Rian stood in front of the tiny basil plant on his kitchen counter. The plant looked miserable. Its leaves were wilted, its edges brown, and its thin stem leaned weakly to one side. A few weeks ago, Rian had bought it with the ambitious dream of growing his own herbs. That dream had lasted approximately three days. Then he had forgotten to water it. Now it looked as though it had given up on life. Rian crouched beside it. “Sorry, little guy.” Jojo sat nearby, watching him with his newly intelligent eyes. “You neglected it.” Rian glanced at him. “I was busy.” “You were broke.” “That's a rude way to say it.” “It is also an accurate way.” Rian sighed. “Thanks for the emotional support.” “You're welcome.” Rian looked back at the basil. Then his eyes shifted toward the old dessert spoon lying on the floor. A faint green glow still clung to its surface. His expression changed. There was still a tiny amount of the strange liquid coating the spoon. Rian picked it up carefully. He stared at the glowing residue. “Jojo.” “Yes?” “Do you think this stuff works on plants?” Jojo tilted his head. “We already have a theoretical indication that it affects biological matter.” “You mean you.” “Precisely.” Rian looked at the basil. The poor plant was practically dying. He looked at the liquid. Then back at the plant. A mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face. “Well...” Jojo's ears twitched. “That expression concerns me.” “What?” “The expression of a man about to conduct an experiment without proper safety precautions.” Rian ignored him. He held the spoon over the basil. “It's only one drop.” “Rian.” “One.” “Rian.” “Tiny.” “Rian.” “Drop.” Jojo sighed. “Your confidence is deeply concerning.” Rian carefully tilted the spoon. A tiny emerald droplet gathered at its edge. It shimmered under the afternoon light. Then— Plik. The drop landed directly on one of the basil's brown leaves. Nothing happened. Rian blinked. Jojo blinked. The basil remained completely still. Rian frowned. “See?” He pointed at it. “Nothing.” Jojo stared at the plant. “Perhaps the quantity was insufficient.” Rian nodded. “Or maybe it doesn't work on plants.” He turned away. Then— The basil leaf moved. Rian froze. “...Did you see that?” “Yes.” The brown leaf twitched. A thin green line appeared across its surface. Then another. Then another. The veins of the leaf began glowing faintly. Rian slowly leaned closer. “No way.” The brown edges of the leaf began turning green. The transformation spread outward from the point where the droplet had landed. Slowly at first. Then faster. The brittle leaf became soft. Its surface smoothed. Its color deepened. Within seconds, the entire leaf had become vibrant green. Rian's mouth dropped open. Jojo's eyes narrowed. “Interesting.” Rian touched the leaf. It was warm. Firm. Healthy. “Jojo...” “Yes.” “It worked.” “Yes.” “It actually worked!” “Yes.” Rian jumped backward. “We just revived a dying plant!” Jojo looked at the basil. “Technically, yes.” Rian grinned. “This is incredible!” Then the pot began to vibrate. Brrrrrrr... Rian's smile disappeared. “Uh.” Jojo's ears flattened. “That is not normal.” The basil stem straightened. Then thickened. Crack. A new shoot burst from the side. Rian took a step back. Another leaf unfurled. Then another. The plant began growing. Not gradually. Not naturally. It was growing at a terrifying speed. “Jojo.” “Yes?” “It's getting bigger.” “I have noticed.” “Really?” “Yes, Rian. My observational abilities remain intact.” The basil stem thickened again. CRACK! The tiny terracotta pot shook violently. Roots burst through the drainage holes. The leaves expanded. One became the size of Rian's palm. Then a dinner plate. Then larger. Rian's eyes widened. “Stop.” The basil continued growing. “Please stop.” It continued. “Okay, that's enough!” The plant ignored him. A thick green stem shot upward. Another stretched toward the window. Then another curled around the cupboard. Within seconds, the tiny basil plant had become something monstrous. Rian stumbled backward. “WHAT DID I DO?!” Jojo jumped onto the counter. “I believe you answered that question yourself.” “Don't be sarcastic!” “I am not being sarcastic.” “You absolutely are!” “I am merely stating that you poured an unknown magical substance onto a dying plant.” Rian stared at him. “...When you say it like that, it sounds stupid.” “It was stupid.” “JOJO!” The basil continued expanding. Its leaves stretched like giant green palms, pressing against the kitchen window. Tiny veins swelled across the leaves, some nearly as thick as Rian's thumb. The once-delicate plant now resembled a miniature jungle. Rian stood frozen. His jaw hung open. Jojo sat regally on the counter, surveying the verdant explosion. “Remarkable,” Jojo said. His deep baritone echoed through the kitchen. “Truly, a botanical marvel.” He looked around. “Though perhaps a trifle... expansive.” Rian slowly turned toward him. “Expansive?” “Yes.” “Jojo.” “Yes, Rian?” “It's eating the kitchen.” Jojo looked around. A thick vine had wrapped itself around the cupboard handle. Another had crawled beneath the sink. A third was pushing against the wall. Then— CRACK! A piece of plaster fell from the wall. Rian's eye twitched. “The wall!” Jojo nodded. “Ah.” “That's all you have to say?!” “I was considering saying ‘Oh dear.’” Rian stared at him. “You're useless.” “I prefer ‘strategically positioned.’” “You're a cat sitting on a counter!” “A cat with an excellent tactical view.” Another vine slammed against the cupboard. BANG! Rian jumped. “Okay!” He grabbed the bread knife from the kitchen counter. “New plan.” Jojo raised one paw. “Action, human.” Rian pointed at the basil. “We kill the jungle.” “I recommend pruning.” “We're past pruning!” “Then controlled violence.” Rian grinned. “Finally, something we agree on.” He rushed toward the nearest enormous stem. “Ready?” “Proceed, my bipedal associate.” Rian swung the knife. SLASH! The thick stem separated effortlessly. Rian blinked. The knife had sliced through it like butter. “Whoa.” Thick sap spilled from the cut. The smell of basil immediately became overwhelming. Rian stared at the knife. “I really am strong now.” Jojo nodded. “An impressive discovery.” “I could probably cut down a tree.” “Please don't test that theory in the apartment.” Rian raised the knife again. Another vine began growing from the cut. Rian's face fell. “Wait.” The vine twisted. A new leaf unfolded. Then another. Rian pointed. “It's growing back!” Jojo's ears twitched. “Yes.” “That's cheating!” “Plants are not known for respecting your rules.” “Then I'll cut faster!” Rian charged. The kitchen erupted into chaos. He hacked through thick stems. He tore away massive leaves. He kicked loose branches aside. When a vine wrapped around his ankle, he simply grabbed it and ripped it away. CRACK! Rian stared at the broken vine in his hand. “...I love this body.” Jojo watched from the highest shelf. “Your enthusiasm is becoming concerning.” “You could help!” “I am helping.” “How?” “I am providing tactical guidance.” “You're eating crackers!” Jojo glanced at the cracker between his paws. “This is strategic nutrition.” “That's my last snack!” “Then I shall conserve it carefully.” Rian groaned. “You're unbelievable.” “Thank you.” “That wasn't a compliment!” “I choose to interpret it positively.” Rian swung the frying pan at another aggressive tendril. BANG! The vine recoiled. Rian looked at the pan. Then at Jojo. “Did I just defeat a magical plant with a frying pan?” Jojo nodded solemnly. “Human civilization has reached a new technological milestone.” “Shut up.” “Understood.” The battle continued. Rian moved faster than he ever had before. His enhanced body made every movement feel effortless. He dodged whipping vines, sliced through stems, and dragged entire sections of the plant away. Eventually, the relentless growth slowed. The basil still occupied a ridiculous amount of space, but it had stopped expanding. Rian leaned against the refrigerator, breathing heavily. The kitchen looked like a battlefield. Leaves covered the floor. Soil was everywhere. Several cupboards were damaged. A crack ran across one section of plaster. Rian looked around. “...We're screwed.” Jojo hopped down from the shelf and landed gracefully on a pile of leaves. “Financially?” Rian looked at him. “Everything.” Jojo considered the damaged kitchen. “On the bright side, we have discovered something extremely valuable.” Rian looked at the giant basil. His expression slowly changed. The panic faded. His eyes narrowed. A familiar spark appeared. Jojo immediately recognized it. “Oh no.” Rian smiled. “What?” “That expression.” “What expression?” “The one you make whenever you smell money.” Rian placed a hand on his chest. “I don't know what you're talking about.” “You are staring at that basil as though it were an ATM.” Rian looked back at the plant. “That's because it might be.” Jojo's tail flicked. “Explain.” Rian walked toward the enormous leaves. “Think about it.” He touched one of them. “This thing grew from one drop.” “Yes.” “In minutes.” “Yes.” “It's huge.” “Yes.” “And it's healthier than any basil I've ever seen.” “Yes.” Rian turned toward Jojo. “People pay for fresh vegetables.” “Correct.” “They pay more for organic vegetables.” “Correct.” “And they pay even more for rare produce.” Jojo's eyes narrowed. “I see where this is going.” Rian grinned. “We sell it.” Jojo was silent. Then he nodded. “A remarkably simple business model.” “Exactly.” Rian became more excited. “No more instant noodles.” “An excellent objective.” “No more overdue electricity bills.” “Even better.” “No more borrowing money just to survive until payday.” Jojo nodded. “Now you're thinking.” Rian looked at the giant basil. “We could start with vegetables.” “Then fruits.” “Herbs.” “Perhaps medicinal plants.” Rian's eyes lit up. “And if the liquid can restore damaged crops...” Jojo finished his thought. “Then we could produce high-quality food at an extraordinary rate.” Rian smiled. “Exactly.” For several moments, neither spoke. Then Rian looked toward the antique trash can. The green liquid inside was still glowing. But there was considerably less of it than before. His smile faded. “We have a problem.” Jojo followed his gaze. “The supply.” Rian nodded. “We're running low.” “And without the liquid, our miraculous farming operation ends rather quickly.” Rian scratched his head. “So we need more.” Jojo looked at the trash can. “Where did it come from?” Rian frowned. “From the trash.” “Exactly.” Rian slowly looked around the kitchen. Vegetable scraps. Banana peels. Wilted kangkung. Coffee grounds. Chili stems. All the things he'd thought were worthless. His eyes widened. “Wait.” Jojo smiled faintly. “Now you understand.” “The liquid is made from organic waste.” “Most likely.” “So if we want more liquid...” “We need more organic waste.” Rian's grin returned. “But that's free.” Jojo's eyes gleamed. “Precisely.” Rian suddenly laughed. “We don't need money to make the miracle liquid.” Jojo nodded. “We need garbage.” Rian stared at him. “We're going to become garbage collectors.” “Entrepreneurs.” “Garbage entrepreneurs.” “More respectable.” “Barely.” Rian opened his old notebook. He sat on the counter and began writing. At the top of the page, he wrote: PROJECT: GREEN GIANT Jojo looked at it. “Why Green Giant?” “Because we're growing giant plants.” “Reasonable.” Rian began listing their plan. Step One: Collect organic waste. “Restaurants,” he muttered. “Markets,” Jojo added. “Vegetable sellers.” “Fruit stalls.” “Anywhere that throws away food.” Jojo nodded. Step Two: Produce the restoration liquid. Rian tapped the antique trash can. Step Three: Test different plants. “Vegetables first,” Rian said. “Then fruit trees.” “Then medicinal plants.” “Slowly.” “Very slowly.” Rian looked serious. “And we don't test too much at once.” Jojo nodded. “Excellent.” “Because I don't want another giant basil incident.” Jojo glanced at the jungle occupying half the kitchen. “A wise policy.” Step Four: Sell the produce. Rian smiled. “We start small.” “Local buyers.” “Traditional markets.” “Perhaps restaurants.” “And we never reveal the secret.” Jojo's expression became serious. “Absolutely not.” Rian closed the notebook. There was another important problem. “Where are we going to grow everything?” Jojo looked around the cramped apartment. The answer was obvious. “Not here.” Rian nodded. “We need land.” “Cheap land.” “Private land.” “Somewhere people won't ask too many questions.” Rian thought for a moment. “Maybe we rent a small piece of farmland.” “With what money?” Rian fell silent. “Right.” Jojo flicked his tail. “Then we begin with what we have.” Rian looked at the giant basil. “You mean this?” “Yes.” Rian stared at it. Then smiled. “We sell the basil.” Jojo nodded. “Exactly.” Rian's eyes sparkled. “We use the money to rent land.” “Then grow more.” “Sell more.” “Buy better equipment.” “Expand.” “Eventually acquire our own land.” Rian's imagination was already running wild. A small farm. Rows of vegetables. Fruit trees. A greenhouse. Maybe even livestock. If the restoration liquid worked on animals... He stopped himself. Too early. One step at a time. First, they needed money. Then land. Then they could experiment more safely. Rian wrote one final line in his notebook: Goal: Escape poverty without anyone discovering the secret. He stared at the sentence. Then looked at Jojo. Jojo looked back. For the first time, neither of them joked. They both understood how important this was. Rian had spent his entire life struggling to survive. Now, for the first time, he had found something that could genuinely change his future. Not a handout. Not a loan. Not a miracle lottery ticket. A resource. A way to create wealth from something everyone else considered worthless. Trash. Rian smiled. “Tomorrow.” Jojo raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow what?” “We start collecting organic waste.” Jojo nodded. “And tonight?” Rian's stomach growled loudly. Grrrrr... Jojo looked at him. Rian looked back. “Don't.” “I said nothing.” “You were about to.” “I was considering suggesting that we eat the basil.” Rian looked at the enormous plant. Then at Jojo. “Is it edible?” “Probably.” “Probably?” “You're the one who created it.” Rian sighed. “Fair.” He grabbed his wallet. He opened it. Inside were a few crumpled bills. Rian stared at them. Then at Jojo. Then at the giant basil. “We're not eating it.” “Why?” “We're selling it.” Jojo nodded approvingly. “Excellent.” Rian smiled. “For once, I'm thinking like a businessman.” Jojo jumped into Rian's backpack. Rian stared at him. “What are you doing?” “Coming with you.” “Where?” “To begin our enterprise.” Rian zipped the backpack halfway closed. “You're a cat.” “A talking cat.” “That's still a cat.” “A business partner.” Rian sighed. “Fine.” He grabbed his notebook and looked once more at the glowing antique trash can. The strange object sat silently in the corner. Waiting. Neither Rian nor Jojo knew where its power came from. Neither knew why it had chosen Rian. And neither understood the true limits of the restoration liquid. But they had already made their first decision. They would keep the secret. They would start small. They would turn waste into restoration liquid. Turn restoration liquid into crops. And turn crops into money. It was a ridiculous plan. A broke man, a talking orange cat, and a magical trash can. Yet somehow... It was the best business plan Rian had ever had. And tomorrow, their strange little agricultural empire would begin.

The Green Giant