Cherry Blossom

Peka Glade

In wandering Peka Park's latest sponsored event, you come upon a small booth done all in shades of green. The banner overhead reads "SC4N" in bright red letters.

It was in my native land, Shengui Guo, that my love of the natural world was formed. I remember days in my early childhood that were spent lazing in the shade of carefully tended cherry trees, sketching the native insect life in a little red and pink notebook that always smelled of cherry blossoms, no matter the time of year.

My father's affectionate nickname for me was "Little Cherry Blossom". He had no small amount of respect for the natural world himself. As a young zentu, he was talked into taking part in a war against the Omen Islands. (A sad affair in the forgotten lore of Subeta's history.) Seeing so many fields burned and ancient trees cut down to make barricades, he was sickened to all forms of war and destruction and granted a pardon for his role as a peaceful protestor. He met my mother, a former temple maiden of the Sacred Lands, when he was working as a peace officer to re-plant as much damaged land as possible after the war finally concluded.

We used to talk for hours about natural phenomena, such as micro-ecosystems and the infinite variety found in tide pools. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, I light a stick of all-natural incense and plant a sapling in his honor.

After I earned my degree in biology from Subeta Ecological Institute (note that SEI is not to be confused for SAI), I worked on several projects in various lands of Subeta. Many captured my affection but it was Peka Glade that captured my heart.

Where else can you find samples of Pretacicus Pekadala, Subetium Viletta and Shinwanni Aescelius all within a few square feet?

As a biologist, I can assure you the answer is nowhere.

I've been a park ranger for twelve years now, assisting in efforts to make the annual Peka Glade Festival fun and enjoyable for tourists while protecting native species and stopping the spread of invaders such as creeping vines and the ever-problematic Atebian Burrowing Shrew, a rodent that does terrible damage to moon plumbing and woodlands alike.

My efforts toward conservation don't stop at the occasional visiting caravan of food trucks. Once a month, I am proud to tour the schools of Subeta with the group Subetans Concerned for Nature. We give lectures on methods to reduce pollution, ways to give back to the living community and how to report poaching of wild minions. We put on several fundraisers for projects to restore natural wildlife areas all over Subeta. (Emma and Esther are major contributors - a shout out to those lovely ladies!)

You hear a gentle rustling and look down to find a friendly harvest unicorn twining around your legs.

Oh, there you are my sweet one. This is Kwanzan, the best-tempered Harvest Unicorn to ever walk the glade. He's quite the little beggar for attention but after what he's been through, one can hardly blame him.

She pours you a cup of fresh-brewed dandelion tea and waves you to a deck chair made of all-natural composted recyclables donated by Recycle Beast.

I found the poor fellow wandering between Riverside and Peka Glade, living off garbage and the occasional patch of grass. His original owner must have moved out of the area. Harvest Unicorns are a lot of work. That glossy mane was coated in prickly bits and you could count every one of his bones. It took some time to get him used to a diet of dried grasses and herbs but as you can see, he has regained his health and has plenty of energy to spare. I take him everywhere with me. He really helps win over some of our more hard-hearted potential donors.

She places a brightly colored brochure in your hand with a smile.

I do hope you'll enjoy this free concert. It was quite the thrill, lining up The Fabulous Felis and Ruffie Rodeo on the same day. I do hope you'll enjoy yourself and consider signing up to be an Honorary Conservationist. If we all do our part, Subeta's wild lands will continue to thrive for generations to come.

Credits

Profile Code by: Ringo
Extra Code by: Bug
Edited by: Chrysariel
Story by Pureflower
Background by: ArtTower Pixabay
Vines by:
clipartmax and Kitty Paw
Name Art by: Chrysariel