The New and the Lost

This is boring, thought Hatu. Studying language, studying biology, and above all, history. Master Gezwald says history is a prime asset, and that we must learn from the past to better the future. Life on the sky plains is complete shotlick.

"I know, Master," said Hatu rubbing his head. "But when am I going to learn about the surface?"

"Ah... you wish to learn about the surface? Do you even have the slightest idea what lives on the surface?"

"Yes, the animal inhabitants of the water, land, and air. And on an unlikely circumstance, the humans."

"No... There are no humans. All that's left is the undead."

"Of course," Hatu added a hint of sarcasm. "They were unleashed through a violent outbreak that annihilated the human species."

"And from the remaining genetic construct?"

"From the remaining genetic construct came the basic signature for our species to emerge and begin a new way of life... in... the... sky."

"Thus began the Flutterspect race. There, dear youngling, is the area of study you should be focusing on. Not some idiotic past that means nothing but destruction and blasphemous ideals."

"But I thought you said we should learn from the past."

"Our past, young one. We mustn't concern ourselves with the lives of those who could not even save themselves from complete chaos." The local tone rang. "Well, I believe this should be the end our lesson for today. Go on and enjoy the remainder of your day."

"Yes, good bye Master Gezwald." Hatu left the building. He thought of his assignments and time. But right now seemed like the perfect moment to spot the cloud gaps. Hatu ran to the fifth sky plain edge. There he looked out to see if he could find any small visual of the surface. The wind flapping his long pointy ears about as he searched.

Then as soon as a group of clouds cleared, Hatu was able to see the green. The green was the most magnificent part. It looked so exciting and smooth. Not many colors are used up in the sky plains other than white. But as soon as Hatu first laid eyes on that color, he could imagine it anywhere. Sometimes he pretended he was wearing all green. And he really did wish he could wear green. Unfortunately, doing something uncommon is frowned upon. Like debates on critical life points.

Frankly, anything that involves conflict is forbidden. The elders say that the Eternal Creator made it forbidden along with making or using weapons. The Creator really didn't want the Flutterspect to engage in the old idea of something called... Worse... Wasp... no it was... War. Yes, war. That's what many believed killed the humans, not the undead epidemic. But it doesn't matter now. Now it's this. A life of progression and more progression.

Suddenly, Hatu was spooked by someone.

"Greetings, Hatu," said Feana. "What are you doing hanging by the edge?"

"I just came to see the surface."

"The surface," Feana looked down and looked unimpressed. "It looks dull and white."

"Those are the clouds. The surface is what's under them. The green."

"Oh why would you want to see that when you can always see the blue of the sky. I like living in the air."

Hatu didn't. He wanted to get to the surface more than anything.

"Hey, Feana," said Hatu. "How long has that undead epidemic plagued the surface."

"I don't know."

Just as Hatu was about to ask a different question, the progressionists arrived. The robots who came by and dropped off necessities, build orders, and equipment walked out of their flying vessel. They carried some large metal crates to the officials of the fifth sky plain.

"There," said Feana.

"What?"

"Do you see that one supervising the others unloading. I heard that's the information droid. If the officials have any questions on what they receive or anything else, they can ask the information droid. Just ask it about the surface and stop thinking I know every answer."

"I can't just walk over and ask an important machine."

"Come on, just go over and see what he knows. He might even know if the humans are alive."

Hatu tried to fight his temptation, but his curiosity consumed him. He walked towards the droid as the officials and other citizens looked over the crates.

"Um... greetings," Hatu said shyly.

"Greetings," said the droid. "How may I be of assistance?"

"Uh... I was... going... to ask... if you could tell me..." Hatu thought of a logical question that had a nonrestrictive answer. One that would be so interesting that it would generate a large detailed explanation. A question that could never be asked to another Flutterspect.

"Tell me what's the meaning of life?"

The droid stood still. It remained that way for a long moment before answering,

"Error. No such answer exists."

Hatu thought for awhile and said, "Can you tell me if there is any human life on the surface."

"Error. No such answer exists."

"What?" Hatu was confused. Even the information network he uses to search Flutterspect news mistakenly uses the technicality of human tissue within the undead to count the infected population. But this robot didn't even supply an answer.

"I have another question," continued Hatu. "Why were the sky plains created?"

"To progress and preserve Flutterspect life."

"But why couldn't we live on the surface?"

"Error. No such answer exists."

"How long have the Flutterspect race been living?"

"2,306,552 years, two months, one week, and twelve days."

"How long has the Human race been living?"

"Error. No such answer exists."

"Name the characteristics of the average Flutterspect."

"Long legs, three tows, fangs, long ears, simple arms, three fingers...," Before the droid could finish, Hatu was grabbed by a grown Fluttman.

"What do you believe you are doing. This machine was sent by the Eternal Creator and shouldn't be tinkered with." The Fluttman lifted Hatu up as Hatu attempted to break free.

"Please," begged Hatu. "I have to know."

The droid still stood.

"Wait! What is Flutterspect purpose?!?!?"

The droid said, "To prevent the cataclysmic end of Earth."

Everyone stopped. They all remained silent as they looked at the droid. Hatu was frightened to think he did something.

"Repeat your answer," demanded Feana.

"The Flutterspect purpose is to prevent the cataclysmic end of Earth."

Everyone looked scared. They questioned each other and began talking about the worry. No one seemed to be doing anything but panic. Hatu shimmied off the Fluttman and ran to the droid.

"What is the cataclysmic end of Earth?"

It remained silent again before responding with, "Error. No such answer exists."

Everyone began to panic even more. There was shouting, yelling, and overall anxiety. Some ran to their homes, while others stayed and questioned the droid without receiving answers. Hatu never witnessed something like this before. Was this what they called... war?

Suddenly, the fifth sky plain elder made his way to the center. Everyone silenced themselves for this wise, old Flutterspect. He walked calmly and with ease. The very old elder stopped and cleared his throat.

"People...," he began. "Calm people... Peaceful people... my people. We progress. We behave." He took a moment to pause and allow the crowd to stabilize. "Now... tell me, what brings such emotional distress to our way of life?"

"It was him, wise one," said the Fluttman who grabbed Hatu earlier. "He revealed to us news of a great tragedy that will destroy Earth."

The elder turned to Hatu who was hiding Feana. The wise walked forward and looked down upon the youngling.

"You...," said the elder. "Who supplied you with such information?"

Hatu remained silent.

"What credibility do you hold?"

The youngling was still silent.

"I see...," said the elder. He turned back towards the crowd. "People, I see now that this is merely a lie originating from youngling manner."

"It was no lie," intervened Feana. "Hatu didn't even supply the news. He asked the question."

"So...," the elder turned with a bit of anger at Feana. "A small Fluttress youngling wishes to expand the lie further. Not to mention speaking out of turn, young one."

"The droid," peeped Hatu.

"By pardon?"

"The droid gave me this information. The one sent by the Eternal Creator."



It was night. Hatu was questioned further about what he said, but now they let him sleep. Obviously he couldn't. He was still thinking, like everybody else, about the answer he received. What was the droid referring to when it said it was the Flutterspect purpose? Was Hatu's very existence based as a tool to fix a powerful problem? And what is Earth's cataclysmic end?

Hatu got out of bed. The rest of the youngling generation was asleep. It was odd to think that progression was a lie. It was worse to consider imminent sacrifice from the entire Flutterspect race. All of the younglings came from the infant generation. They were now the youngling generation, on their way to becoming the future Fluttmen and Fluttress. They would then give a part of themselves to create the next infant generation on a sharp schedule before entering the elder generation. And then, one elder will be chosen to lead this sky plain like the many. But was this all a deceptive way of telling us, we have only one objective, and that is progressing to prevent?

Someone knocked on the door. No one ever knocked, but simply entered. Hatu went to answer it. On the other side of the door stood a much more frightening droid. It took Hatu.



When Hatu awoke, he was in darkness. He felt as though he was back in his bed. It was probably a dream he had. Hatu got up again, but the moment he stepped onto the unusually cold floor, the lights turned on. He wasn't in his bed with his fellow younglings. He was in a large room, his bed being in the center. There was nothing other than him and his bed. There wasn't even a door.

Almost immediately, the floor began to descend slowly. Hatu was scared. He wished Feana was here to wake him from this nightmare. But he just sat there on the bed with no thought in his mind. Nothing really explained what was going on.

At the bottom of the descent, there was a tall, big droid that looked extremely sinister. It did nothing for a few minutes. It just stood there watching Hatu sit still. It wasn't long before Hatu began feeling curious.

"... Greetings...," Hatu smiled blandly.

"Greetings," answered the giant. It was the answer itself that frightened Hatu.

"Um... where am I?"

"You, Hatu the youngling of the fifth sky plain, are currently in the largest space station orbiting Earth."

Hatu was confused. "What's a space station?"

"It is a gigantic structure floating in the dark array that lacks gravity. You are hundreds of feet above the sky plains."

"What?!" Hatu was shocked. "I'm in more sky?"

"No, you are in space. There is no sky beyond the atmosphere."

"But I... I... why did you bring me here? What did that droid mean by 'Earth's cataclysmic end'? And why do I feel odd?"

"Your breathing is overwhelmed by the average oxygen supply. You see, up in the skys, the air is quite thin, and your species has learned to live like this. But on the surface, air is more fuller and satisfying. In time you will adjust to such a way of living."

"I am not adjusting. Take me back to the fifth sky plain, droid."

"Droid? I am no droid. I may seem like one, but I still hold valuable, organic tissue."

"Who are you?"

"I... I am what the Flutterspect call, the Eternal Creator."

This is what truly shocked Hatu.



The Eternal Creator walked alongside Hatu down the halls of this space station. Many droids and robots were working about. But not a single Flutterspect was visible.

"So," said Hatu. "You are the Eternal Creator?"

"Yes. I am the one who designed the Flutterspect species."

"And you're the one who built the sky plains."

"My droids build, but I designed them both." The Creator led Hatu through a door. In the room there was floating images emanating glowing colors. "You see, these are all my designs. From the basic sky plain, to the elaborate body functions of the Flutterspect. Each one, a breakthrough in evolution."

"Which one's your favorite?"

"I'd say my favorite would be this suit."

"Suit?"

"Yes. This is not my natural body. This is a living apparatus used to keep me immortal."

"So that's how you've remained living to this moment."

"Precisely. However, my body could not achieve constant stasus. I lost it long ago, but using the various chemicals and elements, I was able to create a serum that regenerates my brain cells. Along with an artificial heart, I survive."

"But why create Flutterspect and bring me here?"

The Creator knelt down and said, "Long ago, humans discovered a way of life. It was known as war. They harnessed destruction to give death and chaos. The human race progressed their lives along with war. It was dangerous to wield such evil. Then came a hero. This individual used war against the human race and tamed their brutality. But they wouldn't give up. In an effort to restore balance, the hero inserted a powerful virus into the world. The undead was a new threat that the many should have faced together. However, it was greed and hatred that brought the last few humans to war once again. From the ashes, this hero left the humans to their dust and instead traveled to the skys. From there, he went beyond."

"It was you, wasn't it? You took what was left of the surface and put it up here."

"Yes, I needed to do what was necessary. Though even with a plague threatening the humans, they went on to be consumed by hatred."

"Now why did you bring me here?"

"Well, Hatu, I have been observing you. Ever since you were an infant, you have always admired the lost world and found curiosity in the lost race. I brought you here to consider an opportunity."

Hatu was confused. "An opportunity?"

"Yes."

"What kind of opportunity?"

"You are an intelligent youngling who knows a great amount about your race. I'm asking you if you wish to learn about the lost race."

"But you said they destroyed each other."

"They destroyed most of each other. Just not all." The Creator pushed something to turn off all the floating images. After pushing something else, the ceiling opened. The large white plating slid to show the vast rows of rows. Pods. They were all pods. "This is what remains of the human race. And if you accept, you will not only learn from them... you will live with them."

"What? Me? But..."

"This species must be reintroduced to the world. You will teach them the Flutterspect way of calm progression."

"In our own sky plain?"

"No... On the surface."

That stunned Hatu.

"You will be the bridge that will slowly connect both races and bring them together in unity. You will develop yourself from the surface and it's many elements."

"And what about the undead?"

"Hatu, I rid the Earth of the undead for more than a thousand years ago. I've waited for a Flutterspect to take interest in these old inhabitants. And now... Now I found you. The perfect beginning to cleanse their tragic end. It will be you who will teach, advise, and lead this message back to the original Earth. But... you will need the correct tool to survive a long journey."

Hatu smiled in happiness. He was about to do something he's been dreaming of... and more.



Ninety-two years later, the progressionist ship arrived as usual. Feana, though brittle, walked towards it. The other Flutterspect greeted her.

"Greetings, sky plain elder," they mostly said. It took quite a while to persuade the other Flutterspect that having a Fluttress sky plain elder wasn't a bad decision.

When Feana finally reached the ship, it opened and out came the droids and their crates. It reminded her of her youngling years and the times she had with her old friend, Hatu. It still troubles her to think what happened to him. Was he alive? Was he still confused? Was he curious? Was he alright? Was he dead?

All of these questions arose... but they all faded away in Feana's amazement. A Fluttman exited the ship. He looked like how Hatu would have looked like in that age. What rose the most amazement was the idea of a Fluttman being in a progressionist ship. The Fluttman approached Feana.

"Greetings," said Feana, noticing that the Fluttman had robotic features but life like qualities. "Are you a new droid sent by the Eternal Creator?"

"No, sky plain elder. I am an android. Do you know what that is?"

"A living being within a shell of mechanics?"

"That is correct. But didn't you say you don't know every answer?" When the android smiled, Feana knew who it was. "Greetings Feana."

She may have been old, but she still threw herself at him to give a hug. "Greetings Hatu." Her tears raced. But then some odd, small being came out of the ship.

It's legs were different from a youngling. So were it's arms, hands, ears, fangs, and everything else. Hatu presented the small being.

"Feana, this is my son, Green. Genetically he is based as a Flutterspect. But primarily...




he is human."