#ntc chapter 4

[simohgithecube]

Chapter 4.4

"Death is completion and a new beginning, sister. Prolonged suffering is an end," she said. I do not understand. And I do not understand the need for these graves everywhere before sims start living here. But there are trees. Trees and water. I contributed to a sixam with trees and running water. My merman husband can swim in something that is not manufactured by my sibling. My calypso friends can eat fruits and meat. I made something acceptable. I made something meaningful.

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Chapter 4.6 (The conference - part two)

 “Merkenneth, if you won’t take the moodlet solvers –”

“I don’t need them, your majesty.”

“– go for a swim.”

“I’m good.”

“Then stop pacing back and forth as if the simulation is ending. They do not need to like you. Or your Elohim.” Those words cut deep but he needs to understand. “CAS-893, can we go with skin detail 231, please?”

“As you wish, AhkarNebula.”

“Thank you.” Overall, it was a great day at the conference on Sixam-302. The sims we met from the nebula-jabs occult adore Merkenneth.

The père bois respect him. The undones have always appreciated him. Most of the calypsos we already knew. My nebula clan knows not to disrespect him in public. And the merfolk already love their callisto-making powerhouse. The vampires? They are vampires. And most of the simulation has been waiting for simvolutions for the werewolves and the fairies to get along with any other occult. But now that they’ve finally bonded with each other over their hatred for Kenny and his callistos, Kenny is taking it too personal. “You can’t please every sim, Kenny.”

“I understand that. But a cult leader? I’m not leading cults.”

“Thank you both, you may leave.” I wait until we’re alone. “It’s a little bit of a cult. But what’s the issue?”

“Zuri…”

“What? Do you think all those displaced sims would simply get along out of the kindness of their hearts? Most of them lost their sixams and distrust the calypsos because of Moji. They’re now living with sims that might be of the same occult but have completely different lifestyles. You could not keep peace and mutual respect by just letting them figure it out. So what if you sang a strong lullaby or two in the churches? Sims need direction. Or hope. Or whatever word you want to hear.”

“I’m not like those savages in Laniakea, Zuri.”

“I know. Most of us know. And the moment you start using your connection to your Elohim as a weapon, I’ll have my sixam-jupiter devour your callistos myself. Your callistos are a privilage. Not a right. For you and the inhabitants. It is perfectly reasonable for the one that created them to have certain expectations. If they don’t like it, they can go live on a sixam. Or convince a divine being to help them make their own.”

“Is that what I’ve been preaching?”

“Well, it sounds nicer when you say it. I don’t have your charisma skill, your lullabies, or your patience. But, hey, kǂzuri, listen to me.

We’re all occults here. We’re free to do what we need to do to get the support we think we deserve... You are the sweetest Enamourer I know. And your plans for your callistos are admirable. Listening to an inspiring lullaby once in a while and being a decent sim is a small price to pay for the peace your callistos offer. You’re not forcing them to stay. They’re staying because it’s worth it, understand?”

“I hear you.”

“Hmm.” He’ll be annoyed for a few sim-days. “Now, I know it is not intimacy night but your moodlets are a mess and –”

“I love you, ŋ!aalumatji.”

“I know.”

“I love you more than anything.”

“I know. I love you too.”

“I’ll shower and get dressed for bed. When was the last time I made you halo-halo?”

A good bowl of halo-halo is better than woohoo. “It’s been a while.”

“I feel like making it. Do you want some?”

“I’d love some.”

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Chapter 4.3

I can describe how I should feel. His proximity to me should trigger flirty moodlets. His call to inform me that he spoke with his ex earlier today should probably give me a sad moodlet. Jealous-trait Moji gets angry moodlets at the mere thought of Ravi smiling with another sim. But now that Nexam-001 is in the simulation, I feel nothing but the peace I felt around him before. I missed this.

I missed how easily we spoke. How our biggest fears were simple problems that the bonding agreement could address. "Section 4(a)(i). That's the part about speaking about past relationships as an explanation for present behaviour, correct?"

"It is. But I told you everything I said to Faye this morning, Z."

"I know. I just want to say I think she's right. This Kenny would choose her." My smile is genuine.

His smile is defensive. "Is my simprint saying something I don't know?"

"No. But I can tell you the part she didn't say out loud. The real reason she would come looking for you."

"She said it herself. But I don't regret marrying you. It doesn't matter if you put Bondye's sixams in —"

"That's not what she said. She's not trying to make you regret a bonding agreement, silly. She's trying to understand why — never mind."

"Talk, Z. Don't worry if you see a glitch."

"Not a glitch. Your low mischief and high logic skills are driving your proper trait right now. You'll only think about the bonding agreement, not the sims."

"Thinking about our marriage is how I think about the sim that matters most. Only you."

"So you do know what she wanted to hear?" Sometimes I forget my husband is an Enamourer.

"Can you ask yourself why you don't want to hear it? Don't you think it changed?"

"Oh, I know it changed. From the moment that you met me at the gate in a cloud of blue and pink."

"But you don't think it's for you in particular?"

"Lullabies are lullabies, Merkenneth. They're personal to you because only you can sing it but general enough to affect any sim."

"Do you want to hear it for yourself?"

"I don't need to hear it. I know you love me."

"But you're not the only one who's been going through things. Who's been changing... I want you to want to know me, ŋ!aalumatji. Beyond my simprint. Without your —"

"Fine. I want to hear. I do want to hear it. But if there is even one note of — "

Kenny's biggest complaint about his occult and his old church is vague worship songs. Worship songs that refuse to name Elohim. Songs that could be sung to any divine being and offend none. I know that a lullaby that sounds like a vague worship song is what Faye was hoping for and what I did not want to hear. Then she could believe that it was just a matter of timing. That Kenny only needed some undeniable display of her divine being's glory to stop singing lullabies that were so ridden with guilt. A song that he could sing to her as easily as he would sing to me or an Elohim-worshipper if he wanted. That's how it works with most mermen.

But Kenny is Kenny. And sometimes I forget I married an Enamourer that speaks of his comforters more than he speaks of a saviour. That he needed some time to be able to sing the lullaby that his actions always sang. We wrote six drafts of our bonding agreement before we signed. Each rewrite was an attempt to be clear of his Elohim's expectations and think of examples where we would both fall short. When all I cared about was my sixam, when he knew I was thinking about ending our agreement, Kenny was Kenny. Proper trait, a loyal trait dependent on his logic skill, a child of the islands trait with wellness skill levels that I've never seen and eyes that always follow me across the room from the day we planned Jason and Ximena's wedding. His new romance lullaby is not vague. He sings of being equipped by Elohim to love only me in the ways that Elohim knows I need. It reminded me of the dream that felt like a nightmare until now and this is probably as close to converting as I would get. Being studied and loved by Merkenneth and learning and loving Merkenneth? It is... It's moments like this that I understand why the Dreamers are obsessed with these covenants.

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Chapter 4.2

"It was ridiculous, Kenny! I'm never doing another interview with them again."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad, Z."

"When you watch the footage, you'll see. But I'd rather you don't ask me about it then. Ooooo, ooo, sing this part!"

"Why you insist on —"

"Quick! Before it's done."

"🎶Pran ti kem tankou drog e pi yo detayem

Cheri ou nan tet mwen souvan, nan tet mwen souvan"

"🎶Gadon gro koze —"

"🎶manman, pou ke mwen pat bat tro souvan E pi ou son maladi san kalman"

"🎶e pi ou son maladi san kalman" Like a disease without calm...

"Just so you know, you're not —"

"I know. It's just a song. Not everything you sing is as serious as your worship songs, Kenny."

"It is when I'm singing to you. And if you change your mind about —"

"I still don't want kids. Do you?"

"Still don't. But —"

"Then don't worry about it. I'm most certainly not. I did my part. I fixed Nova's mistake and made Nexam-001. I don't owe them anything else. Afiya deserves to be queen and—"

"I hear you but I'll keep telling you until you believe it, you're worth more than a sixam. There's more to you than Nova, ŋ!aalumatji."

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Chapter 4.5 (The conference - part one)

Merknneth told me that he has never walked through Kǂahelohim. I admit I used to be jealous. Jealous that he made callistos without having to convince a divine being and a sibling to help him. Jealous that his spirits seem to never leave him and he always succeeds. But my jealousy has subsided. Now that I’ve been there, I understand that he does not need to go to Kǂahelohim because he lives it wherever he goes. I admire it but I do not want that for myself. I was exhausted and ready to leave Kǂahelohim after one conversation with a divine being, while my husband is constantly deciphering voices that a mere merman should not be able to hear easily.

I stand a bit too close to his side as we wait for our names to be announced. His proper-trait coding is blinding to me as he fights off his desire to hold my hand. AhkarNebula should touch no one in public. It is a rule I usually appreciate. But my sensitive Kǂstar is about to step into a room that was built to amplify voices in more ways than one. With occults from every corner of the simulation and their loud opinions and spirits. Forget decorum! I have already made my tribe a new sixam. I take my husband’s hand and kiss it as our names are announced. Presenting Queen Simzuri Nebula of Sixam-015 and her primary, Merkenneth of Sixam-085.

The disappointed faces of the few nebulas present do not deter me. A quick scan of their traits tells me that for most of them the disappointment lies in my monogamy. I appear unsuccessful with only one mate at my side and no mention of any offspring. Nebulas pride themselves on strong legacies - multiple strong bonding agreements and multiple offspring that imitate their life-givers’ coding. But I have already made my tribe a new sixam. I shall rule however I see fit.

We walk hand in hand to our table but Kenny takes a large step forward and guides me behind him. Klenam Nebula-Jab scowls as he walks toward us with his brother, Nusetor.  “Ahhh, look at this, brother. We have not yet said a word and he’s already ready to bind us.”

“My apologies,” Kenny says while holding his left ear with his free hand and gripping my hand with the other. Whoever is with them must be loud and offensive to his ear. “Tell me, which divine being do you serve?”

Klenam smiles at the invitation to declare his allegiance. He lifts both arms high and yells, “[Redacted name]! The One that gave Nova and Tris the wisdom for the sixams. All hail.”

“All hail!” I am startled by how many voices I heard. Klenam and Nusetor are the only ones I see that look like the nebula-jab occult. And I’ve never heard of [Redacted name] before.

“I see.” Kenny stays focused on Klenam. “And am I hearing your lwa or ancestors?”

“You can hear them?” Klenam raised one eyebrow. “I know you are a merman. But my ancestors should be beyond your hearing.”

“When they speak, it is hard not to listen.”

It is hard for him indeed. But I wish every sim were a Trait-giver so they could see what I see. The coding that entrances me more than any romantic lullaby he could sing.

The child of the islands trait is more than island rituals to Merkenneth. And it does not restrict him to Sixam-085. It is the foundation of his logic skill, the lens for his Enamourer vocation and a promise that his comforters are always there, even when he does not see them. Watching his coding dance as it adjusts to new information and then settle in the same, unblemished simprint is mesmerizing. He's deciphering the voices. In a few seconds, he would understand more about [Redacted name] than most nebula-jabs ever would.

“Sorry for my reaction earlier. They are speaking in a few languages I do not understand, so everything sounds like a threat. But adunalawe-en jab na se.” Kenny reached out to shake Klenam’s hand.

Klenam shook his head with a smile and reached out to take Kenny's hand. “Yet you figured out a phrase in seconds? Adunalawe-en jab na se.”

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Chapter 4.1

"You're here?" I instantly regretted the lack of excitement in my voice.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, ŋ!aalumatji." As usual, his tone was not affected by mine. It was soft and steady. And ŋ!aalumatji cast it's spell. "I missed you. œ᷈ɱɑʀ. Welcome back.

And you look — you look amazing, Z."

"Thank you. Sumire said my skin can still be changed in the CAS fabricator. But I'm hoping I never lose this skin detail." It may have contributed to my first terrestrial core.

"I'm sure they can program it as a favourite."

Kenny's eyes search my body as I search his simprint for clues. I did the impossible. I made a sixam without his Elohim's blessing. There is a terrestrial core burning at the edge of the simulation with nebula coding and I'm still standing. His child of the islands trait should trigger an angry moodlet. Or his loyal trait should have a slight glitch. But I see clouds of blue and pink: pride and attraction. And an unfamiliar energy that I can only assume is communicating with his callistos. The giant and my sixam-jupiter are cheering and the kǂstars in the starfield are flaring. I believe that all of the celestial objects in the simulation are adjusting. Making room for Nexam-001.

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