Perspective Gal
Millions of lightyears from Earth in the Triangulum Galaxy, a pink planet with rings of dust resembling a tiara circles its twin suns. The life forms on Planet Pageantor are very similar to those on Earth. The people are peaceful, but they have a peculiar custom. Every new parent is handed a very specific set of instructions on how their child should be brought up.
When the children turn 18, they are made to participate in a planet-wide pageant where they are judged mercilessly based on looks, body-type and life choices. Mines and sewers await all those who fail to measure up to the judges’ standards. The ones who win, however, stay on the surface and get cushy administrative jobs. The rebels are sent to the dungeons.
F16 was a highly intelligent being who had everything going for her. Her parents were sure she would figure among the top ten in her pageant year. But she made one mistake. She fell in love with F52. Two Fs falling in love was a serious anomaly by the planet’s standards. Fs were only supposed to mate with Ms.
F16 and F52 met in secret, until one day, they decided they had had enough. Nobody had the right to judge them, not even the high priests of Pageantor. They had always dreamed of moving to Earth, a planet they had heard was progressive.
With help from a few trusted friends, F16 and F52 escaped Pageantor in the middle of siesta time when the entire Planet got their beauty rest. Life on Earth was liberating. No pageants, no rule-books and no judgements. They could live as they liked, without fear.
Or could they? After spending a few months on Earth, F16’s rose glasses were losing their tint. She noticed the strange looks from some people when they walked holding hands. She could smell the stench of disapproval. It was as if everyone here carried an invisible gavel. Religion choices, lifestyle choices, sexual orientation, clothes, everything was under scrutiny. Planet Earth wasn’t so different from Pageantor after all.
The tipping point came from their landlord. “I’m sorry, but you need to leave.” His lips under his bushy mustache puckered in disapproval. “I cannot have lesbians living in my apartment.”
“But we’re not causing anyone any trouble.” she tried to reason with him.
“You’re definitely going to hell, but I won’t be dragged along. Get packing. I give you a week”, he snapped his fingers to emphasize.
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
F16’s ears fumed and her head throbbed. Anger bubbled through her body like red hot coals on the barbeque. Overheated molecules and atoms in her chemical composition broke their patterns and collided giving her superhuman energy. She felt invincible, like she had downed crates of Red Bull.
She walked down to her landlord’s apartment. When he answered the doorbell, F16 raised her palm. A jagged silver thread of energy passed from her hand. The landlord’s head glowed green for a second.
“Oh it’s you!”, the landlord smiled. “I’m sorry about what I said earlier. It’s your life, who am I to judge?”
“Do you still want us to move?”
“You know what? You’re good tenants. So stay!” F16 smiled back.
What had happened was amazing. Maybe this was her calling. To prevent Earth from turning into Pageantor.
And thus, Perspective-Gal was born. With her ability to smell judgement from miles away and her superhuman ability to make people see other points of view, she tries to make Earth a better place, one perspective at a time.