Cerulean Planet (Blue Dust Trilogy #1)

Chapter 11

Jiayun was stunned at first before eventually breaking into a smile. "You know, humans will name their pets."

The monster stared at him wordlessly.

"Jianing."

Finally, the name they had been waiting for.

"Is this a pet name?"

Jiayun shook his head. It was the name he would have given to his would-be child, a name that he had in mind from when he was just a boy. He was going to be trapped on this planet until the day he died anyways. There was no harm in giving them this name.

"Let's get to work while it's still light out."

Jiayun first went to check on the seaweed he had left on the beach to dry. He noticed that they didn't wilt or become dehydrated even when they were removed from the water, likely because there was too much moisture in the air. The bright orange aquatic plant remained pliable, though its surface had hardened a bit. He picked up a long strip, wrapped them around his waist, and knotted the ends. It was just enough to cover his privates.

The monster sneered at him, telling him it was pointless. Jiayun ignored them. After a while, the slimy seaweed began rubbing uncomfortably against his crotch and he decided to rip it off.

Both of their fighter ships had been taken apart and transported to the southern part of the island where the giant rocks were. Jiayun built a small hut against the stone wall using the outer shells of the ships. The hut was full of cracks and crevices, unable to keep out the cold when night arrived.

Jiayun then turned to tinkering with their ship's communication devices. With the monster's help, Jiayun used the backup generator on his fighter ship and managed to send out a distress signal. In this abandoned, uninhabited dead zone, a graveyard for both of their fleets, the chances of the distress signal being answered was nearly zero.

Soon after, Jiayun's wrist watch indicated that it was time for his meal. He was tired of eating the blue fish and wanted to try some of the seaweed, but he noticed that the pile of seaweed beside the rocks had stuck to them, growing between crevices along the stones. Jiayun's mind began churning. He took some seaweed and ground it with a flat rock, then arranged a few small rocks into the shape of a bowl and smeared the juices and broken pieces of the seaweed on top.

He went to check on it after his meal. The shredded pieces of seaweed continued to grow and glued the rocks together; their surfaces had also become smooth, like they had been molded into one whole piece.

"Looks like I won't have to rely on you to keep me alive at night time!" Jiayun proclaimed triumphantly at the monster.

"Do you fear becoming reliant on me?" the monster asked him.

"Don't you think we should give each other a bit of space and keep our distance most of the time? It's not like you're delightful company to be around. You feel the same way about me, right?"

"You are nothing to me, which is why I do not spare it any thought."

Jiayun shrugged and continued to make the monster work, instructing them to bring back more seaweed from the ocean and to expand his food options. Evidently, there were other types of creatures in these waters and some of them looked more appetizing than those blue fish.

The monster did as they were told and collected lots of orange seaweed. Jiayun had already dug out a long gully that led to the fumarole not too far away. He told the monster to grind up the seaweed, mix it with pieces of stone, and smear it along the gully to construct a hollow pipe.

Two hours later, the regenerative seaweed covered the pipe and kept its shape even after Jiayun tried to jump and stomp on it. He removed the giant stone blocking the fumarole's vent with narrowed eyes. When hot air poured inside the pipe, Jiayun excitedly ran to the other end, right next to the hut he built, and squatted down. Hot air smacked him in the face and sent him floundering.

He sat on the ground, laughing as he looked over at the monster. "Now do you think humans are way smarter than you?"

The monster gave him a haughty and spoke, "How childish."

Jiayun ignored the sleep reminder on his watch and continued his modification on the small hut, using the seaweed to seal up the cracks. He made the walls of the hut double-layered and funnelled hot air in between. When he entered the hut again, he felt like he was being roasted next to a flame.

Jiayun heaved for breath as he snuck outside, his face bright red from the heat. "It's a bit hot right now, but come night time when the temperature drops, it should be fairly toasty," he said, fanning the air with his hand.

The house was finished and Jiayun felt a great weight being lifted from his shoulders. He ran towards shore and enjoyed a good night's sleep.

He remained high-spirited the next day and took the monster with him to repair some wrecked ship parts.

It was only a few hours until sundown. Jiayun and the monster dove underwater once more and caught lots of food to serve as their reserve. They dug several small pits beside the hut, smeared them with seaweed, and filled them with water.

The sunset looked spectacular. Jiayun and the monster watched it together. Only when the temperature began to rapidly drop did Jiayun slip down from the top of the giant rock. He stood by the hut's entrance and extended a hand out to the monster. "I invite you as a guest into my home."

"I do not fear the cold," the monster said.

"Why freeze yourself out there when there's a warm little hut right here?"

"Were you not the one who suggested that we give each other a bit of personal space and keep our distance? It will become too cramped inside the hut if I were to enter."

"Oh, so you do know that you're a little fat. The way I see it, you should just get rid of any parts that aren't essential." Jiayun was already pulling the monster into the hut and shutting the door as he spoke.

The monster sat in the corner with his head bowed and back bent, looking a little sorry the way they curled themselves up. Even so, they still managed to occupy the vast majority of space inside the hut.

"If I were to dispose of the inessential tissues and became smaller, then I would not be able to put you inside me anymore," the monster said.

"Oh...is that so? I suppose that's true."

The monster's knees pushed against the chair that Jiayun took from his fighter ship, tilting it at an angle. The chair felt wobbly and uncomfortable even after Jiayun tried to lie down. Instead, he decided to kick it aside and sit in the monster's lap while he curled his body inside their arms.

The monster's body felt slippery but soft. Jiayun had gotten used to its slippery, soft texture and felt very comfortable when he leaned into it.

It was pitch black outside the skylight window. The temperature in the hut dipped a bit before plateauing to a comfortable level. Hot air poured inside with a puff from the other end of the pipe; the steady sound of moving air could easily be caught from inside the hut.

Water vapour began to crystalize, falling like specks of silver sand spilling across the sky. Soon, the canvas of the night began to clear. The stars lit up.

Jiayun stared up at the sky. He patted the monster's chest and yawned. "Can you lie down a little?"

The monster adjusted their body, lying down with Jiayun in their arms. Jiayun sprawled on top of the monster, wiggling around to find a comfortable spot for himself. "Aren't you a right jerk for destroying all my clothes. Come over here a bit. My butt's almost touching the ground and the ground's cold...." Jiayun said, half asleep, and smacked his lips.