~H O M E B O U N D~ by @Fluffhead101 Welcome to Planet X-7 in the Setpence Quadrant. I am Francis Bach Von Skitktor, president of the famous Tusked Blargleshnargs. Never heard of me, you say? Then maybe you've heard of the sad, thrilling tale of the McSloan children. That's the event that caused my rarely visited planet to gain custody of two incredible, adorable young siblings. Our story begins in lower Canada, in year 4316, on once beautiful planet Earth. The ~World~ you’ve heard stories of once held great kings and people, and nature and animals filling the woods. But that was eons ago, and far before your time, so I will try to keep things closer to the present. Buster McSloan was an inventor by heart, and he lived in the Old Grand House with his optimistic, caring, lovely little sister, Hanna. They both shared their father’s blond curls and their mother’s beautiful blue eyes, not that they were aware of it. Their parents had long since passed, and left the children with only a two-room apartment and barely enough money to buy a meal. But Buster had always made do, knowing he couldn’t let his sister down. Once a month, he sold his inventions to a rich man from the Americas' Northeastern Unit, near what had once been the sparkling city of New York. He did this every month until one October, when a letter sent from the Canadian Mafia showed up in the McSloans’ digi-step. Hanna was the one to retrieve and open the letter. She read it aloud to her brother, who was working on something in the tiny, hovering backyard the McSloan siblings rented. “To Buster and Hanna McSloan,” Hanna began. “Though we, your government, understand that you are children, we are simply unable to allow you to remain in your apartment at the Old Grand House, as you have not paid the proper rent. You must have the money by October forty-seventh, or we will take you into custody. Regards, the Canadian Mafia.” Hanna looked to her brother, who had just come out from wherever he was. “Oh, blast those scumhuggers. Rip up that letter and grab your things. I’ve just made a way to take us past the Milky Way undetected!” Buster gave the sheet covering his invention a tug, revealing a miniature space shuttle. “All we need to power it is one single flower petal, and I know just where to find one.” Buster hopped on his hoverbike and zoomed down to The Last Garden of Canada. Hanna ran inside and grabbed their few belongings. She came back outside and loaded up their things in the backseat, giggling with excitement. Then she brought out what little flatcakes and goosemeat and quail milk they had left and placed them in one of the cabinets she found. By the time she finished, Buster was back with a rose, the likes of which I’m sure you’ve never even heard of. As Hanna climbed into the passenger seat, Buster plucked one dark pink petal from the flower and placed it—the petal—in a small airtight space in the middle of the roof. He snapped a couple of switches on and typed a few words into the dashboard. Then he took a tight grip on Hanna’s hand and waited. A countdown started. “Ten,” said the spaceship. The lights in the ship dimmed. “Nine.” Motors started humming. “Eight.” Hanna felt a whirr. “Seven.” Buster crossed his fingers. “Six.” Several clickety noises sounded. “Five.” “The quantum mechanics are working!” Buster exclaimed excitedly. “Four.” “I can’t wait to leave this filthy planet!” Hanna declared ecstatically. “Three.” A rosy smell filled the ship. “Two.” Hanna held her breath. “One.” The ship lifted off the ground and ascended into the sky. Months passed. After finally bypassing the Galactic Guards, Buster took ahold of the steering sector and brought the ship far past Neptune, on the opposite side of Pluto. Not many Earthlings know that there were other galaxies out here, but Buster—like his father—was a firm believer in that theory. And he has the right to be, especially since he found our humble little galaxy, filled with planets that each held the home of several friendly Tusked Blargleshnargs. It was extremely lucky of Buster and Hanna to land their ship on my planet. They were almost out of fuel and nearly starved to death, but they were alive nonetheless. Though I know we must have appeared odd to them, with the tusks and green fur and long, horse-like tails, they begged us to let them stay, even if just for a parsec or two. Me and my wife—Nympha—immediately took the strange, beautiful Earth creatures in. And with us they’ve stayed, laughing and singing and bringing joy into every Blargleshnarg’s heart and never not even once wishing to return to Earth. We adore the children, and they adore us. They’ve even started called me and Nympha "Daddy" and "Mama." This is their home now, despite all else they've seen and heard. After all, like their father said when he visited us... ~~~"You can take away a man’s dignity, valor, mind, and strength, but you can’t take away their home."~~~
