Chapter 6: The King of the Gandharvas

The narrator humbly apologizes for failing to mention Rajendra's age up to toddler in the last chapter, or taking a picture. Much like the five Pandava brothers in the great Hindu epic, The Mahabharata, the first three have distinct personalities and roles to play in the story, while the last two are just there to make five. But hey, it could be a lot worse, in the same epic, there are 100 Kaurava brothers and only the first two are even named.

Darleen has really gotten into her street art, and wants to make $300 in tips.

Unfortunately for her, though the hangout os full of patrons, they are all interested in anything but tipping her while she spray paints.

Even staring out the window is a more attractive pastime. Darleen paints three murals and receives no tips for them.

Suchandra has achieved his lifetime aspiration of maxing his skill with the guitar and charisma. Now his wishes are to reach the top level of his career, and to see his children grow up well and make the honor roll. So, if he wants to spend his days hanging round the house playing guitar in his underwear, he's earned it.

Darleen's street art finally attracts someone's attention.

"Tagging is a serious crime. Like murder," the cop says as she cuffs Darleen.

"You're going to jail for this," the cop says as she pushes Darleen into the car. But she only drives as far as Darleen's house, right across the street.

"If you lazy good for nothings had jobs, you wouldn't be out on the street causing trouble," the cop grumbles, writing out a fine of $1000 for Darleen.

"I have a job," Darleen protests. Of course, she's been on permanent maternity leave with all the kids she's had, and has kind of forgotten what her job actually is. Oh, right, music, that's how she met Suchandra. She hasn't picked up her guitar since she married him.

"I've got my eye on you," the cop gives a last, stern warning, 'One false move, and it's jail time for you."

Darleen goes inside and starts ranting about the corrupt system that fines artists for donating their time and efforts to beautifying the city, instead of paying them for it. "Art is not illegal!" she shouts.

She thought her efforts were going unnoticed, but she receives a call that afternoon offering her a job as an art appraiser. She'll be able to start after the coming Leisure Day holiday and the weekend that follows is over.

After putting the toddlers into the nursery for their naps, Suchandra approaches Darleen for some risky woohoo. Suresh comes in at just the right moment, wanting to tell his father a joke.

"I thought you had scouts today?" Suchandra asks.

"I did. It's past 4 now."

Risky woohoo thwarted!  

Alvaro comes to pick Kamala up for prom.

"I can't believe we have to do homework in this squalor," Kiran complains, "There's a dirty plate right there."

You think this is bad, kid? You should have seen chapter 3.

A little pillow fighting after homework helps bring the fun bars up.

Suresh was mopping a puddle in the bathroom from the broken shower when his ageup time happens. So, everyone gathers in the bathroom to watch.

Suresh is now a teen, and there's even more puddles to mop.

"For me?" Suresh claps for the new TV/bookcase combo. Actually, this wasn't really a birthday present, it just happens that Darleen earned enough cred with the Nerds to get a free gaming console, and that's pretty useless without a TV.  But to Suresh, it's all about Suresh.

A picture of Suresh where you can see his face. 

Kamala and Alvaro's prom picture. Kamala of course was crowned queen. Suresh was jealous that he missed prom, since he didn't age up on time for it, but he's convinced that, had he gone,he would have been crowned king.

After joining the shop club at school, Kamala's Handy trait finally kicked in, giving her the urge to repair and upgrade the broken plumbing. And Suresh of course is right behind her with his mop. He's not letting Kamala's talents outshine his own.

"Slave! Clean these plates! Chop chop!" Kiran, dressed in his royal costume, orders while Suresh is busy tidying up the kitchen.

Kiran is just playing pretend, of course, but his words hit a nerve with Suresh. In his zeal to prove his worthiness to be heir, he's made himself subservient, his family's cleaning service. Unlike his less ambitious siblings, Suresh has already settled on a lifetime wish, to be CEO of a mega corporation. It's time he started acting like one, he decides.

"I want the floor to be so clean I could eat off it, slave, or I will cast you into my darkest dungeon! I, Kiran, King of the Gandharvas, command you!"

Suresh is no slave! How dare his little brother address him in that manner! Suresh thinks as he goes into the nursery to empty the (really disgusting) potty.

"I've been working my butt off since childhood, trying to keep this place clean. It's high time you started taking some responsibility for the cleanliness of this house," Suresh lectures his father, guilting him into taking out the trash.

"You, too!" he turns to Darleen, "I can't believe I have such a slattern for a mother! That sink is filthy! Don't you think you should do something about it instead of playing with your dolls?"

Slattern? Darleen thinks, cleaning the sink as ordered, where did he even come up with that word?

On Leisure Day, the family goes to the park for the festival. That's Darshan, there, the youngest. He aged up to toddler somewhere in all this mess. Of course there was no parties or pictures taken.

Kamala and Alvaro enjoy the water slide.

And enjoy checking each other out in their swimwear.

Suresh is the hotdog master. He will win this contest and thus provide a week's worth of hotdogs for his family, once gain proving that he is the best candidate for heir.

The whole family, including Alvaro, took a picture together. Everyone had a great time and fulfilled various wishes along the way. Kiran's wish to redeem the stockpile of festival tickets his family had been amassing procured a new soccer net for the family. Suresh still thinks his week's worth of hotdogs is better.

The next day is Rajendra's birthday, and Suchandra wanted to throw a party. As per tradition, as soon as the party call was made, he and Darleen get in the mood for some risky woohoo.

"Dad, let's play catch!" Kamala says, interrupting the romantic moment. 

Why do his children keep thwarting his every attempt to get into his wife's pants? Why did he even have children?

Oh, well. Instead of risky woohoo, Suchandra gratifies his wish to let Rajendra ride a spring rider. It's the last chance he'll have to do that. (The spring rider was obtained by redeeming festival last spring; Suresh would like to point out that it was his wish to redeem the tickets that got this toy for the family. He was a great provider even in childhood.)

Party chaos time. I'm not sure all of these people were actually invited. Oscar and Vivienne attempt to woohoo in Darleen and Suchandra's bed, but are thwarted by one of their own children. It's a conspiracy!

Done with the spring rider, Suchandra takes Rajendra to the cake.

I made a point of taking a picture of Rajendra as a child. 

Alvaro asked Kamala to go steady with him at the prom. Kamala has been on cloud 9 ever since.

Rajendra was still on his toddler sleep schedule and is desperate for an afternoon nap. For now, a new bunk bed is put in the room Suresh and Kiran share. When Darshan ages up in a few days, the nursery will be his and Rajendra's bedroom.

"Party woohoo?" Darleen suggests, "Before all the guests leave?"

Since it's safe woohoo, no one steps in to thwart them.

_______________________

I'd really prefer to have Suchandra and Darleen stop at five kids, but they do keep trying to autonomously risky woohoo or worse, try for baby. So, if I can distract them from that by having them do something to fulfill a wish, or use their kids' wishes to thwart them, I do. Suresh is actually a brilliant blocker (once again proving his usefulness) because he autonomously barges in on his parents to tell jokes or chat, I don't even have to direct him. Of course it was annoying when I wanted them to be autonomously trying for baby and he'd thwart it with his constant demands for attention, lol.

Kamala got a wish to sign up for an afterschool class, and I went for shop. Getting that handiness point, really woke up the Handy trait, and suddenly she wanted to upgrade 5 objects. Yes! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Darleen also rolled an upgrade 5 objects wish, so I'm working on unbreakable plumbing. No more puddles!

I already bought expensive non-breakable toilets because I couldn't take it much longer.

As a child, Suresh had rolled a couple of wishes to find rocks. At some point, I was cleaning out his inventory and sold his two gems. And he immediately rolled a wish to be CEO. I thought that was perfect for him, and locked it in.

Kamala rolled a wish for Renaissance Sim, and I locked that. 

Right now, I'm leaning heavily toward Kiran for heir. Both he and Kamala grow up gorgeous, and it's a hard choice. (Yes, I pick based on looks. Partially, at least.) Kiran has both his father's eye and hair color, which I'd like to pass on for as long as I can. Kamala has the eyes.

Here's a preview of Kiran as a YA, aged up in CAS. His outfit was random, but his favorite color is actually pink.  I'll probably give him better eyebrows. I do like that hair on him.

Suresh will absolutely be staying on in the household. He is too useful to let go. When he started autonomously ordering his parents to clean...yeah, that was beautiful. 

I do want to pass the torch soon, as Suchandra's locked wishes are all for his kids aging up well, getting on honor roll, etc. and reaching level 10 of his career. There's not much he can actively do for those, besides just showing up for work to get the promotion, so I'm mostly playing the others while he does whatever he wants.

I'm going to update the Generations page to add the traits the kids have so far right now.