Fanon:Diary of a Young Alien

Diary of a Young Alien is a fanon story written by a Simming author whose head is always being assaulted by new ideas. It stars a juvenile alien named, who finds herself thrown into the most fascinating and exhilarating of adventures.

Check out the behind the scenes Q&A !

Welcome to your Assignment Journal
''Congratulations, Xandria, and happy 10th birthday!

''It is a great honour for you, as a student of the Sixamian Exploration Academy, to receive your first Assignment Journal. This means that for the first time you will be able to go off-planet on an official Assignment. Students only have the opportunity to receive their first Assignments this early if they show exceptional intelligence, bravery and strength.

''For your first Assignment, you will be transported to the planet Novasol III. Your team will include Wrelis Khitomer, Rghenot Freigkolz and Zrala Maitolia, three more members of the select few chosen for their first assignment this year; they are roughly the same age as you. While you do not yet know who these people are, it will be a priority for you over the course of your six-month mission to get to know your fellow team-mates well, for you will conduct studies on the locals alongside them.

''Use this journal to record any of your findings! They could be results of experiments that you conduct, or since you have significant artistic aptitude, why not use some of the pages to sketch some drawings, perhaps of some native subjects?

''A few reminders:
 * ''While galactic starcharts call this planet Novasol III, the natives of that planet call it "Earth", or sometimes "Terra". The population there is approximately 7.125 billion.
 * ''The Novasolians, or "Sims", use a different dating system to us Sixamians. Instead of the Imperial calendar, they use the Gregorian calendar. This is a system with twelve-month years, thirty- or thirty-one-day months, and seven-day weeks. Keep in mind that a Novasolian day is approximately 24 of their hours long (35 Sixamian hours). The date at your arrival will be around the 1st April 2010, according to the Gregorian calendar. You can find more information about Novasol III's dating systems at the back of your journal.
 * Also remember that throughout your assignment you must maintain total comm silence with Sixam. The Novasolians have technology that is just advanced enough that it could detect communications between you and us back on the homeworld. We wouldn't want that'', would we? You can tell us all about it upon your return. There will be two pilots to guide you through your stay, should you feel desperate.
 * If you really must set foot on Novasol III, and I seriously recommend you do not'', please see the Armoury prior to your departure. They will create a disguise for you (to your liking, of course.)
 * ''I suggest you pay special attention to a little town known as Sunset Valley. Its inhabitants could prove...interesting indeed.
 * ''Also, make it a point to learn Simlish, the native language. Just in case.

 Bon voyage, as the Sims say, and good luck!

Xicorith Zrlonzip

Headmaster of the Sixamian Imperial Academy for Space Exploration.

Date: 42nd Brinzius, Xujjar 35

42 Brinzius, Xujjar 35
Hey, Journal!

I'm so excited about this - my first assignment! I can't wait till we leave for Earth (I think Earth sounds a lot better than Novasol III). But before we do I have to do a couple of things. One of them is getting the guys at the Armoury to make a disguise for me, because I'm so going to try walking amongst the Sims! I also definitely need to set aside time to learn Simlish. Shouldn't take too long.

Oh, and I should give you a name - just calling you "Journal" is so sad...I went searching around for Simlish names and I came up with the most adorable one. It's Alexis! So I'll call you Alexis from now on. It's definitely a major improvement from "First Assignment Journal", don't you think?

It's lights-out now, and the teachers are starting to prowl the dorm halls. Oops. Better get to bed.

See you tomorrow!

1 Maronslix, Xujjar 35
Sul-sul, Alexis!

Yeah, this morning I went to the Languages Department to learn Simlish. It didn't take too long, surprisingly - it's quite simple compared to other languages like Yallvus Talk and, of course, Sixamian. In fact, some of the words are even similar to our language.

I also went to the Armoury to get my disguise done.

"What a brave girl you are," said the Head Smith, "to want to walk amongst the locals!"

I grinned with pride at that. I followed the Head Smith into the Disguise Room. There was a computer and a holographic projector surrounded by Atomic Manipulation Modules. The Head Smith activated the computer and initiated the Creation Program.

"So, this is what an average female Sim your age looks like," the Head Smith said. He tapped on a few buttons on the touchscreen and a projection of an alien girl appeared before me.

So now I know what Sims look like!

"Alright, so now I'll adjust the projection to suit your facial and body structures," he said. He tapped on yet another few buttons, and dragging across some scales, periodically turning to look at me. The holographic projection morphed before my eyes until the girl standing in front of me look just like me! ...Well, almost. There were a few key differences, such as her nose, which was a bit bigger and longer than mine. Her ears weren't pointy, either. Her hair was also a lighter shade of brown than mine, and was tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes had white sclera and blue irises, unlike mine which were completely black (totally normal for a Sixamian). Her skin was also a rosy shade, characteristic of the species many other races like to affectionately call "pink-skins." She was wearing a shirt, hoodie and pair of shorts whereas I was clothed in my standard Academy jumpsuit.

"Okay, so is there anything you'd like to change?" the Head Smith asked. I had a long think about it.

"Make her skin a bit darker," I finally decided. "Maybe a tan shade? I wanna be a country girl."

Yes, I've been studying Earth culture.

"Very well," he replied. He tapped on another few buttons. The girl's skin tone instantly darkened to exactly my desired shade. Excellent! (I'm not trying to be racist or anything. Just so you know.)

"Anything else?"

"No, thanks," I answered. "She's perfect!"

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

"Yes!" I almost sounded frustrated.

"Alright." He tapped on a few buttons. The Atomic Manipulation Modules came to life. Robotic arms swerved and spun around the holographic pad. The projection faded out and was replaced by a standard schematic of a Sim. The Modules then began shooting lasers everywhere! You should've seen it! It was a light show!

After a few minutes, my disguise was finished, complete with the clothes I'd use for everyday wear. But when it was done, the boneless form of the girl crumpled into a heap like a pile of dirty clothes. That was seriously creepy.

"Try it on!" the Head Smith grinned. I stepped onto the pad and picked up my new disguise.

"Where's the changing room?" I asked. I could feel my cheeks turn red.



"Over there," he said, pointing to a door at the back of the room. It took a while getting myself into the costume, but I did it eventually. It was like one of those onesies I used to wear when I was little! I quickly put on my new clothes before anyone noticed I was...ahem..."naked".

I looked at the bench upon which I had my jumpsuit. Beside it was one more element of my disguise.

The head. A mask which would conceal my true identity. A barrier between myself and discovery.



I put it over my head. Then, I clipped all the loose ends shut. Instantly I felt...one with the disguise! I felt like I was the girl I designed! That is so cool!

I stepped out of the changing room.

"Goodness!" the Head Smith smiled. "You look like a real Sim!"

I looked around, examining my assumed form. I was now a Sim girl! I wish you could see how I looked!

Anyway, I had to take it off so that I could sleep. I'm surprised I never get hot in that get-up, though!

Goodnight!

31st March 2010 (2 Maronslix, Xujjar 35)
Hi Alexis!

We leave tomorrow! I'm so excited! In homeroom, I talked to Mr Jurzecki about you! He was quite impressed that I was already starting to write in my journal. He suggested I should start dating with the Gregorian calendar so I can get used to it when I get to Earth. What a great idea!

I also met my teammates for the first time!

Wrelis Khitomer is really loud. He looks the type that'd be a drill sergeant in the Imperial Army one day. Hahaha! He's quite friendly, though. Rghenot Freigkolz is exactly the opposite of Wrelis in the voice department. Rghenot is really quiet. He wears glasses and looks like he's always brooding over something. Zrala Maitolia is really bubbly and is a very nice girl. In the first actual conversation I had with her this afternoon, we got to know each other. Turns out she's just as interested as I am to see what's on the surface! She has her own disguise. The guys don't seem as keen, and they didn't get disguises. Party poopers.

For the last night before departure, we slept together in the same room. Zrala and I were constantly talking about what we think would happen, and what we wanted to do when we got to Earth. Turns out Zrala had named her journal Caitlyn, another Simlish name. Great minds think alike!

Anyway, I'd better get some rest before the big day tomorrow. Until then!

1st April 2010
We're finally in space, Alexis! Imagine that!

I've decided that I'm just going to use the Gregorian calendar. It's so much easier to remember! Haha!

Before we left, Mother and Father came to see me go.

"Stay safe, Xandria!" they said. I definitely will try, but I'm also planning to walk among the Sims, which is considered highly dangerous since we reckon the Sims are not ready for First Contact yet. Oh well, too bad.

After hugs and kisses and all that sort of thing, I hurried with my stuff onto the ship. I waved goodbye from the window. Zrala and I were smiling as we waved, and Rghenot seemed to be waving in resignation. Wrelis didn't wave goodbye at all. That is sad. I wonder what goes on in their heads.

The ship went to warp as soon as it cleared the atmosphere. During the five-hour journey to Earth, Zrala and I played a few board games. We tried out chess, a Sim game that's really popular among the intellectual elite. I beat her twice, and she beat me once. I'm surprised how similar we are to each other! Rghenot just stared out the window the whole time, and Wrelis was sleeping. Oh well, at least we got a break from his usually constant talking and hyperactivity.

When we arrived, an announcement came from the cockpit. "Kids, welcome to Earth!"

Zrala and I looked out the window and saw a gleaming orb of green, blue, white, and turquoise. It looked absolutely amazing! When we entered orbit, I took a picture of it.

We get to work tomorrow. It's been a long day! I'm so happy.

2nd April 2010
Oh my gods, Alexis! I finally found you! It was so sudden...By the gods...

When we woke up, everything was running normally. We had breakfast, and then we were about to get to work on our first study.

Then the engines failed!

Alarms were ringing all over the ship. It was utterly terrifying!

"WARNING! WARNING! ENGINE FAILURE! ORBIT DECAYING!" a robotic voice screamed from over the loudspeaker.

Zrala and I were hugging each other in terror, not knowing at all what to do. Rghenot immediately sprang into action. He sat down on of the two remaining spare seats in the cockpit, helping the crew to restore power to the ship. Wrelis tried to comfort us. It was really surprising. I had a total change of heart for these boys.

"It's alright," Wrelis said quietly (very surprising, right?). "Everything's gonna be alright." He then sat down on the last seat.

Despite Wrelis' desperate efforts at calming us and Rghenot's equally frantic stabs at the buttons on the consoles in the cockpit, it became certain that we were going down.

The ship slammed into Earth's atmosphere, beginning our unstoppable descent to the surface.

"Fasten your safety belts!" Rghenot ordered. We did so immediately.

"Shields at seventy-three percent!" cried the co-pilot.

"Redirect power to the heat shields!" the captain said.

I must've blacked out from fright, because when I woke up again, I could see land. I screamed.

"1,800 metres!" Rghenot shouted.

"Extend the flaps!" the co-pilot shouted back. The ship shook violently.

"They won't extend!" Rghenot replied.

"Xandria!" the pilot screamed. "Go to the panel at the back and pull the lever that says 'Manual Flap Extension'."

I unclipped my safety belt and did as I was told. I inched my way towards the panel. I opened it and pulled the lever before rushing back to my seat.

"800 metres!" Rghenot said, ten minutes later.

"We're coming in too fast!" the pilot said. "I'm gonna lower the landing gear."

A metallic clanking sound erupted from beneath my feet as the wheels fell into place. It took another five minutes for Rghenot to say something else.

"600 metres!" Zrala shut her eyes tightly.

"400 metres!" The hull was now buckling extremely violently. I could see parts of the ship flying off the hull and trailing behind us.

"200 metres!" I shut my eyes as well. Was this the end?

"50, 40, 30, 20..." he counted down. The tail of the ship hit the ground. Hard. Then I felt the ship roll sideways. Then more crashing and sounds of screaming metal being torn to shreds. I blacked out again after that.

When I came to, it took me a while to remember where I was and what had happened. When I did, I immediately scrambled to my feet and searched for survivors. Where was Zrala? Rghenot? Wrelis? The pilots?

I found Zrala, unconscious, strapped to her seat beside a piece of burning wreckage. Somehow she'd ended up on the other side of the cabin. The cockpit was nowhere to be seen. I dragged her and her loose seat out of the crash site and then went back in to search.

I couldn't find anyone else. They and the cockpit vaporised completely. I couldn't believe it. In my daze I stumbled across my bag. My disguise! And you! I grabbed my bag, and then found Zrala's bag. What a stroke of luck ...no, I shouldn't be saying that. Anyway, I grabbed the two bags and sprinted out of the wreckage.

Turns out we'd been here for several hours. The middle of the night. It was freezing. I was surprised nobody had arrived at the site yet.

In a panic, I attempted to shake Zrala awake.

"Zrala? You there?"

No response. After a few more tries, I got more desperate, gave up, and checked for a pulse, and it was there. I was so relieved.

After putting on my disguise, I helped Zrala out of her seat and helped put hers on. Zrala's human form was red-haired, with a freckled complexion. I'm not sure what colour her eyes are because she isn't awake yet.

I slung her arm around my shoulder, grabbed both our bags, and staggered as fast as my legs could carry me out of the scene.

By the time I could see we were no longer in the middle of nowhere, it was daybreak. I looked at the road sign in front of me.

"WELCOME TO SIMAFORNIA. STOP-N-REST COTTAGE 2 MILES THAT-A-WAY." A huge white arrow pointed in the direction of the "Cottage."

At last, a rest stop. With renewed vigour, I dragged my heavy cargo through the depths of the Simafornian desert. It took us another hour to stumble to the Cottage, where we spotted a small, rickety inn.

We burst inside. There were several other hitchhikers in the room. Some were young, some old. Some men, some women.

At the bar was an old woman.

"Well, look who we have here!" she said. Her accent sounded rough. "Hello, missy! What brings ya 'ere to the Stop-n-Rest Cottage?"

I was in no real mood to talk, but I did anyway, trying as hard as I could not to lapse back into Sixamian (which, in that state, was very hard to do.) "My friend and I were…in an accident." That bit was true, at least. "There were…no other survivors. We're trying to find somewhere to rest."

"Ya mean this one?" asked one of the hitchhikers, pointing towards the television. I looked up.

"BREAKING NEWS!" the newsreader proclaimed. "The wreckage of a strange-looking aircraft was discovered last night by a local pilot flying overhead. Given the extreme isolation of the crash site, it wasn't until the following morning that emergency services were able to reach the wreckage. Unfortunately, no survivors were found. Some rumours are currently circulating that this plane is in fact an alien spacecraft, as the hull fragments recovered thus far carry no valid identification markings. The hull has been sent for scientific testing."

I stared at the screen in shock. Then I forced my mouth to close.

"Of course not, ya idiot!" another rough-looking man who appeared to be the first's friend hit him over the head playfully. He laughed. "How's that even possible? They're not aliens!"

I quietly sighed in relief.

"Is anyone here a doctor?" I asked. "My friend might be injured."

An awkward silence befell the room.

"I used to be a nurse," the owner said, almost reluctantly. "I suppose I can help."

After carrying Zrala to a two-bed room, the owner got her first-aid kit and started patching her up.

"I think she'll be fine," the lady said, smiling. She suddenly seemed a lot friendlier than before. "Stay here for as long as you need to. It's on the house."

"On the house?" I asked, cursing myself for not studying Simlish slang.

The woman looked unamused, donning her rough, gruff exterior. "It's free. Yer language processor fried or somethin'?"

"Uhh…no," I replied. "Thank you." She grinned for a brief moment and walked off, closing the door behind her.

I flattened my body against the wall, allowing myself to slide to the floor. I looked over at Zrala. Her long red hair fell over the side of the bed as she lay, bruised and battered.

Anyway, I don't have the strength to write anymore. I have to get some rest.

Goodnight.

3rd April 2010
Hi Alexis,

I think we've screwed up our sleep cycles a bit, because when I woke up, it was close to midnight. Zrala was still completely out of it. I could hear shouting downstairs so I went down to check it out.

What I saw was a large group of men, mostly the same from this afternoon, staring at the television and screaming their hearts out. I turned to the screen to see what it was they were going absolutely insane over.

It was a sports match. So typical of men, even on Sixam. I remember when I was little and before I was sent off to the Academy, Father always watched the HoloVision when his favourite GravBall team (was it Xazberg United or GC Weyarn Nranich? I can't remember) was playing. And then there was Ryfall City banners all over Mr Xerantis' classroom back at the academy.

On the screen was a sport that looked really violent. There were really big burly-looking men running into each other, and each time the oval-shaped ball was carried over to one side of the pitch or the other, one half of the room would burst into cheering, while the other would boo and jeer. Again, very typical of the sports-crazy.

My ears started hurting, so I retreated back to our room. As soon as I entered, a flustered Zrala Maitolia appeared before me.

"Where am I? What's happened? AHHHHHH!" she screamed. "Who are you? Have I been captured? Where am I? WHERE AM I?!"

"Zrala!" I said, slapping my hands onto her shoulders, as if holding her down. "Calm down! CALM. DOWN." Her hazel eyes were wild with fear. "It's me. Xandria!"

The sound of my voice seemed to calm her. She took a deep breath. "It's you…Oh thank the gods."

I filled Zrala in on the details of the day so far. She burst into tears when she heard everyone else on the ship vaporised.

"We need to remain as calm as possible," I said. "We can't let anyone know that we're Sixamians."

"Is that why we're in our disguises?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"And you…Ewwww!" she looked at me in disgust as she realised what it meant.

"Sorry!" I apologised. "It was necessary."

"We should get out of here as soon as dawn breaks," she whispered. "We have to go into hiding until they come and rescue us!"

"It won't be another six months, remember?" I said. "I don't want to stay in the shadows for six months."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"We live among the Sims."

"Okay."

The next morning, we packed our things and went to leave.

"Now, y'all take care out there," the old woman said. "It's a long hike to Sunset Valley."

"Thank you, miss," I said.

"Y'know, I never got yer names."

"I'm Alexandria," I said. I added the "Alex" part to the name to make it sound more Simlish. But I called you Alexis, and…er…tell you what? Why don't I call you Lexi from now on? (It's a shortened version). Yeah! Let's do that.

"I'm Sara," Zrala said with her winning smile.

"Y'all can call me Mrs O'Hara. I hope ya don't get hurt again, Sara," the woman grinned. "Wait here." Mrs O'Hara went into the kitchen and came back with a bag of food. "For yer journey. On the house, of course." She winked. "Come back soon, y'hear?"

"We will!" Zrala and I said together before walking out the door with our bags.

It took several hours of walking, punctuated by brief stops and swigs of water, until we finally got out of the Simafornian desert. We started seeing more trees, and grass.

I heard a rickety, rumbling sound emanating from the distance. I looked behind me, and I saw an old pickup truck emerging from the horizon. In my studies of Sim gestures, I learned that thumbing your way towards the direction you're going while hitchhiking might score you a ride. I decided to practise, and sure enough, the truck stopped beside us.

The driver lowered the window. "Where y'all headed?" He had the same, rough accent as Mrs O'Hara.

"Are you going to Sunset Valley?" I asked politely.

"As a matter o' fact, I am!" he laughed. "Goin' to market with my goods." He pointed to the back of his pickup, carrying crates of fruit and vegetables. "Wanna ride?"

"Thanks!" I said. Luckily the truck had enough room for both of us to squeeze in. I know, I know, stranger danger and all that stuff, but it's not like we had anything to lose at the moment, right?

It took about another hour to get to Sunset Valley, and when we did, it looked absolutely fantastic! The town is green and full of life, and what's more, it was near the sea! I'd always wanted to see the ocean. Sixam's oceans dried up a long time ago.

We stopped near a park. "Alright, girls. Welcome to Sunset Valley!"

"How can we repay you?" I asked.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm gonna earn my lot by selling the stuff back there anyway." He laughed loudly. "Now, off ya go."

"Thanks, sir!" Zrala and I said together before getting out of the truck. We waved as he drove away.

Zrala looked at me. "Now what do we do?"

"I guessed we'll have to spend the night outside."

She looked visibly displeased. "The bed back at the Cottage was more comfortable."

We walked around the park, not really doing anything. We found a chess table and played a few games, then got board and took a look at the playground. Then we had lunch before taking a walk around town. Before we knew it, night had fallen.

On our stroll, a black-and-white car stopped beside us. A uniformed man stepped out.

"Hey, what're you doing past curfew?" he said. He looked tough. "Let's take you home."

Great. A policeman. I tried putting on an act. It could help us actually get a home for the next few months.

"Please, sir," I cried, forcing myself to sob. "We don't have a home. We just got here after days of walking through nowhere and…" To make things extra dramatic, I pretended to break down. I never realised I was that good at acting!

The policeman knelt down to my height and softened his voice. "I'm sorry. Where are your parents?"

Zrala decided to join in. She stretched her arm out across my back then wrapped her hand around my arm, squeezing it, as if to comfort me. "They're dead. We were in a terrible accident."

"An accident?" the policeman looked at us in sympathy. "I'm so sorry. It's okay. Let's take you to the police station."

"Thank you sir," I wiped away my tears and looked the policeman in the eye, smiling like any ten-year-old would at a good officer's presence. He smiled back.

A few hours later, with our bags, we were sitting in the police station lobby. I decided to write the next entry to you while waiting.

Oops, the policeman's coming. Talk to you later.

4th April 2010
Evening, Lexi!

We're now in an orphanage, with beds and everything! I'm so happy that we finally have somewhere to stay while we're stranded on Earth.

We somehow fooled the police, and then the social workers that came afterwards, into believing that we were twin sisters. I have no idea how, since we looked nothing like each other. Maybe fraternal? I don't know. We decided to share a modified version of my last name, 'Clipper'. Now, we're Alexandria and Sara Clipper! How cool is that?

Anyway, the social workers decided to take us into the Sunset Valley Orphanage, where we'd stay until someone decided to come and adopt us, upon which they would become our foster parents, if they were eligible. Sounds good to me. We get to share a room until then.

We got the whole morning to ourselves until lunch! We decided to take a break from being Sims for a while. I shut and locked the door and Zrala closed the curtains. Then we took turns changing out of our disguises and...er...not looking at the other as they changed into fresh clothing.

Now back to our old selves again, we went back to talking in Sixamian. Really quietly, of course. It feels good to speak in your own language after several days of speaking nothing but a foreign one. Your chops get to relax a bit.

"What shall we do?" Zrala asked. "We have an hour till lunch."

"I don't know," I replied. "Let's try to find a board game to play!"

We hunted through our room, but we couldn't find any Sim games that we were already familiar with. We could only find one called 'Scrabble.'

"Scrabble...that's new," I thought aloud. Zrala and I sat down on the floor and set the game up in the accordance to the instructions. It's a word game, where you have to form Simlish words, trying to accumulate as many points as you can. Fortunately, we were both fluent in written as well as spoken Simlish, so we didn't have too much trouble in that aspect. It was just how the game worked that took us a while to get.

As soon as I formed the winning word "extraterrestrial", the head nurse called up the stairs to all the kids. "Kids! Lunch is ready!"

After abandoning the game and rushing to get back into our disguises, Zrala and I ran downstairs for some food.

"Okay, kids, we have some new faces today," the head nurse announced as we all sat down for lunch. She gestured to the two of us. "These are Alexandria and Sara Clipper. Please make them feel welcome into our home!" Some of the children waved at us in greeting, others smiled at us before starting to eat. I took a look around and just realised how few children there were in the orphanage compared to those back on Sixam! While there would be hundreds of children in one huge facility, here there were only about one classroom of them! It's a good thing, though, that most Sim parents decide to keep their children or are there to take care of them.

"Hi!" a boy next to me introduced himself. He was wearing glasses and he wore a navy blue vest over his long-sleeved shirt. He shook my hand. "I'm Darryl Hemingway!"

"Alexandria Clipper," I replied. "That's Sara, my twin sister." Zrala waved.

"Really?" the boy looked visibly surprised. "You two look nothing alike!

"Fraternal twins," Zrala corrected me.

"Yeah, that's the word," I laughed, feigning previous ignorance.

"I'm new as well, arrived a few days before you did," Darryl said. "It took some getting used to, but now I'm happy here!"

"Who were your parents?"

"I'd…rather not talk about it," he looked really sad the moment I said the word 'parent'.

"I'm sorry," I apologised.

"No, it's alright," Darryl looked at me and smiled. "It was nice meeting you!"

After lunch the head nurse approached us with some papers.

"Hello Alexandria, Sara," she said. "I need you to take a look at the timetable."

I took a look at the schedule. Maths, Simlish, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music, French. Looks good to me. Tomorrow, Monday, Science is up first, followed by Art. I'm looking forward to it!

"Thanks, girls," the head nurse smiled. "Classes begin tomorrow morning."

Zrala and I went out to the playground to catch a bit of sun. It was so warm and comforting! Sixam's sun is old and is starting to expand. Luckily, Sixam is one of the outer planets, so it won't be consumed by it when it expands into a red giant, but some days it gets really, really hot.

Darryl caught sight of us and then ran up to us.

"Hey Sara!" he greeted Zrala, and then turned to me. "Hey Alex…is it okay if I use 'Alex'?"

Alex…hmm…it sounds good. Alright. A short form might make me look more Sim-like.

"Yeah, sure!" I said. So now I'm Alexandria Clipper - Alex for short! Great!

"How do you like the place so far?" Darryl asked.

"It's really nice!" Zrala said. "It's not too crowded or anything."

"I think this town is beautiful in general!" I said.

"Yeah, me too!" he said.

"What do you want to do?" Zrala asked, directing the question at both of us.

"Let's play…," Darryl said, pausing mid-sentence. He reached out to Zrala and tapped her on the shoulder before running off. "Tag! You're it!"

"Catch me if you can!" I cried as I sprinted away in the opposite direction.

"Aww come on!" she sounded frustrated that she'd just been tagged, just like that. I giggled. Then she turned to me and, like an angry bull, charged straight towards me. I screamed and ran off as she hurtled towards me.

I only got caught three times, which I am quite proud to say! (The others, on the other hand, got tagged quite a few times.) The other children gradually joined in until the whole orphanage was participating!

The tag game, along with a few others including high-and-seek (my personal favourite), passed the time extremely quickly, and before we knew it we were back inside for dinner!

After dinner, Zrala and I helped to clean up before stumbling back upstairs after a good first day. Definitely much better than the previous ones.

You know, Lexi, I still wonder where Wrelis and Rghenot are.

Goodnight.

Monday, 5th April 2010
Hey Lexi,

Today was the first day of classes. I especially found social sciences, art and French the most interesting. Science was kind of boring, because a lot of the technology was quite primitive compared to Sixamian equipment. For example, they still use gas-powered open-flame burners to heat stuff up. Seriously.

Art was really awesome, because today we got to draw a portrait of a classmate! I decided to do mine on Zrala (I drew her in her disguise, of course). Darryl wanted to draw a portrait of me! I was flattered when he asked. Hee hee! Zrala in return drew Darryl's portrait! It's an art triangle! Haha!

After art we had music. Music seems to be Zrala's forte, because she picked up the instrument called a 'glockenspiel' pretty quickly! I was impressed, because the way music is written back on Sixam is completely different from here on Earth!

During the break we, as a class again, played more games on the playground. It was loads of fun!

Social Sciences was cool, because I got to learn all sorts of stuff about Earth's history that I didn't know before. Did you know that the French Revolution took place at almost exactly the same time as the Imperial Revolution? If you don't know what that is, it was when the dictator Xlirys was overthrown and the modern Empire established. If I recall, that's pretty much what happened in the French Revolution, except a republic was set up after King Louis XVI was deposed and executed. Ouch.

Social Sciences was the last class of the day, so after that we were set free to do our own thing like our homework if we were studious, or, if we didn't feel like that, go out to play. I naturally chose the former.

I finished all my work quite quickly then went to join my peers at the playground. We played pirates together this time!

I'm really enjoying my time here. But I hope Zrala and I get adopted soon, so that we can mingle with a more varied group at an actual school than be constantly seeing exactly the same people everyday.

Saturday, 8th May 2010
Oh gosh, Lexi, it's been over a month since I last wrote! I'm sorry! I'd better fill you in on what's been happening:

The past month's been really busy, which is the reason I couldn't write to you. We've been preparing for the town festival! The orphanage participates in the Spring Festival every year. Just today we went out to Central Park, which is where the festival is. There we sold cakes and other food, and also helped out in arranging activities for the visitors. We also got to have a break every once in a while to enjoy the festival ourselves!

So yeah, that's pretty much all that's been happening.

Oh, and a couple came to the festival and they visited the stall Zrala and I were running. We were selling cookies that we made ourselves! Yum!

Anyway, they bought some of our cookies! In fact, they liked them so much, they bought a second bag of them! Talk about a good sale! Half of the money we raised, the nurses said, would go towards the orphanage's funds, and the other half is going to go to a charity to help other disadvantaged kids. How noble!

Argh, going off-topic again! The couple talked to us a bit. They said we were an 'adorable pair'!

Yep, 'adorable' was the word used, exactly. To the letter.

Anyway, I can't write much more. I have to rest. Goodnight!

Sunday, 9th May 2010
I'm really excited, but nervous at the same time, Lexi! The nurses said that tomorrow some people will be coming to consider adopting some of us! I can hardly wait! We might finally be able to get out of here and into the bigger world! Zrala and I did our absolute best to clean up our room and make it look as impressive as possible. It was exhausting work, and it took all day! We also helped Darryl to clean his room, and a few others, too. Our good deed for the day! Hahaha!

The nurses outlined the protocol for tomorrow. There's going to be a smart-casual dress code for tomorrow. I didn't bring any Sim clothes other than the ones that usually go with my disguise. Oops. Luckily the nurses took us, along with anyone else who didn't have such clothing, to the shops today. How nice of them! I decided on a cute little dress that didn't look too overly formal, but still looked smart. Zrala chose a similar one to mine. The nurses were quite pleased with our choice.

"You're going to wear the same thing as your sister, Sara? How adorable!" one of the nurses laughed. That word again: 'adorable'. Zrala winked at me. I giggled in return.

After a day of shopping, our party returned to the orphanage to rest. I took some time to write to you. Now that the festival is over, I have more time. Phew!…I'll be right back. Dinner's ready!

At dinner tonight, the nurses congratulated us for our work and wished us all the best for tomorrow.

"We only allow for the most qualified potential foster parents to come and even take a look at you kids," the head nurse said. "Unfortunately, that is why we hardly have visitors. I have a sincere hope that ultimately each and every one of you will be adopted into a caring and loving family, but I also hope that we will remain another big, loving family for the rest of our lives." How touching.

"Hear, hear!" another nurse said. Some kids murmured in agreement.

Darryl stood and raised his glass of juice. "To the family!"

The rest of the people in the room stood up and raised their glasses too. I quickly realised that this was what Sims called a 'toast'. I stood up, beckoning Zrala to stand as well. I raised my glass.

"To the family!" the rest of us repeated Darryl before sitting back down and drinking a bit.

That was fun. We've only been here a month, but it seems like we really are family.

Monday, 10th May 2010
Hooray, Lexi! Absolutely fantastic news! Zrala and I got adopted! Guess who came?

The couple from the festival was among those who wanted to adopt! Turns out they came to see us kids to choose someone to take in. They loved Zrala and I so much, they decided that they wanted us! Imagine that!

Zrala and I were in our dresses that we bought yesterday. Darryl came to our room to see us before the visitors arrived.

"Well, you two look splendid!" he smiled, as Sims so often do. "You really are the Clipper sisters!"

Hey, that rhymes! Zrala and I laughed.

"Kids! They're here!" the nurses started calling out all through the orphanage. Immediately, the three of us raced down the stairs to the lobby.

The head nurse was already there greeting them.

"Hello, welcome to the Sunset Valley Orphanage!" she said. "You are all here today through a rigorous screening process in which only the potential parents deemed the most suitable and caring for these children have been accepted. Today, you can meet the children themselves! All of them are bright, friendly and cheerful, ready to be taken into the loving care of foster parents. Spend as long as you like!"

We all lined up as the head nurse took the adults through the ranks.

It took a little while before they got to Zrala and I.

"These are Alexandria and Sara Clipper," the nurse started heaping praise upon us, as if she were advertising us to the world. "They may not look it, but they're a wonderful team of twin sisters! They're also the best of friends. Both are exceptionally bright. Alex is an artistic genius and Sara is a budding musician. The Clippers will make excellent daughters!" The festival couple smiled widely. The man winked at us before the group moved on to Darryl, who was standing next to us.

"Darryl Hemingway is also a very intelligent boy," the nurse continued. "He is astoundingly talented in the fields of science and mathematics. His genius never fails to amaze us! He is, in short, a boy genius!" They moved on.

After about fifteen minutes waiting for the nurse to get through everyone, we were led to a waiting room, where we awaited results.

"You think you're gonna get in?" Darryl asked me.

"No, I don't think so," I replied. I shrugged. "You?"

"Nah," he shook his head. He looked at Howard, another boy at the other end of the room. "He'll probably get adopted by someone."

My resignation was followed by absolute, complete shock when the nurse came into the room and called, "Alex and Sara?" My heart almost stopped!

Zrala and I stood up. Darryl looked at me and gave me the thumbs-up with one hand. He used the other to push up his glasses before doing a thumbs-up. I returned the gesture and smiled nervously. Zrala waved goodbye to Darryl as we reversed out of the room, keeping our eyes on him the whole time until we could see him no longer.

We went into the head nurse's office and found the festival couple sitting before her desk. I was surprised!

"Hello Alex, Sara," the head nurse said. She gestured to two empty chairs beside the couple, who were sitting on another two chairs beside each other. "Please, take a seat."

We sat down.

"Mr and Mrs Durnham here have requested to adopt you," the head nurse said. "They fulfil all the requirements, and have agreed to sign the paperwork. However, before we can turn you over to them, we have to have your permission. It is your future, after all."

Wasn't it obvious! I was filled to the brim with happiness. Zrala and I nodded eagerly.

"Alright. Before you come to a decision, I'll let you have a little chat with the Durnhams." The head nurse stood up and led all the other nurses out of the office, save one. They closed the door.

"Hello Alexandria. Hello Sara," Mrs Durnham smiled. "I'm Elizabeth. This is Gerald." She gestured to the man sitting beside him. "I've heard you're very bright girls! You must be very proud of yourselves!"

"Err, well…I'm flattered!" I felt speechless. I guess Zrala felt the same.

"We're very happy to take you into our little home," Gerald said. "We've always wanted children of our own. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is infertile."

"Yes…," Elizabeth frowned for a bit, but then brightened up again. "So every year, we come to the orphanage to see if there was anyone we'd like to adopt. Nobody really made the impression on us that you girls did."

"Gosh," It was Zrala's turn to feel tickled pink.

"I'm sure you'll be well-behaved little girls," Elizabeth grinned cheekily. "Won't you?"

We nodded with utmost urgency.

"If you say yes, we'll welcome you with open arms!" Gerald spread his arms wide to illustrate his meaning.

Zrala and I looked each other in the eye for a few moments. I could see a twinkle of delight in her hazel eyes. We nodded.

The nurse got the hint and brought in the other staff.

"So you've come to a decision?" the head nurse asked.

"We agree!" Zrala and I said together.

"Excellent!" the head nurse grinned warmly. "I'm so happy that you've found new parents that will take care of you well. I hope you form a great family together." She handed out a slip to the Durnhams. "Sign here, please." They did so.

The head nurse collected the papers and stacked them together before placing them in a manila folder and placing the folder in a filing cabinet. "So it's settled! Mr and Mrs Durnham, you may return tomorrow to collect your new daughters! Congratulations!" The Durnhams shook hands with the head nurse to seal the deal. Then Gerald and Elizabeth took turns hugging us.

"Welcome to the family, darlings," Elizabeth almost started sobbing with joy.

This is our last night in the orphanage. Tomorrow we say goodbye!

more to come...