Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Aki and Ani fell for what felt like a very long time. Time enough for Ani to mentally revise her will twice and for Aki to ponder if he were to mold chocolate into a paper airplane shape, could it fly? Soon enough, they landed with a soft “Pomf!” on something springy, fragrant, and suspiciously giggly.
They sat up slowly. They were in a valley that looked like it had been painted by a daydreaming artist. Floating islands drifted lazily overhead, each one shaped like a different geometric whim: a cube, a teardrop, a spiral, and one that looked somewhat like a disgruntled duck. Waterfalls of glittering liquid, possibly water or possibly syrup, poured from their edges and vanished into thin air. Crystalline trees lined the valley, their branches chiming like wind chimes made of sugar glass. Their leaves shimmered in impossible colors - lavender, mint, sunrise gold - and shifted hues whenever the breeze changed its mind. The air smelled of fruit, herbs, and the faintest hint of mischief.
Ani exhaled. “Aki… this place is beautiful.”
Aki nodded. “And probably dangerous.”
“Almost definitely,” Ani agreed.
They stood, brushing off the moss which giggled again, because of course it did, and began walking. They wandered into a grove where the trees grew tall and elegant, with deep pink fruit dangling from branches like ornaments at a very stylish holiday party. Each branch sprouted what looked like delicate basil fronds that fluttered in the breeze like they were gossiping.
Ani plucked a fruit. “Aki… this fruit looks like a Mexican plum.”
Aki plucked a leaf. “And this leaf looks like Thai basil.”
They stared at the fruit. The fruit stared back.
Ani cleared her throat. “Do you think it’s safe?”
Aki shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”
Ani grabbed his wrist. “No. We learned from the caramel river.”
Aki furrowed his brow and nodded solemnly. Then he took a bite anyway.
“AKI!”
His eyes widened. “Ani. Ani. Ani. This is incredible.”
Ani hesitated, sighed, then took a bite too. Her eyes widened. “Oh wow.”
It was sweet and tart, bright and herbal, juicy and aromatic. A perfect balance. A flavor that practically screamed, “Put me in a bonbon immediately!”
Ani gasped. “Aki… this could be another Mother’s Day flavor.”
Aki nodded and they began excitedly gathering fruit like two squirrels preparing for a very fancy winter. Ani tucked several plum‑basil hybrids into her bag. Aki tucked a few cuttings into his pockets, but the trees rustled disapprovingly when he broke off the cuttings. One tree slapped Aki’s hand with a basil frond. “OW! Why does everything here hit me?” he complained.
They continued collecting but soon noticed that all around them were unfamiliar plants that looked like combinations of plants they were familiar with. Their curiosity got the better of them and they started to investigate the other plants, sniffing and tasting as they went. Some plants were cooperative but some plants were not.
One plant - a grape-fennel hybrid - sang opera whenever Aki approached.
Another - a blueberry‑cilantro bush - hissed like an offended cat.
A third - a strawberry‑dill shrub - simply fainted dramatically whenever Ani looked at it. They left that one alone.
Just as they finished gathering a respectable haul of plum‑basil fruit, the bushes behind them rustled.
Ani froze. “Aki… please tell me that’s the wind.”
Aki listened. The rustling grew louder. And wetter. And… snortier. A creature lumbered into view shaped like a hippo. Made of lemongrass. A lemongrass hippo? It snorted, releasing a cloud of citrusy mist that smelled like an expensive spa trying to kill them.
Ani said, “Aki?”
“Yes?”
“Run,” she sighed.
But before they could, they noticed tiny movements on the plants and on the forest floor as a different group of creatures appeared. This one was tiny. Ant‑sized. Coconut‑shelled. And carrying thyme sprigs like tiny spears.
“Are those… coconut thyme ants?” Aki whispered.
The ants squeaked war cries. The hippo snorted. Ani grabbed Aki’s hand. “We are leaving.”
They sprinted through the grove, dodging plum‑basil trees and coconut‑thyme ant battalions. The lemongrass hippo thundered behind them, smelling aggressively refreshing.
“WHY IS IT CHASING US?” Aki yelled.
“BECAUSE WE STOLE ITS FRUIT!”
“WHY DOES THE TREE HAVE A PET HIPPO?”
“WHY DOES ANYTHING HERE EXIST?”
They burst into a clearing and skidded to a halt. Standing before them in the short grass was something that looked like a fairly large pig. But while its body was shaped like a plump, cheerful pig, its skin was glossy red and green like bell peppers. Its tail curled like a jalapeño and its snout looked like a sweet banana pepper. It oinked a mild, slightly smoky oink.
Aki’s panicked brain mused, “A pig made of peppers? A Pepper Pepper Pig?”
Out loud, he chanted, “Please be friendly. Please be friendly.”
The pig trotted up to them, sniffed their pockets, and oinked approvingly. Then it began eating the coconut‑thyme ants which were surprisingly speedy.
Aki blinked. “It’s… helping us?”
Ani exhaled. “Thank goodness.”
The lemongrass hippo skidded into the clearing, saw the Pepper Pepper Pig, and froze. The pig stared at the hippo. The hippo stared at the pig. The ants stared at everyone. Then the hippo turned around and waddled away, seemingly pretending it had never been chasing anyone. The ants followed, muttering tiny coconut curses. Pepper Pepper Pig oinked proudly.
Aki bowed. “Thank you, noble pepper pig.”
The pig oinked again, then wandered off to graze on a patch of cilantro‑marshmallow grass.
Ani grabbed Aki’s hand. “We need to get out of here before something else finds us.”
Aki nodded. “Agreed.”
They ran toward the far edge of the clearing, hybrid samples in hand, pockets and bag, hearts pounding, and absolutely no idea what they’d fall into next. But knowing Aki? It would probably be sticky. And knowing Ani? She would be ready.
But just then, another moss trapdoor unexpectedly opened up under them as they passed from the clearing into the crystalline forest. They both fell screaming.
Stay tuned for Chapter 4!
CTO
(Chief Tasting Officer)