The Dawn Patrol

Carlee stepped onto her favorite balcony as Star Hopper's Hollow drifted past a cluster of purple nebulae. The bioluminescent flowers below her usually sparkled like tiny stars, casting their fairy dust glow across the asteroid's curved pathways.

"Good morning, beautiful garden," she whispered to the glowing plants.

To her surprise, a soft voice answered back. "Good morning, dear child."

Carlee blinked. The voice had come from a tall sunflower-like plant with petals that shimmered blue and gold.

"You can talk?" she gasped.

"We've always been able to talk," the flower replied gently. "Most people just don't listen."

Carlee knelt closer. "What's your name?"

"I'm Lumina. I've been watching you visit us every morning for three years."

Other plants around the garden began to stir, their soft voices joining in. "She listens!" they whispered excitedly.

Carlee's heart raced with wonder. Her magical home had become even more magical.

The Dimming Light

Carlee spent the next hour chatting with Lumina and the other plants. Each one had a different personality - some were shy, others chatty, and a few were quite bossy about where she should water them.

"We have something important to tell you," Lumina said, her blue and gold petals dimming slightly. "Something terrible is happening to us."

Carlee leaned closer. "What do you mean?"

"Our glow is fading," whispered a cluster of tiny violet flowers near her feet. "One by one, we're losing our light."

As if to prove their point, a beautiful coral-colored bush nearby flickered and went completely dark. Its leaves curled inward with a soft rustling sound.

"Oh no!" Carlee gasped. "Why is this happening?"

"We don't know," Lumina admitted. "But if we all lose our light, Star Hopper's Hollow will drift cold and dark through space forever."

Carlee's heart sank. Without the plants' fairy dust glow, their magical home would become just another lifeless rock floating in the void.

"There has to be a way to help you," she said firmly. "I won't let that happen."