Round 4: Manave
Welcome back to the island! I hope you saved room for dessert because there is plenty of cake to go around. I'm sure it tastes much better than it looks.
I'm diving into round 4 here with the goal of shorter updates, so to manage that, I'll post by household from now on. First up is the Chief's hut, home of the Manave family.
As a bit of a refresher: Chief Fangaloka lives here with his wife Huhana and their daughter Nanihi. He also recently married again to acquire an heir. Huhana does not get along at all with second wife Erita, and has a one-sided competition for the chief's affection.
Fangaloka would like be around at least for the birth of his heir, so he's developing a slight addiction to the shaman's home-brewed life elixir.
Life elixir may have some unintended side effects including but not limited to sudden mood swings, increased flirtatiousness, heart murmurs, dry mouth, liver failure, eczema, bacne, and death. Talk to your family shaman before use.
Fangaloka: Shaman Efiki! You are looking fine today!
Jessica: Glad to see the elixir is working for you, koro-chief. Any unexpected effects from it?
Fangaloka: None whatsoever. Did I mention already how beautiful you look today? Why not give up the shaman life and be my third wife?
Jessica: Flattering, but I suspect my husband might not be so fond of the idea. Note to self: tone down the phenoplast grass in the next elixir batch.
Akolo is right to side-eye the chief considering the constant hearts Fangaloka has for Jessica, as well as their story mode history.
Huhana: Ah girl, what have I told you about talking to that woman? She is nothing but trouble!
Nanihi: Papa sure seems to like her.
Fangaloka: Your birthday is quickly approaching, Nanihi. I believe everything is in order for tomorrow night. All the nobles will be there, as well as the shaman's family, and of course, your bethrothed.
Nanihi: Rarahu is boring! I shall marry Tumakuru instead.
Tumakuru: *chokes*
Erita: Ha!
Huhana: Nanihi! A chief's daughter does not marry a lowborn.
Fangaloka: Ladies, I think it's time for bed. I will say good night to my daughter out here.
Nanihi, Rarahu is the greatest warrior of our tribe, and my faithful bodyguard. I always want the best for you, and clearly this is Rarahu.
Nanihi: Being strong and able to outrun a hyena doesn't make you interesting! I want to marry someone fun!
Fangaloka: You are still young. After your birthday, perhaps you will find more in common with Rarahu than you'd thought.
Nanihi: I doubt it. All he likes to do is talk about discipline and hunting.
Fangaloka: I suggest you talk with Rarahu tomorrow. Tell him some of the things you are interested in, and you might find he likes some of them too.
Nanihi: Do I really have to marry him, Papa?
Fangaloka: My precious Nanihi, you are still so young. You won't marry anysim until you are older, but there is no harm in preparing ahead of time. You know I will never want anything bad for you, but I'll not let you decide something, or somesim, is no good until you give it, or him, a fair chance. Now, I think we are far past your bedtime...
Nanihi: Good night, Papa! I know Rarahu will still be boring tomorrow but I promise I'll be nice to him.
Fangaloka: That's all I can ask.
Early the next morning, the family servant seeks out the chief regarding something that has been worrying him all night.
Tumakuru: Mighty koro-chief, please forgive my insolence. I swear I have never had any intention toward your daughter except making sure her meals are tasty and her environment is clean, as I do toward all your family.
Fangaloka: Nanihi is a precocious girl who often speaks only to see what reaction she gets. I've no complaints with your work, save that you're not at it now. Here, take this banana peel back with you.
Tumukuru: That went much better than expected!
Fangaloka: Silly paranoid boy. Next time I'll act angrier just to see what he does. Mm, these bananas are good!
Ahio: Hello stranger.
Erita: Hello yourself. I heard you married.
Ahio: As I recall, you were the one who married first.
Erita: To the chief! That's not a request anysim can turn down, as you well know.
Ahio: I miss you. I thought I could forget you, with Kiri, but...
Erita: I miss you too. Come back tomorrow night-it will be too busy tonight with the birthday-but tomorrow I can slip away. Meet me by the ash pit. Nosim will see us there. Until then you should go, though. Nosim should see you here.
Ahio: Can I have one kiss for the road?
Erita: Just a quick one while nosim is looking...
Dun dun dun.
Fangaloka: Rarahu, it is good to see you. Now remember, pay close attention to what Nanihi says and try not to talk about hunting just for tonight.
Huhana: You look so grown up, darling. Everysim is here; are you ready?
Nanihi: I'm nervous, Mama. I hardly know any of these nobles. I wish my friends could have come.
Huhana: Somesim as friendly and charming as you will have new friends in no time. Kiss for luck.
Nanihi isn't usually shy, but this is a big moment and she is surrounded by the most important Sims in the village. True, she is one of these important Sims, but she rarely feels that way. If only her friends could have come! But moving on from childhood means leaving childish things behind...including childhood friends.
A friendly face at the window makes her feel a little better, however. She doesn't really want to marry Tumakuru, but she is glad he at least will still be there when everything else is changing.
Timoti: Is it true, Shaman Efiki? The volcano is still angry with us?
Jessica: Um I'm not exactly a seismologist but- No! The curse is broken so everything is fine. No fear.
True to her word, Nanihi seeks out her betrothed for a chat. They successfully make small talk, but the conversation never manages to go deeper.
Nanihi: So for a wedding, would you use the traditional headwear? It is fairly out of fashion, but seeing as you and I are such prominent members of the community-
Rarahu: I leave all the wedding planning to you, Nanihi. Good night.
Nanihi: Oh...good night. Sleep tight! Ugh, why did I say that??
Fangaloka: The cake must be good for it to disappear so quickly!
Nanihi: It was delicious. Thank you, Tumakuru, for baking it. And thank you, Papa, for the party.
Fangaloka: I saw you and Rarahu speaking in the back for some time...
Nanihi: Yes. He was very polite and punctual as usual and we talked about fruit the entire time.
Huhana: At least it was a different topic than hunting!
Nanihi: Mama! If I talk about food for the rest of my life I will go crazy! And when I brought up a wedding-
Fangaloka: Good for you!
Nanihi: Let me finish. When I brought it up, he was completely uninterested! He said it was all up to me.
Huhana: That's a very good quality in a husband. You should hold onto this one.
Fangaloka: I would like to hear Rarahu's side of this story...
So did anyone remember there was a baby in this house? Me neither. I don't think I even mentioned her name last update. Poor, forgettable Nikora.
I even forgot it was her birthday, so she grew up without fanfare in the nursery. She has quite the profile!
Fortunately Nanihi is a great big half-sister now that they are both old enough to interact with one another.
Yeah, Nanihi has a better relationship with Nikora than either of the toddler's parents and she doesn't even show up as family.
I'm not entirely sure why she isn't considered related, but I suspect it has to do with either the pre-loaded lack of relationships in this household, or my tinkering in an attempt to fix it.
Late that night, Ahio arrives at the appointed spot.
Erita: I miss this. I miss us.
Ahio: I wish I had married you sooner, before the chief ever laid eyes on you. I hate going behind his back, but... I can't stand to be apart from you either!
Erita: Once I give him a son he'll be less attentive and we can meet more often. For now-did you hear that?
Fangaloka: Hello? Is somesim there?
Erita: Koro-chief! I...what are you doing out at this hour?
Fangaloka: I'd rather not be, but sometimes the outhouse calls. Is that Ahio with you?
Erita: No! I mean, yes, but not with me. I was just coming back from the outhouse and he happened to be here, um...
Ahio: Tracking a hyena! I was following it since sunset, and the tracks seemed to lead this way, but I lost them in the dark. Kui-Erita happened to be here and I asked if she had seen any signs of it.
Erita: I had not, so Ahio is just heading home now.
Ahio: Indeed! Exactly! Uh...good night!
Notes:
- Whew! Lots of drama this round, which is what I play for, but you know. ;)
- Erita and Ahio were super lucky. Fangaloka really was heading to the outhouse, and I didn't notice until he was on the stairs. Fortunately the two of them were in the middle of a backrub, so it didn't trigger jealousy.
- I'm still kind of on the fence about pairing Nanihi and Rarahu, but I think it will happen in the future. I don't know if I'll wait until she's an adult, but I'll definitely wait until she's older. I gave her a Popularity aspiration, by the way, so it's not a great match for Rarahu's Knowledge, but that's part of the fun of seeing if arranged marriages will work, right?
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