Midnight Iris

The Present Moment

A bright and oppressive heat blazes down from the sky as the twin suns are slowly creeping towards the horizon.

The larger sun further in the sky, would be the first one to hide and abandon its smaller brethren.

This period, a two hour long dusk, the borderline between day and night, still hours away.

Frank shields his eyes and takes a leaping step through the improvised clinic door, the heat making him wish he had prepared with a hat.

Maybe next time he’ll ransack one from among all that junk in the lobby. Its seemed like the kind of space where almost anything could be found.

Amethyst follows and easily steps over the high metal sill of her door.

Frank waits for her outside and they start walking together.

Her blades sparkle and reflect the harsh sunlight, casting blinding beams, wherever they happen to point at during her gait.

Her less armored bits, mainly the face and thighs enjoying the warmth of his home suns.

Amethyst seems to carefully look me over as we walk.

“You didn’t take your gun with you?”

She sounded surprised, I could almost take offence from that.

“Better to not go building peace with a figurative knife behind one’s back”

Lofty words for someone who mainly left it behind for how big it is.

I’d rather not gamble on them being unable to recognize a weapon though...

But… that shouldn’t matter.

She’ll protect me if need be…

Like last time.

Right?

“Are you… worried?” Amethyst’s skin sparkles in the sunlight for a moment, before a long dark gray cloud blocks out the sun.

The striking dark blue eyes seem to pierce through me, seeing all of my hidden emotions, leaving me exposed.

“What? Me? Nnnn-” I stop myself before I break a promise.

“A little” I admit as we start climbing up one of the quarry’s slopes up to the valley.

Amethyst looks ahead again, like avoiding me.

“I- I’m not worried, it’ll be just fine”

Her faltering tone didn’t instill confidence in our simple plan, if it could even be called one.

As we close in to the top of the valley, the sounds of a forest grew louder and louder.

Chirping of strange birds from somewhere in the trees, the background noise of small insects sounding their melodies and the occasional gusts of wind pulling on the branches and leaves.

As we crest to the top, we are instantly transported to a lush alien jungle, the industrial and man-made scenery left behind.

Now that I wasn’t in an acute danger of being held at gunpoint, or at anti-air weaponry's sights, I could really appreciate its beauty.

Strange flora, bushes and grass, mostly in shades of red and violet, grants the forest a magnificent and unique color pallet.

Even in terms of other planets in the galaxy.

I find myself enthralled, trying to spot any of the other life, hiding in the thick vegetation.

Gazing at the tall trees, their curved and numerous branches, underneath large leaves of flowers and plants.

However, the sound of Amethyst cutting down the underbrush from her way brings me back.

With a slow walk, I follow after her, still looking around at the hanging red vines, and spot an exotic bush.

A crooked trunk like a tree, but much shorter, the top covered with a half sphere of violet leaves with blue tips.

Nearby it, a massive plant catches my eye with a closed up bulb hanging downwards.

It started as black from the root and changed shade from dark violet, to pink once the tip was reached.

Small flowers with blue petals but a purple middle surrounded its stalk.

The deeper in we walked, the more thick and high the surrounding trees got, at least five meters in diameter… or maybe just in radius?

So massive, one could in theory even live in these, nature’s own housing ready for carving.

An intriguing thought.

We had been walking for a while now, the newness of the environment was wearing out a bit, my thoughts freed from their grasp.

Amethyst had been quiet ever since we reached the forest. She seemed determined to just push on, she barely even looked around her.

“What exactly are we looking for?”

My words cause her to stop, her arms left in the middle of a cutting motion.

She stays silent for a moment before answering.

“Fruits, or maybe berries of these plants... I don't think they actually have a name" Amethyst pauses having trouble describing them.

"Well it has these sort of… grapes(?) inside of them” Amethyst finishes and continues her cut, slicing away at a round bush with black leaves barring her way.

“Well, where do they grow? What should I look for?”

“This sort of tall flower with a large bulb that hangs-”

“-black at the root and changes hue through the whole length of the stalk, reaching pink at the tip?” I interrupt her with a guess.

“You found one already?” She cuts some low branches off a tree to let her pass and glances back at me.

“Yeah, though that was right at the edge of the quarry. Oh well, I bet we’ll find some more”

I look back at the path we have taken, a clearing following our wake, its snakes a lot and I cannot see the end of it.

“Any particular reason why these grapes?” I start to observe my surroundings more closely, knowing to look for the familiar plant.

“They are super delicious! And hard for us to eat, we can’t really separate them well from the vine that holds the cluster together”

I listen to her and look everywhere but in front of me.

“And they are painful to eat whole with them still attached to it”

Her voice coming from my left alerts me and I manage to stop myself from walking to one of the massive trees Amethyst is working to go around.

I catch up to her.

“You want me to separate the berries from the vine for you?”

“Yeah, should be no problem to you since you have fingers” Amethyst beams.

We walk some more, the ground getting easier to traverse as the trees continued to gain height and width, stealing all the sunlight for themselves.

Vines and small bushes had almost completely disappeared most likely to a lack of light and nutrients.

The ground was mostly grass now, any bigger plants were now so few and far between they could be gone around instead.

“Here’s one” Amethyst found one of the flowers, growing in a spot of sunshine that was let through the tree’s high up thick leaves.

Its bulb was open, but as Amethyst approached it and blocked some of the light, it quickly closed.

Walking up to it, the plant was taller than me and even Amethyst.

She reaches a bladed arm to its stalk near the bulb.

“Frank, catch it as I cut it loose?”

“O-okay, isn’t that kinda huge though?”

“You’ll be fine” She beams a silly grin.

“Ehhh...?”

Amethyst cuts it without warning, it falls straight down towards me.

I manage to catch it on my arms, bracing to bend from my knees, but it wasn’t as heavy as it looked.

Though it was truly massive, completely filling my lap, obstructing my vision ahead.

“Rotate it around and I’ll cut the thing open for you”

I do as I’m told and maneuver the bulb.

An instant swish of a blade and my view is filled with leafy matter flying in the air. I can’t help but flinch a little.

About 1/4th of the bulb is gone now, allowing me to see Amethyst and her frisky smile in front of me.

I respond with an exaggerated eye roll and peek inside of the flower.

One massive clump of berries in a vine, resembling the thornous nature of the applenut’s growth back in Viridian Macula.

I instinctively remember the small nick, it was still visible this morning on my hand, back when I got it cut earlier while grasping in the dark.

The berries themselves, bright violet and dark red in color, a faint light cast inside the dark of the bulb.

They were glowing.

“Amethyst, are the thorns… safe? What will happen if I get struck by one?”

“I don’t know? I’ve never been struck by one?” She taps her chin with the flat of her bladed-hand quizzical.

“Didn’t you say you used to swallow these whole with the thorns and all?”

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“Well yeah, it’s uncomfortable but the thorns aren’t sharp enough to pierce the inside of our throats”

“Of course not…” I resign to my fate and carefully stick my right hand inside, pressing the bulb against my chest with my left one to balance it.

Amethyst starts staring at me intently and expectantly.

Despite her scrutiny I manage to grab ahold of one, its surface firm and smooth.

It comes loose with a small plop, it’s a bit bigger than my thumb.

Inspecting it closer, the bright violet juices move and swirl inside of its dark red translucent shell, like forming small typhoons.

It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen or heard of, it’s… enchanting.

“Come on Frank, please, can I have that one?” Her face is almost desperate for it.

“Sure, sure” I snap out of it.

The berry paints my fingers with its purple glow as I hold it between two fingers.

“These are safe to eat... right?”

“Of course! Now give it to me!”

Amethyst opens her mouth wide, her mandibles grasp eagerly forwards. She waits, her eyes closed into happy lines.

I bring my hand closer and toss it into her mouth, out of range from the swishing mandibles, she gulps it down hole as it goes straight down her throat.

“Hey!”

Amethyst opens her eyes and stares me down.

“I can’t taste it if you throw it, I gotta puncture it with my mandibles first!”

“Okay okay, fine” I stick my hand back inside the bulb and take out another berry.

Holding it between my fingertips I bring it close to Amethyst’s mouth.

Her mandible ravenously stab through it and plonks it into her mouth, I quickly pull my hand away.

For a moment I mistake the substance trickling down my hand as blood, but I realize its violet and glistens even in the shade.

“Mmmmmm! So good! Come on Frank you’ve gotta try it!”

Frank shakes the berry juice from his hand, the liquid forms into thin solid slabs during its fall. But he is too busy fishing out more berries to notice.

I pick three berries at the same time, they all swirl in slightly different manner and speed. Their color is slightly inconsistent too.

Maybe these attributes tell of their ripeness?

I hesitate thinking of tasting these strange berries.

Amethyst ate one and she’s fine, why would I be different?

I decide to treat it as a hypothetical question and not think it logically any further.

I slip one of the three berries into my mouth.

On my tongue, its surface feels and tastes just like any other berry, like any grape.

Amethyst observes me and anxiously awaits my reaction.

As I bite into it, the liquid explodes into my mouth like it was under pressure.

An extremely sweet taste coats every part of my mouth, and I lick it all clean.

It reminds me of a peach or a mango, only a little tangy.

“It really is delicious!”

“Right!?” Her face lights up, cheekbones rising high.

I catch myself desiring more of these sweet berries, but restrain my urge.

Maybe later, if I still feel fine then.

“Hmm, what should we call these? How about... ‘Pango’?”

“Pan-go?” She elaborately pronounces and tilts her head thoughtful.

“Haha, yeah. These berries' taste reminded me of-”

“Shh” She shushes me, her antennae starting to spin around her head.

“Something is coming”

Footsteps and cracking sounds of branches echo around the forest, the sound bouncing around from the incredibly wide trees.

Amethyst’s antennae continue rotating searching for the source of the sound, like some radars.

I try to find the source, but despite the sparse underbrush, the few large plants around and the ginormous trees offered plenty of protection from being seen.

I glance back at Amethyst as I have no success, even she seemed to have trouble.

Then, an eerie silence falls.

Birdsong, the voices of the forest and even the wind had died down.

The anticipation of the unknown felt crushing.

It dawned on me just how vulnerable and helpless I really was in this situation.

Surrounded by strange flora, in a foreign landscape on another planet.

I never remembered feeling like this back in Viridian Macula.

Even in its forest rife with escaped animals from all around the galaxy.

Was my laser rifle really the source of all my confidence?

It’s not like a weapon can save you anyway.

My inner voice is interrupted as Amethyst’s antennae return to attention and she lets out a buzzing sound.

Though nothing seems to happen.

She repeats the same sound.

Rustling starts again and from a tree to our right, a Tyrchid appears from behind it.

It sports short dark green hair and green eyes, slowly approaching us it brandishes its blades.

Is it the same one who Amethyst fought with before?

Buzzing and clicking echo a warning as it advances.

Its armor is more dominantly blue than Amethyst’s, green tint in its blades too.

I didn’t realize before just how different some of the details had been between the- the-

Blood soaked blades.

Organ splattered skin.

Ravenous mandibles ripping out-

Amethyst repeats the same sound once again.

I raise my head and see her point at me and then at herself.

The green one looks directly into my eyes, wary and angry.

“Frank, the berries” Amethyst whispers to me.

Oh, right.

I still had the two ones from before, I hold my palm open and show them to it. Two overly sweet, mysterious looking Pangos.

The Tyrchid tilts its head, curious.

Amethyst says another word and with both of her blades gestures my way.

Her kin doesn’t respond anything, but starts to approach me.

A blood splatter splashes before my eyes.

A flying head of Jack.

The desperation and blame in Jill’s eyes.

The… the… blood… all the bodies…

The feast-

“Frank” Amethyst says quietly with worry, clearing my head.

I look at my hand, it's in a sideways fist.

I open it to find it empty.

Though, it moves on its own, I cannot control it.

Shaking.

Trembling.

I look up and flinch, the unfamiliar Tyrchid already right in front of me.

It responds by flinching too, retreating with a buzz.

“Sorry, it’s okay, it’s ooookaaayy”

I say in a calming voice and slowly extends a hand inside the bulb and shakily pluck a berry.

I present it and its green hybrid eyes shift focus between the berry and me, one eye at a time.

It steps closer again.

I subdue my trembling and bring my hand higher, closer to its head.

Closer to its… fangs, its claws…

Its tearing, piercing mandibles.

The Tyrchid lowers its head, I close my eyes.

A tickle of wind is all I feel, I continue to wait for an eternity, wait to feel the touch of teeth.

For my hand to be ripped off, for the blood to gush from my stump.

My head pounds and I notice just how quick my heart is beating.

I crack open an eyelid as nothing seems to be happening and find the berries nabbed from my hand.

The mandibles didn’t even brush against my skin, a much more precise eater than Amethyst.

I feel faint and realize to breath now.

The Tyrchid keeps looking at me and emits a buzzing I think I’ve heard before.

“She wants more food” Amethyst lets me know, though I don’t look at her, I keep my eyes nailed at the Tyrchid before me.

“A-alright, more Pangos then?”

I insert my right hand inside the bulb hastily, a sharp pain lets me know of my mistake.

A thorn easily punctured my skin.

“Hhhhhhhs” I restrain myself and hiss a sound of pain under my breath.

It burns like my hand was on an open flame, I cannot help but frantically check if my hand was actually aflame.

I fight through the pain and wish it isn’t poisonous, merely really painful.

I manage to pick three more berries despite the wound continuing to sear and throb.

The back of my palm trickles blood as I extend a hand to the Tyrchid again.

Noticing Amethyst’s concerned stare, I give her a forced smile and feel a trail of sweat go across my face.

The searing pain continues further down my hand and wrist, pulsing and sweltering.

The Tyrchid lowers its head again towards my unsteady hand and plucks the berries quickly.

The pain distracted me and I didn’t even have time to prepare before it was over.

It looks happy after the fact, its hostile expression gone, emitting a low buzzing noise.

“Frank, she called you a friend!” A thrilled Amethyst clamors.

“Great...” I answer and hold my hand, while balancing the bulb in my lap.

“Now answer her back”

The green Tyrchid looks at me as if evaluating me.

“What? How am I supposed to do that?” I quietly respond monotone, to not startle it.

“Come on, it’s easy, just say ‘Shuzs bfhusz’”

"H-" I control my volume: “how do you expect me to do a sound like that?”

“Just do it, she’s waiting!” Amethyst beams like she was enjoying this.

I sigh and looks at the green shaded Tyrchid, it waits patiently.

“sufzs bhousz” I try my best but even I can tell I butchered the pronunciation.

I struggled to remember what I was supposed to say, my burning hand and state of mind not doing me any favors.

At least the pain didn't seem to be getting any worse anymore.

“Frank that wasn’t even close! What are you doing?!”

“Your language is impossible!”

I continue the whispering engage.

Unexpectedly, the Tyrchid repeats the same sound back to me.

“Seems to suit her just fine. You sure you’re not rusty in your mother’s tongue?” I jest with a gleeful smile.

“What does that even mean? We don’t even have tongues!”

“That was a figure of speech, it means ‘your native language’ ”

“Oh”

We notice the green Tyrchid observing our exchange confused and we both shut up.

Amethyst turns to it.

“Flufvz”

“What did you say to it now?”

Her new friend repeats the word and points into the forest.

“I asked her to take us home”

“Smart, it definitely won’t hurt to have a local with us when we arrive there”

“Hey!” She gives me an appalling glare.

“Heh, sorry”

The green eyed Tyrchid starts walking to the forest leading the way, we follow after it.

“Should we give it a name?” I ask with a suggestion in mind.

“Her, and maybe. We gotta ask her about it later though”

“How can you tell it’s a… she?”

“It’s obvious, can’t you?”

“No… “ I admit and ruffle my hair.

“It’s their... scent, obviously the scent of a female”

“Oh, well our human’s sense of smell is so bad, we might as well not have it”

“Really?”

“I mean, comparable to you, we can still smell and stuff of course, you just have us completely outclassed”

Beat us in the hearing department too I bet.

“Anyway since you’re named after a gemstone too-”

“I am?”

“Yeah, Amethyst is a purple gemstone”

“Ah, I see…”

“We can call her Emerald, due to her green complexion”

“Emerald... a green gemstone...” Amethyst repeats, like trying to make up her mind of what to think of this, focusing on the Tyrchid before us.

"It's a good name" She eventually says and smiles at me, but it seems shallow, sadness clinging to her lips.