[Gift] A New Friendship

  Listen, can you hear it? The world is singing, it sounds like wind chimes, or triangles, maybe even a xylophone. A peaceful noise enjoyed by many creatures that reside on this planet. Welcome to Monarch, where gemstone mountains cover the landscapes. Some are carved out by water, others look like wind, and some appear to be unnatural. This place draws in many interstellar tourists, mostly a species known as Starlyngs.

    Starlyngs, on this planet, are commonly found in designated areas of safety, away from the local population of Butterflies and the natural disasters.

    The Butterflies are a species of humanoids with insect-like features, mostly having the features of moths and butterflies, but others are known to exist as outcasts. The disasters are mostly seismic and volcanic; the planet has no salt water, only fresh water. Plants flourish around the pools, but they typically have crystals growing out of them. Not a problem for tourists’ digestion as there are Starlyngs who eat rock-like objects.

    The tourist areas have hot springs, and is all about relaxation and grooming. Excavation is a huge attraction for those that like to have collections of pretty things; another thing that brings people in is the cuisine. It's been said that the fruit is so sweet when cooked into dishes. Most Starlyngs that visit go crazy for all the food.

    Sigh, but our story does not focus on most Starlyngs. In fact, it begins away from this civilization, in the middle of a forest, on a mountain. Our first character, Ion sits on a ledge and stares off into the distance. The air is still around him, so he cannot hear the singing of the mountains. His ears slowly pick up the sound of the rushing water beside him. Bright cyan eyes watch the light from one of the suns poke through some clouds on a pink mountain below.

    Ion stands and stretches. He yawns and licks some fur on his back. His nails click against the rocks as he starts walking away from the water source. A sigh leaves him as the sound of the water soothes his nerves.

    Despite today being uneventful, he is still on edge. The Butterflies can attack at any moment, but he is luckily not defenseless. He was created with a fire tail that burns hotter than most flames he's encountered from the locals.

    He is briefly blinded by a light from the horizon. Another sun is rising from the north. This planet has four suns and two moons. Nighttime is rare and only lasts a few minutes every three days.

     Ion turns in a different direction and walks it for some time before stopping. The path before him is full of sharp gems just out of the side of the mountain. Walking on it would be like stepping on glass, so this direction is a no go for him.

     He walks along the top of the mountain, eventually finding a safe passage down. Once he reaches the bottom, he stops. His ears move backward. Something is following him.

    Nothing appears out of the ordinary while searching around for what could be the culprit. “I know you're there,” he says in a defensive tone. The fire-like tail swishes and flicks in the air behind him.

   There's movement a few feet away behind a blue and white gemstone. What appears to be another Starlyng steps out from behind it. They blended in so well with the color that Ion could not tell they were there at first. A long huff leaves him as he calms down slightly.

    The new character steps closer quickly, seeing he's in a more relaxed state. They circle him and look up at Ion’s tail in amazement. Ion turns around and gets a closer look. This Starlyng is wispy and cloud-like with blues and whites swirling around it. Two small blue eyes and tusks are features that he notices immediately.

     “What is it?” the older Starlyng says with a snarl. It does not deter the smaller lyng. In fact, it makes them get closer to Ion’s face. What appears to be a smile grows on the other.

     “I'm Cirro, what's your name?” They hop around him, stopping to look at his tail again.

     Ion growls and tries to keep up with them. “Look, I don't need some kid following me around. This place is dangerous, go find some other Starlyng to pester.” He starts to walk away and the other runs to be in front of him. A clawed hand forms from his paw and he pushes Cirro out of the way. After watching him for a moment, Ion starts walking away. It isn't long before he turns his head around. The smaller lyng is following him.

    “Look! It's dangerous where I'm going! Get lost or you'll end up hurt!”

     “Then why are you going that way if it's so dangerous!?”

     Ion sighs. He thinks for a few moments as he watches Cirro walk up to him. “Fine, you can follow me for a bit, but as soon as we find another Starlyng you follow them.”

     Cirro nods and smiles up at him. He follows right behind Ion when the dark blue Starlyng starts walking away.

    “Well, I’m not going to travel in silence if you're here. I have some questions to ask you.” His eyes look back to Cirro. “Why are you out here?”

     “I'm a traveler. I like to explore.” He watches Ion as they walk forward. “I got lost on my way to the resort. Why are you out here?”

    “I like to explore as well as observe. The Butterflies are of interest to me. Such a primitive species and yet they can still strike fear against us Starlyngs.'' His tone is cold as he speaks.

     “Do you have any friends?”

     “No, not really. They left me behind and I decided to stay here.” A moment of silence. “I occasionally bring back information to the master of the resort. To record valuable information about the Butterflies.”

    “Can you tell me about them?”

    “You can read what I've discovered at the resort. It is too much to say right now.” Ion stops and looks around. “Listen, can you hear that?” There's shouting in the distance. “Sounds like another Starlyng. Come on.” Ion huffs and starts walking again. His pace quickens.

   A multi purple colored Starlyng is wandering around in circles. “This can't be happening. Hello! Hello! Is anyone there?!” They shout and cower to the ground. “No no no, I can't be lost.”

    Ion steps up on a crystal. He lays down and Cirro copies him. He huffs before saying, “Up here,” to the new character.

    “Oh my goodness!” They shout. “You scared me!”

    “Shush,” Ion whispers. “You'll draw attention to yourself, bad attention. You're lucky we found you out here.”

    “Sorry,” they whisper.

    Ion slips down to the ground. His head bends down. “Are you lost?” He says in a surprisingly calm tone as he looks into a pair of teal eyes.

     They nod. “Yeah.”

    After a deep breath, Ion says, “Fine. You can stay with us until we reach the resort.” He stands up straight. “Come on.”

    The purple Starlyng stands up and looks up at Cirro as he hops down from the crystal. They take a moment to watch the other two before quickly catching up with them. “What do other Starlyngs call you two?”

     “I'm Cirro.” His voice is cheerful, happy to have a new friend.

     “Ion.” His voice is cold and gruff. He looks up at them, “and they call you?”

     “Oh, I don't have a name. I don't have friends, so I never found a name for myself.”

     “You're telling me, you came here to Monarch and you don't have any friends? How did you hear about this place? The locals aren't exactly friendly with us Starlyngs.”

     “I overheard others talk about it, so I thought that maybe I would try to make some friends here,” No Name laughs quietly.

     “You'll have no issue finding friends. Most Starlyngs are friendly.” He stops. His ear flicks, hearing a gemstone fall from the surrounding mountain beside them. “The Butterflies are watching us.”

     “Butterflies? What's that?” No Name asks and looks around.

     “The indigenous life. They must have heard you.” Ion huffs and turns to the pair. “They were here before us Starlyngs and see us as invaders, but that doesn't stop you younger ones from visiting this place.”

     “Are you suggesting we shouldn't be?” Cirro asks in a defensive tone.

     Ion continues walking. “Perhaps not, or maybe you shouldn't wander away from safety.” He stops for a moment for the other two to follow. “They're going to be watching us, so we shouldn't panic or they will attack. You're doing good so far. Thank you for not freaking out.”

     Cirro nods. He must not be a stranger to danger if he's an explorer. “Do you know how much longer we have until we reach the resort?”

     “Half a day's walk. We will rest soon.” Ion looks around with a flick of his tail. He sighs. “The suns will be setting soon. We will be able to see the night for a brief time.”

     “What is the night like on this planet?” No Name asks and he looks around. His voice sounds worried as he speaks. “Is it scary?”

     “No, it's said to be beautiful,” Cirro says to calm him down. “Some of the crystals glow and the fireflies come out. The sky is bright with colors and you can see lights in the sky.”

     “That does sound nice,” No Name says in a calmer state. He sighs in relief.

     Ion is a few feet ahead before the other two notice.  “We’re not far from where we're going to rest, come on.”

    Some time passes and they walk up to a field of darkly colored crystals. It spans a vast space of land as far as the eye can see.

    No Name walks up to a purple one. It has white smoky edges and rough calcite growing from the ground. He reaches out to touch the gem.

    “I wouldn't touch that if I were you,” Ion quickly says with his head turned back. “We're in a graveyard, be careful. The Butterflies might still be around.”

     “A gr-graveyard?! What do you mean?! Where are the graves?”

    “You were about to disturb one. The Butterflies turn into these crystals upon death.”

    “What?! How is that even possible?”

    “I don't know. They have different magic than us I assume. Not every species knows the same magic. Can't you feel it in the air?” His eyes close.

     “I don't feel anything,” No Name says bluntly.

    Cirro closes his eyes and listens. “I can. It's odd, different. I have traveled far and I've never felt anything like this.”

     Ion opens his eyes. “I wish to learn about this world's magic. It's why I traveled so far out. I study the Butterflies and their rituals. I'm the only Starlyng they let near their villages, as far as I know. It's why they haven't attacked us. They're definitely watching, but they know I won't do harm to their resting place.” He sits down in front of a bright blue crystal. “We will rest here for the time being. We are still on the outskirts of the cemetery.”

    The final sun sets and the moons rise. The sky is filled with a rainbow borealis besides the colors of the space dust. The stars shine brightly and in the distance a red planet is visible.

    “That planet is Plandalia,” Ion says quietly. “Starlyngs visit there as well, but not as much as Monarch.”

    Cirro watches the sky in amazement. He audibly gasps seeing a shooting star. “Can we visit there as well? What's on that planet?”

     “A species not too dissimilar from Starlyngs, but they are more like canines. They are also not made from stardust like us. That's all I can really say about them. I never visited Plandalia.” He looks up at the sky. “The lights in the sky are affected by the magic of this planet, or rather it is the magic being visible.”

     “That's magic? How is it different from ours?” No Name asks as he looks at Ion. “Is it really different or slightly different?”

     “I couldn't tell you. I've never tried to use it. The Butterflies use it and they easily become corrupted by it in their rituals. I've seen it happen. Melting into water or blood, being set ablaze, or even being turned to dust. I've seen many things happen. Most of them are bad.” He looks at the two.

    Ion lowers his head and closes his eyes to rest them. Starlyngs do not sleep, but that doesn't mean they don't need rest. His ears flick back hearing a shuffling noise behind him. There's a silence for a moment and then a bump against him. His eyes shoot open and he looks back to see Cirro against him. The smaller lyng is shaking from the cold.

    No Name is watching the sky in amazement. It's something he's enjoyed sharing with the other two. Nighttime really is beautiful. “Thank you for sharing this with me,” he says with a smile.

    The older lyng huffs. “Eh, not like we had a choice, but you're welcome.” He looks away and sighs. “I never really got to share the night with anyone. I’ve always been alone at night.”

    “You said you had friends before. How come you never shared the night with them?” No Name asks. Cirro licks himself, mimicking Ion.

     “I had a Butterfly friend once,” Ion says quietly, “but they died. They were killed right in front of me.”

     “What? How did that happen?” No Name asks.

     It takes a moment for Ion to speak again. His tail flicks away from Cirro and he growls. “The other Butterflies didn't like us hanging out,” he clenched his paw, “so they attacked me one day.  My friend saved me by taking a hit from their magic. I tried to save them, but I couldn't.” Ion stands and looks into a glowing crystal. His reflection is barely visible. “I don't usually have friends because of my fear of losing them.”

    “But us Starlyngs are immortal, aren't we?” No Name asks in a confused tone. “Right?” He looks at Cirro. Cirro shrugs.

    “Nothing is truly immortal. No matter how you word it.” Ion looks back to the pair. A sun starts to rise behind him. “I think we've rested enough. We'll be there in a couple hours if we leave now.”

    The wind blows and the song of the surrounding mountains is heard. The darkness and lights in the sky quickly start to fade as the sun rises.

   No Name and Cirro slowly stand before they walk up to Ion. They continue their journey for about an hour talking about themselves and getting along. Ion regrets being so mean to Cirro in the beginning. He now enjoys the company of both Starlyngs, but he doubts he would admit it outright.

    The ground begins to shake beneath the Lyngs. Small crystals jump into the air around them. Not far a large crystal cracks and lava spills out. Luckily it's not close enough to be an issue for the Lyngs.

    Ion looks at the sky and sees the second sun rising. He makes a mental note that a daily earthquake seems to happen when the second sun rises.

    No Name falls over from the earthquake. He looks up and sees the lava and seems to go pale.

    “No, we're not going to die,” Ion says before No Name can say anything. “It's nothing to worry about. It will cool before it reaches us.”

    Cirro pats No Name on the back. “If Ion is okay, we're okay, right?”

    Before long, they come upon a small blue forest. A stream of water rushes through the trees. The trees themselves appear like Tellus’ willow trees. Fruit hangs from the branches and crystals are in place of the leaves.

     “We're not far from the resort. On the other side of the forest is our destination.” Ion licks his back and then bites his nails on his back paw. He huffs and flicks his tail.

    “Woah, these trees are nothing like I've seen before,” Cirro says and runs up to a tree. His front legs are up on the tree as he swats at a branch of crystals.

     Ion looks around. “The resort uses these trees to harvest the fruit. The fruit is still not ripe yet, so they haven't come out yet.” He starts walking forward. “The Butterflies have stopped watching us. They won't attempt to bother us now.”

    “How can you be sure?” No Name asks.

    “I know because they have tried and failed miserably.”

    Cirro looks to Ion. “Does our time together have to end so soon? I was enjoying it.”

     The dark blue Starlyng doesn't respond. He simply huffs and starts walking without the two. No Name scrambles to catch up as Cirro slowly steps away from the tree. He looks up and listens to the chime of the crystals.

   “Cirro!” Ion shouts from a small distance.

   “Coming!” He runs after the other two.

   Some time passes and they reach the entrance to the resort. Ion sits down and licks his paw. No Name almost runs ahead, but he waits beside Ion. Cirro sits and looks up at him.

    “So this is the end of our journey together? Just like that? Not much happened,” No Name says in an almost sad tone.

     Ion shrugs. “You were lost and I brought you back to a civilization of Starlyngs. What else did you want?”

     “I had fun,” Cirro says happily. “I got to learn about you and the planet. That's the point of coming here. To learn and relax.” He looks at Ion. “You seem so lonely, why don't you stay with us for a while?”

      Ion scoffs. “Me, stay here? As if. I don't do well with many other Starlyngs. I only talk to the Master and then I leave.”

     Cirro walks up to him. His eyes widen to appear cuter than normal. After a moment, Ion turns his head away, but looks back down at the smaller lyng. His eyes are watery and so big that he looks like he might cry.

     “Fine, but only for a bit.” He sighs and stands, walking toward the resort. “ I could use a fresh groom anyway.”

     “A fresh groom does sound nice,” No Name says quietly. “Are we friends?” He asks after a moment.

    Ion's eyes widen. He sees that Cirro is nodding. “I suppose so. We can be friends if you like.”

    “Yay!” The other two say as they jump onto Ion. They group hug and smile together. Ion takes a moment, but he wraps his arms around the pair slowly and smiles. A friendship to last forever.

Later…

    Cirro walks up to the counter. “Excuse me, he said ‘no cucumber’.”