*Note, this chapter has another language in it (one that I have made up) and the translations are at the bottom, but it is pretty easy to decipher. If you would prefer the translations in a different place, just let me know*

I was tired of walking and I just sighed.

"You okay, Zin?"

"What do you mean Zin?"

"It's my nickname for you."

"You just learnt my name and have already given me a nickname?"

"Yeah. Zinnia seems too long, so Zin seems better."

"I like my name, thank you very much," I didn't want to admit that I thought it was cute, but I didn't want him to think he was my friend just because he knew my name.

"Let's rest here, there's a bench," Saros pointed to a broken down bench.

"Is everything here old and broken?"

"Isn't that how you humans have it?" He shot me a smile and ran off to the bench.

"So do you aliens have your own language?" I sat beside him and asked.

"Esur ew od, sti' yelaler dierw houhgt," Saros smiled at me as I tried to figure out what he said.

"What?" I was puzzled and was starting to regret even asking.

"I said 'sure we do, it's really weird though,'" he shrugged and got comfortable.

"It sure is weird to me," I mumbled under my breath. I looked around and in the distance I saw a puff of smoke.

"Saros, what's that?" I shook him and he fell off the bench.

"Aggressive, much?" He paused to look at the smoke, "Oh, that? I don't know, let's check it out," he jumped up and walked slowly, waiting for me. He looked really unsure and I could tell there was a lot we humans didn't know about the alien race.

'What is he hiding? Is he really just trying to help find Orion? What's the bigger picture here?' I thought to myself.

I must've been eyeing him, because he gave me a weird look. I just followed him as we followed the smoke, but as we got closer, the smoke grew bigger. It slowly descended down to us the further we walked, it got thicker too. I started to cough like crazy, but Saros seemed unaffected.

"Is this some trap or something?" I stopped and had a coughing fit.

"No? What's that supposed to mean?" He looked back at me.

"I can't breath," I gasped for air right before collapsing.

•••

"Zinnia, are you okay?" I just nodded

"Yeah, I'm okay," I stood up and looked around. No one else was there. Was I imagining things? The air had cleared up, and it was a bright summer day. I lifted my hand to my ear where I had put my zinnia, sure enough it was still there. I turned to look behind me and it was mothers' dream house.

"You really do have everything on this ship, don't you Saros?" I said to myself as I walked up to open the door. I half expected to see Saros there, but instead I was bulldozed to the ground by Orion.

"Orion? You're safe! We can go home now, or we can go find mother and run from father," I grabbed his hand and started to run, but he just stood there.

"What do you mean Zinnia? Mother is in the house. She just set the table for lunch. Why would we need to run from father? We love him," Orion tugged on my hand and looked me in the eyes. I was so confused, Orion and I had planned on running away for years.

"Are you okay Orion? You must be sick," I knelt down and felt his forehead. He felt normal, so I allowed him to bring me inside. I was still very cautious, but maybe father had changed, maybe I was in a nightmare before.

"Hello Zin! Welcome home. How was your outing?" Father came and gave me a gentle hug. Or was it Father? I looked up and he had hair – I thought he had been bald his entire life.

"Come sit down guys, lunch is ready!" Mother called from the kitchen. We all sat and I realized I was wearing a summer dress. I rarely wore dresses because they are very impractical. So why was I wearing one now? Where did Saros go? Was the invasion just a bad dream? Did everything change overnight?

"Has anyone seen Saros around?" I questioned. I assumed they had to know who he was, if he existed. This was the way to find out if he was a figure of my imagination.

"Who is Saros, dear?" Father looked at me, but his face showed actual love and concern.

"Uh, no one. Nevermind," I sighed and looked at the meal.

"What's this supposed to be anyways?" I made a look of disgust. It was three pieces of circled bread things, but softer. They looked squishy and absorbent.

"Pancakes, your favourite?" Mother came and poured syrup on my pancakes.

"Are you feeling alright dear? Do you need to lie down?" Father came and placed the back of his hand on my forehead, but I pushed it away.

"I feel fine, this isn't reality! This is the dream, isn't it? A perfect reality, the one I never got to, or will have?" I stood up and started to back away.

"I told you those child psychology classes and that child therapist would never work, she's still as crazy as ever," mother crossed her arms and looked at father.

"I just thought they might," Father sighed and came to grab me.

"I'm sorry dear, but it's for the best," Father picked me up.

"What? what do you mean? What's for the best? Where are you taking me Father?" I was carried out the front door and all the sudden my surroundings vanished. I was so confused and all of the sudden started to fall. I was falling forever like in one of those falling dreams. I closed my eyes, and started to wish everything would vanish and go poof. I finally opened my eyes, only to find myself in an open room with gadgets and machines everywhere.

"Mother? Orion? Father? Saros? Anyone?" I called for help, but I couldn't move. I was in metal restraints and stuck to one of those beds you see in movies where the main character is kidnapped. I wanted to call out again, but I heard voices.

"You think she'll wake up soon?"

"I don't know, it's uncertain. But there are lots of signs she's well and might just require rest."

"But she doesn't look fine at all," that voice had panic in it. It sounded sort of familiar.

"Saros, it was the right thing to come to me when you did, she's stabilized now."

"I didn't even know you were here."

"Okay, sure. Then why were you headed towards my factory?"

"Not important, I'm going to try to wake up Zin." I felt two hands start to shake me awake.

"Hey Zin, wake up."

"Zia sounds better."

"Not the point – Zin, wake up."

"Zin."

"Zin."

"ZIN! Wake up!" My eyes shot open and I went to go sit up, but I was restrained with metal cuffs.

"Oh! Let me get those for you," a tall alien hit a button and the cuffs were opened. I sat up and looked around. It was a very high tech room. Everything was a little blurry.

"Hi, I'm Aerglo," the alien waved at me. She had a long purple tail and she was tall. Her skin was a violet colour and she had a tight ponytail of green hair. She was floating a little bit.

"I'm Zinnia," I slurred my words and was dizzy.

"I'm very well aware of this," Aerglo caught me before I fell off the bed.

"Thanks," I planted my hands so I wouldn't tip as easily.

"You're welcome." she said. I looked down to see what I was wearing because it felt different

"Ew! I'm wearing a dress," I let the word dress linger a bit before it rolled off my tongue in disgust.

"I thought humans – well girls – loved dresses. I must've gotten my research wrong, I will update that," the alien rushed over to a big computer and said a password.

"Orion," I tensed and turned my head slowly.

"What did you say?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I said the password, Orion. The constellation?" She looked at me weirdly.

"My brother's name is Orion, I just thought you meant him," I looked down at the ground.

"So, Zin, you want your old boring pyjamas back?" Saros moved closer and the tension in the soom came to a cease.

"Not really, are there any shirts and pants or anything?" I felt embarrassed for not being grateful. I didn't want to come across as rude.

"Well, only men's clothes. I thought my data was correct," Aerglo turned around. After a few minutes of typing, she said, "The data is all caught up," she leaned on the keyboard with a proud expression.

"Want a tour?" Saros asked. I nodded and followed along.

•••

"So, how do you know each other? There seems to be a bond," I asked Saros and Aerglo.

We had gone on a stroll through the very smokey forest and were currently participating in some light conversation. "Well, it's a long story. I'll tell you later. How is that mask working for you?" Saros responded.

"It's working great, but we have time. I want to hear the story," I ran up ahead of them and turned to face them.

"Oh, come on Saros, you can tell her," Aerglo playfully hit him.

"Yeah, she gets it," I looked around and found another bench to sit on. I ran to it and sat down.

"Fine," Saros rolled his eyes and came to sit beside me, "Way back before our planet was destroyed, one of our traditions were to have your children married to the nosrep of your choice an-"

"So basically an arranged marriage? What does this have to do with you guys meeting? Oh, do you have a sibling I don't know about? Did you meet at their wedding?" I interrupted Saros, excitedly.

"Well not quite," Aerglo replied, annoyed, "Saros, si seh walsay sthi bumd? Rae lal snamuhs sthi bumd? I don't want to have to update my data, again," Aerglo complained in their language. Although I couldn't understand her, I felt pretty insulted.

"No Aerglo. She's just excited. Anyways, the master of the planet only births one child, usually a female, every few centuries. Master Agnes is immortal – he's basically a god. He births these females so just in case something does happen, which is unlikely, or he retires. He will have a bunch of nosreps ready to take over. The way to win is a fight to the death," Saros sighed, I could tell the story was getting tough to tell.

"Oh come on Saros, don't stop now! You're getting to the good part!" Aerglo coaxed.

"Well, to be arranged to marry the master's daughter, you have to win the small lottery, which then puts you with the other winners and it tests your skills. Whoever wins, is arranged to marry her. My mother entered me in the contest, without me knowing and I won. I also passed the tests. The princess this century was Aerglo which means, she's my fian-"

"I'm his fiancée!" Aerglo interrupted him and made jazz hands.

"Oh, how cool! It wasn't the type of story I was expecting, but it's still cool!" I smiled.

"It is a cool story. When I saw the contestants I hoped it would be Saros who won, he was so kind and unique," Aerglo was beaming with joy and she hugged Saros. I felt like a third wheel.

"It's a very cute love story. But Saros, if you didn't want to win, why didn't you fail on purpose?" I was confused about this detail.

"Well, my mother was depressed with our living situation and she threatened me to win. She said she would feed off my so-"

"SAROS! Shut up, het snamuhs tnod' nwok thta. Oyu lilw nuir ym stheraf' lanp!" Aerglo interrupted him and glared at him.

"You don't have to speak in a different language. I won't spill anything, even if I did no one would believe me." I felt even more like a third wheel.

Aerglo slowly turned her head, and glared at me, "Sure, I know that. But what we're talking about is between us. Fiancée stuff, mushy disgusting things," Aerglo quickly turned her glare back into a smile.

I nodded along not believing a word of her lie.

"Ew, you're right, then. I don't want to hear that stuff," I played dumb, not having the enegry to argue back.

"But that's not what you sai-"

"Okay! Let's get walking. Where to?" Aerglo had once again interrupted Saros. We all just went along and followed her back to the laboratory.

•••

"Zinnia, you will sleep here," Aerglo led me to a small area and she draped a sheet over a rope that was hanging.

"That sheet is my door? And am I just sleeping on the floor or what?" I had gotten used to having actual walls and an actual bed in our new home, but I could handle it.

"Yeah, Saros will sleep with me tonight. We are fiancés and all, so it won't matter. See you in the morning, Zinnia," Aerglo grabbed Saros' hand and walked to her bedroom.

I changed into my freshly cleaned pyjamas and laid on the thin sheet. I didn't feel tired at all and I just kept thinking of what this whole thing meant to me. I didn't even want Saros to accompany me in the first place, so why did I feel a new kind of sadness?

I was slowly drifting to sleep, when out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow in the sheet. I sat up as quickly as I could.

"Who's there?" I call out.

"I had a feeling you weren't asleep," Saros came from behind the sheet.

"Well, I was almost asleep," I moved over so he had room to sit.

"Sorry for waking you up."

"It's okay, this is better. Is Aerglo asleep?"

"Yeah, she fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow."

"Cool, I thought of some questions. Can I ask them?"

"Sure, go ahead," he smoothed out the sheet.

"It sounds like this whole test thing happened years ago, so why are you only fiancées?"

"Well, I have to go through my transformation first. Aerglo already had hers, I have to have mine. It will happen soon though, not much longer," he smiled.

"What's with all the smog? And why can you guys breath it in?"

"Well, it's for protection, so humans can't find our secrets. Her father prefers she works in complete isolation, and there's a special thing in it for us to be able to breath it in. Her father spent a lot of time working on it to make it perfect. We may have taken a few humans to conduct experiments on before we came and took over."

"One more question," I paused. "For now anyways."

"Yeah?"

"What were you guys talking about earlier?" I asked.

"Her father has a plan for your planet. He is honest about us not taking over but, we have a secret," he paused.

"Yes?"

"I'm not allowed to say," he looked shocked as if he didn't even know he told me anything. He looked scared for his life.

"It's okay Saros." I felt guilty for trying to get information out of him, and just hugged him. I started to get drowsy and ended up falling asleep on his shoulder.

•••

"What the hell is this? Saros, you know we are to be married after your transformation!" Aerglo came and hit us with a pillow and I saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What do you mean Aerglo?"

"You left me last night to sleep with her? On the floor!" Aerglo screamed.

"I'm sorry Aerglo, I just didn't want to bother you. You seemed so peaceful," Saros stood up to go and calm her down. They went to their room and talked.

I eventually got up and threw on the dress they had given me.

"Better then nothing I guess," I said to myself before leaving to find a small kitchen. It looked like a vintage kitchen. It was a light, sunshine yellow and it had all the necessities a usual kitchen would. It had a small coffee table, a nice baby blue fridge, a dark yellow stove and wooden countertops. I went to the old fashioned coffee maker and brewed a new batch.

Just as I was sitting down with my coffee, Aerglo entered the kitchen.

"Ugh, I honestly hate this design. I don't know why I chose it," she said right before hitting a button that transformed the small, cute kitchen into a grand, new modern one. The wooden countertops became silver and marbleized. The old, round fridge became a very square and black fridge. I watched the stove go from small and yellow, to big and white. I was blinded by the amount of whites and silvers took over the small, vintage room. The small coffee table became a huge glass dining table with many curvy designs on the stone legs.

"Whoa," I watched the whole thing in amazement before covering my eyes.

"Too bright?" She asked then changed it to an assortment of greys and blacks.

"Better?" She asked, and I just nodded.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for my behaviour," she slid into a chair beside me.

"It's ok, I guess. This is the first time anyone has really apologized to me," I took a sip of my coffee.

"Oh, that's, interesting. Well, I just don't get many visitors and I feel like Saros and I are falling apart. I want us to bond, because I know he was never too fond of the idea of us getting married," she sighed.

"It's fine Aerglo," I gave her the most forgiving smile I could muster up.

I was about to say more, but heard a cough from around the corner. I turned my head towards the sound and I saw Saros leaning against the wall.

"Good Morning ladies," he said and walked over to the table.

"What happened to the vintage design I saw last night?" He sat down between us.

"I didn't like it much," Aerglo responded.

"Hey guys, do your names have meaning? I just always imagined aliens names to always have some meaning to them," I asked.

"My name means *a period of about 18 years between repetitions of solar and lunar eclipses," Saros answered right away and smiled.

"My name means *a natural glow of the night sky. It's from the reactions that take place in earth's upper atmosphere," Aerglo answered shortly after.

"That's cool. I like them a lot," I said, smiling.

"So, Aerglo. What's the plan for today?" Saros asked.

"Well I have more data to work on, I was thinking you could grab supplies and us girls could hang out. She would be good for my data," Aerglo smiled too.

"Great idea," Saros said, already getting up to leave.

"So, Zinnia. Tell me everything about human life," she turned to face me one Saros was gone.

"Well, it's boring really. I'm not the best human to ask, I didn't have a normal life," I sighed.

"Well, from what I've learnt. There is no normal, everyones different."

"Sure, I'm just extra non-normal," I face planted onto the table and groaned.

"I don't believe that, you seem completely fine to me," she paused and smiled. She was about to add to that when her happy expression turned to a blank and cold face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, right before I felt a sheering pain in my head.

"Saros, somethings wrong," she got up and raced out the door. I shook my head and followed her, trying to ignore the pain.

We didn't have to run for long, Saros was outside the door and was laying on the ground.

"Saros," I knelt beside him.

"He's fine, we just have to bring him back to the lab," Aerglo said. I looked up and she looked relieved. I was still worried, but I tried to calm down.

We had gone back to the lab and Saros was starting to wake up.

"Saros, you're okay!" I hugged him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he smiled and hugged me back. We stayed there for a minute or two before it got awkward and I let go.

"Okay, back up. It's time," Aerglo pulled me back.

"Wait wh-" I was interrupted by Saros as lights started to surround him like a cocoon.

"Saros?" I yelled and tried to grab him, but Aerglo held me back.

"Let me go!" I stomped on her foot and she let go, but it was too late. The lights consumed him and he looked frozen in time.

*Sure we do, it's really weird though.*

*Is she always this dumb? Are all humans this dumb?*

*The humans don't know that. You will ruin my father's plan!*

Sorry this is so late. School has REALLY been getting crazy. I'm going to take a break, but I promise I will 100% continue with the every Saturday schedule soon. School ends next Friday, but I'm going to have to write more so I'll start updating regularly again. Until the next update (then it will be normal again, I promise)

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