From Luna's diary
At home everything seems so calm, even the cats are getting along well with each other. However, the same cannot be said about the current political and social situation of the country...
Tv Host: (on TV) The alien strike in Sim City is going on for more than a week. Representatives of the group are clamouring for equal rights to those of any human being, claiming to feel discriminated against at work, at school and in their everyday life in general. Mr S., pointed out by the aliens as the main responsible for the establishment of this climate of hatred towards them, responded to the provocations by stating:
Mr S.: (On TV) It does not make sense for them to be playing the role of the victims, when they are perfectly aware of the risk they pose to the public safety. How can we fully trust them when with a snap of their fingers they can change their appearance or erase the memory of the witnesses around them? What atrocious crimes could they commit if they are not traceable by the police? The introduction of the Aliens Act two years ago has greatly increased the safety of all citizens, and they can't say anything to prove the contr...
Luna: Turn that thing off, I can't stand listening to his nonsense anymore...
Hermes: Many records are not shown on TV, but there are many more people protesting in Sim City than the official figures report.
I sighed with resignation. We had tried to wait, hoping that the situation would improve, but that was not the case. Being the object of such treatment was a nightmare for me and Hermes, but thinking about all the discrimination that our children were facing everyday, of the future opportunities that could be consequently precluded to them, and to the harsh life awaiting them, just made me livid with anger.
It was time to explore our alternatives, and take a definitive decision...
Luna: Were you able to contact that old friend of yours, in Windenburg?
Hermes: Yes. According to him, lately there have been many who have asked him the same question I asked him.
Luna: I'm not surprised ...
Hermes: it would be difficult, but not impossible.
Before making any final decisions, we had decided to wait for the children to grow up enough to be truly involved in the choice. We couldn't impose such a radical change as this one on them without discussing it with them.
We didn't have to wait for long, Leo and Orion's birthday was just behind the corner.
The more time passes, the more alike they look. I still don't know if they look more like me or Hermes, though.
And, of course, a few months later it was Aster's turn.
It was time for all five of us to sit around a table, and talk seriously and openly about our options.
Luna: Guys, we should talk to you about an important matter.
The boys turned towards us, a little perplexed, before Hermes added:
Hermes: what do you think of the situation, and of Mr S.?
Orion: (without any hesitation) I think he is a big idiot, and that we were all doing much better before he decided to enter politics! Now the situation really sucks, that's it!
Aster: Well... he's not wrong, at school it can be quite bad sometimes.
Luna: (seriously) Well, we might have an alternative, but before even talking about it you have to realize that we couldn't go back as if nothing had happened, if something goes wrong.
Leo: (worried) Wait, what have you in mind?
Luna: Objectively, it wouldn't be hard for us to leave this place and start from scratch somewhere else.
Hermes: I have old friends who now live in the north, in Windenburg. They would be able to give fake documents to everyone.
Luna: Their group still misses a doctor who could falsify medical certificates and attest that aliens under disguise are just regular humans, so they would welcome us with open arms, if just we agreed with helping the others.
Leo: Are you kidding, right? You aren't really planning to move somewhere else with a disguise on, right?
Orion: Why not? Would you really rather stay here and be bullied just for the face you have?
Leo: But it would be dangerous, what if we got caught?
Orion: It will be enough to modify some memories before being reported to the police, what's the problem?
Luna: We haven't decided what to do yet, we wanted to talk about it with you before, and to take a choice together.
Hermes: Your mother and I have lived for more than twenty years wearing a disguise, we know how it is. It's not always easy to live with the fear of being discovered at any moment, but it still seemed better than all the discrimination we are experiencing now...
Luna: We had never really considered breaking the law so blatantly before, but there is also a limit in how much we can tolerate Mr S. and what he is doing to us all.
The boys took a few weeks to digest what we proposed to them and make their decision, they realized all too well how important that choice was. We weren't surprised when Orion told us he couldn't wait to go on with our plan, well before his brother. Aster seemed very indecisive instead, and agreed several days later. Leo had been openly against the plan for days instead, before calming down and managing to evaluate it from all perspectives. Eventually, he decided to agree as well, but it was evident to everyone how difficult that choice was for him.
Thinking about it the situation seemed almost ironic, it was Mr S. , his strict rules against us and his lack of understanding that pushed us toward disguising again and breaking the law.
At that point, we had to teach our children how to disguise, and how to avoid being noticed and reported.
Luna: Modifying someone's memories can be very energy-draining, but if you are sure that your cover is blown it's the only alternative left. But, before you can learn how to modify and erase memories, you must learn how to read them.
Hermes: It's not difficult, just do it like this.
Luna: Now it's your turn to try, c'mon!
Orion: You said to do like this, right?
Leo: ... wait, I wasn't ready yet!
Luna: Aster, try to focus a bit more, come on!
The kids trained with telepathic skills for a few weeks before we moved on to teaching them how to use believable disguise.
Hermes: The important thing is to always keep the same appearance. Our skin seems to have some sort of memory about it, so it's not that hard to do that.
Orion: You will use different disguises from what you used when younger, right? Otherwise, someone might still recognize you.
Luna: That's absolutely correct. In fact, I had something a little different in mind.
Hermes: me too.
Luna: Let's see it, then.
Luna: You're definitively looking like a very normal person, that's for sure.
Orion : (impatiently) It's our turn now, isn't it?
Of the three, Orions had always been the most eager to bring this challenge forward. He had also already used a disguise a few times as a kid, and so he managed to change his appearance straight away. He seemed to have opted for a very different disguise from his old one, as well.
Orion: So, what do you think? Seems easy, right? Come on, try it too!
Leo: Well, since mom decided to have red hair, probably I should try something more like this...
Leo: It's easier than I thought, actually.
Luna: It really is, even toddlers can learn it.
Orion: Come on Aster, it's your turn!
Aster: (a bit hesitant) ... Ok, let's try...
Hermes: In some ways, it is a bit strange to have a disguise on again.
Luna: You can change your face as often as you like, for me you're always you.
Hermes: (thoughtfully) Everything seems to be ready, we could leave as early as next week.
Luna: Yes, even the kids can't wait for it any longer.
In our life, we had already faced many challenges and difficult changes, and this was by no means easier than any of the previous ones. But as long as we were all together, nothing really seemed impossible.
Before starting from scratch in a new city, we would have had to cut off all our contacts here at Oasis Spring.
One of the hardest parts, if not the hardest, was saying goodbye to my brother Milo and his family. To maintain our cover, I'm afraid we won't be able to hear from each other often...
Milo: I'm struggling to recognize you too, for sure it would be very hard for anyone to notice it's a disguise!
Milo: I wish you all the luck of the universe, really.
Luna: good luck to you too.
Celine: This disguise fits you much better than the old one, you chose well.
Orion: More than anything I tried to make it look like mom and dad's.
Celine: I'll miss you three a lot, you know? However, now that you have another chance, don't let anyone walk all over you ever again, got it?
Orion: Have I ever really let it happen? Don't worry, we'll be going just fine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The last missing piece before starting our new life in Windenburg was to put together new credible identities. From now on our family will be known as the "Mills family", the Millers belong to the past.
This is our new home, it is also a little bigger than the one we had before. We brought with us pretty much everything, especially the secret scientific equipment my father worked on years ago.
Out of all dad's scientific tools the black holes generator it's probably the one we care about the most, whatever it happens we want to keep an open door to Sixam. Thus, we decided to carefully hide it in a secret room.
And this is the end of my report on our transfer to Winderburg, we planned it so thoughtfully and trying to consider every perspective that we are sure to not have forgotten anything. Don't you agree, my dear diary?
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