Four-Day Scientists

Tue, Winter 4 (Apr 25)

Tae: Alej and I manage to get our eight scientific breakthroughs before our first workday at The Lab. We decide that I’d work actively today. Too bad we can’t both work activity. I show up at The Lab in my scout’s uniform. Really? Watcher, can’t you remove it from my wardrobe.

Tae: Stop it, Senior Pollinator Technician #3! You’ve been abducting Alej or me nearly every night since we returned from StrangerVille! My baby-making superpower is not for you!

Alej: Today’s my turn to work actively at The Lab. Since I’m a Genius, I thought this might be the right career for me, but I’d prefer a job with a more flexible work schedule and fewer hours.

Like Tae did yesterday, I work an extra two hours to hit as many dig sites as possible. I only find one new-to-us collectible, though. On the plus side, we both earn our Level 5 promotion!

Tae: It’s Thursday but we'd both phoned in for a vacation day. After a lazy afternoon, we each get two more scientific breakthroughs and can learn to invent a cloning machine. We make two each, including one extra for Jace because he’s been wanting one.

Tae: What do you think of Alej, Sass? Do you like him? Do you think he’s a good match for me?

Sasuke: He’s okay so far. I haven’t spent much time with him yet, but we’re friends already and he makes me gourmet pet food, so he’s on the right track.  Does he make you happy, Tae?

Tae: Yes, very. Sasuke: I wonder if Em will fall in love and have puppies in Ondarion...

Alej: Friday morning, Tae and I both quit our job as Scientists after only four days. Next, we visit Tae’s friend Jace. The first thing I do is introduce myself. After some small talk, I give him the cloning machine he’d wanted. Hope it comes in handy for him!

Tae: You remember me, Moxie? I’m your Grandpa Tae! I brought along two of your siblings, too.

Moxie: What about my mother Mia and sister Kali?

Tae: Chiyo and Mia moved in with our father Jun in Mt. Komorebi, and Kali is Papa Jun's cat now.

Moxie: Nyanko! I thought you lived in Ondarion.

Kitty: My name’s Esme Munch now, Moxie. I moved back in with Grandpa Tae four days ago.

Moxie: But why are you and Zorro still babies?

Esme: Grandpa Tae adores Zorro as a kitty. And he hasn't aged me up yet because he wants my hooman mama, Irene, to see how adorable I am as a kitty!

Tae: Next, we head for Britechester to visit the Woods family again. After looking all over for Melody, I focus the camera on her and spot her far away from the house. I don’t know how long she's been here, but she's happy to be fed. See that pink townhouse behind me? That’s the Elderberry residence.

Tae: Melody, I’m taking you home to your parents okay? Oh look, a dig site! You don’t mind if I make a quick stop, do you?

Tae: Back at the Woods residence, Honey and Rowan are relieved to see their baby back home. I try to hand Melody to Honey but end up putting Melody in her crib. Alej immediately comes over to pick her up and change her diaper. It’s a full-service visit! 🤭

(At a remote military lab)

Juwon: Col. Kimura phoned this morning to inform me that I’ve completed my military duty and earned an honorable discharge, effective tomorrow. So, tonight’s my last night as a Covert Operator!

Before work, I burn all my cards from Tae (but I keep the memento portrait from our first date). I’m all packed and ready to both move on and move out tomorrow. My former housemates say that they have a new housemate but that the house next to theirs is for sale, so I'll buy it. I can't wait to live in Mt. Komorebi’s Wakaba district again!

Watcher's Note:
*Tae had decided to wait until later to work on Friend of the Animals, then discovered he'd reached the final milestone, not the third. One of the goals is to have 12 cat or dog friends at the same time. Tae only needs three more pet friends to complete this goal, so he's hoping to get this done in March. The other two tasks aren't time-sensitive and can wait until later.