How the Forest Finds the Island
Chapter Six - Exclusion
Sen frowned. Things could never just be easy, could they?
The little ginkgos had come down with a case of root-knot nematodes. The miniscule worms were attacking and deforming the plants' vital underground structures, and already some leaves were yellowing. He'd have to act fast.
Sen had dealt with nematodes countless times throughout the evolutionary history of his Order, but it was always a pain. They weren't like insects, that could be scared off with a burst of magic. They were a persistent, systemic infestation, the kind that wouldn't budge once it got established. Prevention was better than cure, they said, but unfortunately Sen had failed to prepare or prevent. Still, cursing his shortsightedness wouldn't solve the problem. Time to get to work.
Sen flew to the most afflicted sapling. The main problem with deformed roots was that the plant would have trouble taking up water and nutrients. If he could ensure it got enough of both, it should be able to survive and grow large enough that some root damage wasn't an issue. Introducing more water to the soil would also make it more hospitable to nematodes, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
Kneeling, he placed his palms on the soil and focused. He could feel the slight shifting of grains as tiny animals moved through it, the sensation of vital chemicals being drawn into the roots of his trees. In his mind's eye, he found the water table. Encouraging it with gentle magic, he overcame the forces of gravity and inertia, drawing on water's natural tendency to spread to drier places.
The saturated soil responded, moisture gradually rising to heed his call. Once the earth around the afflicted ginkgos was sufficiently wet, he moved to those that weren't yet affected. He placed a hand on one ginkgo, communing with its inner workings. Cajoling it into producing specific hormones, he tempted predatory invertebrates into writhing closer. The tree would continue producing these hormones for a week or so, and during that time the invertebrates would be more inclined to visit it. They, in turn, would feed on any damaging nematodes trying to nibble the roots. Sen repeated the process for each healthy tree, forming a protective barrier of natural enemies. He'd check back once the hormones dwindled and see if the worms were still a threat.
Job done, Sen took to the air and found a nice cluster of leaves where he could sit in the sunlight. He began to run through potential problems and how to deal with them so that he wouldn't be surprised again. He could use some more magic tomorrow to safeguard against further diseases, but there were greater dangers out there.
This landscape was in flux. Formed from volcanic rock, it was still in the process of being colonised and populated by a diverse flora. Sen did not know when the first plants had reached this place, but judging by the lack of forest cover, it couldn't have been more than a few decades ago. The archipelago as a whole was likely older than that, as the climatic effects of new, bare land appearing in the ocean had been felt for a long time. There were likely full-fledged forests and stable ecosystems further afield, but here, everything was to play for.
The crux of all this was, the environment here was unpredictable. Without deep layers of humus, roots and denuded sediment, water retention was poor. Sen had found a good spot by the creek, but any shift in rainfall or topography could be enough to deplete it. He should probably talk to Si-woo about it.
Sen became aware of… someone. Through some sound or smell, he knew there was another fairy there. He looked out through the leaves, and immediately spotted a figure balanced on a thin ginkgo twig. They didn't appear to have seen him. Cautiously, he parted the leaves and approached.
As soon as he moved, the other fairy sprung to attention. They had no wings, and their crown was formed of little stalks with swollen sporangia at their tips. They wore a lungi skirt around their legs with nothing over their torso. Their most striking feature was the encrusting thalli sprouting from head to toe across their body.
Sen bowed. "Gongsun Sen, at your service."
"A pleasure." Replied the unfamiliar fairy. "My name is Askarya."
"What brings you here, Askarya?" Inquired Sen, moving a little closer and sitting down on the branch.
"I'm looking for somewhere to set up shop," they replied. "I've travelled to the islands further east, but my cousin got there first. I can't compete with him, so I've had to seek pastures new. And this place seems nearly unoccupied."
"I was thinking along similar lines," nodded Sen. "I believe there to be other fairies here, but it's far from a climax ecosystem. You're only the second I've met."
"Who's the first?"
"Byun Si-woo. Do you know him?"
"Name rings a bell. I think we met a few times, long, long ago."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to catch up," chirped Sen. "And may I ask, what kind of plants do you tend?"
"Not plants, lichen," Askarya corrected.
"Oh! You're a fungus fairy!"
"That a problem?"
A hint of a defensive edge crept into Askarya's voice.
"No, sorry, no, I didn't mean it like that, I was merely surprised!", fumbled Sen.
"The lack of wings didn't tip you off?"
"I was missing mine for a while, I assumed you were in a similar situation."
"No, some of us don't get to fly," they muttered.
Feeling like he needed to rescue the situation, Sen went out on a limb (metaphorically).
"Er… you're looking for somewhere to stay, you said? Is this a spot you were considering?"
"Yes, in fact. I've been looking around and it's by far the best location I've come across." Sen couldn't help blushing at that. "I thought I'd wait to see if there was someone already in residence and ask before moving in. You know, to be polite."
"Naturally, I mean, I'd do the same, I mean," Sen inhaled very determinedly, "what I mean is, you are more than welcome to move in here."
"Fantastic," beamed Askarya, bowing even before Sen could. He hastily copied them, then pointed down the branch.
"I prepared a temporary resting spot down here," he suggested, heading towards it. "Haven't used it much since I built my nest, but it should still be warm and dry."
"Sounds delightful," remarked Askarya, peeping inside as they reached the hollow burl. "I appreciate your hospitality, Gongsun."
Askarya took a further look around, inspecting the bark of Sen’s tree.
“Do you mind if I encourage lichen to grow here? I can assure you, it poses no threat whatsoever to your plants.”
“Ah, yes yes, I know,” agreed Sen, eager to make them feel at home. “The thing is though, ginkgos shed their bark at a fairly consistent rate. It may be hard for your lichens to get a foothold.”
“True,” mused Askarya, scratching their face and shaking loose a few spores, “but if there’s nooks and crannies in the bark, that’ll give me enough to work with. And it looks like there’s plenty more good locations around here.”
The two of them watched as the last light of the sun vanished behind the mountains.
“I don’t get lonely easily,” confided Sen. “I’m happy with just my plants and I, for the most part. But I can’t deny that it will be nice to have another fairy here.”
“Same here,” said Askarya. “Growing out on the sea cliffs or in the desert is beautiful, but sometimes you just want to be part of a community, you know?”
The lichenised fairy yawned and cracked their joints.
“I think I’ll see if this shelter is as comfy as you made it out to be,” they teased, and with that, slipped through the gap, took stock of their surroundings, and lay back. Sen remained standing outside, hearing a muffled confirmation of, "Yeah, this'll do quite nicely."
"I'm glad you like it! If that'll be all, I'll turn in for the night as well. Sleep tight."
"And definitely don't let the bugs bite," replied his new neighbour.
