By Qing

Roy lived among a transplanted people on the small planet Schmoo—a once-barren world made fertile by a planetary starter kit left long ago by a passing prince. The kit came with everything a young planet could need: root vegetables, giant mushrooms, breathable air, and the promise of life.

But the prince had moved on.

All that remained of him was a quiet hope... and the blueberry juice.

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The Blueberry Juice Tradition

Each night, the people of Schmoo cracked open cans of fizzy blueberry juice and gazed up at the stars, sending their come-home vibes to the long-absent prince. The juice was sweet, tart, and effervescent—more memory than meal—but it had become sacred.

It was the only comfort left to a people whose fields yielded nothing but Broot—red-orange root crops—and whose forests grew nothing but towering mushrooms.

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Kingdom Main and the Cost of Comfort

Kingdom Main controlled the supply of blueberry juice. From the castle-factory atop the planet’s crust, wagons rolled out nightly, delivering the precious cans in exchange for 90% of the crops and 100% of all mined ore and gemstones.

It was a cruel bargain.

But no one questioned it.

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Roy’s Vision and the Forbidden Wilds

One night, Roy dreamed of an astronaut descending from the stars, bringing food and supplies. But when he awoke, he knew the truth.

"No one is coming from outer space."

He spoke the words aloud in the village square.

"We must venture into the forbidden wilds."

The crowd gasped. To speak of the wilds was to invite curses. The maps ended at the thickets. The air was thick with myth and taboo.

But hunger speaks louder than superstition.

No one dared follow him. But no one stopped him, either.

The people needed more than blueberry juice and dreams. They needed hope. Food. A future.

So Roy packed a satchel, tied his boots, and stepped beyond the edge of the known world—into the thickets of legend, seeking what might save them all.