#stc chapter two

[simohgi]

Chapter 2.1

I need to train for The Culling. For some odd reason my soulmate insisted that I participate this year. I can't bring my tribe down. Too much is at stake.

"What does this have to do with building, Candace?" She's had me meditating for 2 sim hours!

"We need to get rid of that angry buff first. Now breathe in... breathe out. Good. Are we calm?"

"Am I ever calm?" It feels like angry and tense are my only two moodlets lately. Especially with Ravi on a business trip. I keep dreaming of him going on dates with the architect.

Of her running her hand through his beard. And him fawning over how beautiful and capable she is. Zena. Zenatalia Libra. I'm not very fond of the Libras...

"I told you to work on your wellness skill, sweetie. Or keep more facemasks in your inventory. One more sim hour for you to calm down and then we'll get started on your build."

------

"Now, what do you need for your legacy family, Moji?"

"A pretty lot."

"Okay, we'll make it pretty but The Cube doesn't ask for pretty. What are your prompts?"

"Desiree needs new skills and Jesse needs a change of pace. I chose moving to Blanche' after Uncle Smalls passed away. I just want the land and the farm to stay in the family."

"Okay, I get that. But why Jesse? Why not Jason?"

It's a good question! I used to talk about Jason going back home after university. Then it was after his job with Koa... but he's still in Ciudad Enamorada. He's the one that visited home and Uncle Smalls the most but it doesn't feel right to bring him back... "I don't think he's ready. He hasn't really found himself, yet."

"Are you helping him look?"

"Huh?" I think Candance saw the rage coming back up because she quickly changed the topic.

"Anyway, you need to start with what you need. Don't worry about the layout or the pretty ranch I know you have in your head.

Let's focus on skills. What skills do you want Desi to work on?"

"Umm, flower arranging. Canning. Maybe fizzing? I think once she meets Vonnie in person, she might want to make more nectar as well. Not to sell. Just for herself. Desi doesn't have that entrepreneur drive."

"True. And Jesse? What do you think he would like?"

"He might enjoy taking care of animals. Maybe the researcher in him would like figuring out the different treats for the animals and filling up his notebook."

"Okay, okay. And the most important question for their cottage living era. Is Deja getting a horse?"

"100%! But not right now."

"Good to know. We still need to make the room for it from now. Okay, start with pulling everything you need for the prompts. Focus on activities that will keep them outside. Something tells me you're tired of The Watchtowers with no windows and your sims being stuck inside... And remember they're dealing with a high maintenance watcher."

"I said I want pretty and you said don't worry about it."

"High maintenance, sweetie. Low tolerance for stress. Keep it simple for now. You'll never really be finished but don't let rooms stay bare like you did with the Duke-Lunds 64X64 lot. In The Culling, The Cube would give you more points for a finished bungalow than a halfway done mansion. Got it?"

"Got it." I can't bring my tribe down. Too much is at stake.

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[simohgi]

Chapter 2.4

"Aunty Simgale, why is your daughter still here? She's mediocre at best."

"At least 60% of the staff is mediocre at best, Ms. Libra."

"Hmm, true. In that case, we need to make this year's culling more challenging."

"Are you targeting my offspring right in front of me?"

"Well, it would be quite rude to do it behind your back. You're one of my favourite watchers. I don't want you to hate me."

"Ms. Libra -"

"Our simulation needs to evolve, Aunty. The Omniscient One has spoken and watchers who do not improve their compliance rates will be terminated. Useless tribes and their worlds will be deleted. Even your precious 143 is -"

OMNI: Merman Song Detected. Fixer Required.

"What? What is Kaiso doing?"

OMNI: Merman Song Detected. Fixer Required.

---

Simgale Sinclair

Kaiso was a warrior. He would have fought the Reapers when I was pregnant with the twins and they came to get me. And they would have been no match for him in The Antilles. He's unstoppable near the water of any universe! But living apart is a small price to pay for a treaty that secured a happier life for merfolk everywhere and not only the ones lucky enough to live with his tribe. I only see him when I'm sent to manage his rage. They would delete him if they could... Management at The Cube do not believe in gods and the leader has the audacity to call themselves the Omniscient One. But something has been protecting Sarawak merfolk from the beginning of their simulation. Something about Sinclair genes puts fear in the heart of the sims that have raided, dominated and deleted entire worlds. And despite what we were told by Kaiso's father, it seems like my common genes did not stop my son, my little Daemi, from being chosen as the next Sarawak Chief. "You weren't supposed to inherit that ability. They said both parents must be mermaids. Damn it. Where is your father?"

"Claire's Island. Moji brought Claire to see him. They were both in that weird Child of the Ocean mode again... Dad kept triggering the rain yesterday and then Moji showed up in a bad mood but now they're good."

"How much does Maricela know?"

"I only tell her basic things about the artifacts. Nothing about the war or life before it, mum."

"Good. I know access is limited down here but OMNI will still look for any reason to break the treaty and delete your father. Do not go starting revolutions."

"Yes, mum."

"And why would you fall in love with a watched-sim, Daemi? Are you trying to make your life more difficult?"

----

Simohgi Sinclair

I didn't hear a sound. But my daughter, Claire, started screaming and was inconsolable until my father took her and started making sandcastles.

"Doh cry, baby girl. The first time is always scary but you'll learn what's a war cry and what's a love confession soon enough. Looks like I'll have another son or daughter-in-law soon."

I heard stories about the rare Merman's Song when I was a child. In Meta-Universe 85, the merfolk are from the Sarawak tribe and Sulani is named The Antilles. They were all "saved" by the Omniscient One and imprisoned, I mean relocated, to Sulani in this Savefile. It was under my mother's control until I became a watcher and then she gave it to me. I moved Jason Lavantille and his social circle here so that I could build a dynasty legacy with him that would make this Savefile untouchable.

My parents would not speak of all the things my dad is capable of. And they were not expecting my brother to be a merman or this strong. He keeps surpassing both of their expectations everyday while I can't seem to live up to my mother's. "What's happening, dad? Shouldn't we do something?"

"Nahh. Yuh mother already here. Leh we just enjoy the peace and quiet while we can. Is nuh often that OMNI shuts off down here. That buzzing noise does drive me mad sometimes."

"It would be nice to be a mermaid but ah glad my hearing sucks compared to you."

"You does hear a lot of things I cyah hear, baby girl. Yuh just need to learn how to redirect that negative energy."

"Talk plain nah, dad." I wish he would be more straightforward when he's trying to teach me something.

But he just smiles and changes the topic. Every single time. "Are you ready for the culling?"

"I guess. I still think it's a mistake to put me on the team."

"No, it's time. Ravi believes in you. We believe in you. Just do your best."

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[simohgi]

Chapter 2.3

I hate to see your heart break. Previous | Next

[simohgi]

Chapter 2.2

"You brought back a strange sprout?"

"And a refined moonstone. And some solarium. And a star flake."

"All of my favourites." You don't usually bring them all at once. What aren't you telling me?

"Don't think like that."

"It's hard not to right now." What do you keep doing up there?

"I'll tell you everything, Moji. When the time is right."

"When the time is right... This is driving me crazy. I've never heard of soulmates having as strong a shield as you. How is that fair? Hmm?"

"You can strengthen yours if-"

"But I don't want to. I didn't bond to you to hide, Ravi."

"I'm not hiding myself. I - there are some things that you don't need to know."

"Like what you're doing with the architect?" Of all the sims! The architect! I can't compete -

"Hey. You're not competing with her.

You're not competing with any sim in that way. I just need you to stay focused on The Culling. Keep those high-maintenance buffs to a minimum. Can you do that for me?"

You keep forgetting the jealous pangs are worse.

"The jealous pangs shouldn't be there. I'm yours. Only yours, Moji. Trust me."

"Trust goes both ways, Ravi. You won't let me in. Even when you're talking it feels like you're silent.

I hate it." I miss you.

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[simohgi]

Chapter 2.6 The Culling - Part Two

Simravi Kissoon

Before this sim-year, each culling was an opportunity to get rid of Watchers that you did not want in your tribe because they only eliminated the Watchers who failed along with their individual Savefiles. It is not common knowledge yet but from this year going forward, if even one member of your team fails, the entire tribe, all their Savefiles and their Meta-Universe will be deleted. It is a lot of pressure. But I'm still grateful for that pressure.

I've only heard stories about pixelated life before the war. Before the Omniscient One took over, you had no control over the survival of your Meta-Universe. Their twin brother, Grim, was ruthless. He would destroy Savefiles, Watchers and Meta-Universes without justification. His favourite tactic was The Great Updates. No one was safe from those viruses and there were no Fixers to help. After the Omnicient One defeated their brother, they took the Reapers across the universes to force the best Watchers to build The Cube. My mother-in-law, Simgale Sinclair, is one of those Watchers. She has become the most competent Fixer but Ungoril is a close second.

My mother-in-law thinks my gratitude and devotion to The Cube is "cute." She said my optimism is a good match for her daughter who always has her head in the clouds. But I cannot see a flaw in The System. Cullings are a necessary evil when you have limited resources. If we put the right type of pressure on the Watchers, they will always have the opportunity to succeed. And if they cannot? Survival of the fittest. It is better to have fewer pixels if we all thrive than to have more than The System can handle and then many sims suffer.

------

I had no doubt that Moji would pass The Culling. With her own open ended Legacy Savefiles, she gets in her own way. She makes mountains out of molehills and thinks every negative moodlet or action would ruin her sims' lives. The time constraint with sims that are not her own brought out the Moji that I know and love. The Moji that has the potential to be a stronger Challenger than me. "You've been working on your shield."

"Well, you don't need to know every little thing I'm thinking, right?"

Hmm. My petty-petty Mojisola Sinclair.

Don't full-name me, Ravi Josiah Kissoon.

Yuh serious? Using middle names is wicked.

Yeah? Dat is wicked? Ah could go back to silence then.

Dat nuh happening. My soulmate got her first Destine. Silence is not an option tonight.

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[simohgi]

Chapter 2.5 The Culling - Part One

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