A child of two worlds, Opal Crystal never really belonged anywhere. Loved by her heartsick mother, and loathed by her stepfather, she lived her life trapped in a tower of ivory and glass. But when said stepfather betrays her, selling her to the government for experimentation, she must find the strength to carry on...even when all seems lost.
CW: This Generation contains themes of medical torture, false imprisonment, PTSD, and terminal illness.
Aurora: Did Oaken say if she could speak any Simlish?
Opal: She said that she couldn’t. Why?
Aurora: Because she was able to answer when I asked her her name.
Aurora: And you know my Sixamese is terrible.
Opal: Hm…Yashi, siiksha doin?
*excited babbling in Sixamese*
Opal: That’s…faster than I can follow. Let’s try something else.
Opal: Hm…Yashi, your ship?
*babbling stops*
Aurora: …How old did they say she was?
Opal: Three. She understands a lot more than she speaks.
Opal: Yashi, your ship. What happened to it?
Comet: ?
Opal: Hm…ship. Ship. What was ship again…ah. Vico. Ship. Hoin?
*babbling in Sixamese. Deep breath*
Comet: Vico. Ship–ship boom.
Opal: Boom. Exploded. *sigh* Ro, can you get the flashcards? I’ve got an idea.
Aurora: Sure.
Opal: Okay, let’s start at the top. Yashi, this is a jellyfish. Jellyfish.
Comet: J-jewwyfish.
Opal: Good! Jellyfish is…
Comet: ?
Opal: Of course you wouldn’t know that what am I thinking. OKay, this one. Bird.
Comet: Bird. …Gufi!
Opal: Gufi. Okay, we’ll start there. Next is….
That night…
Opal: Well, we may not speak the same language, but at least we know how to take care of you. Time for bed.
Comet: Miiksha! Soin?
Opal: What–oh. Bedtime. Sleep. Um….Iskio.
Comet: …kay.
Opal: …Goodnight, baby. Sleep well.
Comet: …Nini.
Rainbow: So I have both good news and bad news. The bad news is that Comet has no family. Her mother’s family perished many years ago, and there was no father on record.
Opal: So she’s an orphan.
Aurora: Doesn’t mean she’s alone. That’s the good news, right?
Rainbow: It is. I have spoken with the proper authorities on Sixam, and they are in agreement that this is the best place for her. She is yours, if you still wish her to be.
Opal: We do. She’s been ours since the day Oaken brought her here.
Aurora: We’re gonna need a lot more flashcards, for her and for us. I don’t want her to lose her culture just because we’re raising her.
Opal: She won’t. Honestly it’d be good for everyone to learn Sixamese.
Rainbow: Especially with the way things are going in the world.
Aurora: Just don’t get on me if I butcher the syntax! Dad’s been trying to teach me since I was her age, and it never stuck.
Opal: *laugh* We’ll make it work.
Rainbow: For now, I believe someone needs your attention.
Dawn: Did you hear that? She’s staying!
Dusk: She’s staying. Our sister is staying!!
Opal: Comet, honey. Come here.
Comet: Hm?
Opal: You’re going to stay with us, baby. Forever.
Comet: Home. Home, Mama.
Opal: Yes. You’re home.
Opal: …mmph.
Aurora: Babe?
Opal: Headache. Again. I’m fine.
Frostbite: So what’s it like, buying a sister?
Dawn: We didn’t buy her! The agency lady just dropped her off.
Frostbite: So you got one for free. Cool.
Dawn: Frostbite!
Frostbite: What?
Dawn: *sigh* I dunno. It’s kinda weird, but I like it. It’s nice having another girl around. Dusk was kinda mad, though.
Frostbite: He’ll get over it. Race you to the top, Captain Dawn!
Dawn: You know, I think I figured it out.
Frostbite: Figured what out?
Dawn: What I wanna do when I grow up. I wanna do this.
Frostbite: What? Climb toys? *laugh* Dawn!
Dawn: No! I wanna go into space! Go see Sixam, and Cassini, and all the other worlds out there! I wanna see ‘em all!
Dawn: You can come with me, if you wanna!
Frostbite: I dunno. I like it down here on Maxis. But I’ll definitely be here whenever you come back, okay?
Dawn: Best friends?
Frostbite: Forever and ever.
Opal: Comet? Is something wrong, baby?
Comet: No. Just…not hungry. Thank you for the cake, Mama.
Dusk: …Hey, Com? Why don’t you come with me and Dawn to the park? We’re all going tomorrow, and you can hang out with us if you wanna.
Comet: Really? Yeah!
The next day…
-
Radiant: Race you
Comet: Hey!
Comet: Oh, that’s it. You’re on!
Radiant: Hey!
Dawn: *laugh* I tried to warn you she was fast!
Dusk: Are seas and skies clear?!
Laurel: Skies clear, Captain Dusk!
Frostbite: Seas clear–
Frostbite: Monster off the starboard bow!
Dusk: Swinging to port! Ready the cannons!
-
Dawn: Dorks.
Dawn: Hey, Mama? Can we go skating later?
Opal: Sure, honey. If you finish all your homework, we can all go.
Dawn: Great!
Opal: Q–Q, how do you make this look so easy?!
Quartz: *laugh* Stop swinging so much. It’s just like walking.
Opal: Yeah, on sticks!
Opal: How’re you doing, kids?
Dusk/Dawn/Comet: We’re okay!
Quartz: Here–let me show you.
Quartz: Keep your legs bent, don’t worry about falling, and…there we go!
Opal: Okay, now you’re just showing off–whoa!
Dusk: Dawn why did you think this was a good idea–
Dawn: It was supposed to be fun!!!
Comet: Just like a spacewalk just like a spacewalk just like a—-whoaaa!
Opal: Okay, that’s enough of this.
Comet: …and keep watch over all the stars in the sky.
Dawn: That was pretty.
Comet: It’s something Mama taught me. *sigh* …Dawn, do you think…do you think I belong here?
Dawn: What, in the house? Sure you do, silly!
Comet: No, I mean–here, on Maxis.
Comet: I wasn’t born here so–do I even belong here?
Dawn: Com…
Dawn: Of course you do! You’re my little sister, and this is my home, so it’s your home.
Comet: Really?
Dawn: Really!
Dawn: But I was thinking–what if we go to Sixam together?
Comet: Now?
Dawn: No! When we’re grown up. We can go see other worlds together, if you wanna.
Dawn: Be astronauts!
Comet: Go to Sixam, and Cassini, and–
Dawn: And as many places as we want!
Comet: You’d really do that?
Dawn: Sure I would! I wanna see ‘em, too.
Comet: Then…let’s do it! Let’s be astronauts together!
Comet: …but how do we do that? How do you get to be an astronaut?
Dawn: Uh…I dunno, heh. But I bet we can find out! Mommy probably knows–Grampa Nebula’s from Sixam, and so’s Gramma Rain. Somebody has to know.
Dawn: We can ask tomorrow.
Aurora: Lights out, kids!
Comet: Tomorrow. Dawn? Thanks.
Dawn: Of course!
Dawn: Hey, Mommy? How do you become an astronaut?
Aurora: An astronaut? Well, that’s…you know, I’m not actually sure how. You have to train a lot, and work really hard. I think the Space Agency has a training program for kids in high school. Why?
Dawn: Because me and Comet are gonna be astronauts and go to Sixam! And Cassini, and every other world out there!
Aurora: Really?
Comet: Uh-huh!
Aurora: Well, you two have some hard work ahead of you, but I’m sure you can do it.
Opal: And what about you, Dusk? What do you want to do when you get older?
Dusk: Uh…I dunno. That’s okay, right?
Aurora: Of course it is. Your Aunt Q didn’t know what she wanted to do until she did it.
Opal: There’s always time to figure these things out, sweetie. Take your time.
Aurora: Oh–Opal, I need to go see my dads tomorrow. You gonna be okay alone?
Opal: Aren’t I always?
Aurora: I still can’t believe this place sold…
Lemon: It’s a good house, Ro. We had more than one prospective buyer, you know.
Aurora: No, I know, it’s just…I grew up here. I’ve got so many memories of this place. I still think it of home sometimes, you know?
Aurora: It’s kind of hard to believe it’ll be gone in a couple of months..
Nebula: It will not be gone, kiitra. You will keep the memories with you, no matter how far you get from it.
Lemon: And hey, we’ll be a lot closer to you guys, and the kids. That’s important, too.
Aurora: Heh, yeah. The kids are gonna love having you guys over more often.
Nebula: It is good to see you well, kiitra.
Opal: You too! You get all settled in?
Nebula: Oh, for the most part. *sigh* One forgets how many things they have until they must unpack!
Opal: Don’t I know it! We were still unpacking boxes three months after we moved here!
Dawn: Just ask him!
Comet: I dunno…Grampa looks really tired…
Dusk: Old people always look like that! Just go, Com. Don’t be a fraidyberry.
Comet: Grampa?
Nebula: Yes, Yashi?
Comet: Did you ever go back to Sixam after you met Grampa Lemon?
Nebula: Oh, no. No, I was quite happy to stay here. I was very much in love with your grandfather then, and had no reason to return. Why?
Comet: Me and Dawn wanna be astronauts and go to Sixam, but we don’t know how to do it. We thought you’d know.
Nebula: Ah! I see. I am afraid I know little of that either, dear one; all Sixamites are required to spend time on a ship, but I was a communications officer. Scout travel was your Grandmother Rainbow’s duty.
Comet: Oh. Do you think she’d tell us?
Nebula: I see no reason why she would not. I do know that the Space Agency is a very harsh school, so you must be prepared.
Opal: About that–I made some calls, and the high school does have an early internship program at the Agency here. If this is what you two really want to do, we can sign you up when you get old enough.
Comet: Really?! Thank you, Mama!
Dawn: We’re gonna go to space!
Comet: We’re gonna go to space!
*muffled booms*
Opal: Oh–there it goes! Everyone make a wish!
Dawn: I wish we could get to Sixam!
Dusk: I wish I knew what I wanted to do like they do.
Aurora: I wish this mess with the station ends soon.
Comet: I wish I know who I am…
Opal: Alright, ready? 3, 2, 1–
All: Happy New Year!!
Three years later…
Dawn: Mom! The oven timer went off!
Aurora: Duty calls. *laugh* You good?
Opal: I’m great.
-
Opal: Comet, you okay?
Comet: Yeah. …Mom, is it hard to swim like you do?
Opal: It’s more floating than swimming, but not really. Here–just get in and lay on your back. Relax and it’ll happen.
Opal: That’s it. Just like that.
Comet: Is this what floating in space is like?
Opal: …I’m not sure.
Opal: You’re really sure about this, huh? Going to space.
Comet: Uh-huh. I wanna see where I came from. Is that okay?
Opal: More than okay, baby.
Aurora: Dinner’s ready!
Aurora: I still can’t believe how fast they grow up.
Opal: You’d think after five kids we’d be more used to this.
Dawn: I dunno, Mama. Those two practically grew up overnight.
Opal: And so did you two! First placements already.
Aurora: I think we all know where Dawn and Comet are going, but what about you, Dusk? Any thoughts?
Dusk: Eh, a couple. I was thinking about being a vet, so I can help animals like Angel.
Opal: That’s a wonderful idea, honey.
Aurora: And it keeps you closer to home, which is great!
Comet/Dawn: Mom!
Aurora: What? I like having my kiddos close by!
Comet: Sixam isn’t that far, Mommy.
Aurora: It’s definitely not just down the street!
Dawn: Speaking of down the street, can I go out? I wanna go for a climb.
Opal: Just be back by curfew.
Frostbite: So you’re really serious about this Sixam stuff, huh?
Dawn: I’ve been serious since we were like, seven? You bet I’m serious!
Frostbite: Yeah, but first placement into the Agency…
Dawn: It’s not that–whoa–it’s not that hard, Frost.
Frostbite: I can’t imagine staying away from home that long, though…from all your friends, your family…
Dawn: Hey. I’ll come back, you know.
Frostbite: Would you? You’ve got your head in the stars, Dawn. Always have.
Dawn: And my feet on the ground. I’ve got reasons to come back, you know. You, and Mom, and Mama, and Dusk–and the twins now, too. It wouldn’t be forever.
Frostbite: No, just…too long.
Dawn: Frost…
Frostbite: Forget it. You’re gonna be a great astronaut.
Frostbite: And I’ll just keep on waiting here. On the ground, where I–whoa!
*thud*
Frostbite: Belong. Ow.
Dawn: Frost! You okay?
Frostbite: Yeah, I’m good. I’m just not cut out for this stuff…
Dawn: Well, keep trying! You’ll get it.
*Phone buzzes*
Frost: Ugh, great. Fifteen to curfew. I gotta run, Dawn.
Dawn: Wait, isn’t your curfew at nine thirty?
Frost: Yep! See you tomorrow!
Dawn: …Mom’s gonna ground me.
Dawn: I’m back…
Aurora: Dawn…
Dawn: I’m only–
Both: Twenty minutes late.
Dawn: …Sorry. I got distracted?
Aurora: I figured, yes. *sigh* Dawn, what’s the one thing we ask you and your brother to do out there?
Dawn: Be careful, and always be back by curfew…
Aurora: Mm-hmm. Phone, please.
Dawn: What? Mom, come on–
Aurora: You’ll get it back tomorrow. You know the rules, kiddo.
Dawn: Ugh, fine. Here.
Aurora: Thank you. Now, head on up to bed. It’s your first day tomorrow! Watcher, you’ve gotten big.
Dawn: Still not as big as you. G’night, Mom.
Aurora: Goodnight, sweetie.
Some days later…
Dusk: Here we go. All good, Tou?
Tourmaline: Uh-huh!
Dusk: Your turn now, Spi…nel…okay, we’re missing one.
Spinel: Hungry!
Dawn: What the–Spi!
Dusk: There you are!
Dawn: How does she keep running off on all of us?
Dusk: No idea. Come on–we’re gonna be late for school if we don’t hurry.
Opal: Morning. Kids head out?
Aurora: Right on time. You doing okay? Slept in there for a bit.
Opal: Just tired. All done, baby?
Tourmaline: Yeah!
That night…
Opal: Mind if I join you?
Dawn: Sure! Maybe you can figure out what strategy Dusk was using. He’s got a head of his own.
Opal: You all do.
Dawn: Yeah, but mine actually makes sense…
Opal: *chuckle* To be fair, that’s what your brother says about you sometimes.
Dawn: Urgh. He’s gotten worse after that growth spurt.
Opal: I think all he’s gotten is taller. And–oh. There’s your Mom. Must have had a bad day.
Dawn: How can you tell?
Opal: When you’ve known someone as long as we’ve known each other, you can just know. Kind of like you and your brother, really.
Opal: You just…know.
Dawn: I guess. There.
Opal: Oh, honey, are you sure you want to make that move?
Dawn: Yes. Why?
Opal: Because check.
Dawn: What?! Oh, come on!
Opal: Here–let’s go back a couple. See? You left an opening here.
Dawn: And now I’ll close it with this and–ha! Check!
Opal: Argh! Thwarted by my eldest child!
Dawn: *laugh* Mama!
Opal: *laugh* Well, that’s enough of that. Off to bed with you, missy.
Dawn: okay, okay. G’night, Mama.
Opal: Good night, baby.
The next day…
Dawn: …? Mom!
Opal: W–what? I didn’t catch that, sorry.
Dawn: I was asking if Frost could stay over for a while?
Opal: Oh, right. Right, um, sure. Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge, Frostbite.
Frostbite: Thanks, Mrs. C. …everything okay?
Opal: Just didn’t sleep well. Excuse me.
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