Sylksskra took a deep breath as she looked at Phrillisk in his black eyes ‘Their eyes are so sparkly but this one is getting away from the point’ She let out a quick chirp to clear her throat before starting her song “This one believes that you people are quite particularly nice” She quickly complimented.

Phrillisk burst into a weird warbling at this as he wiped at his eyes ‘Oh shithole, did this one accidentally insulted them?’ She composed as she held the translation instrument closer to her chest “Oh, you poor, poor, thing, you are too innocent to us” He responded in turn as he continued wiping at his eyes.

She gave a nervous trill back, head tilting and crest feathers weirdly swaying “Right, let’s get back to the duet now, this one wanted to sing a couple questions your way and mayhaps you want to sing to this one some questions in return” Sylksskra sang as she got through the trilling.

She received a curt decisive nod “That would be preferable, though honestly I still can’t believe some parts of your physiology, how do you even evolve into this point and then there is the question of if there are other habitable worlds out there than ours and yours” He agreed with her song.

“That could very well be arranged, this one can personally sing that your physical forms are unique as well in many ways to us, so interested to figure out what makes one sapient in the first place” She paused as she repeated a nod of her own ‘This one understands the gesture but still, it’s not exactly natural’ She mentally composed as she brightened her crest feathers.

Phrillisk just curled his maw a bit in response ‘Now that gesture, this one wonder what that means’ She composed before he replied “That is a wonderful spot to start as well, it’s less a biological thing and more of a mixture of culture and environmental factors” Replied Phrillisk with another nod.

She put some thought into it “Yeah, this one does wonder how you all come into being, mayhaps we could start with that though this one isn’t too sure” She replied ruffling her crest feathers “That is fine, just ask or sing away to your hearts content” He assured her as she repeated her earlier nod.

‘This one is definitely improving at it, mayhaps it be something to pick up but this one shall not be allowed to fail any more’ She decided as she gave a happy consented chirp as well on instinct “That is wonderful, if you don’t mind this one asking, you people don’t seem to be adapted to the cold as much as we are” She pointed out as the instrument translated her song to the song of the people of Dirt.

Phrillisk just nodded for the third time “Good examination, no we’re not adapted to any cold climate but actually from a hotter savannah environment” He answered as she tilted, crest feathers swaying with “Savannah?” She repeated those word though in her own language so he seemed confused.

She quickly realized her mistake and clarified with help from the instrument “Oh, it’s an environment which has a warmer temperature with small amounts of larger flora, it’s quite spacious and values those whom are faster, it’s why we have sweat after all” He answered as soon as he realized.

“Is that the things that come from your eyes or the one from your skin?” She questioned as he seems to perk up at this “Wh-how do you know about that sort of stuff?” He asked as his glare narrows at her ‘Is it, is it, insensitive to sing about such bodily fluids?’ She composed as she gave a quick nervous trill.

“Well, whenever you seem to get nervous, Lorrisskr noticed that there seem to be faint trickle of some liquid on your bare skin when you get nervous or so we observed and well, your eyes have some weird watery things when you do that cute mouth opening yawning thing” She admitted.

He gave her a look for a few moments before letting out a low hiss “Well, the first of it is sweat, it’s a way for our body to release excess fluid in order to cool ourselves down, keep up our pace though it causes our bodies to smell and I’m surprised you never commented about that” He answered one.

She blinked as she tilted her head “What is smell?” She asked in song “That can’t be right, your translation thing technology is capable of translating the more common parts of our language English right?” Phrillisk asked in disbelief as she gave her own nod in quick response.

“Smell is a common word in our language, it’s when you sense something through your nose, the breathing orifice, picking up a scent, odor and the ability to perceive things through their pheromones, you do have antenna for a reason” He pointed out as she just stood there.

‘Oh, right pheromones, this one is an idiot’ She let out a low sigh as she finally understood it all “Well, this one does suppose we have what you would call a sense of pheromones in a basic sense, you do make some interesting albeit weird pheromones though” She admitted as she picked her memory.

He seemed to shook his head as he looked upon her once more “Well, I suppose that’s that but now upon the second question, the things coming out of our eyes are called tears, they’re there to protect and to moisten our eyes up” He explained as he pointed to his own eyes as reference.

“Oh, so it is a way to moisten one’s own sight organs than, fascinating as it would be more effective than our methods” She replied as Phrillisk continued to stare her down “What is your method?” He asked her as she froze on the spot “It’s uh… indecent and not good” she quickly replied in to which he shrugged.

She took a moment to compose herself before continuing “Do you really want to know though?” Sylksskra asked him quite clearly to which Phrillisk just gave a quick nod in response ‘May the Glow forgive this one for what she is to do and enlighten another with’ She composed a prayer.

She took a deep breath before she licked her eye with her tongue “That’s… that’s it? It just looks like a common thing here on Dirt” He replied as he stifled what appears to be a trilling as Sylksskra’s crest feathers started to uncontrollably flare and switch in color form embarrassment.

“It’s social suicide! It’s indecent and taboo to clean your eyes when in public spaces or when talking to another and it’s something looked down upon to those who have been shown to do it!” She countered as her embarrassment turned to anger for a moment, the antenna glowing a deep red and she bared her teeth for a moment before calming down after getting her bearings.

Phrillisk on one hand seemed taken aback at her sudden outburst “Okay, I apologize for that, it’s my fault for laughing at something you would find as humilitating and indecent when I was the one that asked you to do it in the first place” He apologized after a moment of aloof.

She let out a low sigh after a few deep breathes “It is fine, this one forgives one such as yourself” She sang ‘Plus, this one did a sudden outburst of anger there, thank the Glow that it did not cause a very diplomatic incident’ She also composed as she brightened her feathers.

“Well, I’m glad that you think like that, my heart nearly stopped there when you got mad there, do your kind always have glowing antenna?” He asked with observation “That is correct, it’s something instinctual from way back before the Glow found us all” She answered the question in song.

He gave her an inquisitive look as she could tell ‘Their faces are surprisingly expressive, this one could tell even though it’s been 3 days’ She thought before the questions come forward “So, what is the practical implication of that glowing organ? It certainly isn’t a target in the dark since you seem to be able to control when it glows or how bright” Phrillissk asked pointing toward the sensory organ.

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Sylksskra gave him a single curt nod before unclenching her jaw “It is a hunting instrument one uses it to attract prey” She simply sang “How so?” He simply asked her in turn “Well, they used to be much longer and have a more alluring glow but our world is a bit dark and well, light is rare and sought after by most to the point that one can use it as a lure” She explained with a splay of her ears and antenna.

“Oh, so it’s like an aglerfissk then” She blinked as she tilted her head at the foreign word “A what?” She chirped a question in confusion, her feathers dropping in turn “Sorry, of course you don’t know what that is, it’s a type of animal here that lives in the deep ocean, they use light to lure other fissk into their waiting jaws” He explained some.

Sylksskra let out a short breath as she rolled her ears “Ah, this one supposed that that would be quite a similar creature in hunting strategy if not biology” She sang as she gave him a steady look “It is just that, now, why don’t you tell me what this ‘cute mouth opening yawning thing is about?” He asked her as she frozed at his incredulous look and started to internally panic once more.

Phil watched as Sylvia stammered at her words some and then started to nervously speak or in her case sing with the translation machine “What is one such as yourselves singing about?” She lied as her feathers seem to transition from colors both bright and dark multiple times and quickly.

Phil just shook his head ‘I still can’t believe how insanely human like they are, still it does make it easier to actually speak and interact with them at the very least’ He thought as he cleared his throat “Sylvia, I will say my piece that you are particularly bad at lying” He countered as she looked even more flushed.

“Th-This one has no idea what you’re singing about still, lying? This one is not lying” She tried assuring him and only achieved making herself look even more suspicious in turn “You know, I think your kind looks cute as well, you have a lot of the right qualities for such a title” He admitted as he watched as she just blinked and stared blankly at him for a few seconds.

She tilted her head before chirping “You do?” He nodded in response to the quick question “I suppose others find it as well, I mean there is a lot of cute art already surfacing now that people have a general description 0f your people, we humans generally have a thing for fluffy creatures as a whole”

He scratched at his hand on the table as he awaited a response “That is, very nice then, this one did not expect that at all” She admitted as her feathers stopped at a bright blue color “Be honest with me here, what do you and the others of your kind think we look like?” He asked in turn.

She darted her eyes around for a bit as she scratched the back of her head “Adorable? You people have many traits which many would find pleasing to look at, the short snout, smooth head of feathers, the bare featherless skin, look like hatchlings… Yeah this one supposed we share the same sentiment here as well” She finally admitted as Phil and Sylvia both sighed or hissed lowly at the same time.

‘I would never in a million years predict that we would be the cute aliens, I mean them being cute could happen but I did not expect it to be both at the same time’ He thought as he shook his head “Well this turned weirder than it was supposed to be don’t you reckon?” He asked her as she nodded.

“It is that, this one supposes that we both got off at the wrong station here” She acknowledged it “Say, what does a hatchling of your species look like?” Phil asked generally curious “This one will show it to you if you show this one what a hatchling of your kind looks like” She gave a counter-offer.

“Alright then, let me just do a bit of image searching” Phil mused as he accepted it “Same here as well” Sylvia sang as she pulled out what looks to be a tablet bigger than a phone but smaller than an actual tablet and way too thick and looking a bit futuristic as well out of what appears to be a pocket.

They both gently placed the electronic device on the table and with a nod from both sides, they slid the devices to each other and then pick it up. Phil had to hold in an awing gasp as he stared at the thing in front of him ‘…On second thought, I think I need to update my list of the cutest thing ever witnessed by mankind, god is this one of the cutest things I ever saw’ He gulped as he realized it.

He took a glance and Sylvia just stared blankly at the screen and seem to not be reacting to badly unless you take a look at how her tail was wildly moving ‘Is she stunned?’ He wondered as he begrudgingly put the weird alien tablet down and waved a hand in front of her sight to no avail.

He took a deep breathe before patting her on the head and felt the sheer fluffiness of her feathers “Shit, I get what Ellie was talking about now’ He mentally cursed as that seem to rile her up enough to snap her out of that trance like state that she was in.

“This one requires additional updates to be made on the list of the cutest things ever discovered in the void” She blurted out which then gets instantly translated as Phil stifled a chuckle at that “Oh good, we think the same thing then, though I suppose we should really stop with the head pats unless you get the wrong idea that we greet each other with this gesture”

“Oh, what is it used for then?” She asked as he patted her again “To give cute things what they deserve, a warm nice pat on the head” He answered as he chuckled “Oh, this one was being modest before when we thought it was a greeting but… it’s actually a bit uncomfortable since your internal temperature is a bit higher than what we’re used to” She spoke up as he ears drooped and feathers darkened.

Phil blinked a bit before recoiling his hand away “I am so sorry about that, I did not realize that it would be uncomfortable for you” He instantly apologized as he mentally cursed himself “It’s fine, it does feel a bit nice if not for the temperature and it is technically how we greet others”

“Huh, that is a bit of a coincidence isn’t it” He pointed out as she splayed her ears and antenna ‘There’s way too much coincidences here, something’s up’ Phil wondered as he felt something was patted on his head and saw that Sylvia took advantage of the time that he was thinking to pat him.

‘Oh… yeah that does feel a bit uncomfortable, I can see where she’s coming from’ He thought as he felt a light chill at the touch “I can see where you’re coming from, I won’t do it again in the future and I’ll instruct Ellie to do the same” He assured her to which her feathers seem to brighten up.

“That would be nice, this one thanks you for that” She bowed slightly at that last bit “No need, I’m just doing what I’m normally doing which is just talking really, say let’s get back on topic with what we’re supposed to be doing alright?” He suggested as she nodded once at that.

Phil smiled as he nodded as well ‘She’s getting a hang on the nodding, I wonder how our two species will interact once this is all over since war seems quite unlikely’ He thought as he coughed to clear his throat “So, why don’t we start with a simple question of where did your species come from and your points of origins, to understand a creature best is to understand where it comes from” He explained.

Sylvia seems to think about it for a bit as she rested her head on one of her wings or arms “Our kind, the Ferrenti have existed for many years on our home world, that is for sure. Our planet is a colder and darker place than this one and much farther out to our own star than this one” She started.

Phil nodded along with the informational dump “But, it didn’t used to be like that a thousand or so years prior, despite it’s distance, the star was large and the light was extreme and we were only adapted to the colder parts of the far parts of the world where only the cold remains and resources were scarce”

She looked at him and took a deep breathe “And then the Glow came, it’s coming rocked the world and it reshaped it to our liking. Though our original homes became not but frozen wastes, the clouds came and darkened the sky and down comes the snow, it also changed us to what we are today, the lands darkened even further and the star’s influence staggered above the clouds.

It imbued its essence everywhere and those whom were not accepting of it found their bodies failing and weird growths growing all over. It also created for us ruins and dungeons some fraught with dangers to explore and to test our mettle rewarding us with boundless technological riches all for only worship.

There was still enough light for flora to grow and such but it is much less and at times we can see the void above, where the glow came and where it left and it beckons us to come and well, here we are now with this one standing by one such as yourself” She finished as she looked at Phil with a blank stare.

He gave one of his own “Quick sidenote, how old is your species?” He asked as she seems to think about it for a moment “Well, this one shall put it on your world’s years than, judging by how fast the rotation and the orbit, this one supposed that we have existed for some 800 give or take a few dozens based on the years of your people since our birth by the Glow” She was quick to answer the question in song.

Phil just frozen and stared blankly into space at that realization “That’s the version from the scriptures, in reality we don’t exactly have any fossil records or any other sources that survived, what we do know is that others were there before us but wiped themselves out and well, we replaced them” She added though Phil heed no attention and continued staring even after Sylvia patted him multiple times.