Bernadette Rogers

* 2010
* 2009

"*David? [...] That's who you are, isn't it? I've known for a while. I mean...you're **Mr Old Soul**. No hobo is more famous than you. [...] The Girl of Blue...what did she call you? What was the last thing that she said to you? [...] So there you have it: you're **Travis Rogers**. That's the real you. Never let **anyone** tell you otherwise,*"
—Bernadette recalls Travis' advice, inspiring him to continue his mission in life[src]
**Bernadette Rogers**, born **Bernard Robinson** and often nicknamed **"Bernie"**,is the tritagonist of *Juvenile Prosperity* beginning in *The Legend of the Fr8ers*. She is a young transgender woman struggling with her own identity when she encounters and joins Travis Rogers and Melody Jones on their journey, forming the Fr8ers. As they travel across America, Bernadette begins to see the group as her family, taking on Travis' surname for her own and seeing him as a brother. After being chased across the country by Philip Young, Bernadette was captured by her family, leaving the rest of the Fr8ers forcibly separated as they sought to come back together and rescue her. Their mission successful, a traumatized but resolute Bernadette decided to continue travelling with her new family, beginning with an epic adventure to New York City.

## Biography

### Early Life and Background

Bernadette was born Bernard Robinson, the son of Archibald Robinson of the prominent Robinson family. Due to their close ties with the Mayfair Family, Bernard would sometimes play with the young David Mayfair, and he secretly gifted David a Walkman for one of his birthdays. Throughout his life he was abused by his father. In his mid teens, she realized she was transgender and began to identify herself as female, without the knowledge of her family. In private, she began using the name Bernadette. After David disappeared, she would often follow news concerning him and the search for him.

Eventually, Bernadette's family discovered that she was transgender; already a socially conservative family, they began to abuse her even more. Upon hearing a record called "The Ballad of Travis Rogers" that a friend had purchased at a flea market, she began yearning to run away from home and live on the road, unaware that the song was by her childhood friend. The song ultimately inspired her to accept herself, at which point she began planning to run away.

## Overview

### Physical Appearance

Thanks to the social conservatism of her family, Bernadette spent most of her life with short-cut hair. As the series progresses, Bernadette grows her hair out down to her shoulders and wears lipstick, eyeshadow and fake nails, embracing her feminine spirit under the guidance of Marie as well as magazines. However, she is visibly uncomfortable in heavy makeup and prefers to wear bright clothing, somewhat to the annoyance of the other Fr8ers as it makes them easier to spot when trainhopping, something that eventually got them caught by Philip Young.

### Personality

Bernadette is light-hearted, sharp, witty, and hardened from her life among her abusive family and her personal struggles with her own identity. Due to her own background, she is also highly observant and sensitive to the needs of others. While initially shy towards most people she meets, she is generally friendly and approachable, and almost always put the needs of others first rather than confronting her own emotional turmoil.

## Powers, Equipment & Abilities

### Equipment

* **Ukulele:** Bernadette currently owns a brown concert ukulele, which was given to her by Travis as a reunion gift.

## Relationships

### Travis Rogers

"*Oh my god...it's you. [...] You're...**Travis Rogers**,*"
—Bernadette deduces Travis' identity after he performs "The Ballad of Travis Rogers"[src]

Bernadette and Travis have an incredibly close relationship, eventually seeing one another as brother and sister, to the point that Bernadette took on Travis' adoptive surname - Rogers - as her own, forming the Rogers family.

Unbeknown to Travis, Bernadette had already formed a friendship with him when they played together as children, due to their respecitve families having very close business ties. However, because of the abuse that Travis suffered during his childhood, most of his memories of Bernadette were repressed.

### Melody Jones

Melody looks up to Bernadette as a sister figure, actively accepting Bernadette for who she is and making an effort to correct those who mistreat or mislabel her.

## Trivia

* Bernadette is the only character aside from Travis himself who has performed "*The Ballad of Travis Rogers*".
* Bernadette is first transgender character in *Juvenile Prosperity* and the first transgener character in the *Life Is A Lesson* franchise.

## References

1. ↑ Melancholy Hill
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Beautiful