Chapter 7.20: Inconsistencies

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From Alba's diary

The weeks pass, summer is now approaching and here on Sulani the usual heat is showing up again in all its strength. It is not always easy to work in this climate, even less so when my head is full of other thoughts related to my private life. This doesn't mean that I'm not keeping to give my best, however.

Alba: Oh, Mrs Tara, good morning!

I don't actually know how old she is, everyone just says that she's "very old". But this doesn't seem to stop our director, especially when the situation keeps getting worse and worse as it is now.

Tara: So, are you noticing any improvement?

Alba: The only values ​​that are decreasing are those of the concentration of chemical substances in the water in the northwest bay, but the rest...

Tara: I've been doing this job for some time now, I know how to distinguish a normal situation from one that isn't. And now I think there's someone behind it, someone who is purposely dumping their garbage on our islands.

Tara: So keep your eyes open, and put the rest of the team on alert too. Is it clear?

Alba: Yes, of course!

And she ran away again, with an energy that I admit I really envy sometimes.

Only by continuing to examine this waste can we hope to understand its origin, so we just have to persist until we can!

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Meanwhile, at the supposedly empty Alba's house...

Kate: C'mon, Mr Cat, we're not burglars! 

Helios: His name is Nacho, if I'm not wrong.

Kate: If you know him so well, could you please calm him down while I look for evidence?

Helios: By the way, do you know what the thing we're looking for is supposed to look like?

Kate: Not really. I still can't explain how they manage to do what they do from such a distance. We should just look for anything out of the ordinary, really.

Helios: Uhm...

Kate: This is... interesting.

Helios: Are you sure it is a good idea to peak inside as well? Alba could be back from work at any moment, you know.

Kate: There is definitively something off in here, it was very clear when we talked with Alba and Olivier. And then, the headache I'm feeling now doesn't lie, whatever I'm looking for can't be far. Actually, I have the impression it is getting worse when heading that way...

Kate: Bingo! I didn't expect it to be so small, though.

Helios: It's getting very late, we should return to Tech Sixam as soon as possible, really.

Kate: I know, you said it already. On the other hand... Do you still remember the password we agreed on before coming here?
Helios: Ehm... Papaia?

Kate: Wrong. I told you it was a bad idea for you to come here, there are better and safer ways to test whatever this is causing. Anyway, this stuff should be enough for our labs to start some analysis, we can indeed leave. Judging from your answers in the last few minutes, I have a strong impression that someone may have found our incursion quite worrisome, you know?

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A few hours later, when all the Millers are back home...

From Alba's diary

I had a strange impression today when returning home, I had the impression that our furniture didn't look this messy when we left... Anyway, I don't have the time to think about it today, I was late already.

It has been almost six months since the last time I baked a cake, I missed it quite a bit. This time I decided to make one with our coconuts, since little Rowan likes them so much.

Alba: Nacho, even if cakes aren't for you, there isn't any reason for you to be so grumpy every time we bake one, you know?

Nacho: (offended) Mhh….

Rowan: Cake!

Alba: Yes, this is all for you! It looks delicious, right?

That's right, little Rowan's birthday has arrived. Soon I won't be able to carry him around in my arms anymore, isn't it crazy, my dear diary?

Alba: As soon as the others arrive you'll be able to look at the candles more closely, I promise they'll be here in a few minutes!

Rowan: Candles now!

Alba: C'mon, Rowan...

Gabriele: (whispering) Be careful about what you say when the others arrive, okay?

Alba: ...

How much I would like to answer badly at him at these times... Just before remembering I'm not in the position to really protest.

Erika: Happy birthday!

The more Rowan grows the more he resembles his dad, don't you agree, my dear diary?

But he's not the only one who's grown up a lot recently...

Alba: Oh my... Iris, River! I almost didn't recognize you!

Iris: Don't tell me, she's gonna to hug us again now...

Alba: Have you started high school now?

River: Obviously.

Alba: At Tech Sixam do you assemble robots and things like that?

Iris: It is an optional course, actually. And I'm enrolled, yes!

Alba: Oh. And what do you do instead, River?

River: I'm studying as many languages ​​as I can. I would like to travel when I grow up.

Noticing that they eventually reached my same height makes me feel so old, time really flies for kids and teens...

Iris: Rather, it's very hot here! Why don't we all go to the sea?

Of course, even if I hadn't specified it when I invited the rest of my family to this birthday party, everyone had brought their bathing suit. Sulani is still Sulani, after all.

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Rowan truly is a studious and serious child. He plays chess a lot, and he also asked for a small table to make his own experiments. He's very serious with his schoolwork too, of course.

Rowan: Today I tried to say hello to the scarecrow near our school, but it didn't respond at all! Why didn't it move at all, isn't it just like you?

Scarecrow: This could actually be a semantic issue. It's because I'm a robot that I can move and talk, not because I'm a scarecrow.

Rowan: Oh. It makes sense, now that you mention it.

Alba: It's almost time to go to the scouts, shall we go?

Rowan: Yes, I'm ready!

I met the boy and girl Scouts a few years ago, they often help us clean up garbage from the beaches. They seemed like good kids, so I suggested Rowan join them as soon as he was old enough.

He seems to be having a lot of fun, and he says he can't wait to get his first badge.

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A few weeks later Rowan was at a new meeting with the scouts, and so Olivier and I took the opportunity to spend some time on our own.

Alba: Isn't it weird that Kate hasn't shown up for so long? What do you think happened to her?

Olivier: Well, maybe she just gave up. I guess that, actually, that wouldn't be so bad for us, considering that at this point we're all involved in this weird plan. I have no intention of getting arrested, you know?

Alba: ...

Olivier was always saying this lately, that we should be careful because we risk being arrested. Actually, a few times I found myself thinking the same, but more often than not that thought doesn't make so much sense to me.

I mean, would it really be that bad for us? I don't understand much about New Sixam's laws, but in the end the real culprit is Drew, isn't it?

Maybe the reason why I'm so insecure is because I can never really concentrate on these topics, that strange headache interrupts me every time...

Alba: Rather, since we have the evening to ourselves, why don't we sing a little? I have the guitar, we can sing that song we sang together on New Year's Eve that time, right?

Olivier: Um.

Alba: Is everything okay? You have a face...

Olivier: (evasive) It's just that a lot of time has passed, I admit that I don't remember all the lyrics that well, so...

Olivier: (surprised) What? Are you serious?

This is strange. I mean, very, very strange. Olivier has always had an excellent memory, especially when it comes to songs. Usually all I have to do is take out the guitar, play the first two chords and he has already recognized the song and started singing it. Of all the songs, has he really forgotten this one? This doesn't seem normal, what happened to him?

Alba: (worried) Are you sure you're fine, Olivier?

Olivier: (confused) Uhm? Sure, why shouldn't I?

Alba: Well, you've never forgotten any song, that's also why you always win at karaoke, you don't need to read the lyrics! Are you sure that no one has erased your memories, or...

Olivier: C'mon, that's nonsense. We haven't done anything wrong, what reason would they have to erase our memories?

Alba: Uhm…

Alba: Since we were given those interfering watches you seem quite strange, you know?

Olivier: It seems unlikely to me, most likely it's just an impression. What could they do, they're just watches, right?

I shook my head imperceptibly, I almost struggle to recognize him when he talks like that. To be honest, I almost have the impression that his way of speaking reminds me of someone else, even if I can't quite figure out who. Also because that damn headache is getting worse and worse, maybe I should go to sleep and stop thinking about it...

Next chapter -->

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§HermioneSims§ corner

There would be a lot to say also about this chapter, but it is still too early for any explanation, sorry :P

Anyway, What I wanted to add today was some comment about the random sim that appeared at the beginning of the chapter, Mrs Tara. 

She was a sim made by one friend on the forum where this legacy was originally posted, for a while we shared our sims over the gallery to see them popping out as background characters in each other's stories. In this chapter I mentioned she's very old, and indeed she had been around forever in this save. To give an idea, the first time I spotted her was back at the beginning of Generaion 6. 

^ She's the lady in front of the "Island living" premade sim.

Picture from chapter 6.6!