A Twitch of a Tale (Nine Lives Dynasty) 3.2: Fat CatNova: The week begins slowly. Fasa reads to the Princesses which gives me a good excuse to snuggle on the bed.
Nova: Fancy-Fancy is very keen on hugs whether I want them or not.
Fancy-Fancy: Monsha! Monsha!
Nova: Anybody? No, me neither.
Nova: Simba disappears for hours in a blaze of light. He comes back very excited about meeting aliens. He doesn’t remember everything that happened. He thinks he was only gone a couple of minutes. The others don't notice he's been gone at all.
Nova: I thought you’d like to see the cake that Fasa made for Felicia’s birthday. I’m guarding it to make sure she doesn’t eat any. Fasa tried to find a lacto-free cake recipe but gave up.
Nova: We’ve been having lots of cooking fires and I don’t know why. We’ve replaced the wall and floor coverings but we’ve had to replace the stove about 5 times this week. Here you can see the Princesses being carried to safety. The downside of them believing in my deity is that they expect me to rescue myself!
Nova: A spectre visits us in the middle of the day which was very strange. She’s come to see Simba.
Simba: Oh hi, Faye. Fancy you looking us up after so long.
Faye: Yes well since I’m your girlfriend, I thought I’d better drop by so we can catch up.
Simba: So…what’s new with you?
Faye: I died of old age.
Simba: Ah yes. Well you were ancient when you agreed to be my girlfriend.
Faye: From what I know now, I was lucky.
Simba: In what way?
Faye: Well, from this side of the life-death divide I am fully aware of all your other girlfriends and you got most of them pregnant!
Simba: Shall we just be friends? And maybe it’s time to move on?
Nova: I’m quite worried about Simba. He seems to have lost all interest in romance and he’s always hungry. He’s not been jogging which is strange for an Active Sim. Something is wrong.
Nova: It’s Fasa’s job to notice things and he knows something is wrong too. He tries to find out…
Fasa: So, when’s the baby due? Ha Ha
Simba: Ha ha. Very funny. Look, I know I’ve put on a few pounds but it’s just a Winter-hibernation thing.
Fasa: Winter-hibernation? You do know humans don’t do that.
Simba: Ha – yes. But it would be a good idea, don’t you think?
Nova: Things go from worrying to crazy. Reyna Le Chien calls to let Simba know that she’s had his son Collin. Almost immediately afterwards Billie Jang, mother of Simba’s daughter Melanie, rings Fasa about finding a ring in Simba’s bag and should she say “yes”. Fasa doesn’t like to tell her that Simba’s already pair-bonded to Dylan so…I’m sure that’s not right.
Nova: Christmas comes round again. I’m in my most annoying phase, mewing for love, so the family invite a load of strays to visit. It’s time for the Princesses to mature a little too. Come on Choo-Choo. Blow quickly before that cat…never mind.
Choo-Choo: Pfft.
Nova: OK. No-one actually eat that. Just light the candles, Fancy-Fancy blow them out, then straight in the bin.
Fancy-Fancy: pfft
Nova: Simba has asked Dylan over to divorce her. He meets her out the back because it’s a pretty mean thing to do and he’s got a club rule against being mean to anyone.
Simba: Look – it’s not like we even consummated the marriage.
Dylan: Well I’m certainly not in the mood now! What’s wrong with you?
Nova: How long have you got, Evil Dylan?
Simba: I think I ate too much of the Grand Breakfast. Oof.
Dylan: Look it’s fine. Annulment it is.
Simba: I was wondering…
Dylan: Yes?
Simba: Would you like to be my Sim of Honour in my marriage to Billie? It seems I’m engaged to her.
Dylan: Unbelievable!
Nova: After Christmas and with both the Green Initiative and Modern Developments passed in Port Promise, I decided it was time to move. The Princesses were at school and the men at work so Felicia & I set off to our new home. We went via a couple of other places in Port Promise first, both made of containers. We changed their industrial coverings for eco-friendly ones. We have high hopes this will help green up the region. You can’t see it here because of the snow but maybe we’ll come back when it’s warmer.
Nova: Having rearranged my temple to accommodate my entourage, Simba finally admits that he really isn’t feeling good and takes himself off to the hospital.
Doctor: Right then, Mr Leonine, lets see what’s going on in that big belly of yours. I hope it’s not just wind.
Simba: Well that would explain all the cooking fires we’ve been having.
Doctor: There’s something there…
Simba: Oh, I hope it’s not a tumour.
Doctor: I’m not sure….but I think….we’re definitely going to need surgery for this one.
Simba: I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Is that my heart?
Doctor: Oh – let me just get that back…ah. Here we are.
Simba: Is that a….a….baby?
Doctor: Wait a minute. We’re not out of the woods yet…
Simba: Two babies? I feel faint.
Doctor: Two….and…let’s just check….no, we’re good. That’s your lot!
Simba: Hello Orion. You and your brother Spot are a bit of a surprise.
Felicia: Where did these green babies come from?
Simba: Me. It must have been while I was up in that spaceship.
Felicia: What spaceship?
Simba: The other night. There was this bright light and I was gone hours but it only seemed like minutes.
Fancy-Fancy: Quelle horreur!
Fasa: It sounds a bit far-fetched.
Felicia: Let me get this straight – you’ve fathered 4 babies by 4 different women…
Simba: I think it’s 5 now…
Felicia: And now you have just given birth to twin alien boys who you have named Orion and Spot?
Simba: That’s right. Aren’t they adorable?
Felicia: Orion and Spot?
Simba: Yes.
Nova: Green Toms. I wonder if they’ll ripen.
Nova: Meanwhile, the Princesses try to make friends with their cousin Melanie Jang, daughter of Simba and Billie.
Fancy-Fancy: Bonjour.
Choo-Choo: Watcha
Melanie: You two are weird. I came round to meet my birth father but he’s busy looking after green toddlers and I’ve just found out that my grandmother Anaya Jang has died.
Choo-Choo: She’s brown bread?
Fancy-Fancy: Quelle domage!
Nova: And so we end this week with a perfectly normal family that includes a father of 9, 2 Princesses (1 French and 1 Cockney), and 2 Green Toms. Maybe next week will be quieter.
Status: Week 12; Winter; Year 3
Cat: Nova; Female German Rex; Life 3; Adult; Prowler, Curious, Fluffy
ProgressRequirements:
Used
• Adoption requirement - Founder had level 9 Veterinarian;
• 1st resurrection - 910+/900 Achievement Points
• 2nd resurrection - 1m/900k Simoleans
Available
• 9/9 adult aspirations: Angling Ace (Fasa), Freelance Botanist (Fasa), Nerd Brain (Simba), Leader of the Pack (Simba), Renaissance Sim (Fasa), Master Mixologist (Dina), Friend of the World (Fasa), Fabulously Wealthy (Simba), Painter Extraordinaire (Fasa)
In Progress
• 8/9 Good Friends within household (Joy, Don, Simba, Fasa, Dina, Benny, TC, Felicia)
• 2k/9k Simstagram followers
• Spend 24+ consecutive hours in 6/9 different worlds (Oasis Springs, Mt Komorebi, San Myshuno, Granite Falls, Evergreen Harbour, Willow Creek)
• 9 each A’s/part-time jobs/scouting badges
o 9/9 part-time jobs: Life Guard (Don), Manual Labourer (Don), Fisherman (Don), Babysitter (Simba), Barista (Don & Fasa), Diver (Don) Fast Food (Simba), Retail (Fasa)
o 9/9 scouting badges
o 8/9 A’s in school (Simba 2, Fasa 2, TC 2, Benny 2)
• Cure your pet of 5/9 illnesses (Frozen Mange, Overheated Sniffer, 2 Squirrel Bites, 1 unidentified – cured by Wellness treat, Sizzlepaw)
Museum Items (Bargain Bend, Willow Creek):
Complete
• feathers sculpture (12/12 feathers)
• 9 unique mounted fish;
• 9 unique frogs
• 9 pet treats made by a household member (Joy/Simba)
• 9 animal sculptures all made by Don
• 9 unique level 9 career rewards
Remaining
• 3/9 paintings (1st Life – elder, 2nd life – adult, 3rd life - kitten)
• 6/9 photos of cat from each of the 9 different worlds from requirement
• 3/9 perfect nip plants
Bonus
• Snow Globes
• City Posters
• Postcards
Cat CompanionsGeneration 1
Founder: Joy Leonine; Deceased; achieved adoption requirement
Spouse: Don Lothario; part-time jobs completed - 5
Helper: Dina Caliente; aspirations achieved – Master Mixologist
Generation 2
TC: 2 As in school
Benny: 2 As in school
Current Household: Fountainview Penthouse, Arts District, San Myshuno
Generation 2
Chief Companion: Simba Leonine: Young Adult; Active, Genius, Cat-Lover; 2 As in school; Aspirations achieved – Nerd Brain, Leader of the Pack, Fabulously Wealthy; Collection completed - feathers
Complete Bonus collections: Snow Globes; City Posters
Fasa Leonine: Adult; Loves Outdoors, Good, Outgoing; 2 As in school; Aspirations achieved - Angling Ace, Freelance Botanist, Renaissance Sim, Friend of the World, Painter Extraordinaire; Detective level 9
Complete Bonus Collections: Postcards
Felicia Bheeda: Adult; Freegan, Lactose-Intolerant, Insider
Generation 3
Fancy-Fancy Leonine: Child; Self-Assured
Choo-Choo Leonine: Child; Good
Orion Leonine: Alien Toddler; Clingy
Spot Leonine: Alien Toddler; Clingy
L-to-R: Fasa holding Orion?, Fancy-Fancy, Choo-Choo holding Nova, Felicia, Simba holding Spot?
NotesI’ve had trouble with multiple cooking fires before. Their cooking skill levels are high and I’ve checked the décor is not low fire-resistance. It’s mostly only a problem when there are toddlers. Once Orion and Spot have become children, it’s just gourmet dishes for Nova that she likes having.
I have no idea how Simba’s engagement was allowed while he was still married. Having divorced Dylan, the first set of interactions with her offered the “Be Sim of Honour” and I thought it would be funny to try it. Rather than being offended, Dylan clapped her hands and agreed straight away. Unbelievable, indeed!
I don’t think the challenge rules allow you to edit non-home lots so Felicia actually moved the family into the 2 other empty properties in Port Promise so that they could have a green make-over. Then she moved them out to the museum so that they can install the 9 unique level 9 career rewards and plant the perfect nip plants.
Fancy-Fancy is named for one of Top Cat’s crew – he was based on Cary Grant and often used French phrases. Choo-Choo didn’t want to be left out so I let her be a Cockney.
Orion is named after the cat in Men in Black who has the collar (belt) with the galaxy on it. Spot is named after Data’s cat in Star Trek (Next Gen). Both were (I believe) regular cats caught up in irregular situations.