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 Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 12:13 pm
July 10, 2022 Quote: The Lantern Festival (10) : Scientists have been hard at work trying to understand the strange, glowing qualities of the luminescent caterpillars found in the caves by the reservoir. The caterpillars still shrivel up if they are taken out of the caves but their glowing secretions have been processed into an organic paste that can withstand the outside world. The city is selling paper lanterns infused with various seeds. The glow paste is full of minerals to support healthy plant growth without risking damage to the environment; all lantern purchases come with a small packet of activating power that will heat the paste up enough to mimic the effects of a candle without the concerns of flammability. When the glow paste loses its heat, the lantern will return to the Earth and upon the first rain (or any contact with water) the paper will dissolve and the seeds may begin to grow. All proceeds from the lanterns are put right back into the community to support local conservation and environmental protection efforts.
With what little money he had, do not as where he’d gotten the money from, the blond had gone out into the daylight in order to buy one of these lanterns which he planned to assemble just around nightfall, He figured it best to get it during the day so he had time to figure it out, and make sure he did things right, he didn’t want to mess things up.
Purchasing one of these lanterns had been easy enough, though there had been a line of people hoping to do the same as himself. Perhaps if enough people did something like this, if it caught on and people elsewhere did it, then they would make a bigger impact on this planet than he’d first thought. That idea in mind and Ash was headed back to Ida’s apartment in order to set things up - nightfall was only three hours away.
Suffice to say he had it together in time and he headed for the city's biggest park, and the biggest open space in that park, so he’d have room and it could get some good height and clear the treeline. When he sprinkled the powder onto the lantern he stepped back and watched as it slowly lifted itself off the ground and took to the air, brilliant and glowing, it was hope - hope for here and hope for Selinur.
For a moment he did close his eyes, and took a deep breath, but then opened his eyes to watch his lantern take off with a breeze. It would do ti’s job he hoped. It would create new life….new green life. Ash, not looking one bit the alien they were, stood there in the open field watching his lantern drift away with the cool air. It was still glowing but it was harder and harder to see..the glow dimmer and dimmer. Soon it was out of sight, too far away for him to see, and that was when he turned and headed off. “Maybe they have hope here…” Just maybe. Someone, a lot of people in fact, had been thinking of the environment and saving the planet for these lanterns to be made. So many had bought them as well.
Maybe it would be so bad here…this planet might be worth hanging around on for a while, and not just to help them defeat chaos, but to see the people here fix their problem. They knew it was an issue after all, and that put them ahead of the people on his own planet who didn’t figure it out till it was far too late. Not until the virus was rampaging across the planet had they figured it out - all of it.
Word count: 583
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 8:16 pm
September 17, 2022 Television, and the many things it showed, were still very new to Selinur and he did spend a fair amount of time watching it and learning. There was a lot to learn about the people here and the television provided a lot of material, from what sorts of foods could be enjoyed to what sorts of things people did and how they interacted with various things. What he found most helpful however was the news, global news and the like, as well as documentaries and historical shows.
Right now he was glued to the television watching a country go through the motions of mourning their Queen and bury her, a lengthy process from what he could tell. He’d been listening keenly to what experts and others said about various parts of the funeral, and traditions and such, it was a whole series of things which dealt with tradition and formality as well as giving everyone a chance to pay final respects. To think she’d lived 96 years and that was considered a long life….he’d lived so much longer than her.
He could tell though that she was much loved, or rather that she had been, but he also saw that a lot was going on in her family and not everything was as it should be. He didn’t know everything, he was working on understanding this all, this was such a big event in history for people on this planet. It was amazing to see so many people out there though…who had been touched by one short lived person, though he did know it was a long life by their standards on this planet.
While this planet was so divided, so many countries, it seemed that each country could find things to unify around - that held some promise. It was even a bit emotional for him to watch it…to see the grief etched onto faces and to see them reaching towards new royals who were younger and were climbing another rung up the ladder. A new generation to represent them.
What Ash really did appreciate, and like to see, was the country itself and just what it looked like. London, England in general, looked much different from Destiny City and the buildings around the city. There was a difference in style and he found it rather….pleasing. He couldn’t put an exact word to it but he liked it. That had resulted in him looking up other countries and major cities in those countries to see what they looked like, from the architecture of prominent buildings to the looks of peoples homes. They were all so different from here and while some didn’t appeal to him others did.
Watching, not for the first time, as some expert talked about the mourning period and what was going on in London on the streets with the people. Ash couldn’t help but wish he was there just to take part in this historical event and to watch, to listen, and to learn. There was a lot to learn on this planet and he wanted to learn in whatever way he could.
This planet was interesting - very interesting. He hoped he didn’t spend too long here, he wanted to return to a homeworld full of life as soon as possible, but in the meantime he didn’t mind the idea of traveling and discovering more of this planet and learning more. There was always something new to be learned…and he wanted to learn as much as he could. But there was that one big, looming, problem which needed to be dealt with
before he could even hope to travel this planet - the Negaverse. They needed to be dealt with and the sooner the better as far as he was concerned. The prospect of learning, and experiencing, more on this planet was more than enough reason to deal wit the Negaverse…never mind his dislike for chaos in general. There were things to be learned and they were keeping him from it.
Word count: 666
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:07 pm
September 23, 2022 (Back dating t his a bit.) So he now could look human, not that he liked it much, but he could go out during the daylight hours and blend in. That helped him when it came to going out to observe the humans of this planet, if only these people knew aliens were real, as he needed to learn how to fit in amongst the people here. Watching as people did their shopping, taking some time to do some shopping of his own, he watched and listened to people while trying not to be too obvious. With his hearing what it was, or rather what it wasn’t, it was harder to not be caught listening into conversations.
Nothing he heard was of much interest though he did hear some words he didn’t know the meaning of. He assumed these words were new to the Earth language. Some other words he heard were being used in ways he’d never heard before…and again he figured it was new. He made mental notes of these things, as he’d look into it all later, it wasn’t an entirely lost trip out amongst the masses though.
As he walked through the local mall, enjoying the air conditioner, the blond kept glancing about as he watched children run about and people walk along. Hanging from his arm was a shopping bag filled with some clothing and hair care products he’d need, he would need a lot to keep his hair in good condition. He’d found an all natural bath soap, hair care, body care shop and he’d taken the time to go over everything and purchase multiple items. Someone there had been happy enough, too happy really, to help him with explaining how different herbs and such worked to help the skin or the hair and other things.
At least while he was here he wouldn’t be borrowing clothing, using someone else's self care products, and hoping it all worked well for him and that he’d look good in whatever he wore. His skin, as he’d told the person at the store, didn’t have an issue with cold weather but rather he seemed more dried out right now - in the summer. Ash was assuming he wasn’t handling the heat well, it was never this warm on his home planet - they were a fall and winter sort of planet as far as he could compare it to this planet. He couldn’t say for sure if he had sensitive skin, as far as products went, so to be on the safe side he’d said he couldn’t handle a lot of non-natural products hence he was browsing the store for things.
Back home things were natural, not so mass produced, so he really couldn’t be sure and he also didn’t care to take a chance and risk breakouts of being sick or who knows what else. He wasn’t from here and really wasn’t sure how well he could handle things on this planet. He didn’t want to risk his health more than he needed to.
Maybe, he was thinking, at this point he should head home? He’d been out for a few hours now wandering around the mall and other crowded areas, in an effort to try and fit in and learn the ways of the people here.
Mentally nodding to himself he decided to head back to Ida’s and put his purchases away, he really did feel bad spending money which was not his own, and then he’d make something to eat if he could. This whole planet was one big learning experience for him…and he wasn’t sure he liked this, not this way anyway.
He’d talk to Ida about a job soon, he needed one, but he’d need something he could handle where he wouldn’t come off as stupid or in some way gain peoples attention. It had to be something he could pick up quickly, which he figured meant a low paying job as well, but it was what he could do right now. If he spent enough time on this planet he’d work on educating himself better and moving up in the world, and doing well for himself, but he wasn’t planning on remaining on this planet longer than was needed - he had to save his home. Earth was not his home…it was a place to stay for now…but it wasn’t his. His heart did not beat for this planet nor did he breathe for this planet and dream of it. He lived and dreamed of Selinur and it’s cold, snow filled woods, and the tall trees which filled its woods. He dreams of the chill of winter and the warmth of the food.
Reaching the apartment he let himself in, all the while wondering when he should invite Ida to his home. He knew it would be polite, not that he typically cared for such things, but she had taken him in and was trusting him. Not to mention she might be able to help him. He knew she cared about homeworlds and wonders and restoring them. She could perhaps offer him some help. He knew what the problem was, how could he not? But perhaps she could offer him some help. The only issue he saw was the virus which had ripped through the population. He didn’t want to risk bringing it to Earth and infecting everyone on the planet.
But he could have help from Ida, and others, without bringing them to his planet to help. He had written it all out, neatly, in a notebook what the issues he faced were when it came to restoring his planet. He knew he could grow plants here, Ida’s family owned and ran a flower shop, and he could plant them on his planet. But his plant right now wouldn’t play host to anything which had once lived there, things meant to survive in the cold, and he didn’t wish to introduce plants which handled heat and lots of sunlight - it wasn’t natural. He wasn’t going to feed into, and accept, the problem by choosing other plant life for his plant. He needed to fix the lack of cold problem - that he hadn’t figured yet. In the meantime he wanted to gather plants, grow them, learn about them. He wanted to be prepared for whenever he could get his planet cold again.
Ida could help with the plants, he was certain of that, but maybe she’d have an idea on how he could chill his plant out again? He needed the most help there, at least at the moment.
While he thought about the issues his plant, and himself, faced he worked on unpacking and putting away his purchases. The items for dinner were pulled out and a drink was poured as he set about working on making dinner for himself. He’d solve his problems, he knew he would, but he had to plot things carefully…he had a whole plant at risk here. Word count: 1,153
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:34 pm
September 24, 2022 He hadn’t been here in months now, he’d never been off Selinur for so long in the past, and his chest hurt as his feet touched the barren ground of his planet. Blue eyes squinted as the harsh sun blinded him nearly, it was too bright here, and he took his time in slowly opening his eyes and allowed himself to adjust to the light. Once his eyes were open the ancient senshi took his time looking around. It looked just like it had when he’d fled for Earth…just as empty and devoid of life. His chest ached for all that had been lost here…for the lives lost and for the beauty which had been destroyed - and by their own hands.
They had, as a race, always sought knowledge because from knowledge came power. Power could do many things…it could advance a society and it could win a war without a finger being lifted. It was something they had pursued with great fervor. They collected information, spying on people who came to their planet, and writing down everything they learned. They collected books, both ancient and current, and kept them in libraries which overflowed with scrolls and books all filed neatly away for the ease of those searching for information.
In their quest for knowledge, in their need to attract more people to their planet, they chopped down their great forests and built more places for guests to stay. They’d burned more trees to keep the guests warm, they weren’t from Selinur and didn’t handle the cold so well. They had overfished and had abused the land in order to grow more crops to feed everyone on the planet. It had all been too much and now here he was - alone. The last one standing and he could see what they had done….what he had not seen them heading towards until it was too late.
He knew he’d need to fix it all…somehow. It was a lot to fix, so much abuse to the planet, but it needed to be done. The wrongs needed to be righted but even if that was done, even if he could bring plant life back, and if his planet became cold again…where would people come from?
Shaking his head, not wanting to think about that right now, he went about what he’d come here for. He wanted to see if there was anything he could take away from his planet and bring to Earth, any seed pods from long dead trees, or anything else. If he was going to try and revive his planet then he needed to do it right. His planet was cold, ice cold, most of the year so he’d need plants which could handle such temperatures and not die. He’d also need plants which were edible so there would be a food supply.
Selinur was sure he could find plants to fulfill the needs on Earth, and possibly other planets, but he wanted to first see if there were any seeds, bulbs, or anything else which he could recover and grow on Earth before bringing back here in order to start the regrowing process. He still had some seeds left after his trade with the merchant, though it wasn’t enough in his opinion, so that was where he headed first. Moving across the land he still could find his way, despite there being nothing to work as a place marker.
When he made it to the lake sometime later he started his search. Around the lake shore he started digging into the ground in the hopes of finding the little diamond like seeds which he needed. Looking much like drops of ice it was a wonder people could normally pick them out of the snow, when the planet had been covered in snow, and not mistake them for bits of ice. But the people of Selinur knew what to look for and could spot them with a fair amount of ease, it was how they grew them and sold them to anyone who had need of them and their healing properties. It was now easy to find them, since there was no snow and ice, and he did find them. Pulling his pouch out of subspace, Selinur started to put the seeds into the pouch, hoping they were still viable. If they weren’t he’d have to cultivate the good seeds he did have and hope they’d leave seeds so he could grow them. It would slow things down, once he found a place to plant and grow them. For now though he’d assume they were still viable and collect as many as he could.
From there he’d start scavenging the areas where great forests had once been, in the hopes of finding more seeds, he was hoping for seed pods from the trees and maybe something from the bushes which had grown and bore bits which could be eaten. He wouldn’t call them fruits or berries, since they were neither, but he wasn’t sure what Earth word would work to describe them. They were, perhaps, vegetables at best. They were used to add some spice to dishes though…but were also not some sort of a pepper, that was an Earth thing as well.
Moving away from the lake, once he had a pouch full of snowdrop seeds, the fox like senshi headed elsewhere. There really was no place he headed to…just a different barren area where once a large forest had been. There was, like by the lake, nothing growing and nothing to be found but dirt - lots of dirt. And he started to dig and moved the dirt out of his way. Anything he found which wasn’t dirt or rock he would put into a new pouch. Pods that were hard, and coated in spikes, were placed into the pouch for safe keeping and easy transportation back to Earth. He could only hope that some of these pods would grow and produce new trees one day - he had to hope. If nothing came of them than he’d have to fill his planet up with plants which weren’t native…and it wouldn’t feel like Selinur any more, at least not for him.
If ever new life, new people, came to inhabit the planet he was certain they’d never know the difference and know it was wrong - that the plants were wrong. But he would know and that made a difference…Selinur needed to be what it had once been and for that the plants needed to be right. He wasn’t entirely opposed to some new species of plants, things from Earth and elsewhere, but he needed to have some of these pods produce life. The same could be said for the tiny red pebble like bush seeds he was collecting as well.
When he could, when the blight issue was dealt with, he’d talk to Ida about his plans and hope she could help him with this mission of his. Because he needed help from others…he needed a place to grow things, to try and bring life from these seeds, and he needed help in figuring out how and where to grow them. He needed a place that was cold enough since Earth wasn’t always going to be cold enough and his own home certainly wasn’t. He needed to try and figure out how to get Selinur back to being bitter cold as well.
It was a lot, he knew it, but he needed to still take the steps down the path to recovery of his planet. He had to do it.
Word count: 1,261
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 9:32 am
September 24, 2022 In the process of learning about this planet, and its people, Selinur had while people watching taken note of churches and had looked a bit into religion. It was…interesting, from what little he did look into it. There seemed to be several religions on the planet and he did wonder why, shouldn’t everyone follow the same thing to various degrees? That way you didn’t have too much clashing between people of various beliefs. At least if everyone believed the same thing the only clash you could have was someone who was more devout than someone else. But no…this planet had many religions and they’d had fights in the past and they didn’t get on well now in some cases. He wasn’t really surprised.
That led to him looking into holidays, he knew they had holidays here, and so he’d just finished watching the history of Halloween on the computer. He was going to watch the history of Christmas next, since both holidays were coming up soon. He was, of course, also planning to look into Thanksgiving though it seemed to only be celebrated here in this country.
Halloween reminded him, as he watched the documentary, a bit of a halliday on his own planet - Fangnore. It was based on some of the same roots as Halloween as it was also a harvest festival. His planet was cold year round, of course, but it did have a season where it grew colder and crops could grow under the snow and ice but they couldn’t be harvested. So everything had to be dug up beforehand and replanted, to grow during the cold part of the year, and whatever they got up had to last them. It was also when they finished catching whatever fish they could as the waters would ice up too much to fish till the warmer seasons came.
They would slaughter whatever animals they figured they’d need to in order the survive the colder months and they’d finish doing all their hunting. It was a time when it all came together and they took stock of it all and stored everything. Whatever they had done by a certain time was it. They would then celebrate, because all that rush to finish it all had come to an end. They’d eat and tell stories and wish everyone well for the coming colder months. They’d send up wishes to the Cauldron in the hopes they wouldn’t lose too many of their own people and for those that they did lose…that they’d make it to the Cauldron safely. It was a big thing for them as the colder months were a break from the work of growing food and handling livestock and hunting. But it was also a time to worry and to cut back on things if needed…a time where some might not make it, for various reasons.
Seeing the similarities in the past of Halloween was warming in a way, it made him miss his own home of course, he wished for Selinur and the return of its people. He wished to celebrate there and he knew he’d return that holiday to his people whenever new life started - whenever people returned. He would be the one to give them a past and a history and culture…to restore things and help direct the future of the new people.
It was yet another thing he’d have to do - another duty. It was something no one else would be able to do and something which had never been done before. But he’d take on the task….whenever it needed fulfilling. Word count: 597
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 5:20 pm
Semptember 24, 2022 He could feel the n** in the air, how could he miss it? The coloring of leaves on some of the trees. Fall was coming and Ash was happy for it’s arrival, he’d been waiting for it. He didn’t know what would come with fall, how could he know? This was his first time on this planet and he was clueless but he knew with it came cooler temperatures, and with winter it would get even colder, so he was ready. He’d gotten some warmer clothing, he didn’t really need clothing that was too much warmer, but he was already seeing a change in foods being sold at a local farmers market and the coloring in decorations. He could see a lot of changes going on in and around the city, as he had started exploring just outside the city as well.
Today was one of those farmers market days and now that he was working, helping Ida’s family, he had money of his own to spend. It wasn’t a lot, he didn’t expect it to be, but he could buy some things for himself to try. He had bought some apples, which he’d yet to try, and some other various foods that people had up for sale - all fresh and grown by them.
As he continued walking Ash passed the fresh fruits, and vegetables, and following his nose he found all sorts of baked goods. They smelled ok…sweet but ok. He did pick up on a particular smell that was good - cinnamon he knew. He’d smelled it at the coffee place a lot. It wasn’t a bad smell but there were other sweet smells as well. But the foods seemed warming, and filling, he just wasn’t sure they were anything he’d be interested in. Maybe Ida would though?
Pressing his lips together, and sniffing the air, he finally focused on a rather plump and friendly looking female standing behind the counter filled with pies of all sorts - each one labeled. “I’ll take an apple pie…and a pumpkin pie as well.” Nodding his head when she asked if he was sure, likely because he’d seemed hesitant in his request, he waited as she boxed up one of each pie. While he waited he fished about for his wallet and pulled out the money he’d need, that had been a quick lesson in learning the money on this planet. Paying, once both pies were boxed up, and bagged he was quick to pocket his wallet and head on his way.
Along the way he did make a few other little purchases, a jam or two, and some other things he thought Ida and the other senshi living in the apartment might like. He’d not yet met the other, it seemed their paths just hadn’t crossed, but he was certain that would change soon enough. In the meantime he might as well buy a few things which both the senshi housing him might like, a silent thank you, in the hopes of securing himself some allies and a friendship or two - as odd as friendships and allies still sounded in his own mind.
“Mmmm, maybe some more things.” But what else? Doubling back he decided to sniff, and look, about some more and see if anything else caught his attention.
Word count: 548
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:24 pm
June 24 2023 Quote: Curious Findings (17) : Maybe it’s got something to do with the weather, or the construction, or all the other general oddities that seem to occur in Destiny City, but for the first time in nearly fifty years, the historic tree in one of Downtown Destiny City’s parks has woken up. While the tree was known for being alive and growing despite a lengthy hibernation, this is the first year that it’s sprouted leaves–but that’s not all! The unique tree has now also started growing strange pods. Because of the trees legacy–and not at all because of the oddity–the area has been taped off, but that really hasn’t been enough to stop anyone curious enough to investigate. The tree itself is several feet wide and stands roughly fifty feet tall; it’s branches spread significantly and seem like they can hold a lot of weight–which is good, because the pods growing on it have a hard brown shell and can grow up to the size of a soccer ball. Sometimes, the larger ones seem to tremble and shake in place. Maybe it's an animal trying to nibble? Maybe it’s just the wind? Maybe it’s something else. The pods can be pulled from the tree or collected from the ground; the shells are incredibly difficult to crack open, and some of them leak a strange, acidic sap that is strong enough to cause skin agitation–and in some cases there are even reports that it’s burned through wood or fabric. Sometimes, the healthier looking pods that aren’t leaking anything even seem to shake on their own, which is a mystery in itself. Another mystery is why Almadel seems so keen to trade for them…
That was what had brought him here, and the fact he'd heard someone was looking for pods, but he’d come prepared. He knew he might need to use magic on the bugs, which he hoped wouldn’t happen, but he’d brought a container for the pods he planned to collect from the tree. Gloves had also been brought, so he didn’t potentially get anything on his hands, he was trying to be careful with this operation. He wanted to please a certain alien with these pods. Maybe the other would even tell him just what they were; because he didn’t know. He didn’t like not knowing.
As he approached the tree, slowly and with caution, the blond pulled the tupperware out of subspace as well as the gloves and got himself ready. He didn’t want to risk a bug attack so he was hoping to make this as quick as possible.
Darting in, jumping over the ropes around the tree, the deep space senshi was quick in closing the distance between himself and the tree so he could delicately pluck a few pods from the tree. “I do hope these don’t attack me.” He did not need that, he needed these things intact. He didn’t need the pods opening and bugs attacking him, he needed them intact in order to get what he wanted, he was looking to gather as many as he could in the hopes of bribing a certain alien.
He knew he could likely get what he wanted with words, and offer, alone but he wasn’t above bribing at this point. There was something he could appreciate in the merchant who liked to visit this planet. They knew a lot and had been many places, learning and picking up many things in the process, and Selinur could appreciate someone who seemed to like secrets and knowledge as much as he did. Someone who had many secrets, as he did, it made him want to at least see what he could get from the other.
Reaching out, trying his best to avoid knocking the pods or touching too many of the other insects, Selinur grasped the first pod and gave it a little wiggle. He didn’t want to use too much force and break them; so he was testing how much force he could use. As he finally got it free from the trunk of the tree, with a little stumble back as it popped free, he held it for a moment in order to inspect it. He was looking for any defects or problems, anything which might cause the merchant to reject it, before popping it into the tupperware he’d brought with him.
Gloved hands, he had pulled them on at some point, started to work on freeing more of the pods. He was hoping to fill the tupperware with them; he wasn’t greedy in the slightest.
Word count: 577
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 4:11 pm
March 8th, 2024 Selinur hadn’t been back home since arriving on Earth and now he was a super, one step closer to regaining his wings, and a return trip was needed. It wasn’t that he had a reason to go but he also didn’t need one - it was home. He’d missed his planet even if it was too hot for him, especially in this uniform, and there was nothing to eat and he’d been everywhere on the planet a few times over. There wasn’t anything he’d not seen by now.
Yet he needed to go and see the place. He needed to see how bad it was now…he needed to find out if anything had changed since he’d left. He didn’t figure anything had but who knew - magic was unpredictable as was its nature.
Ash had wandered to the outskirts of the city's largest park, wanting to make sure no one was around that he could sense before powering up, he knew how to get back home and the focus on the planet up in space was easy enough. This place had been home for him for so long, it was hard not to think about it and its former glory.
When he arrived it was warm, too warm, and he was stripping off the green over shirt which he wore. Letting the fabric land on the ground he tried not to focus on the lack of snow and ice which had been replaced by dried out and dead grass covering the ground beneath his feet. His boot crunched on the dried grass as he walked slowly towards the gathering of dead trees, his hands shaking as he moved, he felt a pit in his stomach as he took in the sights around him.
How he’d survived for so long as beyond him…he didn’t understand and yet he knew how he’d survived. His own planet had kept him alive for so long, had supported him, it had used up every ounce of power it had to keep him alive in the hopes that he’d be able to save it somehow. When he’d been able to get away, arriving on Earth, his planet had to have given a sigh of relief knowing that help would come - without a doubt. Its senshi would return, in time, with help in order to save it from the chaos which had settled here. He would return the favor and save his planet like it had saved him.
“I’m back.” He whispered into the warm air as he took in a slow breath, sniffing at the air, it smelled like home but the cold take your breath away smell of snow and ice was no longer there. Breathing came easier in a way, because there was no cold winds which made first breaths hard as the air was taken from you before it could even be drawn in. But it was still too warm here and he knew this was wrong. Stepping into the dead forest he continued sniffing, as if he might pick up on anything different, and continued heading towards where he knew a portal to the underground was.
The entrance was hard to ignore as it was a sudden ending of the ground, the hole was right there and impossible to miss, as it went down several feet into the ground. The jump down was easy enough and the landing only slightly jarring as Selinur landed only a few feet from what had once been a fire pit used for cooking, dead and dry logs were settled around the pit for people to sit on as they cooked meats and ate while talking. This was a gathering place for many to come and go as they shared their meals while sharing information and telling stories. They were a social group…just not with others.
Straightening himself up the blond made his way around the room and to an archway that led to a hallway lined with wooden doors. Each door was rounded at the top and the locks on them each had been broken - by him. In all the time he’d lived here he’d gotten bored and raided the homes to see if there was anything to read or do. He’d looked for books, scrolls, anything he could get his hands on while also finding little games he could occupy his time with. He’d needed ways to pass the long years on his own. Now though he ignored the doors, some of which were even open, as he headed down the hallways making turns here and there as he headed towards the big library.
“One day….” He whispered, finger trips trailing along the dirt wall between doors. One day the doors would again separate families and provide them one privacy as people would once more live here. If he could bring his planet back to order he could offer homes to those from Earth who might need it, if chaos were to somehow win the war on Earth, he could house every senshi and knight down here he was certain of it. But did he want to? That was the question…did he want to give access to the secrets of his planet to a bunch of people he didn’t know? His people had given their lives for the secrets they’d gathered and kept, even if they hadn’t planned to give their lives, would he be willing to risk everything being seen by others?
He could always offer up the hotels that dotted his planet to senshi and knights - turn it into housing somehow. He was certain that could be done instead. It would be a middle ground. Reaching the large double doors to the library, the doors were a plane and simple dark wood which gave nothing away as to what was contained behind the doors, Selinur pushed them open and stepped into the large three floor room.
The floors were wooden, creaky as the boards were stepped on as a sign of their age, but that didn’t gain his attention even as the floor creaked under his booted feet. Rather it was the ros of book shelves where some sections held scrolls rather than books. There was, he knew, an open section in the middle of the vast room where tables and chairs were spread out so people could talk, read, and inspect various things. It was towards the back of the main floor where items were held. From crowns to bodies that were preserved in glass containers, notes having been made on the bodies, everything physical which had been collected was kept in the back of the room. There were many things in the collection from all over the cosmos, his people would venture far and wide for information and discoveries. The second floor was nothing but books and scrolls as was the third floor, a few chairs and small round tables scattered about the two higher floors, the library was impressive to behold especially for those who knew just what this place contained.
This place wasn’t like the libraries on Earth where stories could be found and poetry and other such things. No, this library contained nothing but information of all sorts, with evidence supporting things, nothing here could be considered just rumor and speculation as those things never reached the shelves of this library. Anything whispered about that reached the ears of his people was proven, whether true or not, and only then did it make the shelves with all proof attached to it. They liked facts on his planet…because what good would information be, if used as a weapon, when it could be proven false and fail as a weapon. No, nothing which couldn’t be proven was allowed here.
Walking along he let his eyes wander as he headed for the back of the place where the objects were kept. So many things were held here, some on shelves and others on mannequins as it seemed to be a random assorted collection of objects from all across the cosmos…and perhaps it really was. But everything had information to go with it, to detail what it was and why it was important enough to be here.
“And this is what brought us to an end…information.” Information which had kept them safe from everything off planet. But it was something on their own planet which had taken them out. All of this to keep them safe and it had led to their downfall. It had unearthed something they hadn’t even known about. All their information, as vast as it was, had failed them in the end. Nothing here had saved them because in the end it was all useless against the hidden enemy that was plague.
Had this all been worth it? The answer was quick to his mind - Yes. Because nearly everywhere in the Cosmos had fallen and if not for this vast library he would have gone mad being locked on his planet for so long. This, and whatever he could pilfer from peoples homes, had kept him going for so long. And maybe, just maybe, he was a bit mad and obsessed at this point but if he was he didn’t really acknowledge it. If so many places had fallen, and seemingly around the same time, it would have happened no matter what…their behavior had led to it but if not this…then what? Something else would have brought about the downfall of his planet.
“Why though? Why did so many kingdoms fall…” Whispering into the musty air as he sat down at a table, leaning back in the padded chair. Was there some purpose to so many kingdoms falling? Was something behind it? Because there was no way so many places were meant to fall all around the same time…it just felt too off and too coincidental to him. Things like this didn’t simply happen without some cause or reason behind it. But what had been behind this all and why? He still thought Cosmos herself was behind this all somehow or at least knew about it all…knew the reason for this all.
They called it chaos, they all did, even what they were fighting on earth. It was always called chaos but chaos was something which was meant to be the balance to order so why was the balance so off? Because there was no way the balance wasn’t off if the cause behind this - all of this was chaos. So perhaps it wasn’t chaos and it was just what they called it…a label slapped onto something they didn’t know the truth name or purpose of? Because it had taken so many different forms and that seemed like a chaos sort of thing, to be so chaotic and unpredictable, but to be so out of balance made no sense to him. Things always seemed to be in balance, across the cosmos, till the sudden problems a thousand years ago. What had triggered this or rather what had allowed this to happen?
Was the balance once more being thrown but not the cosmos balance but just the balance on Earth? So much chaos and so little order…and what order remained was condensed into one single city. Nothing seemed to be in order and he couldn’t make sense of it.
After some time pondering things, while sitting there, Slelinur finally dragged himself back onto his feet and went to find some books to read, things which had to do with chaos and the Cosmos and the like. These books all dealt in what facts there were, of course, but right now he wished there were books filled with speculation because he felt like he needed to delve into the what if’s and such. Because maybe some of those ponderings were true and just couldn’t be proven, or hadn’t been proven, because there had to be a reason behind it all - behind everything falling apart.
He just needed to find it…he needed to find it so he could avoid it in the future. He would bring back his world and protect it from ever falling again. He just needed to know how to protect it.
Word count: 2,022
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 10:09 pm
March 9th, 2024 There had been a lot he’d learned since arriving on Earth, the planet had grown a lot since his own planet had fallen to ruin and communications had fallen. Earth had not been like this a thousand years ago and so many things had happened, he’d been reading about all of it. The advances and the people and the social and political developments, upheavals and changes. There was just so much and it was a lot to take in but he’d been working on it since his arrival on Earth.
He’d bought books on history, European, French, English, World War two and more, so many different books and read through them all and now he was bringing them to his homeworld to store in the library alongside everything else his people knew. These books contained facts, information on what had happened on Earth in its recent past, and it needed documenting.
Along with the books he had clippings from plants, and flowers, and other things with information on each species he was bringing to the library to store for future generations to examine and learn from. He hoped there would one day be people living here - his people. They would be able to read and learn from whatever he brought here even when he was dead and gone…and another person had taken up the title of Sailor Selinur.
Making his way through the library he stopped off here and there, taking his time, to place the books where they belonged. Each book fell under the category of Earth but then he had to go about finding the subcategories for things, such as war, and other topics which suited each book he had. This did, of course, take time but once everything was put away he went to head for the back.
As he walked he pulled a large bag from subspace and it wasn’t until he’d reached a back table that the bag was set down and the contents removed. Plant clippings, flowers, seeds and more came out. Everything was bagged and tagged with information folded around each little bag. Everything would need to be filed away properly, which he set about doing slowly, going over information as he worked his way through what he’d brought.
Things had to be sorted, flowers from leaves and than seeds, he went and then sorted things alphabetically so it would all be nice and easy to find, he went by scientific names rather than whatever the plants were currently called as that could change in time. Scientific names weren't going to change as the times came and went, some things didn’t change with time, and then he started putting everything in glass while putting the information behind each object so the information was still with the leaves, flowers, seeds ect and easy to find and read over.
As he worked time dragged on but he didn’t notice it, just as he hadn’t when putting the books away in a sensible manner, the time which went by was ignored as he worked diligently to keep things in order so in the future people could find these things. He would, over time, add to the collection and hopefully by the time his life came to an end there would be a massive archive of the flora of Earth. Maybe it would even help regrow his own planet…even if the idea of non-native species bothered him. If he saved his planet though he might not have to go to such lengths…native plants might just return. He’d wait and hope for that before he made drastic decisions…because once they were made he wouldn’t be able to undo them and he knew that. He had to be mindful of every step he made in saving and healing his planet because these choices would have a lasting impact and he needed to set a good base for everything to grow off of.
From the plants and wildlife to how the culture would be once human life returned to the planet he would have to set the base for it all. He knew there were things he wanted to keep, he couldn’t just obliterate his entire culture, but there were things which needed changing and he knew that as well. It would be a matter of finding a balance so the old remained and didn’t die out - so the people of Selinur in the future would have connections to their ancient past.
The information here he knew had caused the problem they’d found themselves in, though he wondered now if they were doomed no matter what, and he knew they couldn’t risk their planet for information again in the future. But this was part of who they were as a people, it had been ingrained in them, and so he would still keep this part of their culture but attempt to add in caveats so they didn’t do to themselves what they’d done already or something else. He couldn’t have them repeating history…he needed to make sure they would know the boundaries and lines and not cross them.
As he worked Selinur let his thoughts wander, trying to figure out how things should be planned for the future generations; he couldn’t help but think about the future when here. He was always thinking but especially when here and here his thoughts were of the future whereas back on Earth his thoughts were on other things - many other things. The war there took up a lot of his thoughts when he was on Earth, because it was a very real thing which was faced by the people of Destiny City every day. Now though they were on the future and how to set the groundwork for things…what limitations to put on things and where to put it all? He could write it all down in a giant book and leave it somewhere, add to it whenever thoughts hit him, and hopefully others would see it before he died…but if not then someone in the future would find it with any luck.
He should do that…a giant book with his thoughts and opinions, his rules, written down for all time…for everyone to see and follow. -Maybe leave some wiggle room, for growth and changing times, but keep some things as solid unmovable ideas that should not be gone against no matter what. He would need to watch his wording though and think of possible scenarios which may occur once he was gone from here, and back in the cauldron. Perhaps he should consult another ancient or two on this and see if they had ideas? Not right away, no, but it wasn’t a terribly bad idea either.
Hours had passed and he hadn’t realized it but finally his work was done and he was teleporting back to Destiny City, his mind focused on getting a shower and turning into bed because it was late…after midnight according to his phone.
Word count: 1,157
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Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 6:06 pm
April 6th, 2024 (Back dating this a bit) He hadn’t used the merchant's gift yet, Selinur wasn’t sure if he could handle a place smelling like his home once had. The smell of the trees and the cold winter air, of snow and ice, the smell of fires burning in the not too far off distance. He knew he’d smell home, even if those exact scents weren’t what he’d get each time, he knew the chances of those smells emitting from the burner were high. He knew the nostalgia would kick in and the homesickness, a weakness he wouldn’t admit to possessing, he missed the sounds of people talking and stories being told to children in hushed whispers around a fire that crackled as fat, from a fresh kill, dripped into the cooking fire below.
There was a lot he missed and he wasn’t sure how prepared for it he was, having been denied such things for so long, he didn’t trust his own emotions. But he was ready, or as ready as he’d ever be, and he lay on his bed looking over the incense burner as it started to work even without anything to burn.
The first scents to hit his nose were cold, that’s all he could describe it as, it was the smell you got when stepping out into the snow. It was sharp and under normal circumstances, walking out into the snow, it would be cold enough to take your breath away. The next scent was green and earthy…maybe something a bit like moss as well? It was earthy for certain, like a forest after a good rain when everything was damp and chilly still, it had that sort of smell. Inhaling he let his breath out slowly, melting into the bedding he lay on, pale eyes drifted closed as the scent filled his room, and enveloped him in its comforting hold, he wondered briefly if anyone else stepping into his room would smell the same thing. He sort of hoped not, he didn’t want to share these sorts of things with others. Truth be told he didn’t want to share anything about his homeworld, about his people, and his culture with others but he knew he’d need to.
“Can’t save you without others…” He’d need to ask for help, to call out to others to assist him, he hated that he wasn’t strong enough to do this on his own. He couldn’t save his planet on his own, and yet it had kept him safe and alive for so long. It had managed, somehow, to keep him alive and well enough so that he could finally come to Earth. How much longer could his planet have kept him alive? It had done so well…the idea of his planet, thinking of it as something alive and sentient, trying to keep him alive by sheer force of will and need had him choking on a breath as emotions welled within him.
His planet had fought for so long, all on its own, to keep him alive and here he was needing to ask others for help! Why wasn’t he strong enough to do this on his own? He felt like it was a private thing, thanking his planet for saving him by saving it, that he should be as strong as his homeworld had been. But he wasn’t that strong…he wasn’t a whole planet…but he was a senshi! Shaking his head he took another shaky, rough, breath and clutched at the pillow his head was resting on.
Why was he so weak? Why hadn’t he stepped in when things had started to go wrong? He knew they were destroying their planet, he could feel it, but he like every other native born to his planet had been unable to let go of their culture. Even now, knowing what it had caused, wanted to try and preserve it in some ways. For the future, once his planet could support more life again, to remember and embrace their culture and bring it to life once more. But it had caused so much pain and suffering - so much death. There would need to be a balance but could he establish it for those who would come after him? Could he leave a lasting impression on them? One strong enough that even when he was dead they would obey and be mindful of things?
He could only hope because he didn’t want to give up his culture, it was precious to him, and if it was lost then it would be as if it had never been. Once he was gone and the memories were gone it was gone and they were no longer the people who they’d once been. They would be the same people in name, and perhaps appearance, only. It was a lot to think on, to grapple with, but he’d been dealing with these thoughts bit by bit since arriving on Earth. He did wonder if others, like himself, had been thinking similar things? Did other senshi, those born here, have thoughts like this or similar even? They hadn’t lived through the ruin of their worlds, not personally, but some surely had memories of it.
If he could revive his world, and tend to it, he would wait on Earth for the day his homeworld could again sustain him and than he would return there. He would write down laws, guidelines, and do his best to make sure they wouldn’t become this lost in their own nature again. They must not allow their own nature to destroy their planet again. They would need to find a balance and would need to replant every tree they cut down in order to build places, that was something he would start doing as soon as he rescued his planet. He’d find whatever seeds he could and plant them…and tend to them in the hopes they’d grow. He would see what plants on Earth were a close match and bring them to his world, anything he could do to help, he would need to fix the wrongs committed by himself and his people. He would prepare it for who would inhibit it in the future…give them forests to run through as they hunted and played. The few dead trees, small patches of dead forests, would need to be removed and replanted with living trees, some of the remains of the old trees could remain, but he’d need to sort things out.
He didn’t like the idea of letting plants from another place, invaders, grow on his planet but it might be the only chance his planet had of repopulating itself with flora and without the flora there would be nowhere for the fauna to live and thrive. Taking in another deep breath he exhaled slowly, though his nose. The smells would never be the same, if the greenery changed, but he would need to accept the possibility of these differences. He would try though to find whatever seeds he could, as he went about clearing things, so he could try and replant the native species of flora. He already had snowdrop seeds, tucked away in subspace, he’d plant those once he was certain they’d germinate and grow. He would not allow those seeds to be wasted - he needed them to grow…they had been such an iconic part of his planet. They’d played a large role in medicine on his planet. He couldn’t lose them forever.
Biting down on his bottom lip the blond rolled over fully, his face buried into his pillow, as he folded his arms under the pillow and tried to muffle his breathing as ragged as it was.
This gift, this incense burner, was both a blessing and a curse - he was sure of it. It reminded him of his home so much, made him feel the cold brush of winter against his skin, the scents were so heavy in the air. He was certain if he opened his eyes he’d find himself laying in a snow drift, surrounded by large trees filled with deep greenish blue needles, but his mind told him that wasn’t possible. It yanked him back to reality and reminded him of all which needed to be done and how his planet had died and sacrificed in order to keep him alive. How it had clung to whatever it would, by sheer stubborn will, to keep it’s last hope alive. That he was that last hope and he needed to save his planet now - to be the hero it had been for him.
“Damn it….” Cursing softly, words muffled by his pillow. He had so much to do and the burden felt heavy but it was a path he must walk. He just wished it could be alone…as the last thousand years had been. But he’d need help…he’d need to work with others. “Anything for that which you love most.” Anything for his planet. Because it had done everything for him.
Maybe, just maybe, this summer he’d properly thank the merchant for this gift. He could hope…Word count: 1,506
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Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 7:13 pm
April 6th, 2024 After that night spent thinking of what he’d need to do on his planet, all the work to save it and keep it safe once he was dead and gone, Selinur had worked out a plan and how he stood on his planet with an ax in hand along with other tools stored in subspace. Today he’d started hacking down the dead trees, those which had not already fallen over, and dig up whatever remained of the roots. They needed to come up so new life could one day replace them, the new trees would need the space, and he needed to get started now because this task would take a lot of time and energy. He wouldn’t get it done in one day, he knew that, but he might as well not drag his feet on such daunting tasks.
Where he arrived was near to one of the small patches of dead trees, little bits of brown grass here and there. The grass crunched under his boots as he walked, approaching the trees as he hefted the ax, he swung the weapon as soon as he reached the first tree. Without hesitating he went to work on chopping down the trees much like his people had done before they’d all died, but this time the cause would better his planet. He would let these dead trees be so they could join the soil and become something from which new things could grow. There had to be something useful remaining in these trees.
As he worked he started to overheat, it didn’t even take long, and Selinur was removing his coat and his shirt and laying the fabrics on the ground as he worked under the heat of his planet. He let it heat his skin, something he did not enjoy one bit, and accepted this as some sort of punishment to survive. He’d not saved his planet, he’d participated in its destruction, and this was some pay back for it...some punishment for what he'd participated in when he above all others should have known better and stepped in.
As he worked his skin burned, turning red under the sun's rays, but he worked as diligently as he could. At one point he did stop to apply sunblock, though he didn’t know how much protection it would provide him, and back to work he’d gone once he’d managed to coat whatever skin was showing with the creamy white substance. The stuff smelled, causing him to wrinkle his nose in distaste, if it helped though…he’d suffer that terrible smell. It would permit him more time to work on hacking down trees, as did the water he’d brought along in subspace, he’d do what he could today and then return as soon as he was able to again. It was still hard to believe but he was limited on how often he could come here…when he’d lived here, alone, for a thousand years.
To think he couldn’t just come here whenever he pleased, whenever he wanted to wander the dead surface of his planet, Selinur was locked out of this place most of the time and it hurt to think of it like that. The place which had kept him alive, had used whatever power it still had to keep him alive and safe, now was closed off to him. It hurt but he understood and he would work hard whenever he was here…he would prepare his planet. He wouldn’t be offended, even if it did hurt, but rather he would be understanding. His planet needed time to heal and it could now keep him here long, it could not allow him here often, it wasn’t good for him to spend long periods of time here or to come often.
“And Earth….there is the chaos there to deal with.” He whispered as he watched another tree come down. Trailing off in his thoughts as he wondered if that fight would ever end; and how it would end. The fact so many senshi, and knights, were on one planet was alarming but also spoke of something greater at play. It wasn’t normal and yet Earth had been blessed like this….had they all been reborn there in order to save Earth? The starseeds reborn into people there in order to prepare for the fight which would come? A fight which had been seen ahead of time by some greater power?
That was likely to be the case, he was nearly certain of it, such a thing was not coincidence.
Taking his water bottle, which he’d left on the ground, Selinur took a long drink from it as he let the cool liquid roll down the back of his throat. Recapping the bottle he set it down and went back to work; soon he’d break for food.
When he did take a break, after what felt like hours, the blond had settled himself down under the shade of several trees which still stood dead and hollow. They kept some of the sunlight out, and off his fair skin, as he sat there on the dirt and took his food out from subspace. The food was kept in a container to keep it warm, something metal with plastic inside of it, the device was insulated and thermal and something else. He’d made a stew for himself, something thick and hearty, with rabbit in it. The rabbit had been nearly impossible to find, he’d had to find some specialty butcher in the city, it seemed people on Earth didn’t like rabbits, whereas for him it looked similar to the animal he’d eaten plenty of times growing up.
The stew was nice and thick, still hot, and well seasoned as he ate slowly enjoying the flavor and the meat of the rabbit. It wasn’t exactly the same, he doubted anything on Earth would be, but it was close enough that he could accept it. Taking his time in eating he let himself look about at what he was doing, at what he’d managed to bring down so far, it was impressive but there was still a bit more to go.
Finishing his meal he sent things back to subspace, he’d clean the dishes when he returned home to Ida’s, and standing up he went back to work. He spent only another two hours there working but enough had been done - for now. There would be more trips like this, there had to be. For now though he’d head home and take a shower before getting some rest; he needed it. Word count: 1,095
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