The Broke Legacy: Gen 5.0 (Part 1 of 2)

[simgaroop]

Previous update: Gen 4.7.
Warning: Pixelated nudity (mild), language and sexual references.






______________________________




Despite the dozens of essays to write and hundreds of books to read, my first months at Veronaville were quite simple.
I wasted no time and chose the Drama Major as soon as I enrolled at Academie Le Tour.




I moved with Helena into a small lot near campus.
I must admit that after living a year apart, it took me a little while to get used back to her odd habits.




For example, the constant presence of random men in her side of the lot, including one of her very first boyfriends, Abhjeet Jr.




Honestly, I didn't know what to think about Helena's peculiar love life, although she often told me that she was just having some fun.
"Responsible fun", as she quickly added when I reminded her of Rosie and Buck's story.
Besides, Helena never worried about her term papers or essays, and I soon discovered the reason.




That gave her plenty of time to work on her art.
As a teen, she had experimented with people's hair.
Then she had tried to recreate the Graslaxian art.
And now she was looking for new ways to show her peculiar point of view to the world.
So, she asked Uncle Mars for the Curious' old Graslaxian cooking book.
And of course, I was her guinea pig.
I didn't mind, though, because her culinary creations were usually quite tasty... as long as I never asked about the ingredients.




The downside of her experiments, though, was that she often created gigantic messes when she cooked.




I wasn't precisely a neat person, but even I couldn't stand to see the kitchen counters like that, so I spent several afternoons cleaning the place.




But other than that, I was glad to have Helena as my roommate.
We had as much fun as we did as children.








Perhaps because we often acted as such...




Helena also looked for ways to get me out of the house.
"You are such a nerd, Tim! You need to get out and get laid!"
We visited every single bar, nightclub and bowling alley around Veronaville.
And most of Academie Le Tour's popular spots, like its Amphitheatre.




It was there, one autumn afternoon, when my College life became interesting.
We went to the Amphitheatre to see Rosie's music band, "The Drama Llamas".
Despite the loss of their bassist, Dawson and Max often toured around the region and giving small concert at the Universities.
When we heard that they were coming to Academie Le Tour, we did our best to promote their concert around campus.
They barely earned enough money to pay their bus tickets back to La Fiesta Tech, though, but at least we all had fun that day.








Dawson and Max had barely changed since the last time I had seen them.
Dawson told me that Rosie often sent them some of her compositions via e-mail.
Although her job and taking care of Lyla kept her quite busy, Rosie still found time for her one true passion.




Her compositions weren't the only things that Rosie sent to the Drama Llamas, though.
She knew that it'd be hard for Max and Dawson to play alone, so she asked the other musician in our family to take her place during her absence.
Our cousin Calvin inherited Uncle Andrew's love for music, and was quite talented at the piano.
It was a very pleasant surprise to see him on stage as part of the band.




I invited him for a coffee after the concert.
Despite being very close as children, it'd been years since we last hung out together.




"How is everyone back home?"




"Well, I had lunch with your family the other day, and they are all fine. They asked me to send their love to you."
"Thanks, Pal. So how are things at La Fiesta Tech?"
"Pretty good! Hobbes and I opened a small fraternity for Graslaxian students and so far we have two pledges."
"That sounds neat!"
"Yeah... too bad you are not there, Tim. We'd been having so much fun together..."




"I... I know..."
"It's all right, though. I can see why you chose to come here instead. This place is awesome too."
"Yeah..."
"By the way, Marsha also asked me to say hi."
"Marsha?"




"Yeah, Marsha Bruening. Hobbe's little girlfriend. Man! Those two are such a couple saps!"
"I can imagine that..."
"That's why I needed you there, Tim! A guy can only stand so much sugar a day!"




If only Calvin knew that was precisely the reason why I had escaped to Le Tour...
Anyway, Calvin returned to La Fiesta Tech the following day, and things went back to their old normal state.
Or so I thought...




For the next two months, Helena spent a lot of time on the computer.
That obviously puzzled me, for she had never been interested in them.
And I was 100% sure that she wasn't precisely working on her essays.




Meanwhile, the casting for the Drama Department's Annual Play began a few days later.
It would be the first big production I'd be a part of.
The audition would take place just a few weeks later, and I had decided to try out for the main role.
So, I spent a long time memorizing my lines and working out, for the script also required a nude scene.




The day before the audition, Helena was acting even odder than usual.
She even cleaned the house!
"Say, Tim. I need to ask you a favor..."
"Sure, what's up?"
"Would you go to Veronaville and buy a dessert? We're having a guest for lunch..."
"A guest?"
"Yeah, it's Calvin."
"Great! But why is he coming here?"
"I... I don't know... something about doing some research at the Conservatory's library or whatever, but that's not the point. So..."
"All right, Helena. Just let me change and I'll go to town."
"Thanks, Bro!"




And that's how I ended at J'Adore Bakery.



"Hmmm... Which one should I get?"




I was so distracted staring at the pies and cakes, that I didn't notice her presence at the beginning.




"Tim?"




"What the...?! Marsha?!"
"That's me! I'm so glad to see you, Tim!"
"You bet! Man! You look great!"




"Ehhh... thanks. So do you..."
"Wh... what are you doing here?"
"Well, I asked Calvin to let me come with him to Veronaville. I hope it's all right for you..."
"Of course it's all right! Man! We have so much to talk about! It's been what... 10 months?"
"Yeah, something like that...




So, as soon as I paid for a berry pie (Marsha's favorite according to my childhood memories), we went back home.




Calvin was already there, helping Helena in the kitchen.
Once it was ready, the four of us had lunch together.




I didn't pay attention to anything Helena or Calvin said during the meal.




Nor I noticed the odd way Helena was acting towards Calvin.
"Hey Calvin... Have you been working out lately?"




My eyes were fixed in Marsha... and Marsha alone.




She was just as beautiful, if not more, as how I remembered her.
And when I thought about what had happened just before I left to Academie Le Tour, I wondered if things had really changed between since then.




Helena and Calvin went to the cinema.
They invited us too, but I had to work on my lines for the audition.
Marsha also declined their offer,
"You two have fun. I'll help Tim with his rehearsal instead... if that's all right with you..."
"Sure!"
So, for the following hours, she read the script aloud with me.
She also waited patiently as I practiced in front of the mirror and encouraged me when I got stuck on a difficult scene.
The play was a classic tragedy and a huge change from the comedy routines I used to perform as a teen, so I wasn't used to that kind of roles yet.




But we eventually forgot about the audition.
Marsha was only going to stay over for that night, so we had to make the most of our time together.
So, we spent the rest of the night playing and goofing around like we used to in the past.








And once we got tired from our pillow fight (which I won, of course), we talked for a while.
She asked me about my studies and my relationship with Opal, whom I hadn't even thought about at all that day.
I wasn't sure what to think about Opal at the moment, for she had been a bit distant in her last few e-mails.
Maybe she was still upset with me for what had happened during her last visit...




"Opal's studying political science at Sim State and, according to her last e-mail, she's having a great time there."
"I'm glad for her. Hey... do you miss her?"
"Miss her? Of course... but long distance relationship are way harder than I thought..."
"I see..."
"So, how is Hobbes?"




"Hobbes is also fine. He asked me to say hello to you."
"Thanks..."
"Tim..."
"Yeah...?"
"I..."- Marsha sighed and looked down for an instant - "I don't know how to say this but... about what happened the last time we were together..."
"It's all right..."
"Let me finish, Tim, please. I... I've been wondering about it for months and... I'm afraid it messed our friendship up big time."
"What? Of course not! Why are you saying that?"
"Well... the way we both reacted... I... I guess we were both nervous because we were going away and... at least I... I freaked out. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression, Tim, and..."
"It's OK, Marsha..."




"Nothing's changed between us, right? I... I love Hobbes and..."
"It's all right... I understand..."
"You do? What a relief! Thanks, Tim."




Despite the pain that her words were causing to me, I did my best to remain calm.
I held her for an instant and kissed her cheek, "Anytime, Marsha. That's what friends are for..."




"Well... I guess we should go to bed now. It's almost 1:00 AM and your audition is at 9 so I'll just go to the living ro..."
"Nah, you take my bed, Marsha. I'll sleep in the couch outside."
"Of course not, Tim! I don't want to be a bother..."
"It's all right! You are my guest, after all."
"Th... Thanks."




"Good night, Tim..."
I sat down next to the bed, watching Marsha as she slowly fell asleep.
I thought about our conversation.
Damn! How could I be so dumb? Why did I think that a single kiss could make her forget about Hobbes? They'd been dating for years!




I took one last glance at Marsha,
"Good night, Marsha..."
I just hoped my feelings would be clearer in the morning.




But just half an hour later, I woke up.




I had forgotten to take a blanket from my closet and I was freezing.
I still wasn't used to Veronaville's cool weather (or at least compared to Strangetown).
I didn't want to bother Marsha, it was just 2:00 AM after all, so I went to Helena's room instead.




And you won't believe the shock I had when I found her sleeping with Calvin!
In that moment, her sudden love for the computer and her odd behavior the last few months finally made sense.
Was she really dating my COUSIN? That... that was so weird!




Although it was against my original plan, I woke Marsha up.
I told her what I had seen.
She laughed once I was done.
"Of course they are dating, Tim! I can't believe you hadn't noticed it!"
"But... Helena and Calvin... they are cousins! That's so wrong!"
"That's what Hobbes said when Calvin told us about their relationship, but they are not really related by blood..."
"I... I know but..."
"I know it's weird, Tim, but just look at them! They seem so happy together, and I believe there's nothing wrong with their relationship. They love each other, and that's the only thing that matters in the end. True love is never wrong..."

I smirked,

"Yikes! And to think I almost caught them having sex..."
"What's so odd about it?"
"It's just that it's weird to think of Calvin and sex in the same sentence..."
"Why? He's a grown up, just like us. At our age, it's normal to be sexually active."
"Yeah? Wait... do you mean...?"




"Errr... yeah."- she blushed-
"When?"
"A month after we moved to La Fiesta Tech..."
"Oh..."
"What about Opal and you?"

That was a constant source of trouble before I moved to Academie Le Tour. After our first anniversary, Opal suggested it was time we took our relationship to the next level. As a horny seventeen year old, I was open to that suggestion and was already planning when and where we'd have our first time.

But then Rosie got pregnant.

No matter how much Opal insisted on using protection, I didn't want to have sex anymore. I told her that I was afraid that something similar would happen to us. That we should wait until we were older before doing it. We argued a lot, and she even said I was acting like a little kid during her last visit.

Perhaps she was right.

The real reason I didn't want to have sex with Opal yet was that I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle such a big responsibility with her. I loved her, sure, but I couldn't see me forming a family with her. At least not yet. I couldn't see me loving her just like Buck seemed to love my sister despite all the trouble and frustration between them.

Besides, the only woman I felt ready to face that kind of responsibility with, was sitting in front of me at that moment.

"We are still virgins, Marsha... you know... with the whole living at opposite sides of the country and..."
"Of course! That was a stupid question!"

Thankfully we dropped the subject right then.




Marsha and Calvin returned to La Fiesta Tech the following afternoon.
I was so confused and distracted with my feelings for Marsha that I bombed the audition.
Even if I had done a good performance, the casting directors told me that they didn't want to assign such an important and dramatic role to a comedian.
My spirits were quite low when I returned home.
But Marsha did everything she could to cheer me up.




"You'll show them soon what you are made of, Tim! Just you wait! I'm sure the role of your life will arrive before you notice it. I have faith in your talent... I know you are destined to shine!"

Goodness... I missed her so much...
And I didn't see her for the next 12 months.
___________________________________








The following year, Helena and I worked hard in our respective studies.
Despite the good grades and comments from my teachers, I was still unable to land an important role in any of the school's productions.
So I mostly worked behind the stage, and I was pretty good at it.
But acting was still my main passion.




Who knew that my breakthrough role would come precisely from the mind of my sister?
And way sooner than I expected it.




She made me the offer one morning.
"It's been almost five years since Grandpa Cosmo died, Tim, so Calvin and I have been thinking of something special to mark his death anniversary in a few months. You know he asked us to keep the Graslaxian values and culture alive and to do everything we could to promote the acceptance between sims and aliens..."
"Yeah..."
"Well, we have been working on a script for a small, musical play based on Grandpa's memories and research about the Graslaxian culture. The Drama Llamas are going to provide the music, of course, and I'm gonna be in charge of the costumes, make-up and art direction. And we'd really like you to perform the main role, Tim..."
"I..."




"There's no one better than you for that role, Tim. Only you could transmit Grandpa's message to the audience with the sensitivity needed for that. Please tell me you'll accept my offer!"




"Uh... of course I will, Helena! I'd do anything to honor our Grandfather's memory, and you know it! It's just that..."
"What is it?"
"I hope you won't design something too strange for my costume, Helena. It's bad enough I'm already labeled as the "Weird comedian guy with the pointy ears" around campus..."
"Oh, don't worry about that! I have everything under control! It'll be as normal and plain as the average student in this college..."




"Oh, that's good to know..."

____________________________




Since her visit, my obsession with Marsha was stronger than ever.
Every night, I had dreams about them together...
Dreams in which I hoped Hobbes would just disappear so I could take his place instead.
I usually woke up sweating, and deeply disturbed by my thoughts.




Perhaps that's the reason why I reacted the way I did when Opal visited me during the spring break.




She was shocked when I told her I was ready to have sex with her.
Of course, she at first thought I was joking.




But as soon as she felt my hands caressing her thighs, she let herself go.




I lost my virginity right then and there, in the couch of my living room.
It was fast and aggressive, for it was hard for me to control my instincts.
It was as if I wanted Opal's smell and touch to overwhelm Marsha's.
And as I kissed Opal, I hoped that'd erase Marsha's taste.
The one that had never left my lips since our brief kiss.




Despite our rough first time, I tried to be gentle during the subsequent times we had sex.




And we had plenty of practice that day.
Before I knew it, I had finally found the right pace and was able to match my rhythm with Opal's.




That week with Opal was a blur of hormones.
Now that I think about it, I don't remember having a single meaningful conversation with her during her stay.
I didn't even ask her about her studies or her family...
So I was left with the same doubts once she was gone.
It was as if I didn't know her anymore.
_________________________




Time went by,
One morning, a few weeks before the premiere of Helena's production, I nearly had a heart attack in our kitchen.
"Good morning Hel... what the Hell?"




"Good morning to you too, Tim"
"Calvin? Is that you? What the Hell happened to you?"




"Doesn't he look awesome, Tim? I finished his costume last night! I even made the contact lenses! What do you think? I'm thinking about dressing the band in black and white, to symbolize the extreme point of views that the people of this planet have about our race. When dealing with the Graslaxian, there're no such thing as middle tones."
"Ehhh... what about MY costume?"
"Ohhh! That one is a secret, Tim! You'll have to wait for it! By the way, have you been rehearsing your lines?"
"Of course I am, Helena!"
"Good... although Calvin and I have to make a few changes to the script."
"What? Why?"
"Well, Calvin found his mother's old Pollination Guidebook."
"What the heck is that?"
"It enlists all the protocols and rules for the Graslaxian Polination Technician procedures. It's such a fascinating lecture, Tim! I'll let you read it once we adapt a couple chapters to the script..."
"Sure..."

____________________________




Calvin eventually moved into our place, so he could work with Helena.
I was worried about his grades.
"Are you sure this won't affect your GPA? You are missing all your final exams!"
"Compared to a project like ours, Tim, my GPA means nothing."

On the night before the premier, I got a strange phone call.
It was David Ottomas, an old classmate from Strangetown's High and one of Helena's former "boyfriends".
"Hey, Tim! I'm Opal's classmate at SimState U. She told me to give you a call if I ever came to Veronaville and well... here I am! I thought I'd see if you wanted to go to Downtown for a drink or something so... are you up for it?"
"Uh... sure!"- I'd barely slept or relaxed in the previous days, so it'd be nice to have a distraction to ease my nerves.
"Cool! I'll see you at The Hub in one hour!"




Calvin stayed at home to rehearse while I went with Helena to Downtown.
I figured David would feel more comfortable if he saw a familiar face.
But as I left the taxi at The Hub, I was faced with a heartbreaking surprise.




Just as he had said, David was standing at the entrance... but so was Opal.
And they were kissing...




Blind with rage, I confronted Opal.
"What the hell is going on here?!"




"Why did you call him, David?! I told you to stay away from my relationship!"
"I told you I would, Opal! I am sick of listening to you mope about this jackass!"
"What did you call me?!"
"A jackass, 'cause that's what you are, Broke! You have a gorgeous girlfriend like Opal who has the hots for you, and yet you have the nerve to call out Marsha Bruening's name while you fuck her! Opal deserves a real man, not some cowardly dick like you!"




I don't know if it was because he was seeing Opal... or that his words were actually true.
But I wanted to kill David Ottomas right then and there.




Well, at least I was able to hand his ass to him.
Opal broke up with me in that moment, though. She was in love with David and had been dating him for almost a year.
She hoped I'd forget about Marsha at College, but she was finally tired of waiting for something that would never happen.
I never saw either of them again.
I heard they got married after they finished College and are currently living at Pleasantview.




I was deeply hurt by my break up.
Despite everything, Opal and I were together for years.
She was the first girl I kissed, and the first girl I made love to.
And she was my best friend for a long time.
I... I couldn't even remember when had I called out Marsha's name.
Why couldn't I just forget about her?!




I was so depressed that I didn't even complain when it was time for my "makeover" on the night of the show.
"What's wrong, Tim? Aren't you going to tell me to keep it simple and plain? "
"Just get done with this Helena... I'm not in the mood to joke..."
"All... all right."




"Don't worry, Bro! You are going to amaze them tonight! I'm sure of that!"

______________________________




"Ladies and Gentlemen, thanks for joining us on this special night. Today we are remembering the teachings of our Grandfather, Cosmo Broke. Until the day of his death, five years ago, he worked hard to promote the integration between humans and aliens. He always believed both races were destined to team up and work together to create a better world for all of us. He brought several important technologies in the Medicine and Pharmaceutical field that are still studied and used in our present day.

Our great-grandfather, Beau Broke, always said that the most important gift someone can leave to the world is their children so, as descendants of both Beau and Cosmo Broke, we want to share with you their message. Let me introduce you to our band, the Drama Llamas..."




At the guitar, please welcome Dawson Thayer, who was born and raised at Weirdsquare.




From Pleasantview, meet Max Tyson at the drums.




At the piano and conceived at the Graslaxian Mothership like myself, here's Calvin Broke!




Finally, this night also marks the reunion of my dear sister Rose Mary Broke with the Drama Llamas.
This is the first time the whole band plays together since the birth of my niece, Lyla.




Please give all of them a warm applause! We hope you enjoy our performance!


_________________________________________




I was extremely nervous when I jumped into the stage, dressed as a "Pollination Technician".
Or at least the scary concept most humans had of them.
But as soon as I glanced at my family and friends, it was as if my Grandpa's spirit had possessed me.




"Hey there, Captain! I think we've found a suitable planet for our mission!"
"You mean SimEarth? It's a small and uncivilized planet. It won't work..."
"But it has water and oxygen! And we don't have much time left..."




"Well, Pollination Technician Number 9, I wish you luck in your search. Look for suitable hosts for our descendants and abduct them, forcefully if needed."
"By force? But Captain..."
"We need to make sure our race and culture survive the destruction of Graslax. We can't waste time and try to educate those foolish humans... Desperate problems require desperate measures..."




"Easy there, my dear son... I'll make sure you are safe and warm in this hostile planet. You were born with a special gift... the gift of life. Unlike your brothers and sisters at Graslax, you are going to grow in a healthy and clean environment. You are not condemned to perish with the rest of your antecessors."




"But such a gift comes with responsibilities. You must make sure that our teachings and culture remain alive. Don't get involved with unworthy humans and only seek those that will truly accept us. Those who can be tricked into being abducted and bear new brothers and sisters. Don't taint our culture with their foolish human traditions. Go... and make us proud."




"Wh... what do you mean I'm different? I'm just like the rest of you! I may be green and my eyes may be weird, but I breathe the same air as you do. I was raised in the same planet as you did. It's... it's not fair!"




"Those aliens are here to destroy our planet. They are nothing but parasites! They are going to drink our water and pollute our air. They are destroying our families and they don't care. I lost my mother to them... My father lost his job and prestige... I can't watch my uncle as he shows his belly on the street... it's a sickness... it's a shame..."




"We must destroy them! We must defend our culture! We were here first! This is our planet! We must kill each one of them, no matter how..."
"But Sir... what about their families? Their parents are humans like us!"




"It doesn't matter. Desperate problems require desperate measures..."

_____________________




"What we've just shown you is a glimpse of what it means to be an alien descendant these days. We've walked a long road to finally achieve a balance between our alien and human roots. What our Graslaxian ancestors never understood is that it'd be impossible to keep their culture intact. Since the moment the first half-breed was born, everything changed..."




"Humans and Graslaxians have fought for centuries. And in this battle, there are no good and bad guys. Both sides have acted wrong in the past... the humans for not sharing their resources and accepting their differences. The aliens for underestimating the humans, for thinking that lying, deceiving and keeping their mission a secret would keep their culture safe."




"If there's something we can learn from Graslax, is the importance of taking care of our Planet. They have the technology for that, only they were too foolish in the past to actually use it. They've brought us not only a new culture, but also a second chance. If we join forces and create a single race, we will be able to not only save SimEarth, but to make it stronger."




"It's time we stop these prejudices and stereotypes. I'm sure we've all been influenced by the aliens at some point of our lives. From the medicine we take when we catch a cold to the new developments in science and horticulture, we are harvesting the goods from the clash of these two cultures. I'm sure we all know someone who's half and alien or at least a descendant by now. It's absurd we are keeping these two sides separate, for they are both parts of our own selves."




"Learn about the alien culture and history. Don't make the same mistakes our ancestors did. It's time we change the way we are interacting with the alien population. It's time the aliens stop lying to us too. No more forceful abductions and discrimination.

That's the most important lesson our Grandfather left for us to share. Please, don't let his words die out with time... share them with your loved ones."




"Thanks for keeping us company tonight.
Peace, brothers!"

____________________________





Although there were few spectators that night, the play was a success.
Helena and Calvin were congratulated by their peers and professors.
I've never been more proud of them, and I'm sure Grandpa is proud too.




"Hey, Tim! You were awesome tonight! I was sure you'd show them all how much you are worth as an actor."
"Thanks, Marsha..."
"I mean it! I'm sure you are going to be busy from now on!"
"Ehh..."




"Huh? What's that on your finger?"




All the happiness and pride I felt vanished as soon as I noticed Marsha's engagement ring.




"Are you getting married? How? When...?"
"Hobbes proposed six month ago, on our anniversary. I... I wasn't sure at first but..."




"Why you didn't tell me about this? We are friends, Marsha..."
"I... I know... but I didn't want to hurt you..."




I believe that my greatest acting didn't take place on stage, but at that single moment.
I did my best to put on a convincing smile and said- "Marsha, of course I'm not hurt! Tell me... do you really want to marry Hobbes?"
"Uh... of course!"
"Then there's nothing else to say. As long as you are happy, I'm happy."




"Thanks, Tim."
"I wish you both the best of luck. When are you getting married?"
"After we are done with College..."




"Congratulations, Marsha."
"Thanks. Same to you..."





My only memory of what happened after Marsha left, is the taste of the several glasses of alcohol I drank to forget about my broken heart...


___________________________________








After the mess Helena did to my hair for the show, I had no other option but to shave my head the following morning.
I actually liked how I looked, so I've been bald since then.
I didn't miss my hair, though.
I didn't have to spend money on shampoo or haircuts anymore.




And with the sudden rise of the rental fees at Veronaville the following year, we had to save as much as possible.




We were so tight on money that I had to fix all the appliances myself.




And the groceries were so expensive, that I had the bright idea of becoming a vegetarian and harvest my own food.
It wasn't as easy as I expected it, so I dropped that phase at the end of my Junior year.




Other than that, things were as normal as they had been through my College life.
I still worked (and failed) on my painting skills.




And still spent hours and hours being a slave to the 2300000 essays I had to write each week.




Marsha was right.
After my performance at Helena's play, my acting skills became known around campus.
I was no longer the "odd comedian guy".
I was now the "odd alien guy". Yeah, not much of a difference, but it had its perks.
I was finally accepted for some minor roles at the school's productions!
At last, my dream was coming true.




You could say I had nothing to complain about, but that wasn't true.
And I'm not talking about Marsha.
I was worried about Helena, for she had been depressed the last few weeks.
And she wouldn't tell me the reason, although I suspected it had something to do with Calvin.




Just as she had done for me when I was a heart-broken 14 year old, I did everything I could think of to cheer her up.




Go out to play pool? (one of her favorite pastimes)
Done it.




Make a fool of myself at the Student Center?
You got it.




No matter what I did, it was worth it if I could make her smile.
Nothing else mattered.
I just wished she'd tell me what was wrong, but also knew that she'd tell me once she felt ready to do so.





And that happened two months later.




I was finally harvesting the goods of a long, long semester taking care of my plants...




... When I heard my sister's uncontrollable crying.




Worried, I dropped everything and ran to her side.
I hugged her tightly, and told her everything would be all right.




"No, it won't."
"Why not? What's wrong?"
"Without Calvin, nothing will be all right."

Between sobs, Helena told me what happened: While they were adapting his mother's handbook to the play's script, Calvin found out about a rule regarding the birth of twin half-breeds. According to Graslaxian law, when a human gives birth to twins, one of them has to remain in SimEarth while the other serves the Graslaxian crew as a Pollination Technician.

"They never summoned them, for Calvin and Hobbes are the product of an unauthorized abduction. But Calvin is just... so stupid! He actually contacted the Graslaxian Mother Ship with his mother's equipment and offered to go with them. I tried to convince him not to do it, but he didn't listen and... And they've just arrived to La Fiesta Tech to take him away!"




As I listened to Helena's crying, I couldn't think of anything that could cheer her up.
I wanted to kill Calvin, though.
I've never seen Helena like this. She was really in love with him... how could he hurt her like that?!




"Helena... You have to trust him..."

_________________________




Calvin arrived to our place that afternoon, after I went to my class.
The Graslaxian crew, including my Great-Grandfather P.T. 56 allowed him to see Helena one last time.




A few days later, Helena told me that she had never felt more pride for someone that what she felt for Calvin that day.
As she listened to him, she wondered if our Grandfather spirit was living inside my cousin.





He told her that in order to change things between humans and aliens, he had to do something more than writing a play. He hoped that he'd convince the Graslaxian Council about the disadvantages of force abducting humans.




"I will come back, Helena. I... I don't know when but..."




"I know you don't believe in commitment but..."




"I wanted to give you this before I left. I'm not asking you to marry me, Helena... just... think of this as a promise until I’m back at your side."




"I'll also do everything to help our cause. That's my promise..."












Calvin left before sunrise.
"It's a promise, Helena. We'll see each other soon..."

And that's the last we knew of Calvin for the next 12 years...

_______________________________________




Helena graduated one month later.




To cheer her up, I threw a small party in her honor.
Only our closest friends and family were invited.







I was glad to see Rosie and Buck again.
They had barely changed in the year we'd been apart.




It was a great night.
We all danced and had fun in peace.




Although things became very tense when Dawson Thayer, obviously drunk, tried to hit on Rose Mary.
He mentioned something about loving her and deserving her more than Buck.
Rose Mary stopped his advances with a lot of tact, though.




That's when I realized that my sister had really grown up in these last few years.




"So tell me, Marsha. How are things at Pleasantview?"
"Pleasantview?"
" I thought you knew! Marsha and Hobbes have been looking for a house at Pleasantview."




"Yeah... we... we are getting married in just one year, so we have to be ready... right?"




"I understand that but... why Pleasantview?"
"I just want to move away, Tim."
"Why?"
"Because staying at Strangetown reminds me of my brother. The dumbass had a great future on SimEarth... he was actually offered a post at Desiderata Valley's Conservatory before he left. I pleaded with him to let me go to Graslax instead, but he didn't listen... I should have gone in his place... I..."




Despite the inner, irrational rage I had against him for dating Marsha, I really felt bad for Hobbes in that moment.
He was a good man, who loved his family and his girlfriend. I missed Calvin and was sad for Helena, but I was sure it was way more difficult for Hobbes.
I gave him a warm hug and offered him my support.
I just hoped Marsha would make him happy.

____________________________________




When the party was over, Helena helped me cleaning the house.
"I'll take the trash out, Tim. I'll be back in a sec..."




A dozen of red roses and a telescope were waiting for her at the door.
Helena smiled as she looked at the stars, for she knew the man behind the present was watching her right then.
"Thank you..."

_______________________________________




Helena made an important decision that night.
"Tim, I'm not going back to Strangetown..."
"Oh... so you are staying at Veronaville..."
"No... I'm not staying here either..."
"Then..."




"Just like Calvin is going to spread Grandpa's message among the Graslaxian, I'll do the same in this planet. I'm gonna travel around the countries, using my art as a channel to let everyone know about our race. My art knows nothing about language barriers, so I’m sure I'll succeed."




"Just promise me you'll do the same, Tim. Share our message among our loved ones. Tell Dad I'm sorry and that I'll visit them soon.
And please, be happy."
"I promise, Helena."





Things wouldn't be the same without Helena around.
I'd sure miss her, but I knew that as long as she worked on her mission, she'd keep her promise to Calvin.
And that'd keep her happy.
Nothing else mattered.

______________________________

Part 2