Mysterious Figure

Disclaimer: I do not own the name Aladdin. I'm using italics to denote a dream.

Unknown to the cousins, who hugged as we go into space, they were being watched through a high- powered telescope by a mysterious black cloaked, hooded figure on Carlo-9, a planet in the same solar system as KO-35.

Back on Earth, Andros and Kiya went into the house.

On Carlo-9, the mysterious figure went into a house as well.

"Hunter, is that you?" a woman called from the kitchen.

"Yes, mother. I was just watching the two Earthlings I think may be my relatives." He took off his cloak and hung it in the closet.

"You mean your brother and sister?"

"Yes, Mother."

"What are their names again? Andrew and Karen?"

"Andros and Kiya, or something starting with a 'K' "

"Oh, yes."

Valiant smiled. Ever since he had arrived on this planet after hitching a ride on that ship when he was only nine, he had lived here on Carlo-9, with the Jo family, who had adopted him as their own. Living here with his adopted father, John, mother June, and brother Jackson, allowed him to keep up with his older brother. Newspapers would write up any and all battles. He used the high- powered telescope to watch his relatives. He knew of Zhane, since his family had adopted him before Val ran away. His brother had apparently married and had children.

He had told the Jo family that his name was Hunter Valiant, and that his family had been killed. Later, he said that his mother had apparently given birth to a baby girl before they were killed, and his brother had escaped and was raising her, he had seen them on Earth. His brother Andros had gotten married, and so had Zhane. His "little sister" looked like his uncle Breck.

His "sister-in-law" looked like his mother. He planned on visiting them soon. All he had to do was get a little closer to Earth and use his pictorial teleportation. (When he pictures a place, concentrates on it, and he's teleported there.) He got a good enough look at his brother's house to be able to picture it. He knew he needed to be closer to Earth to be able to use his pictorial teleportation. He needed a good reason to get closer to Earth. He felt bad about not being able to tell his family the truth.

At dinner that night with the Jo's, he gathered his courage up to tell his family.

"I need to go to LD-07 to do some study on the plants there. I'm doing a report for a science magazine. Remember, my summer job?"

Val was 16. His father had told him he needed a summer job. He had taken a job as a reporter at a newspaper that had hired him despite his age and lack of experience.

"Alright, Hunter. Good luck. When do you leave?" His father asked.

"Tomorrow, I'll be staying with Jay." Jay Johnson was another reporter.

"And he's going to LD-07?" His mother asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Hunt, you know there's no use lying. You didn't get a job; you just want to go to LD-07 because it's close to Earth so you can use your pictorial teleportation to go to Earth to check out that family you've been watching." Jackson said.

"I know, because I've been reading your mind."

The Jo's all looked like Zhane, but with one major difference. They had green skin.

"It's true: my family wasn't all killed, you know. My older brother Andros- the whole reason I was running away-I wasn't running from a battle- my brother survived and is raising a girl I think is our little sister on Earth. I want to meet them."

"All you had to do was tell us the truth, Hunter Valiant. You didn't have to lie." His mother said.

"Well, may I go? Jay REALLY is going to take me."

"Alright. But how will we know what's going on?" his mother asked.

"I'll send word to Jay, and then he can tell you." He and Jay were telepathic.

"Okay. So you think your older brother is just going to take you back after you ran away?" Jackson asked.

"Yes. Our sister and I are the only blood relatives he has. Except for his kids. I've seen them playing in the yard and going to school."

"That doesn't mean he'll automatically accept you."

"I have to think positively, Jack."

"True. But I'm just trying to make you accept the possibility that he won't automatically accept you."

"Can we talk about something else, please?" John asked.

"Yes, father." the boys said. Later that night, Valiant tried to imagine his brother and little sister's response to his visit.

"Val!" his brother cried, running to embrace him.

"It's been too long, Andros." Val said.

"It has been. I want you to meet my family. This is your little sister, Kava, your sister-in-law Kristi, your niece Kana, your nephew Sheldon, your other niece Kina, your nephew Aldin, and these are the twins Kiva and Aladdin."

"It's so nice to meet you all."

"So, Val, where have you been?"

"On Carlo-9. I was taken in by the Jo family. I told them that I had run away from a battle on our home planet. I've been watching you all through our high-powered telescope. I told the Jo's that I had run away from a battle on our home planet. After I discovered that you were alive, I told them that apparently you had survived and that Mom had obviously given birth before being killed. You had taken the baby and adopted her as your own after you stopped being a Ranger and settled on Earth."

Val woke up, packed and ready to go. He kissed his family good-bye and got on the ship with Jay. They blasted off and flew to LD-07. Val had his bags. He got off, and told Jay, "I'll contact you when I've made my decision." Then he pictured his brother's house. Soon, he was there, standing in the front yard. He heard a girl yell "Dad! There's a man that looks like Grandma in the front yard!" He figured it was Kana, Kina, or Kava.

"All right, Kiya. I'll go see. Did he just drive up?"

"No, sir. I don't know how he got here."

"Pictorial teleportation. Surely Andros has told you about that, little sister?" Val asked.

"Valiant Hunter Vulcan? Is that you?"

"Yes, Andros Alexander Vulcan, it is."

"Cousin Val's here?"

"Yes, Kiya. It's your cousin Val." They were still in the back yard.

Andros came through the gate.

"Val! It's been too long!" He exclaimed, holding his arms wide. Val dropped his bags and ran to his older brother.

"It HAS been. It has. I'm so sorry I ran away. I couldn't think of what else to do. I was only nine."

"It's alright, Val. I forgive you. I love you. I'm sorry you were always in my shadow."

"No, big brother. I'm sorry. I'm the one who ran away and caused our family undue suffering. I wasn't around to see our little sister grow up."

"We don't have a little sister. I mean, I do, but you don't. You were the last child born in our immediate family."

"Then who is that?" he asked, looking up from Andros' chest. Kiya had come out of the back yard.

"I think he means me, Dad."

Andros held his arm out for Kiya. She went to him.

"Valiant, I'd like you to meet our cousin Kiya. She was born Oct. 9, 1991, to our aunt Katherine and Uncle Breck. Uncle Breck died, and Aunt Katherine had to put Kiya up for adoption when she was nine days old. She put her up here on Earth. Your sister Karone found her, and my wife and former team mate Ashley and I adopted her."

"Team mate?"

"Yes. Let's go in and I'll explain. After you meet the rest of the family."

"You have to hear my story first."

Andros led the way into the house.