eyes look more human now.A little, but she still has that high-pitched, mechanical voice.
Watchette: Gah, this whole alien genetics is really driving me crazy. Does that make Branson a “pure alien”? Is Stevie in disguise?Well, you can’t check them out in Household Management, Watchette, so just let it go.
W: Grrrrr….Only two more days until my elder birthday.
Watchette has the immortals eat their ambrosia a day early to avoid unnecessary confusion tomorrow.
The Founder (on the right) seems to be concerned about body odor.
They look like they have celestial auras but that’s probably just the glow from the ambrosia.
Mom chooses not to follow them outdoors.
I’m watching the maid like a hawk. He keeps eyeing her plate and I’m afraid that he’s going to snatch it away while she’s between bites so he can put it in the dishwasher.
Watchette: Wouldn’t you just figure—the hired help is usually such a slacker! An unfinished serving of ambrosia, though, he just can’t leave alone.Yeah, it’s happened before but, that time, the ambrosia had luckily already its effect.
Today's timing for eating ambrosia ends up being perfect. By the time those slowpokes actually get around to eating their ambrosia, their age bars are all full.
Grandma Naomi doesn’t get home from work until 10 p.m., but I dutifully wait to serve her ambrosia.
Looking at my relationship panel, I notice that our sixth child Kenji—Watchette’s fave—became a teenager today.
Since then, Watchette has been nagging at me to go see Kenji. Imagine her surprise when we get there to find him “multitasking.” Ugh, teenagers!
Kenji: Whaaa!? Sheesh, a little privacy, please?
W: Takao?Yeah?
W: Make that my “former fave”….Poppy also became a young adult yesterday.
Sitting here with Stephanie and Watchette's former fave (poor Kenji!), it’s hard to believe that our seven children have already grown into three young adults, three teens, and one child.
Stephanie’s done such a great job looking after this crew, with me living separately.
I’d hoped that we could all live as a family if the Dynasty House gives me permission to move out, but half of the children are already ready to move out themselves!
Angeeee!
Steph and I take a picture together. I’m so grateful that she’ll be able to share tomorrow with me!
Sorry that you had to had to take care of so many children, Steph, but I couldn’t think of any other way to ensure that you’d be around until my elder birthday…
Steph: Our life’s never been easy but I’m glad we could make this journey together.
You know how much I love you, Stephanie, don’t you?
Steph: Even when you don’t say it, I can feel how deeply you care.
Watchette: Awwwww. You two have had to work the hardest to be a family!I come home to spend my last day as an adult with the Nishijima Dynasty.
Somehow, I feel like I should pass the day doing something momentous, something of profound significance, something to commemorate the end of an era.
On the other hand, what I really want to be doing is making preparations to move out.
You see, Steph and I had our eye on some beachside property on an island off the coast of Windenberg.
Yesterday, we finally bought that property, which used to belong to the Villareals!
So, I would love to spend today on that property, envisioning the next phase of our lives.
Maybe we could all move over there!
I mean, the Immortals could buy that large neighboring property on the same island, the former Bjergsen residence.
And there’s a smaller property that would be a perfect size for my three eldest children….
Would you like to take a visit with me? Now?
Watchette: Actually, I think it’s best that we get back to prepare for your elder birthday.But, Watchette, I’ve been looking at photos of Balinese beach houses all day!
W: Erm, did you forget? I can only make small rooms. I can’t make houses yet—only non-essential recreational rooms.Well, that’s exactly why you should try building us an extravagant Balinese beach house that overlooks the cliffs.
W: I’ll think about it…Hmm, hmmm, I would need four residences plus a 20x20 community facility of some type…W: So this is how you’d like to spend your last day, Takao?What could be better than imagining the life of the entire family, including Stephanie and the kids, and Bowen of course, after we’re all freed from this dynasty.
W: Shouldn’t we be getting back now?Oops! It’s time to phone in my birthday party!
Cake me up, Scottie!
Well, that had to be the shortest birthday party in the Nishijima Dynasty’s history!
The Founder (Osamu): Oh, come now, Takao. You know very well that your birthday was merely the prelude to the main event.
Once you partake of that serving of ambrosia, the Nishijima Immortal Dynasty will be officially completed!
*Murmurs of joy and approval around the dinner table
Takao: This tastes pretty fine!
Gen2 Satoshi: Oh please! Don’t tell me you actually think ambrosia tastes good?
Takao: Who’s talking about ambrosia? I’m referring to the sweet taste of success!!!
Watchette: And the tremendous feeling of relief!In true form, Naomi—who usually never takes her party duties seriously—comes by and grabs Takao’s plate of ambrosia.
Watchette: You are really too much, Naomi! What is your problem?Naomi: Who me? I live to annoy you, Watchette. You haven’t figured that out after all this time?
Gen5 Seimei: Hey, folks, I thought we had the rest of the night off!
I know Takao’s off dyeing his hair black but what are the rest of us doing, milling around here?
The Founder Osamu: Oh, yeah. Apparently, there’s a tradition on this forum where the members of a completed dynasty take a group shot.
Gen2 Satoshi: You’re kidding me, right? I need to go check on my chemical analyzer!
Nanami: Poor Watchette! She can barely even catch us having dinner together!
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
On the left sofa: Gen3 Naomi, Gen4 Minoru, and Gen2 Satoshi.
In the center: The Founder Osamu (left) and Gen8 Takao (right)
On the right sofa: Gen6 Koetsu, Gen5 Seimei, and Gen7 Nanami.
Stevie Hunt: See you around, folks!
Watchette: Oh, it's you, Stevie! Hey, when is your birthday? Can you do the Secret Handshake yet? What about the Empathize social?The Founder: You need to give it a rest, Watchette. You just don't know when to call it quits, do you?
W: That's so not true! In fact, this Immortal Dynasty Challenge ends right here! Thanks to my forum friends and the silent readers for following along with my first attempt at sim storytelling.
I would never have made it to the end without your gentle encouragement and company!