The Emerald gives all of its creations a motive. Buzzing Nest was no exception. They were tasked with “to think”. They spent all of their time thinking and making others think. Never once did they do anything else. When I first met Buzzing Nest, they showed me to think in ways beyond my imagination. I’ve been following them ever since.

People of Gemsoil believe in the power and weight of words, they hardly write anything down. I don’t condone that at all. I want Buzzing Nest’s teachings to be seen by everyone. Because I believe Gemsoil would be a greater place if we all just think.

“If an evil person acts good, does that make them a good person?”

Our silence was broken by my emerald teacher, Buzzing Nest with one of their thought experiments. I was going over my notes and they were tending to their garden. They plucked an icerose out and moved toward me so I could see it better. I felt its chilling aura while taking a sniff. It smelled of howling gales.

“You see, the icerose’s roots are fierce on the soil they are planted in. This flower comes from the Soilpeak. So naturally, an icerose clings tightly to soil and treats it harshly to squeeze out its needed nutrients. In its very nature, this flower is harmful and destructive.

They moved away, towards a bush of winterberries. Digging some dirt out, the gentle emerald put the icerose right in the middle of the winterberry patch.

“Winterberries won’t grow in this region’s climate. However, by planting the icerose with them, we can emulate the frozen continent’s winter. Our ill-tempered flower allows me to grow winterberries right here in my home.”

It was a good analogy for his question. Buzzing Nest was a lover of flora, they knew details no one bothered to observe or learn. This type of analogy was common with them. I put my notes aside before answering. I looked into the icy reflection in their eyes as I spoke.

“We can certainly say that this harmful flower is helping the winterberries. A bad-natured being doing good.”

They looked back into my eyes with a half-smile. Their thin yet rough hands slowly caressed the icerose. A couple of petals of the icerose dropped, then the winterberry patch quickly gave its fruit. They handed me a handful. It was chilly, juicy, and a bit stiff. The analogy continued.

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“The winterberries need the icerose. While for the icerose…”

Buzzing Nest warmly stroked the cold icerose once again. Instead of giving more of its plumpy berries, the winterberry bush wilted dry along with its soil. As they pulled out the icerose, the remaining petals abandoned their flower.

“...It consumed more and more until it could no longer.”

I retorted. Not because I didn’t agree or the analogy was lacking, I was simply curious.

“Putting aside the morality of the icerose, if you were the winterberry would you have accepted the icerose? Would you let yourself be harmed, just to live and create? Would you live a life, knowing it will be cut short?”

They placed themselves right in front of me and crouched down on the pink-hued grass. I waited and gave them time to think. Ironically, Buzzing Nest never spent their time “to think”. They always said thinking before speaking took away sincerity, and saying the first thing that comes to mind gives depth to conversations. Before their hip even touched the grass, words effortlessly flowed out of their mouth.

“Asking an emerald about death is quite ironic. If I didn’t know you and I didn’t know myself, I would say something like death is just a part of the loop of life. So I will give you an answer that befits your question.

From diamonds with their gem hearts to eternal bodies of us emeralds, human nature holds all of us hostage. That very nature is why we build our bridges. As long as we live, we strive to create. To create is to plant pieces of ourselves into our soil. Gemsoil is a garden of countless flowers, each carrying the souls of those who wandered through these lands.

We live our lives, knowing they will be cut short. We will let harm come our way if it means that we will live. We live so we can create.”

These were the words that made me start writing down about Buzzing Nest. I never told them about this, I fully knew they would object to it. I’m sorry my great teacher but words are like your darling flowers, they need to be planted to survive.

My question was answered but the main topic was yet to be resolved.

“Only because of the icerose the winterberry was able to create. No matter how evil it is, it was a necessity. Dear teacher, my answer to your initial question is…”

These writings are not of my flower, dear reader. My answer holds no value above yours. I trust that you will grow your very own flower from the seed planted by our teacher, Buzzing Nest. Do not try to find your answers from someone else. Think.

To close this consultation, I would like to plant a seed of my own. Does the necessity of evil, redeems its nature?