Ep 9 - Storm Chaser

I hope you are having a wonderful week. This is Story 9 of Season 1. After this week, we have just one more story before we wrap up Season 1. But don't worry, we are already

working on bringing you more amazing stories in Season 2. Meanwhile, we will be releasing interviews

“with our authors over on our Patreon channel, which you should go check out because these”

authors are just amazing and it's great to know the person behind the story. And speaking of stories, our story today is called Storm Chaser by Toshiya Kame. Toshiya Kame, Shidae is a queer Asian writer who takes inspiration from fairy tales, folklore and mythology. And now, let's live this story together. As my solar powered plane catches an up-traffed and soars over in Wevel, Arizona, my apartment

receipts into the verdant background. I'm still furious to spite myself, but anything

is better than dwelling on today, or feeling guilty for flying without telling my dads, and anger, masks fear. The elevation quickens my pulse, and I drum up my courage as I imagine

“diving headlong into an approaching storm. I adjust my goggles and wipe strands of hair off”

my sweaty cheek. The afternoon sunlight flickers over a holographic photo tacked to the cockpit wall, and I wince at the image of my smiling dads, the guilt creeps back in. I inherited the mossy mop from basil, large ears from kresanto, and an inquisitive mind from both. Maybe two inquisitive. Mayor Casey's lost her mind, I say. I shake my head, recalling the viral video of our mayor whipping out at Red Sharpie and drawing a bomb next to

hurricane quickway on a weather map. "We shouldn't be doing this Rosita!" Peaches my goldfinch sidekick says, shaking his lemon yellow feathers on my shoulder. "We really shouldn't. I know you're upset about what happened today, but your dads would be even more

“upset if they found out about this." This is important peaches. "Don't worry, we've got this."”

As I press forward on the controls, I try to believe my words. No fear. No fear. No fear. Fear crossed Madison's freckled face, when I raised my fist in our school garden today. Mayor Casey's ginger-haired daughter has been my archenemesis since second grade, when we got into a fight over a boy named Alo. Her teasing has only gotten worse since a rose ballooned from my forehead earlier this year. A real rose rooted just below my hairline.

It's thorny stem pushing through skin and tangling in my mossy mop, crimson petals,

unfurling between curls, like it had always meant to grow there.

Basil thinks Madison wants my attention. Perhaps she's jealous of my rose, but I don't know. Red fury clouds my vision as I mull over how she destroyed my science project. Madison stood over the spot where I kept my maragolds in pots. I'd been watering them with various liquids, salt water, sugar water, vinegar, and corn syrup to determine how each helped our hindered growth. Madison, what did you do with my project? I said, "What?" she said her mouth

twisting into a crooked smile. "That was for the science fair." My lips trembled as I tried to control my rage. "Those ugly flowers were such an eyesore," she said. I stepped closer, winding up to strike her. Just then, the beep of my smartwatch startled me. A hologram of our principal shimmered over my wrist. A storm is on the horizon. Dr. Iris Salazar Martinez said, "The rest of today's classes have been cancelled. When I looked up, Madison was already across

the garden. Madison, wait!" I called out, but she dashed away, far away without looking back. Calm down. I told myself no. Forget about that silly girl. I look out the cockpit window. Our feathered friends fly at a far enough distance. About half of them have chestnut bodies, with blue bills, judging from their color patterns, they're ready ducks. With my planes UV lights giving them a friendly warning, we can avoid hazardous bird strikes. "What are we going to do, Rosita?"

Peach's flares his neck feathers in alarm. "We'll talk to Quick Quay, reason with him. The hurricane?" "That's right. I nod biting my lower lip." "It's just a theory of a mind, but

of air flowing into their eyes. "I," Peach's asks, tilting his head. "Can I see us?"

“"Not exactly," I say. "But they can sense us." Everything shines, grass-green from above, homes,”

schools, churches, grocery stores, my coiling hair, freckled skin, and synthetic clothes are emerald-tinged in the tingling sunlight. My dad's both data scientists say the color green efficiently harvest light, and all of us sustain ourselves through a similar type of photosynthesis. Ergo, known on animals, reflects flowers anymore, and air tastes delicious.

Intermittantly glancing at the gauges on the dashboard, I adjust myself in the pilot seat,

high above the floating city. Peach's trembles again, and we face forward as the vast storm crackles with pent up energy. "Travel ahead, Rosita!" Peach's coos over the low hum of the solar

“powered engine. "I tighten my grip on the control clutch. I tie back the rows from my forehead and”

keep the petals out of my eyes. I can't afford to blink now." Darkness permeates the cockpit, and the control panel hisses and blows sparks. A chill runs down my spine. "Watch out, Rosita!" Peach lets out a piercing alarm, and adrenaline rushes through me. The darkness sucks the chlorophyll out of me. My skin loses its green tint, and my rose shrivels. Quickway pulls me into his grip, and my knuckles on the rudder turn pale. "I nose dive as the storm wraps himself around my

airship. I close my eyes and I keep them shut. I'll get crushed otherwise. When I open them, I'm floating." "You're a bit of a del double, aren't you?" The storm thunders.

“"Quickway, I shout my voice breaking. I've come to warn you." Peach's screeches beside me. "Are”

may or wants to bomb you?" "This that show." "Quickway's cackle hurts my ears." "That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages." "I know you may be angry," I say. "I get angry too sometimes, but here's my advice. Take deep breaths, count to ten, and walk away." "Silence fills the cockpit." "Quickway slowly invades my consciousness, breaking into my thoughts. Our minds converge. I give in, letting go of everything." "Ajold of power surges through me. I'm quickway,

powerful and dangerous. I can obliterate anything in my path. My anger becomes his

and his anger becomes mine. In my mind's eye, lashing rain hammers down on beaches, erasing the screams of drowning swimmers, gales tear trees from the ground. Heav stones to smash windows and rip roof-soft houses. "Take deep breaths," Rosita. "I repeat the mantra, over and over until I'm calm enough to speak." "I'm glad that alert interrupted me." "I'm humble." "I'm glad that you came, quickway." "Because if you didn't,

I would have hit Madison and Herker. My dad's taught me better. Getting angry won't solve anything. You don't need to be angry either. You can choose to spare everyone." "Quickways wins how well within me and I lose track of time. Everything becomes serene when my plane reaches the eye of the storm. Slumber weighs down my eyelids." "Angers, gathers, like rain clouds." "Quickway mumbles." "He almost sounds ashamed to my drowsy ears." "It does," I say. "But you don't need

it." "And neither do I." "Quickway waits several moments before answering." "I'll do back to see child or stay clear of your city." "In this strange space between sleeping and waking, I smile. I feel lighter than I felt in a long time." Rosita. "Stay awake!" Peach's flips his wings trying to stir me out of my groggy state. I rouse with a groan. "Are you okay, Rosita?" Peach's stairs into my face, bubbling his head up and down.

"Quickway loosens his grip, but not before his contentment washes into me." "And

“hour, more or less," Peach says. "No!" I cry. "My tats are going to kill me."”

"Let's go home before they were even more." "I nod, still reeling from pain and steer my

plane towards home." "The first evening star flickers against the velvet sky."

Upon arriving home, I sneak inside hoping to reach my room without being questioned. "Rozita, is that you?" "Gracanto's voice reaches me as I tiptoe towards the staircase." "I freeze and slet my shoulders, trying to make myself smaller." "Rozigned, I walk into the living room where my dad's get up from the couch. To my relief, my rose has bloomed again. Peach's flies from my shoulder and purchase on a

“yucketry." "Rozita?" "Gracanto cries as he leans in and kisses my forehead."”

"Where have you been? We were so worried about you. We have been calling your friends."

"Basal says, taking his turn hugging me. I insert myself between my dad's on the couch. The muted projector shows a hologram weathercaster just stimulating before a map of inwevel Odazonte. "I was working on my science project." "I say, reverting my gaze, guilt noss at me. Cracanto frowns and shakes his head. Basil, however, smiles indultently. "How are your plants doing? Basil asks?" "Madison destroyed them." "I say.

That's horrible." "Cracanto says, his frown deepening. Do you want me to talk to her mother?"

"Don't worry." "I say. I'll talk to Madison first. Maybe she'll surprise me and apologize."

"Let us know." "Cracanto says. I know I'd." "What are you going to do about your science project?"

“"Basal asks. Do you need any help?" "Cracanto adds." "Thanks." "I say. But I've got a better idea. I think this one”

is even better." "I hesitate rubbing my palms against my jeans." "I came up with it because I didn't have the plant anymore." "Basal tilts his head." "I came up with what?" "I knew I couldn't redo the experiment in time." "I say." "So I thought about what else I'd been observing. Something no one would believe unless I documented it with timestamps and pressure readings, voice logs, all of it." "What is it?" "Could it sound to ask?" "I talked a quick way." "I say,

feeling my cheeks warm." "The hurricane." "Could it sound to blinks?" "You talked to the hurricane?" "What did you tell him?" "Honey." "Basal asks gently." "I told him to calm down." "I say." "To change course." "And eventually he did. After I convinced him to let go of his anger." "I put my feet up and leaned back on the couch, racing myself for their reactions." "Really?" "Could it sound to says arching an eyebrow in disbelief?" "I nod." "Rozita, you dream too much." "Could it sound to

ads?" "It gives me a gentle shove." "But don't forget to do your homework." "Could it sound to says cutting me off?" "Dinner will be ready shortly." "The household AI sings songs, and the carefree piano tune fills the air." "Oh, that's my cue." "Could it sound to get up and walks toward the dining room?" "You guys don't believe me?" "I protest glancing at basil." "I do," "Rozita," he says. "He puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes." "The clinking of table where

reaches me." "Could it sound to a setting the table?" "My stomach rows as the aroma of vegan food wafts from the kitchen." "With a graceful sweep of our hand, the weathercaster seems to orchestrate quick ways movement as he deviates from his collision course." "She places her hand on her chest with a sigh of relief, letting viewers know that we've been spared the hurricane's wrath." "See?" "I say, sticking out my chin with pride. Basil gives me a knowing glance and a slight nod toward

the dining room." "I'm proud of you, Rosita," he whispers, leaning closer. "But if Chrysanto catches you doing anything so dangerous, you'll be grounded for good. I smile at Basil, savoring our shared secret. I turn off the video and we join Chrysanto for dinner."

"This story is deliciously layered with metaphor and imagery, and it makes it a delight to read and reread this piece." Rosita's blooming rose is mentioned close to the mention of the boy Allo whom she and the other girl are competing over. They're both clearly interested in him, and this clues us into the fact that Rosita is changing. She's growing up. She's not a little girl anymore. At the same time, she's struggling with intense emotions the adolescent springs on,

and maybe this is why she can speak with the hurricane quickway. Like the storm, Rosita is a force of nature, and inside herself, she is a storm of emotions, and new feelings, and they can be destructive, but she's trying to learn to control herself, and we see that in this story. This piece reminds me of a modern American classic The Wizard of Oz, from the way that both girls sneak away from home,

to the way that they are both caught in powerful storms. In Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is caught up

in a tornado, and in this story, Rosita is caught up in the power of a hurricane. She's actually captured by it, and we see her spending time with the hurricane with quickway. But unlike Dorothy, Rosita actually courageously sought the storm herself, and she was determined to save those she cared for from the very beginning, unlike Dorothy who tried to outrun the storm and was caught by it anyway. Another similarity is the way each

story navigates contemporary references and imagery to firmly grounded self in concerns of the time. So for The Wizard of Oz, the critiques center around the use of the gold standard and corporate monopolies, and the different characters of the cowardly lion, the ten-man, the scarecrow,

“these all represent different social groups that were important at the time.”

Meanwhile, in Stormchaser, the story imagines a world in which some people have become so intimately intertwined with nature that they are part to plant, such as Rosita and her family. And perhaps this represents the desire that many of us have to reunite with nature and to go back and become part of nature again. On the other hand, there are others in society who threaten to foolishly bomb weather systems, again, an image that should be familiar to many listeners.

Ultimately, however, the message is that of peace and forgiveness, and it's a wonderful

“note for the story to end on and an important message for us to carry forward in our lives.”

So what did you think of this story? Email me at [email protected]. You can also find the email address in the show notes. I'd love to hear from you. As a reminder, we launched a poll over on Patreon to see what season one story resonated most with you. Which one was your favorite, which one did you tell all of your friends and family and pets about? The poll is totally free and the link to it is in the show notes. All announced the results when we close out the season.

I also want to give a special thank you to Shinella, our biosphere supporter and a vital

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biome so you get each story as soon as it drops. I invite you to join me for our next incredible

story coming out next Tuesday. Thank you for listening to biome with me, your host and narrator, Alex Zubin. Until next time, farewell, wherever the days take you.