A planetoid of lush green and the purest blue slowly twirled in the dark vastness of space. It was tiny but very beautiful. Fresh water rushed through the rivers, filling the lakes and the ground brimmed with trees as white and smooth as porcelain. Their leaves were rainbow palms and from them hung fruits in the shape of blue and white tear drops. The boars of the forest lived on them--headbutting the trees with a loud crash to reach the morsels—and wolfhounds, purple canines with dragon-like snouts and wings lived on the fruit. The cycle of life was never interrupted or altered, and even with the advent of a small village of humans there remained a compromised existence with nature.

From wooden cabins by the lakeside, the villagers emerged every morning. The Men wore silk tunics and patchwork pants and the women were clad in dresses of simple patterns, stitched by the village’s seamstress. They were eager to begin their harvest of soul fruits and their caretaking of the fertile spirit trees that came with it, but none were more eager than eighteen year old Aya Tintel.

Greeting the villagers, the young woman stood apart from them. She was considerably taller with tanned skin intertwined with numerous dark inked tattoos poking themselves out of the exposed parts of her body. They were dark symbols, most prominently a dark symbol of fish with air bubbles. Its body was shaped like a diamond with an incomplete triangle for a tail fin. They marked her skin in schools and looked like they could swim across her muscular midriff. Her large round eyes, as blue as an ocean in the sun, brimmed with a large amount of empathy for someone her age, and her hair was cut in a multicolored bob- brown with the tips dyed the color of the white berries found in the forest. Sticking out of her hair were two long pointy ears, ears that differed from the denizens of the rest of the planet. In her hand, she clutched a staff cut from a spirit tree, its wispy white wood possessing a commanding presence from the one who wielded it.

“What’s the consensus for the harvest?” she inquired to an unshaven forty year old man wearing a hat woven from golden straw. “Do you think we’ll have covered all the trees with star dust and picked before the season ends?”

The man laughed. “Lookit you, Aya. I’m surprised how invested you are in our work when you just guard us from those beasties.”

Aya gave a warm smile that betrayed her warrior garb. “Allons, you know how much I love this planetoid and everyone on it. We’re all brothers and sisters in the big dream.”

The man, Allons, twirled a stem of a soul fruit between his teeth with his tongue, and spoke with his drawn out accent, “Relax Aya. You make it so I always take an extra helping of stardust with me when we go out to the forests. If anything, they’ll be overdusted.”

“Better overdusted than withering over the wintertime and not coming back,” Aya said, clutching her staff. “But you already knew that.”

“I did. I knew it the first two hundred times ya said it,” Allons snapped, before he was interrupted by a very feminine “Aieeeee! Get this monster away from me!”

Aya leapt to attention with her staff held defensively and her bare feet standing firm on the ground. “Well, duty calls. Don’t be late,” Aya said, her hand in the air signaling an affirmative before dashing off. Leaving Allons and a few other farmers to talk without a precocious Aya to hear, Allons muttered, “That Aya, she’s so spirited. I think she does nothing but get tipsy on the juice from them trees. I’d probably be just as hopped up if I was on her diet.”

Allons’ middle aged wife stood next to him and growled, “It’s better than all the alcohol you suck down.”

Aya dashed across the dirt road, kicking up dust before stopping where she heard the woman’s shriek. Standing and shaking was a girl about Aya’s age, but not only did her pale skin and naturally ginger hair differ from her elven friend, the clothes she wore were different as well. She sported a light green sundress dress with a matching floppy hat filled with bright spring flowers. Her hazel eyes were even wider than Aya’s, and not just because of how terrified she was. “My stars, Aya,” she cried in a high voice that was heightened further in fear, “Please get this monster away from me.”

Aya slid to the left of this young woman, unable to see the threat behind the woman’s flowery sundress, but soon she saw it. It was a small canine creature with pink fur lined from its muzzle to its short stubby tail. It growled and yipped at the woman in the sundress, hovering with little wings in order to nip at her. Aya narrowed her eyes at the woman. To Aya, this nonsense was a daily occurrence. She pursed her lips in disproval, “Really Flora? A baby wolfhound? It hasn’t even turned purple yet.”

“Ayaaa,” the woman whined and shuffled her feet in flighty fashion. “You know, how I feel about those monsters.”

She lowered her left hand, the hand she held at her breast and pulled her white glove forward to show a thick bite mark. Aya’s eyes immediately filled with compassion. “I know I wasn’t there when that wolfhound attacked you, but I’ll fix this.”

The towering elven woman walked over to the baby pup. It was still trying its hardest to get Flora’s attention by chewing on her dress. She took her staff and pounded the ground, causing the air to become brisk and pillowy. A breeze blew through the center of all three lifeforms and the tension between the wolfhound and Flora dissolved. The creature, having been calmed, flew off on its stubby fairylike wings. Flora began to hold down her dress which billowed as the breeze blew. She then sighed. “I love when you do that Aya. I don’t know why, but my stress just blows away when you stamp that shiny staff”—Her hazel eyes grew half lidded with relaxation—”How in the world does it do that?”

Happy to expound at length about her favorite subject, Aya lectured Flora, “We’re all interconnected in this universe Flor. We all have souls at our center. This staff, made from the wood of an atma tree contains properties that soothe the soul.”

“I need to get one of my own,” Flora gushed. “I even get the vapors when I thread clothing wrong. I’m just a very giddy person.”

Aya smiled, and patted Flora’s exposed back. “I’ll be happy to use it anytime you want. Just for you.”

The young woman smiled and her eyes sparkled as they looked at her friend. The two had known each other for years, but everyday they were still learning stuff about each other. “You’re seriously the best. I should have just asked before,” said Flora, beaming.

“Well, hey, now you know,” Aya said waving her finger. She heard the cries of a child playing and began walking towards the lakeside. “Just do me a favor.”

“Sure. What?”

Aya spoke with her back turned, “Please don’t scream like that over a tiny animal. You made me think that a Noctursa had finally broken its sleep schedule.”

“O-oh-kay.” Flora said, shuffling in her shoes to catch up to her friend. “I promise.”

Catching up to Aya, Flora gazed at the woman she had known for a long time.

The two reached the lakeside where they observed gorgeous water sparking in the distance. Small islands with a few trees floated slowly above the water. Hearing a little peep, Aya and Flora looked down and saw a young boy. He had scruffy orange hair and a dark blue bathing suit patterned with floral designs similar to the fruit growing on the spirit trees., “Hey ladies,” said the boy with a toothy grin. “What brings you to my resort?” His feet stood on the stone filled sand as water rushed over them.

Flora held her hands to her chest and whined with frantic anxiety, “Buck, don’t play out here. I was face to face with a monster a few minutes earlier.”

Aya rolled her big blue eyes and stepped into the water, feeling it with her own bare feet. “Buck here is just enjoying the cool water on his toes. He appreciates nature’s bath water.”

“Of course I am,” yelled Buck and he jumped in place making a big splash, causing water droplets to land on Aya and Flora. The latter gave an eek. “I’m also planning how I can claim Buck Island.”

“Buck Island?” Both women exclaimed with curiosity.

“The third island floating over there. I’m going to get to it,” Buck said pointing excitedly to the third flying island, “And I’ll swing on that big palm tree.”

Flora’s eyes grew wide and frantic. “No you’re not! Why can’t you just play in the village with your brothers and sisters?”

Aya smiled and lifted her staff, “Relax Flora, he has no way of getting there”—A glint appeared in Aya’s wily eyes—”Unless he gets some help.”

“Oh no, no no no,” Flora said shaking her head again. “Please don’t do it.”

Aya positioned her staff over the water like she was about to part it. Buck and Flora both gasped as they saw Aya’s fish tattoos move their fins on her body. “I love this part!” Buck loudly exclaimed.

“I don’t,” Flora quietly murmured as a large bubble raised out of the water. Aya deftly guided it with her staff and moved it closer to Buck. Flora shielded her eyes as Aya smiled and told Buck to “Hop in.”

The boy dived into the bubble and Aya moved it down so he could poke his head out and breath. His little gap tooth was proudly on display with a big grin on his face.

“That you are,” Aya said in a wry voice, “That you are. Now are you ready to fly to the Island?”

The boy nodded with great excitement. He closed his eyes as Aya counted down, “Ok, 1, 2, 3.” The bubble moved forward a tiny bit, before dispersing back into the lake, leaving Buck standing in shallow water. Buck with his eyes still closed asked, “Am I there already?”

“Open your eyes,” Aya responded.

Buck surveyed the land and water he was in. “What happened?” He asked with innocent disappointment.

“I got too tired to zoom you all the way to the island,” said Aya in a mock-exasperated voice while resting her staff and her hands on her tattooed knees, “Bubble magic takes a lot out of you.”

“Liar, I’ve seen you travel in bubbles before, Aya,” the boy whined in an octave similar to his sister.

“Well ok,” Aya responded softly. “I can’t just let you travel on your own. I think your sister would break a blood vessel in her head.”

“I think I already have,” Flora responded with her hand to her head, half-jokingly, half serious as far as Aya could tell.

Aya placed her hand on the dejected Buck’s shoulder. “Look I promise we’ll travel to the island one day, but you have to do me a favor.”

The boy’s eyes widened with excitement, “What is it? Oh please tell me?”

“You’ll have to play in the village with the rest of your family,” Aya said as Buck’s sister smiled in approval.

“You’re so cool, Aya, I’d totally invite you to my island,” The boy said and he flashed his nonexistent muscles and ran off towards the wooden cabins.

“And remember Buck, that island isn’t yours.” Aya hollered after him, “We share that land with everyone on this planetoid.”

Flora giggled, “Well, Aya. Looks like you have an admirer, and some competition when it comes to muscles.”

Aya scoffed in return, laying her hands behind her head and relaxing her eyes while her staff magically floated in place, “As if, I’ll be forced to retire when a man in this village can take me on”—She opened her eyes casting them towards the village—”Well, other than the old man.”

“Speaking of Jeeg,” Flora asked, “I haven’t seen him all morning.”

Aya tossed her hands up and aside. “I’m sure he’s trying to get out of his work. Lazy bastard. Lord knows I’m not going to soothe all these beasts on my own.”

Aya dashed back in the direction of town, with Flora trailing after her. She held her dress carefully. “Come on, Aya. You know, I can’t run in this dress,” her friend cried.

“Don’t wear one then,” Aya shot back with a playful flick of her tongue.

“Some of us like being ladies, Aya,” Flora sighed back. She had picked up her shoes and began to run with them in order to cover as much distance as Aya.

“There are all kinds of ladies in this world, Miss prim and proper.” Aya turned around and without warning, she scooped up Flora in her arms with a simple sweep off her feet. Flora gasped and hollered, “Aya, what are you doing?!”

“Some just like to carry the burdens of others,” Aya said with a mischievous grin as her friend frantically tapped on her arm to let her go. “Aya, come on Aya. You know I’m going to get sick, Ayaaaa!” Aya didn’t listen but dashed even faster heading towards the heart of the small village.

Aya slowed down and scoured the buildings. All were made of the same spirit wood Aya begrudgingly accepted had been cut down. A single staff of spirit wood was one thing, and she had gone through a ceremony that her mentor had instructed her to do in order to gain the tree’s acceptance of its fate. Those cabins had been there before she and Jeeg had arrived. She walked to the center of the town where she found Jeeg sitting at a stone garden by the town’s fruit’s hoister. With close cropped silver hair cut that reflected his age, large pointed ears and a small metallic band around his head, he resembled an old wise sage. He looked striking in his shining purple robe. It contrasted with his ridged tan skin that wrinkled up like a tree in its elder years. He relayed a story to the children of the colony in a way that made Aya’s own ears stand-up.

“I grasped young Aya’s hand as the waters around us grew highly unstable. I knew something disastrous was happening. They raged like a tempest. Something deep below the waters had been disturbed and as I surveyed the planet, I knew nature’s balance had become deeply upset. Our sea shell homes collapsed from violent earthquakes under the water, and there were just seconds before I reached an emergency escape ship. As we left the planet, I watched as the planet imploded from the core leaving nothing but fractured islands of crumbling land. The story is bittersweet, however. As we searched the sky, we were fortunate to come across this beautiful land and before long, we had gained acceptance from your families. This has been our new home for the last 15 years.”

Aya’s face wretched as she heard these words from the old storyteller. She dropped her friend on the ground who gasped loudly “Oh sweet stable ground,” and raised her voice, “Jeeg, why don’t you tell them a better story Like one for calculating the sequence of seeds within a soul fruit.

Jeeg gave a deep, raspy but friendly laugh “There isn’t one. It’s infinite.”

“Invent one,” Aya muttered before glaring at her old caretaker. “Why are you telling them such a terrible story?”

Jeeg gave a melancholic smile accompanied by equally forlorn eyes, “I’m telling the next generation of youngsters where we come from; and well, these little planetoids are not exactly stable.” His eyes met Aya’s who desperately avoided their sadness. “We’ve been lucky to be on this beautiful planetoid for years, but nature has an odd way of giving and taking. I just wanted to prepare them for that.”

Aya’s voice shook in anguish, “I hope they never go through what we went through.”

Jeeg was silent, contemplating what he did. Flora slowly wobbled to her feet. Her wide eyes darted between her best friend and Jeeg before the old man amicably spoke, “Look Aya, if it’s any consolation, you scared these old bones into moving so I may as well help in the forest. Would that make you feel better?”

“Yes.”

The old man rose to his feet as the children watched him; they were filled with curiosity about the story he had told. “Well, that ends today’s story time. Now this old man has to do some manual labor in spite of his aching joints.”

“But what made it collapse?” One of the girls asked, paying no mind to the heated conversation that went on before.

Jeeg looked down at the girl still sitting intently, waiting for answers. “I have thought about that since the day it happened. Who or what could have caused it, I don’t know. Sometimes nature is an enigma.”

The little girl sat in silence and Aya couldn’t tell if she was pondering what could have happened or had no idea what enigma meant. Accompanied by Jeeg and Flora, Aya walked from the village into the nearby glade. She was hoping her job as protector would keep her mind off the harsh reminder of her past. She had lost her culture in a matter of minutes, and believed it was no one other than her who shouldered the responsibility of keeping it alive. But for one body in a vast universe, the task dwarfed a thousand planetoids.