Close Encounter Academy 4

 Icarus loved his family. Sean, Gus, Lorelei, and even Fluffers, were his life, but he decided to invite his mom over for a visit. He hadn't seen her or the rest of his family for so long, it would be nice to have them around again.

"I can't believe how much you've accomplished Icarus. I'm so proud of you."

"It's all thanks to you mom. You inspired me to want to visit the stars and learn more about my heritage."

"You're so sweet, but I don't think I can take all of the credit. You've always been a bright boy."

Gus ran over to where his dad was.

"I'm a bright boy! I'm purple and orange and pink!"

"That you are. You must be Gus. I'm your grandma Hope."

"Cool! I didn't know I had a grandma."

"Icarus, you didn't mention us to your kids?"

"Well, I've been busy."

His mother gave him a look.

"Do you want to celebrate Winterfest with us?"

"Unfortunately we have plans, but how about we get together for New Year's Eve."

"Sounds good. Bye mom!"

"Bye grandma!"

"Hey Sean why is the tree outside?"

"I don't know Icarus why is it out here?"

"Uh...I don't remember. Doesn't matter. We can still decorate it out here. The weather's nice today anyway."

"Gus don't throw the Christmas ornaments," Sean scolded.

"But look I threw it, and it landed all the way on top!"

Gus quickly got bored of decorating, and decided to play some chess. Why couldn't all the decorations just magically appear? Why did they have to spend hours putting them up?

"Lorelei I challenge you to a chess duel!"

"Only if Fluffers can help me."

"That's no fair. It's two against one!"

"Oh trusts me it's fair. I think Fluffers knows as much about chess as I do."

The highlight of the night for Gus was when Father Winter showed up.

"All right! A karaoke machine! How did you even fit that in there?"

"The magic of Winterfest?"

Icarus also got a Winterfest present as well. He was finally abducted by aliens again.

"Best.Winterfest.Ever!"

As the days passed, Sean became increasingly worried about his birthday. He would be a full grown adult now. He would be old! He guessed it made sense since he had a teen daughter, but still, he didn't want to grow old. After this, he'd have *shudder* grey hair!

"Why are you eating birthday cake for breakfast? I want birthday cake!"

"I'm an adult, so I can eat what I want."

"That's no fair."

When Icarus arrived at work that morning, he was surprised to see he had completely different coworkers.

"Where did you come from?"

"I'm Julia. For some reason all the other lab workers quit over Winterfest break. Something about one of their coworkers always freezing them?"

"Hahahaha I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Weird. They all mentioned it."

The lab also had some tourists visiting today. Icarus was careful not to use his freeze ray, so his new coworkers wouldn't know it was actually him the old ones had been referring too.

That didn't mean he couldn't get up to some mischief in other ways.

"Here try this serum!"

"What? I don't even know you! I'm just here to check out the lab for career day at school."

"And what better way to learn about the lab than to try some of the serums we make?"

"I guess it couldn't hurt?"

Icarus snickered, no it couldn't hurt at all.

Icarus also managed to have the professor try one of his serums too, and a tainted one at that. All and all it was a successful day.

"So how's school?"

"Meh, I can't wait until I graduate."

"I love school! What are you talking about?"

"Hey did, some kids went on trip to the lab you work at. Did you see any of them?"

"Kids? What? No. Nope, no visitors to the lab that I know of."

"Weird, I thought there was supposed to be a field trip today."

Dear Lorelei's school,

I'm sorry that I possibly poisoned one of your professors and terrorized your students. Please let my daughter graduate still.

Sincerely,

Icarus Copeland-Pepper

"Another alien abduction? Alright!"

Once Icarus returned home from his abduction, he discovered he was pregnant. It was probably from the previous night. He'd been alien pregnant before, and it didn't work that fast.

"So dad, how do you feel about getting old?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"You're entering your golden years. I wonder if you'll get a senior discount now?"

"Lorelei, if you don't stop, you're grounded for a week."

"Lucky for me, I'll be an adult by then."

Icarus didn't understand why Sean was so upset about his birthday. This would be his last birthday. In this world everyone lived forever and never aged up past adulthood. Surely Sean knew that, right?

"Cloning a fruit is so boring. I still really want to clone a person."

"Hey, new dude, do you have any extra metal laying around?"

"Uh, can you wait until I finish using the restroom. I have to pee."

"If you give me the metal now, I'll leave you alone."

"You have personal space issues."

"So metal?"

"Yeah, I have some death metal at my desk."

"Like the rock and roll kind."

"Leave now before I go all over the floor."

"Hey, old dude, have any metal? I just got some from the new dude, but I need more to build a wormhole."

"Are you going to bother learning any of our names?"

"Are you going to give me some more metal?"

Icarus upgraded his freeze ray, Icarus Jr., to be able to transform objects. Since his coworkers weren't giving him anything useful, he decided to mess around with the freeze ray to see if he could get anything from it. Instead of a new metal or crystal, he got a weird object.

"What do I need with a giant USB? I don't have a giant computer."

Annoyed, Icarus tried to change it into something else but ended up catching it on fire.

"Hey, over here! Someone started a fire! Put it out or we're all going to die!"

"I'm pretty sure you started the fire. You're the only person that's been over here."

"Uh, so have you. How do I know you didn't start it?"

"Put it out now Icarus, or you're fired."

"I guess if you want things done right, you have to do it yourself. These new people are no help."

Icarus made a last ditch effort to get the materials he needed for the wormhole but instead ended up with a dresser.

"I give up."

"I don't know what they're talking about. I clearly did an amazing job today."

"So Sean, this is it. Your last birthday."

"What are you talking about?"

"Um, it's your adult birthday. There's nothing left after this."

"Aren't you forgetting about elderhood?"

"Nope, the aliens said that they liked our family so much that no one ages up passed their adult years. This is it. You made it."

"The aliens told you that, huh."

"Well, they told my great-grandma technically, but yeah they did."

"How do you know that's even real?"

"Because my great-grandma is still alive and the same age as you."

"Well, I hope you're right."

"I am! We get to spend the rest of forever together."

"I wouldn't mind that at all."

"You're so romantic Sean."

"Why are we all standing out here?"

"Yeah, I'm in my PJs! What if someone from school walks by? That's super embarrassing."

"Well kids, I decided to get your father a house for his birthday."

"Wait. what? I didn't ask for this Icarus. Our old house was just fine."

"Well, I like this one better. Surprise!"

This best way to break in a new house is with a dance party.

"I love them all so much."

"Why do you keep making me play chess with you?"

"Because I know I can win."

"Rude but fair."

"No I do not. I'm half asleep and happily married."

Father Winter seemed to take a shine to the Copeland-Pepper family. Maybe a little too much for their liking.

"Awe aren't you a cute little dog!"

"Who mixes a poodle with a dalmatian?"

"Where's Icarus? I thought you said he invited us over for New Year's Eve, mom."

"I'm sure he's just running late."

"To his own house?"

Icarus might have forgotten about inviting his family over to celebrate the holiday.

While Icarus was who knows where, Gus was getting to know more of his family. He was especially excited to meet his cousin Lennore because he finally found someone his age. Lorelei was cool and all, but she was so much older.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Icarus who are all these people?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot I invited my family over."

"I need to go get cleaned up. Make a good impression."

"I'm sure they love you already."

"Well they'll love me more if I'm not in my pajamas."

Sean's definition of cleaning up was a little different than most people's.

"Who's this guy and why is he naked?"

"Dad, that's way more than I've ever wanted to see of you. Other dad, tell him to put some clothes on."

"Icarus, you heard your daughter."

Icarus just danced away. It was a party! Who cared if Sean was naked? He certainly didn't.

"I can't believe I'm going to be a grandma again."

"Yeah, thanks for telling the aliens to abduct me again."

"I didn't tell them to abduct you."

"Yeah, you did mom. As soon as you arrived in town I got abducted, so thanks for putting in a good word for me."

"But I didn't- Oh never mind. You're welcome sweetheart."

After everyone left, Icarus began to see a glowing portal appear on his stomach.

"Is the baby going to burst out of you? Will it fly across the room?"

"No Gus. And isn't it past your bedtime."

Gus huffed and marched upstairs. He was hoping his dad was too distracted to notice that.

"Aren't you afraid dad totally made a horrible first impression on your family?"

"What are talking about?"

"He was naked the whole time! It was gross!"

"I liked it."

"You're both so gross."

"You'll miss us when you move out."

"About that, do you think I could stay a little longer?"

Icarus beamed, "Of course!"

"Hey dad, can you read me a story?"

"Sure. Let me find something a little more child friendly."

Icarus put his book away, and found a more suitable book for Gus. What he didn't realize was that Gus would want him to read it over, and over, and over again. Icarus really hated this book now.

"You know what I should do? Build some furniture for our new house. Give it a personal touch. I built a rocket, so I should be able to build a chair."

After hitting his head, finger, and other parts of his body multiple times, Icarus decided that maybe woodworking was actually harder than rocket science.

"I can't believe it Fluffers! It's almost my birthday. Can you believe it?"

"Woof!"

As much as Sean had protested at first, he really loved Fluffers. He was glad Icarus had no self restraint and caved immediately when Lorelei asked for a dog.

Gus decided he needed to be more independent with the new baby on the way and Lorelei maybe not living with them for much longer. How hard could cooking hamburgers be?

"Wanna woohoo this thing out of me?"

"You're just looking for an excuse to get me into bed."

"Maybe."

"What do you think of having our own kids after this? I mean one that's yours and mine. Not an alien."

"I think I'd like that."

"I guess that woohooing worked. I'm having the baby! Oh no Sean's asleep! I better call my mom, she'll know what to do."

"First time?"

"Second actually."

"So you know what to expect?"

"Actually I'm more terrified about this one. My mom brought me here. I thought she was going to stay with me, but she just drove off."

"Dude, why did you cut in front of me? I'm having a medical emergency."

"So am I. I'm about to pop a baby out."

Soon after, baby Zena joined the family. She was an alien, but just like Gus, she didn't show any signs of it at first.

"I don't trust you."

"Waaaaaaaah!"

"Dad get in here and take care of this thing. I think it's evil!"

"Dad, you really need to be careful around Zena. She's evil."

"She's not evil Gus, she's just a baby."

"An evil baby."

"Now Gus there's no need to be jealous."

"I'm not! I'm telling you she's evil."

"Sean tell him that Zena isn't evil."

"I'm not telling him anything. I'm mad at you. You didn't wake me up to go to the hospital with you."

"I thought my mom would take care of me."

"Last time you gave birth, you just got up popped Gus out and went about your day."

"Well this time was different."

"Yeah because you had an evil baby!"

"Gus, she's not evil."

Icarus realized he was late to work. Sure he could take family leave, but he didn't want to miss out on a chance to mess with his coworkers.

"Why are you wearing a hospital gown?"

"The more important question is why aren't you?"

Icarus had learned Icarus Jr. could also control minds. This thing really was incredible.

"Now I'm not the only one dressed funny!"

It wasn't long before Zena had her birthday. She ended up showing her true alien form once she was a toddler. She looked a lot like Gus but had different hair and eyes.

Lorelei also had her Young Adult birthday the same day. Though she didn't plan on moving out, she did want to change her hair for a more "adult" look. 

It was a day full of big surprises. As Sean and Icarus got ready for bed, Sean had a big announcement to make.

"Guess what?"

"You're pregnant."

"Yeah, but I was going to do this whole fun reveal."

"I know what a pregnant man looks like Sean. I've been one. Twice."

"Aren't you excited we're having a kid of our own. I love our family, but I can't wait to see what this baby looks like."

Icarus embraced him, "I am. I'm really excited. I love you Sean! Sorry I ruined your surprise."

"That's okay. I'm just glad you're happy."

"I am. It's just like we planned! Maybe a little sooner, but that's okay. Oh and Sean?"

"Yes?"

"There's probably more than one baby in there. Copelands are super fertile."

Objectives

Max Logic Skill

Max Rocket Science Skill

Max the Science Career

Become chosen [abducted] by the alien league 3 times

Become pregnant and give birth to an alien baby due to this choosing [abduction]

Points: 45