Sex, Drugs, and... Remodeling

At Barbieville Middle School, the day begins. 

Alex: I appreciate all the advice, but I really don't think it will be rough adjusting.  For one thing, I'm going to have my own room to hide in if it gets crazy.  

Hermione: It was all the boys in the house I had to get used to.  

Samantha: Having a stepsister is a godsend for me.  Raven has helped me so much since Charmaine did what she did.  (laughs) And now they've moved out of town, so I don't even have to look at her! 

Alex: Still gotta look at the piece of crap she did it for, though. 

Samantha: He's not to blame for her actions.  (Waves dismissively in Draco's direction.)  I heard your dad's team finally got a chance to investigate Witch's Cove?  

Alex: Yeah, and it was Pocahontas's idea!  I think he's more excited about that than the wedding!

Gabriella: ...then Charlotte told Courtney nobody cares and Mom said "Keep your mouth off my children."  

Taylor: No wonder y'all come to my house so much.  Beside helping your dad with the remodel, you can get away from that hag.  

Gabriella: Have you heard anything from Candy?

Taylor: No, and it's been over a week.  We're starting to really get worried.

Draco: You know, a decent school doesn't teach this stuff to boys and girls in the same room. 

Nancy: You and I have very different ideas of what a decent school does.  (Draco rolls his eyes.) If you have parental consent, you can turn in your book and take a study hall.  Do you have parental consent? 

Draco: You know I don't. 

Nancy: I suggest you discuss your discomfort with your parents.  In the meantime, please keep your complaints to yourself.  

*******

Pern is walking home from work when Pocahontas calls her over to a table in the park. 

Pern: I knew this was going to happen.  That you'd make me say it. 

Pocahontas: Pern, I'm not going to do this without your okay.  You've surprised me, to be frank, with your drive to stay off the drugs.  I really don't want to hurt you. 

Pern: It's just so hard to admit I failed that badly as a mom.  

Pocahontas: I'm sure it hurts.  I'm sorry.  

Pern (crying softly): But it'd be a bigger failure to stand in the way of what's best for him.  

Pocahontas:  You'll still be in his life.  Hell, if John's the mom and I'm the dad, you can be the doting aunt.  We've all come to love you, Pern.  Warts and all. 

********

At Windu Acres, Joe's short break is interrupted.

Mace: Did you have to make mine the ugliest room in the house? 

Joe: Hey, you left it up to Rose-Grace.  She told me to use repurposed materials from my warehouse.  Not my fault they ended up being contrasting patterns.  

Mace: I'm just messing with you.  It's actually kinda bohemian.  Makes me wanna invite Albus over and smoke some weed. 

Joe: I donated a few horse prints.  I'm a city boy, barely know one end of a horse from the other.

Mace: Thanks.  Hey, what say we go to Sunburst for lunch?  My treat. I can teach you which end is which. 

Aftermath and Beginnings

Rose-Grace comes home early to find Pike and the three youngest in her bedroom.

Rose-Grace: What is that?  And why are the kids half-naked?

Freddy:  We played in the mud and Daddy had to bath us.  Then the mailman brought me a dino!

Pike: The mailman brought you a dino poster and the little twins some wall art.  Auntie said you had to share, remember?

Freddy: Auntie is a dino scientist, Step-Mommy.  Did you know that?

Rose-Grace (chuckles):  Yes, and apparently she isn't going to rest until one or more of Pike's children follow in her footsteps.  

Freddy: You look like you're getting one of your headaches.  Are you all stressed out?

Rose-Grace: Very stressed out.  (To Pike)  They determined the fire was arson.  Neither Midna or Violet can settle with the insurance company.

Pike: Say no more.  We'll clear out and let you take a nap.

Rose-Grace (already crawling into bed, fully dressed):  Thank you, honey.  

Tanner:  Oh, man, that sucks.  I remember all the hassle after our fire, and that was proven to be totally not arson.  I wonder who did it.

Samara:  Fick!

Finnick: Hush, Samara, you aren't supposed to tell anyone.  (laughs)  Take her, somebody.  I'm gonna help Fred with his poster.

Fred:  Are you mad Auntie didn't send you a dino something?

Finnick: Well, she kind of did, since we all share this room.  

*****

At the elementary school, a few days later.   

Stacie:  Roxy, this is Dan and Emma.  They just moved into my neighborhood.

Roxy: I wondered why you and Anakin came in here during third grade. 

Anakin: We met them on the Sledding Hill Of Doom.  Told them you'd help them like Stacie did me.

Emma: Maybe we can all be friends.  

******

At the middle school

Kevin:  This is the social studies room. Both eighth and seventh grade use it. It's also our home room.

Hermione: Thanks for showing us around, Kevin.  

Kevin:  No problem.  When your mom mentioned...

Kevin:  Hi.  Are you new here, too? 

Ron: Yeah.  I'm Ron Weasley.

Kevin introduces himself, Hermione, and Harry.  Then he starts telling them about their classmates.

Draco:  Oh, look, more peasants.  Probably from the Welfare Arms out by the lake. 

Charmaine: The redheaded boy got on the bus there.  I don't know who the other two are.

Draco:  You ride the bus?

Taylor: Look, Sam, if that's how she's going to be, you're better off without her.

Samantha: She's just acting like that to impress Draco.  She thinks he's cute.

Alex: No boy is worth stabbing a good friend in the back for.  Especially not the way she did.  What she called you is -- 

Samantha:  She didn't say it.  He did. 

Gabriella:  That's just as bad.  She didn't defend you.

*****

  Nikki and Claudia find a moment to welcome Ginny after lunch.

Nikki:  How are you liking it here so far?  

Ginny:  I like it, but it's going to take a little getting used to.  I tried to look like I'm in a uniform, and everyone is so casual.  Did you two twin on purpose? 

Claudia: Yeah, we do that sometimes.  She's my bestie. 

Snow Day!

The worst of the cold snap has passed, and finally it's warm enough to enjoy the snow.  The parents are at work and Taylor stays home with the babies, but the rest of the Pikes burn off some cabin fever.

Tanner:  Watch me take this next snow drift like a pro! 

Nikki:  No, I'm not wearing my helmet!  I don't want my brains all over the place! 

Tanner: Why didn't you wear your helmet, dummy?  

Nikki: You promised to be careful.  Some of us actually use our brains and want to keep them inside our heads where they belong. 

Finnick: Tanner would be totally safe in a zombie apocalypse.  

Tanner: At least I don't look like I belong on a magic carpet instead of an ATV.  Seriously, dude, you look ridiculous. 

Nakoma: You're just jealous you don't have a girlfriend to give your coat to. 

Tanner: My girlfriend wouldn't need my coat.

Finnick: Yeah, cause she'd already be frigid. 

Fred: Are we most to the sledding hill, Stacie?  I wanna be there NOW! 

Stacie: We're there.  Check it out.

Anakin:  Holy cow.  That is one steep slope. 

Stacie: Told ya.  This is the best hill in town, and it's all mine!  Well, you know, ours.  On our property.  Step-Mom said once she tried to take the sleigh down it and almost ran over Angus.

Anakin: Yeah, how come nobody got the sleigh out?

Stacie: You gotta be old enough to drive and the twins had to play on the ATVs.  Dad or Mom will get it out later.  Or Grandpa Mace, if he comes over.

*****

Down the block, James is supervising the least professional movers in the known universe.

James: Harry, where is your coat?

Harry: I'm fine.  I'm not a wuss like Hermione. 

Hermione: This wuss isn't going to have frostbite later.  Besides, Mom told you to wear a coat.

Harry: Yeah, but she's not my --

James: Say it and see how long you're grounded.

Emma: Dan and I will get the plants before they freeze.  What room do they go in?

Dan: Let's hurry and stick them in the living room so we can go sled with those kids over there.

Becky watches from her new apartment for the taxi that's bringing her cousins from the airport.  

New Folks In Town

I did something yesterday and then promptly hid my credit card from myself.  I decided to use my monthly Barbie budget toward said credit card until it's paid back down, and go ahead and get the Harry Potter dolls.  My local Wal-Mart didn't have Ginny in stock, but she's on order.

Imagine my surprise when I saw these!  I didn't even know they were making a Draco Malfoy!  I put the school uniform Harry back on the shelf and got the Quidditch Harry.  

Draco is all done up in his gear and ready to catch the Golden Snitch!

Harry:  Not while I'm around.

Draco:  Joke's on you.  We each came with a Snitch.

Harry: Bummer.

I made them trade clothes.  They are mad at me now.  

The pants and shirts are separate pieces.  The Quidditch boots were really hard to remove, mainly because they go around both ankles and knees, but how often do my dolls even wear shoes? 

Hermione, McGonagall, and Ron.  I'm not going to go into great detail as far as a review goes - lots of those floating around the Internet, but I'll sum up.  They have the five standard points of articulation, as well as knees, elbows and wrists. The vest/shirt/tie combo is one piece but the britches and skirt are separate.

I also found  Fashionista 110 and nabbed her.  After I dragged my 14 year old minion out from under the nearest display, we came home and I head-swapped her.  The donor body is a Liv from the body drawer.  (Let the bodies hit the drawer!  Let the bodies hit....  No? Be that way.)

Nova:  I'm shorter and can't wear my shoes now, but I can move! 

McGonagall will be the matriarch of our beloved Pike family.  This means a Star Wars character and a Harry Potter character spawned a Star Trek character!  (Sounds like a bad fan fiction.)  

The blended Potter-Granger family.  James (a thrift store find) stands behind his sons Harry and Dan.  PJ sits behind younger daughter Emma with older daughter Hermione.  James, of course, shares the name of Book Harry's dad. I've not decided his vocation yet.

Nova and Mariko Nakano.  Nova is Mariko's aunt.  Stay tuned for more details on them.

Ron waits for his sister to arrive so they can join the fun.  Draco wonders what fate has in store for him.  So do I, Draco.  So do I.  Your existence surprised me.