The next day, Aelia was up bright and early to work on her ship, she was making quite good progress and hadn't taken much of a break since she started.
That was, until she heard some loud banging and a masculine voice, although she couldn't make out what was being said. She hurried into her home, the sound coming from her front door.
"Cassie, Alex!" Aelia exclaimed in surprise, "What is wrong?"
"Hey, Aelia, sorry to come over unannounced but-"
"We don't have time for pleasantries, Cassie!" Alexander cut Cassandra off and barged into the house, nearly shoving his sister along with him.
"We need your help, if you'll come with us." Cassandra continued, Alexander fidgeted anxiously in the back. "Tank is in trouble!"
"What?" Aelia's eyes widened, "What happened?"
"We can tell you on the way, come on." Cassandra insisted with Alexander close to tears.
"Tank, Aelia is here to help oka-aah!" Alexander reeled back as Tank lurched out of his seat.
No longer able to hold it in, Alexander broke down with a sob, "Please help him!"
"You saved someone like this before, right?" Cassandra added hopefully to Aelia.
"I... I did." Aelia hesitated, taking a deep breath. "Do not be alarmed."
Aelia drew on her mental force and scrubbed Tank clean from the fog the plants had created while Cassandra and Alexander stood by in shock.
"Oh my Watcher-!"
"What the...?" Tank sputtered, looking about blearily. His gaze drew towards Alexander, tears springing to his eyes. "Alex!"
"Tank! Oh Watcher, you're okay!" Alexander sobbed, pulling Tank into a tight embrace.
Aelia smiled at the reunion but her smile was short lived as Cassandra tugged her to the side. "Okay, start explaining. What was that?"
"That was how I was able to break Lazlo free of the possession-" Aelia started quietly.
"Uh-huh, sure, but what was it? You just mind blasted him!" Cassandra exclaims.
"It's not- It doesn't hurt I just..." Aelia sighs, "Cassandra, I am from Sixam."
"Wait, Sixam?" Cassandra asked slowly, curiosity furrowing her brows.
"From... another planet, I am an alien." Aelia whispers, looking sheepishly up at Cassandra. She had never felt this before, this sickening feeling, anxiety?
"So... this whole time you've been from another world?" Cassandra stated quietly, stepping closer.
"Yes, I am so deeply sorry that I-"
But Cassandra cut her off with a hug, "Ally this doesn't change us being friends, you just saved my brother's boyfriend, plus you’re helping find my mother."
And as soon as it started, the sick feeling fell away and Aelia returned the hug tightly. "Thank you, Cassie..."
"You know, this honestly explains how weird you talk sometimes." Cassandra teased softly.
Meanwhile...
"You are absolutely filthy... what were you doing, playing in the mud?" Alexander asked fondly, wiping some of the gunk off with his knuckles.
"It's camouflage, obviously." Tank supplied before grinning, "Actually I have no idea how this got here."
"You dork..." Alexander murmured fondly before shaking his head, "I was so worried I'd lose you, don't scare me like that again."
"Alex..."
"Who knows what would've happened if I didn't check on you, out here in the middle of nowhere, you could've-!"
"Alex!"
"What!?"
Tank successfully quieted Alexander's worries with a kiss.
"I'm okay now, it's okay."
While they were there, Aelia and Cassandra gave the boys some privacy and took a sample of one of the strange plants, it had grown a worrying amount from what they had seen previously.
After the samples were collected, Cassandra sheepishly looked towards Aelia, "Hey, uhm... Of course you don't have to, but... could I see your original form?"
Aelia smiled and without replying, her body lifted softly from the ground...
A blue sphere engulfed Aelia’s form, swirling upwards and hiding her from view.
Cassandra’s eyes widened in shock as the transformative blue shield started to fall away as quickly as it had shown.
When the sphere fell away, what was once the blond woman was replaced with Aelia's true blue form.
"I did not startle you, did I?" Aelia questioned.
"No- I mean, a little, but... you're amazing, Ally, thank you for trusting me with this." Cassandra smiled genuinely.
"And thank you, for accepting me for who I am." Aelia replied, a weight felt as though it had been lifted off her. The first sim (other than Jenny) that she had met and befriended that knew who she really was and still wanted to be her friend.
It was nearing the early morning and Aelia suggested they take Tank home, after a bit of persuading, Tank reluctantly agreed.
After a moment of waiting, Buzz swung open the door, surprise clearly written on his face.
“Son?” He questioned, tone suggesting he wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing was real.
“Hey, father.” Tank murmured anxiously, gasping softly as his father did something he didn’t normally, pulling him into a hug. Tank froze in surprise but returned the hug a moment after.
“I thought I had lost you.” Buzz admitted, squeezing his son tight before stepping back with a gentle clear of his throat, seemingly remembering that there were other people on the porch.
“Why are you here, what happened?” Buzz questioned suspiciously, looking now to Aelia and the Goths behind her.
“Are you kidding?” Tank exclaimed.
“We helped him return home. There are plants out in the desert that have been possessing sims.” Aelia tried to explain but Buzz squinted with a frown.
“Weren’t you told to let the professionals deal with this?” Buzz accused, “You’ve been snooping around in places you aren’t allowed, miss Novis.”
“And let your son wander in the desert under this influence?” Aelia jabbed back.
“You seem to be forgetting she saved him.” Cassandra mentioned dryly.
“And I thank you for that, but you should have come to me for help.” Buzz pressed, “Circe told me you have no business being at that lab, and I’m missing my keycard. Do you have any idea where it could have gone?” He questioned, his tone implying he knew exactly where it was.
“Yes, fine, I have your keycard.” Aelia interjected, “Because no one is helping these poor people, and one of them was going to be your son.”
“You probably coaxed my son into this insane conspiracy!”
“Enough!” Tank yelled, “I wasn’t coaxed into anything, I’m nearly a young adult!”
“Excuse me?” Buzz attempted to interject but Tank kept going.
“No! They’re actually trying to save this town, something you keep preaching that you do, but I’m not seeing it!” Tank snapped, “I took your stupid keycard because you’re clearly not using it for anything worthwhile!”
“You-?” Was about all Buzz got out, his face reddening in anger.
“These ‘professionals’ you keep kissing the boots of are covering up something dangerous, people disappearing! If I can help them find Bella, I will!”
“Bella? So you’ve been putting this poison in my boy’s head!” Buzz exploded at the others but at that point, Tank was too mad to stop.
“Listen to yourself, you care more about your stupid corrupt ‘laws’ than about helping people!” He snarled out, “I don’t want Alex to lose his mother like I did!”
That struck a nerve, Buzz reeled back, anger and sadness fighting for dominance on his features, but shock seemed to win out most of all.
“That’s why I’ve been so tough on you, so something like that doesn’t happen again-”
“Well it’s happening now!” Tank pushed, “I’ve always been too afraid to go against you, but the man I love’s mother is in danger and I won’t just sit by and do nothing about it!”
Alexander’s face went slack at those words and he shrunk back behind Cassandra as Buzz’s face turned towards him in surprise.
Buzz looked between the group, his eyes finally settling on his son before abruptly turning around and leaving the porch without another word.
“Tank, I...”
“Forget it, I have to make dinner for my brothers.” Tank waved Aelia off, “If he wants to have a tantrum, let him.” His shoulders were tense and his face was sour, but the small waver to his voice gave away how hurt he was.
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