Good Sources of Protein

The livestream started with a warm shot of golden fields bathed in sunlight.

The flying camera panned to Maya, standing in the foreground. It was like a cricket... minimal, unobtrusive, and without the annoyingness of a cicada.

Her grin was infectious. 

She waved enthusiastically, dressed in practical but stylish overalls, a pop of color in her bandana pulling her look together.

“Hey, y’all!” Maya chirped, grinning widely at the camera. “The wait is almost over! Kyuu!!! Welcome to my little corner of the world. Before we hit the road for the tour, I thought it’d be fun to show you where it all started—right here, at the farm! And,” she paused dramatically, “introduce you to someone who might be a little out of her element today.”

The camera swiveled, capturing Astra stepping into the frame with a slow, deliberate stride. She was clad in designer boots that screamed impracticality, slim black pants, and a white blouse rolled up at the sleeves. Her sunglasses reflected the shimmering light, hiding any telltale expressions, but her body language gave it all away.

“Quaint,” Astra said, surveying the farm with an uneven smirk. “Do I get points for showing up in this outfit, or...?”

Maya burst out laughing, giving Astra a light push. “You get points for not running when I said ‘cicadas.’”

The chat instantly exploded.

“CICADA FARM??? CHAT IS THIS REAL??” “Bro is from the 21st century with their crusty ahh humor the fuck” “ASTRA’S GONNA HATE THIS LMAOOOOO.”

Standing off to the side were Maya’s closest friends, who so happen to be idols themselves. Elise, with her arms crossed and an eyebrow arched, exuded skepticism. Her simple, practical attire—a button-up shirt tucked into well-worn jeans—was a stark contrast.

Next to her, Kiko, bounced on her heels, radiating enthusiasm, while Popo, the calmest of the bunch, leaned against a wooden post, observing with an amused glint in her eye.

“You brought her here first?” Elise asked Maya, her tone teasing but laced with something sharper. “A whole lotta faith.”

“She’ll be fine,” Maya replied breezily. “Right, Astra?”

Astra tilted her head, her smirk a bit unwieldy. “Oh, good. My enthusiasm clearly shines through visibly.”

Kiko laughed, stepping into view. “You mean you’ve never held a cicada husk before? That’s, like, a rite of passage out here.”

Popo chuckled. “Don’t worry. They don’t bite. They don't have the anatomy.”

The poppycock continued as the group made their way toward the main cicada farm. 

Maya took the lead, gesturing animatedly to the rows of trees shimmering under the midday sun. To be absolutely fair to her, they were incredibly shaped trees. 

Elise lingered slightly behind, her sharp gaze flicking between Astra and the camera.

“Okay, everyone!” Maya announced, crouching near a cluster of trees. “Here’s how it works. The cicadas shed their husks, and we carefully collect them. They’re used for all kinds of cool stuff—snacks, decorations, even skincare. Totally sustainable and totally unique.”

Astra crouched next to her, eyeing the husks with cautious curiosity. “And we’re supposed to just… pick them up?”

Maya nodded, her grin widening. “Yep! Easy peasy. Just be gentle—they’re fragile. No, really.”

Elise stepped closer, her arms still crossed. “It’s not as easy as it looks. They break if you’re not careful.”

Astra raised an eyebrow, plucking one of the husks delicately from the tree. She held it up for the camera, her movements controlled. “How’s this for a first-timer? Oh, God.”

Kiko clapped her hands together, bouncing slightly. “She’s a natural! See, Elise? Not so bad.”

Elise’s smile was thin. “City girls. As if harvesting husks should warrant any modicum of praise.”

"Can you really blame the city girl? C'mon... I bet not many would even have the courage."

Popo shot Maya a glance, her expression a mix of amusement and mild concern. Astra was much too focused on the slimy bits of protein to mind. Maya, ever the peacekeeper, quickly redirected.

“Alright, team! Let’s turn this into a challenge,” Maya said, her tone bright. “Who can collect the most intact husks in ten minutes? Chat, you’re the judges!”

The group scattered, the camera capturing their individual approaches. Maya worked quickly and confidently, chatting with the stream as she filled her basket. Astra moved more deliberately, her focus intense as she examined each husk before adding it to her collection. Kiko and Zara bantered lightheartedly, while Elise remained quiet, her movements efficient but her expression unreadable.

HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED

The group had gravitated toward the larger cicada enclosure. Maya was in her element, narrating the process of raising the full-grown critters while the camera followed her movements. Astra stood a few paces back, holding a feed container like it might bite her.

“These beauties,” Maya said, gesturing with a flair that almost made the cicadas glamorous, “are the stars of the farm. Big, bold, and a little noisy, kind of like the rest of us.”

Astra smirked, tossing a few pellets into the pen. “Bold? Sure. Noisy? Absolutely. Glamorous? Jury’s still out.”

The chat pinged with laughter.

Elise leaned against the fence, arms crossed, her smile razor-sharp. “You’ll get there, Astra. It takes a certain... ease to really own it out here.”

Astra let out a soft laugh, thinking it was part of the banter. “I’m easing into it just fine, thanks.”

Elise tilted her head, the smile never wavering. “Oh, no doubt. But ease isn’t something you can schedule between Orb sessions.”

The comment hung in the air for a beat too long, and Astra’s smirk faltered, just slightly. She quickly recovered, brushing it off with a casual shrug. “Good thing I’m adaptable, then.”

Maya, sensing the slight shift in tone, clapped her hands. “Alright, ladies, let’s focus. Feeding time isn’t a competition. Unless it is, in which case, I’m winning.”

The chat lit up:

“MAYA MVP AS ALWAYS.” “ASTRA VS. ELISE WHEN?” “CICADA FEED-OFF!”

The group returned to tossing feed, but the energy had shifted. Astra moved with her usual grace, though her responses to the chat felt a touch more measured. Elise’s next jab came wrapped in a smile.

“You know,” Elise began, her tone light, “when we were kids, all we had was just... bugs and dirt. Family didn't wanna move to the big cities. Said they are too coddling. Too controlling. Ain't that right, Maya.”

"Sure! Though, a galaxy-spanning empire should have little problem getting to spy on us plebians in the asscrack of Vermont," Maya quipped.

Astra raised an eyebrow, tossing a handful of feed into the pen. “Dirt sounds... thrilling. Did you also have a rock collection, or were cicadas the main event?”

Elise’s grin widened, though her eyes sharpened. “Oh, we weren't lucky enough to have rocks. Just what the UBI provided. You know how it is.”

Astra’s hand paused mid-toss, the comment hitting closer than Elise probably realized. She recovered quickly, flashing a practiced smile. “Well, at least you had the cicadas. Built character, I’m sure.”

“DO THEY EVEN LIKE EACH OTHER???”

Maya stepped in again, almost abruptly, her voice a touch too cheerful. “Okay, team! Let’s show them the cicada dance next. It’s a crowd-pleaser.”

Astra soon watched Maya demonstrate said “cicada dance.” Less said about it the better, but it was something easy for the fans to emulate, and that was good enough. If it was really all she was capable of, she'd be more worried for this upcoming tour.

Suddenly, Elise’s voice cut in, just a hair too sharp.

“Astra, you should give it a try. Show everyone your... adaptability.”

Astra hesitated, catching the edge in Elise’s tone. The chat buzzed with encouragement, their collective enthusiasm practically daring her to join.

“Alright,” Astra said, stepping forward with a playful shrug. “But if I trip and fall, it’s on you.”

Elise’s smile didn’t waver. “Don’t worry. The cicadas won’t judge.”

Astra mirrored Maya’s movements, every movement of her muscle bringing her a level of mental pain she'd never thought possible.

“ASTRA TRYING HER BEST!!!” “QUEEN OF EFFORT.” “MAYA CARRYING THO”

Maya laughed, adjusting Astra’s stance mid-move. “Relax, Astra. You’re overthinking it.”

“I overthink everything,” Astra replied dryly, earning another wave of laughter from the chat.

Elise’s smile tightened as the chat continued to praise Astra’s efforts. She tossed a handful of feed into the pen, her movements abrupt. When Maya called for a quick Q&A, Elise excused herself, retreating to the edge of the stream’s frame.

Maya noticed, her smile faltering slightly. “Elise? Everything okay?”

Elise waved her off, her voice light but clipped. “Fine. Just grabbing water.”

Astra watched her go, a flicker of unease crossing her face. She turned to Maya, her voice low. “Did I...?”

Maya shook her head, though her cheerful tone carried an edge of frustration. “No. But I’m going to check on her after this.”

Astra nodded, her expression thoughtful as she turned back to the stream.

HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!

As the others prepared for the next segment, Elise stepped back, her mind churning. She hadn’t meant for the jab to land quite so hard, but watching Astra take center stage, commanding attention with the ease of someone who had always had it, stirred something ugly in her.

Elise’s childhood had been comfortable by any rational standard. 

The UBI ensured food, shelter, and education, but it hadn’t filled the gap left by watching others accumulate more—more prestige, more luxuries, more confidence. She’d grown up feeling like the background character in someone else’s story.

And now, here was Astra, the embodiment of everything Elise had convinced herself didn’t matter but secretly wanted.

Legacy, polish, charisma. Astra made it look effortless, and Elise hated how much she noticed.

She glanced toward Maya, who was demonstrating the next step of the process with her trademark enthusiasm. 

Maya, who had always been kind, grounded, and relentlessly optimistic. Maya, who was now swept up in Astra’s orbit.

Elise’s stomach twisted. She didn’t hate Astra. Not really. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Maya’s rising star might leave her behind.