"Aja! Wake up!" Krel exclaimed, shaking Aja. "We're here!"
"Wha---" Aja mumbled groggily.
"We're approximately one mekron away from landing on Earth," Mother said, hoving overhead.
"Lively!" Aja grinned, jumping out of the chair she had fallen asleep in. "Come on, Luug!"
"Where are we landing?" Krel asked, walking into the control room.
"Same place as last time!" Vex responded.
"The whole thing with you all having memories of an alternate future is still incredibly confusing to me," Zadra mumbled.
"When we find Jim, he'll explain everything," Aja comforted, holding Luug in her arms. "Better than we can, at least."
"We're not going to crash this time, right?" Krel asked nervously. "I really don't want to lose the Daxial Array. Again."
"The mother ship will not be crashing. This ship's landing gear is not damaged, unlike last time," Vex replied.
"Phew," Aja sighed.
The first view of Arcadia came into view as the ship slowly landed towards the ground. While the stars shining in the night were fewer than Akiridion-5, it was no less beautiful. The ship thud as it hit Earth, and Aja and Krel cheered.
"Woo! We didn't explode!" Aja celebrated.
"Of course not!" Vex responded. "Not with Varvatos Vex at the helm!"
"And yet, we're still alive," Krel snickered.
All three shared a laugh.
"Mother," Vex called out. "Please use the camouflage matrix."
"Complying," Mother responded. "I have chosen the model based on the planet's primitive transmissions. They broadcast at sub-light speed, so they're bound to be rather old."
"No worries," Krel smiled. "Also, use the camouflage matrix on the inside of the ship."
Their surroundings melted away and reformed to become the house Aja, Krel, and Vex all remember fondly. Luug ran around happily.
"This place," Zadra said, looking around. "It's familiar."
"Interesting," Krel noted. "Mother, what time is it on Earth?"
"It is approximately eleven thirty-two at night," Mother responded.
"Mother, put up shields," Vex commanded.
"Complying."
"There, the house is protected," Vex smiled.
"Do you think Jim will be awake?" Aja asked.
"Only one way to find out," Krel shrugged, pulling out his serator and allowing the transduction to wash over himself. "I could use some fresh air anyways. Wanna come?"
"Of course!" Aja grinned, also switching to her human disguise. "Vex, Zadra, are you coming?"
"Varvatos Vex would like to recline in his favorite chair," Vex sighed, reclining back into the chair and turning on the TV.
"I don't have one of those transductions," Zadra pointed out. "And besides, I don't care for that sort of stuff. I like my form."
"Alright then," Krel smiled. "We won't be very long."
"Stay inside, Luug," Aja said, petting Luug before following Krel out the door.
Aja and Krel stepped outside their house and just listened to the ambiance of Arcadia. Krel deeply inhaled and smiled happily.
"I missed Arcadia," Krel sighed.
"It's hard to remember when it wasn't in ruin," Aja said.
"I like when it isn't," Krel responded.
"You and me both, little brother."
"So," Krel started. "Straight to Jim's house first?"
"I'll race you there?" Aja smirked.
"Three two one go!" Krel exclaimed, already running.
"No fair!"
By the time they reached the culdesac, Krel and Aja were out of breath.
"Oh. I forgot how easy it was for humans to run out of oxygen," Krel panted.
"Agreed," Aja gasped. "But I won!"
"You're such a gloater," Krel shook his head.
"But a winning gloater," Aja grinned. "Come on! Let's go see Jim!"
"The lights are on, so he's probably awake," Krel noted.
They walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, the door opened. Aja and Krel scrunched their faces in confusion.
"You're not Jim," Aja said.
"No," Strickler replied. "I'm not. Who are you?"
"He's not Jim, but this man is familiar," Krel said.
"Walt?" Barbara called out. "Who's at the door?"
"Friends of Jim, I believe?" Strickler responded. Barbara joined Strickler by the door and looked at Aja and Krel.
"What are your names, kids?" Barbara asked.
"I'm Aja," Aja said.
"And I'm Krel," Krel added. "And what is your name, familiar man?"
"Walter Strickler?" Strickler responded.
"Aha! I knew I knew you! You're not a troll-like last time, though," Krel hummed.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Oh! You're the aliens Jim has been talking about," Barbara realized. Krel gasped in offense.
"I do not like that term! We prefer Akiridions," Krel cut in.
"Sorry," Barbara apologized. "Akiridions."
"So, Akiridions," Strickler started. "What brings you here so late at night?"
"We wanted to see Jim. We just got to Arcadia. Is Jim home?" Aja asked.
"Oh. Jim doesn't live here anymore," Barbara said. "He lives in Trollmarket."
"He does?" Krel asked. Barbara nodded. "Oh. Well, I guess we need to go to Trollmarket."
"To Trollmarket, then!" Aja exclaimed, jumping off the steps.
"Thank you for the information," Krel waved. "Have a nice night Barbara and familiar human!"
___
"Nothing interesting appears to be on!" Vex said, flipping through the television channels.
"What do humans do for fun then?" Zadra asked.
"According to my research and immediate tools nearby. Possible activities would be a game called hide and go seek or dancing to music."
"Both of those activities sound boring," Zadra sighed.
"Ricky and Lucy would probably know what to do," Vex sighed.
"Who are those people?" Zadra asked.
"They were blank bots from this ship," Vex explained. "Fascinating they were."
Vex suddenly got an idea.
"Zadra! Follow Varvatos Vex!"
___
"Why are we in the room with all the blank bots?" Zadra asked.
"Because Varvatos Vex wishes to bring the entire family back together!"
Vex carefully pulled two blank bots off the wall he knew to be the ones they had used in the past. Vex pushed them into the camouflage matrix.
"You shall be Ricky Blank! And you shall be Lucy Blank! Mother, initiate camouflage protocol. Load their data caches with your research of human culture," Vex ordered.
"Before we do this, you should know my information on this planet is approximately sixty years out of date," Mother warned.
"That is what I'm counting on, Mother," Vex grinned.
"Very well then," Mother concluded.
___
Aja and Krel were walking for a while before Krel stopped.
"Wait....Aja....don't we need one of those orange crystals to get into Trollmarket?" Krel asked. Aja was in thought for a moment, and her eyes widened in realization.
"Yeah! And we don't have one! Kleb!" Aja cursed. "Let's just call Jim instead."
"Kelb!" Krel cursed.
"What is it, little brother?" Aja asked.
"I forgot to bring the communication device! I knew I forgot something!" Krel exclaimed.
"So we have no way to contact Jim?" Aja asked.
"We just need to get phones. And we know a place," Krel explained.
"We do?" Aja questioned. "We do!"
___
"Welcome to Stuarts Electronics!" Stuart greeted. "What can I get for you guys so late at night?"
"Stuart!" Aja greeted.
"Yes?" Stuart asked.
"You don't know us. Or know us personally, at least. But we know you're not from this world," Krel said.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Stuart stammered.
"No, no, Stuart, it's okay!" Aja reassured. "We're not from this world either!"
"What?" Stuart asked.
"We're from Akiridion-5. I'm Krel Tarron of House Tarron, and this is my sister Aja Tarron of House Tarron," Krel smiled.
"Wait. You are Aja and Krel," Stuart asked, surprised. Aja and Krel allowed their transductions to disappear and smiled.
"OMG!" Stuart grinned. "I am the biggest fan! But what are you two doing on Earth of all planets?"
"We're on a mission!" Aja exclaimed.
"And part of our mission is to get a phone to contact a friend here on Earth," Krel added.
"Well, you've come to the right place!" Stuart beamed, pulling out a box of phones. "You can have any you like, no charge!"
"We'll pay you back," Aja smiled as Krel pulled two phones out of the box.
"Yes, we will definitely pay you back," Krel promised. "And we promise to tell you everything as soon as we get into contact with our friend."
"Of course! I'm just so honored the prince and princess of Akiridion-5 are standing in my store!" Stuart grinned.
"Actually, it's king and queen in waiting," Aja corrected.
"You just blew my mind," Stuart gasped.
"We'll talk to you soon, Stuart," Krel waved, putting his transduction back on, followed by Aja. They left the store and walked before they reached an ally. Krel handed a phone to Aja. "Now, we just need to contact Jim."
"Lively!" Aja grinned.
Suddenly, a thud sounded from behind them, and Aja and Krel tensed up. Someone was behind them. Aja quickly grabbed her serrator and turned it into a spear before twisting around with a battle cry and had the weapon inches from the enemy's face.
"Gah! Don't kill me!" Jim exclaimed, covering his face. Because it was night, Jim was engulfed in shadows, and only his silhouette could be made out. Was he taller?
"Jim!" Aja exclaimed, letting her weapon disappear.
"We were just about to contact you," Krel smiled.
"My mom called me and said you dropped by," Jim explained. "I knew you didn't have a way to get into Trollmarket, so I left to find you."
"Yeah, we didn't know you lived in Trollmarket," Aja said.
"I do now," Jim replied. "We should head to Trollmarket."
Jim walked forward and looked out the ally, finally out of the shadows, Aja and Krel yelped at Jim's unexpected appearance.
"What?" Jim asked, voice filled with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"You're blue again!" Krel exclaimed. Jim scrunched his face in confusion before looking at his hand and realizing what they were talking about.
"Oh sweet Deya, I forgot to tell you I was a troll," Jim cringed. "I think I need to fill you in on a few things."
"So Strickler is now a human, and you are now a troll? What is this flip-flopping madness?" Krel questioned.
"Perhaps it might be better if you tell Vex and Zadra too back at our house?" Aja suggested.
"Who's Zadra?" Jim asked.
"She's a friend of ours who kinda became part of our family in the alternate future," Krel exclaimed.
"Oh," Jim said. "If she wants, I can give her her memories back."
"You can do that?" Aja asked.
"Like I said, I think I need to fill you in on a few things," Jim nodded.
"To our house, then!" Krel exclaimed.
___
"We're home!" Aja exclaimed, entering through the door. Krel entered, followed by Jim.
Poor Jim was suddenly tackled by Vex.
"An unknown enemy has followed you home!" Vex exclaimed.
"No, no, Vex! That's Jim!" Krel yelled.
"Ah!" Jim shouted, covering his face.
"Jim?" Vex questioned. "You are encased in the same stone armor your troll friends are encased in."
"That's because I am a troll!" Jim exclaimed. Vex got off Jim and picked Jim up, and set him on his feet.
"Varvatos Vex is sorry for attacking you," Vex apologized. "Varvatos did not recognize you at first gaze."
"It's fine," Jim replied, dusting his clothes off. Zadra pushed past Vex and grabbed Jim's face, and began to examine it.
"Interesting. I thought you said humans were fleshy. This is living rock," Zadra said, looking at Jim's face closely.
"No, not human," Jim shook his head. "I'm a troll. You must be Zadra."
"I am. And what of your name?" Zadra asked.
"I'm Jim," Jim introduced.
"So you're the person that is meant to make all of my confusion less confusing," Zadra stated.
"I guess so?" Jim replied.
"Well, howdy there, Jim!" Ricky Blank said, grabbing Jim's hand and shaking it vigorously. "Wow! Heck of a grip you got there!"
"Aren't you a handsome fella!" Lucy Blank cooed, looking at a very uncomfortable-looking Jim. "I could just swaddle you in a blanket and rock you to sleep!"
Jim's face grew purple in embarrassment.
"Are those the mom and dad blanks?" Krel exclaimed. "How are they even here?"
"Zadra and Varvatos Vex became very bored. Varvatos Vex then got a brilliant idea to bring in the rest of the family! Varvatos told them their names and sent them on their way!" Vex grinned.
"They're incredibly hyper robots," Zadra said. "Surprisingly good at sparing."
"We have fun, don't we?" Lucy suddenly appeared by Zadra's side.
"Um, will you let go of my hand?" Jim asked, looking at the Dadblank.
"You're gonna have to pull your hand out of his," Krel told Jim. "It's rare for him to ever let go."
Jim yanked his hand from the blank.
"Gee whiz, you're strong, son!" Ricky exclaimed. "How about we go out back and throw the old pigskin around?"
Jim grimaced and sidestepped away from the bot.
Luug suddenly appeared and started clawing at Jim's legs. Jim smiled and petted Luug, and Luug happily rolled over for Jim to pet his stomach.
"How about we sit on the couch," Aja invited. Jim was quick to move and sit on the couch. Krel, Vex, and Zadra joined on the couch soon after. Luug also joined on the sofa and sat on Jim's lap.
"Traitor," Aja giggled, seeing how well Jim and Luug were getting along.
"So," Krel drawled out.
"So indeed!" Vex exclaimed.
"So, Zadra," Jim said. "I can give you your memories of the alternate timeline if you want them."
Zadra looked contemplative before nodding.
"I believe it will be beneficial to have them," Zadra said.
"Jim, can you also give AI memories back?" Aja asked.
"Um, I'm not sure. I've never tried, but I can," Jim said.
"Mother!" Aja called out. Mother appeared in the middle of their group.
"What can I do for you, my royal?" Mother asked.
"Just stay there for a moment," Aja commanded.
"Of course."
Jim pulled his amulet out of his pocket, and Krel gasped.
"That's the amulet from the alternate future! How do you have it in this timeline?" Krel asked.
"A lot of things are different," Jim said. "I guess the amulet traveled into the past with me, and it also absorbed the time stone, which allowed me to give people their memories of the future back."
"Huh," Krel nodded. Jim closed his eyes, and the amulet started spinning rapidly before sending a wave of green energy out through the house.
Zadra blinked back into awareness and gasped as she looked around the house.
"I remember," Zadra breathed out, touching her head. "I could still use an explanation."
"My royals," Mother said. "I appear to be fully operational despite recalling my demise."
"Mother!" Krel grinned. "We're back in the past!"
"How is that possible?" Zadra asked. "What happened?"
"Well, I guess we should start at the beginning," Jim smiled warmly.
Don't know when the next chapter will be but here is one for now!
This week I won't be able to upload as much so I hope this will be okay for now :)
Thank you to everyone who has commented! You're all so amazing!