Space Bunnies!

Chapter 1: Kai & Bodi

Tau Ariaza, the rainforest planet. An uninhabited planet. This was perhaps one of the more vibrant-looking worlds that Kai and his brother had traveled to in the last few years. Over their journey, they had been to 73 different planets all varying in size, color, and composition, and all had a different story to tell. Some of them had inhabitants and different activities to partake in. Some of those activities included earning universal credit for funding their exploration, some provided refuge in the event of... well... unfriendly locals. Kai was quite sure that this was a reasonable site to take a break, being cramped up in the ship was no place for his little brother who was actively wanting to try out his shapeshifting abilities. Bodi was quite a natural, this was to be expected. Their parents had always told them that their family was quite good with shapeshifting, genetics. It was almost terrifying.

When it came to skill, Kai could match. But they were not ones to flex their muscles in front of the galaxy, it was unwise to demonstrate their powers without warning, it caused spook in crowds and jealousy in others, the best way to protect themselves was to conceal the powers that made them special in the eyes of others, survivial was more important than showing off. In terms of unique abilities— neither of them seemed to discover anything special beyond the capabilities demonstrated with standard Omeocoon, not that it mattered, when compared to someone who didn't even have the ability to turn into goo and exhibit gooey properties, their powers were special enough. The sunrise was paired with the abundance of plants and animals all vibrant in their natural ways, as the streaks of sunlight beamed in through the roof mounted windows, the wind whistled and filled the halls with natural music. During flight the shutters that covered those windows would be closed, another advantage of being parked, they were allowed to be open. Much of this planet reminded Kai of Omeocoon. And he couldn't explore it stuck on the ship, but he would not start the day without some cleaning first. He slowly exited his bucket, opening his eyes to examine the space around him. Looking around he could see that Bodi was back at it again with the decor of their small ship, various pieces of the past, photos of their parents, and many other close friends that died in the massive forest fire caused by the heat of Omeocoon. The planet was tropical, its weather patterns varied.

He made sure his form was properly solidified before crossing the small space between his 'bed' and his shrine, his parents were at the center. As Kai approached the shrine, the memories flooded his mind once again, it was now a ritual when he passed by the shrine, to ignore it would be disrespectful toward the people he loved. After spending a minute in praying silence, he got himself together. Adventure gear included boots, shorts, and a utility belt. Not normal Omeocoon wear, but necessary when one was a solar sailor and explorer. He wasn't exactly sure what his people dressed in nowadays— maybe clothing was more commonplace? It would've been nice to get back, but with there being so much to see, why would he ever want to experience just one planet?

He inhaled deeply and bounced over to his brother's side of the room, he put on a happy face. He shook the bucket, "Bode— you up? Maybe we can catch the rest of the sunrise if you—!" With no verbal response from inside of the bucket, he violated the privacy of his brother a little by glancing into the vase shaped container. He wasn't there, so Kai glanced over to see if Bodi's boots and pack were gone, they were, that only confirmed that Bodi was out there alone. He was always excited to see what was happening on the planets that they visited, he wanted to be an exobiologist, which was impressive. But dangerous, no doubt their adventure was just adding fuel to the fire. His enthusiasm would no doubt get them into trouble at one point or another and has on many occasions. Kai backed out and proceeded down the corridor, the ship had already accumulated a layer of dust from being inactive for several weeks. Kai was sure the small vessel appreciated the bit of rest.

"Bode?" Kai said to the jungle, his voice echoing as he continued down the boarding ramp. As he made his way deeper into the lush rainforest of Tau Ariaza, the vibrant foliage surrounded him, its emerald hues blending with the symphony of exotic sounds. The air was thick with humidity, just like home. He couldn't resist stopping to inhale and examine the nature around him. But he continued on mission.

"Bode!" he called out again, his voice carrying through the dense vegetation. There was still no response. Concern gnawed at Kai now, knowing how his brother's curiosity could lead him to trouble. Navigating through the undergrowth, Kai followed the path Bodi had likely taken. He noticed footprints in the soft soil, confirming his brother's presence. As he moved forward, the vibrant flora seemed to part, revealing a clearing ahead. In the midst of the clearing, Kai's eyes widened at the sight before him. Bodi was here, his body hunched over as he held his water tester over a steady stream of river, which flowed with the shades of a rainbow as moved with haste.

"Bodi, what are you doing?" Kai exclaimed, a mix of concern and amazement in his voice. He approached slowly, not wanting to startle his brother. Bodi turned his head and waved at Kai as he continued to approach. A mix of excitement and innocence sparkled in his gaze. Kai couldn't help but smile, Bodi had always possessed a natural affinity for the wilderness, which is what gave them the inspiration to take on the journey in the first place, and it seemed his abilities were blossoming with each new planet they visited. "Remember, we need to be careful. We don't want to attract unwanted attention or endanger the creatures inhabiting this forest."

Bodi nodded, understanding the cautionary words. "Well, we kind of landed our ship in the middle of the forest, so something's been endangered whether we like it or not. I just wanted to explore and feel the spirit of this place," Bodi explained, his voice filled with awe. "It's like the planet itself invited me to join in its dance. I've never seen a river like this before, it's awesome!" Kai embraced his brother, a mixture of pride and protectiveness surging through him. Kai was always trying to keep his brother safe. He was only 14 years old after all, still new to the world. But Kai wasn't that much older, but he was older. Sometimes Bodi had to made it a point for Kai to know when he was being overprotective.

"Let's go back to the ship. I need your help with the cleaning." Kai ordered softly. Bodi smacked his lips in annoyance, "But I'm almost done! Five more minutes!" Bodi attempted to plead his case, as his equipment was still trying to determine if there was life in the water. "Bode," Kai began sternly, and to that, Bodi knew that there was to be no debate. Begrudgingly, he stood up and came to his brother's side. "I just want to let you know— you're standing in the way of science," Bodi said as they walked off together. "You can do science later." Kai compromised. Just then, a fish spung up out of the river and did a flip in mid-air as the duo walked off.