Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Bernard 5: Round 20



Last round, Chimney Bernard grew from a child to a teen and began high school. His sister Balcony discovered she loved the beach, but Chimney wasn't so sure about the ocean. Meanwhile, Alderaan continued to battle her performance anxiety by giving an impromptu performance at a local Sulani bonfire. At the end of the week, Balcony grew to a teen as well.


Morning, Alderaan!

Alderaan: Oh, hi mysterious voice.


Huh, looks like a quiet week.

Alderaan: Yeah, that's what we thought too...


Thunder: This is absolutely insane...how can they just drop something like this on us?

So, I take it you guys got the letter...

Alderaan: Yeah, we did...


Alderaan: So we have to move now?

No, you guys have an empty lot in your neighborhood already. But some people will have to move their houses to another lot. Don't worry, we're working on a new map.

Alderaan: Well, alright, then...where is this new "community space" anyway?

As luck would have it, it's right next door. Want to go check it out?

Alderaan: I guess.


Well, right now it is...but there's a lot you guys could do with it.

Balcony: Like what?


Chimney: Having a marketplace would be cool, I guess...wait, what's a "maker space"?

It's...a space where you make stuff? Or you could use it as a community garden...


Although it looks like you guys have got that covered in your backyard.


(Sigh)

Chimney: What?

It seems every time I show up somewhere, you guys have another giant machine in your basement. What exactly is that thing?

Chimney: It's our new recycler! You just shove all your old junk in this end, and then it chops it up and you can make new stuff out of all the pieces. If we're going to have that market next door, I want to have some stuff to sell!

So, you're just going to sell re-assembled junk?


Chimney: No, I learned how to make candles too!

Well, it does seem safer than shoving junk into that machine...


Alderaan: They should be here soon... do you know which one you’re going to pick?

Balcony:  I think so... I’m so excited!

About what? Who’s they?


Oh, I get it. Looks like we're finally giving in to that cat lover trait...


She is pretty cute...





Welcome to the family, Patches.


Hopefully, she can scare off the Flower Bunny...


Um, maybe I'm imagining things, but wasn't there a counter next to the sink yesterday? I thought the bunny was supposed to leave stuff, not take stuff.


Let's hope he leaves the violin behind...instruments are kind of important around here.


They even seem to calm down the kitten.


Chimney: My great-great...what? Do I even have one of those?

I don't think you do.

Chimney: Um...what conditions, exactly?


Well, ok...that just happened...


Oh, hello there...um...

Tina: Oh, my name's Tina...say, pretty cool how you can talk without moving your mouth.

Balcony: Oh, that wasn't me. That was the mysterious voice.

Tina: Mysterious...what?

Balcony: You're...not from around here, are you?


Um...ok, then...


Balcony: Thanks for fixing the computer. So, did you just move in?

Tina: Oh, I live down by the old quarry...

Quarry? What quarry? Why is it every time I come to this area of town there's a new body of water?


Nice going, Alderaan.


Ok, now I know there used to be a counter under the window.

Thunder: Yeah, I don't know where they could be going...I mean, who steals a counter?


That's quite a stack of dishes there, Alderaan.

Alderann: Yeah, I'm behind on housework. But today is my day off, and I'm going to catch up on all my...


You may want to rethink your plans there, Alderaan.


Alderaan: Are you kidding me? I can't use the water?

I don't know, but if I had to guess I'd say it has something to do with Misty's improvement plan...

Alderaan: How does it improve the town if I can't wash my dishes? And...wait a minute. Where are my counters?

You're just noticing this now?


Whew, a distraction! Happy Birthday, Patches!


She seems pleased with the results, at least.


Chimney: All right! My fabricator's almost here!

Your...what?

Chimney: Well, you know how I've been recycling all our junk?

Uh-huh...

Chimney: Well, with this I'll be able to re-make it into new stuff! 


So, I'm guessing that didn't go as planned?

Chimney: Not really.

It's a good thing the water is back on. It looks like you've got some laundry to do.


Crayola: What happened to your kitchen?

Balcony: I don't know...it seems like every day there's another counter missing.

Crayola: Man, we lucked out. We've only had a few books go missing with this whole NAP thing, but...

Balcony: Wait, what? That wasn't in the letter.

Crayola: What, you guys didn't read the back? We were all supposed to vote on a neighborhood action plan. I still can't believe "Sharing is Caring" won...



Oh...well, that explains a lot.

Alderaan: Wait, so everyone who comes into my house can just take my stuff now? When did we agree to that? I mean, I'm all for sharing but this is just too much!


Yeah, no kidding...


Alderaan: Ok, that is it.  We need to undo this action plan or whatever.


Alderaan: You! You must be tired of people taking all your stuff, right?

Random Neighbor: Um...do I know you?

Maybe tone it down a bit, Alderaan...


Wait, Poe doesn't even live in your neighborhood. Why would his signature matter?

Alderaan: Well...I mean, he's clearly using our community space! I think it should count!

And he's also your cousin and thus more prone to agree with you...

Alderaan: Alright, if you want to get technical about it...


So? Did it work?

Alderaan: Well, we won't know for a few days. But I did get a lot of signatures...


And we're having a formal dinner to celebrate that?

Alderaan: No, of course not.


Oh, I see. Well, then...happy birthday, dear Thunder...





Alright, now let's head home and have a nice relaxing evening...


Or...


Ok, well, it looks like Balcony's got this under control. I'll just see myself out. See you guys in Round 21!




A Message From The Mysterious Voice: And Eco Lifestyle arrives! I have to say, there was probably more prep work involved with Eco Lifestyle than with any other pack so far. I pretty much had to shuffle around all the houses to make room for the community space lots, but keep them roughly in the same order so I can follow the same rotation around the town. It took a very long time. And I have...mixed feelings on the whole NAP thing. It's a great concept, but some of them don't seem to work as well in execution. I mean, I would totally get if  "Sharing is Caring" applied to books or even tablets or musical instruments-but kitchen counters? (And by the way, that seems to be the only thing anyone took.) Hopefully, this gets re-tuned in a patch down the line. 

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