What was this strange emotion she was feeling? She couldn’t place her vine on it for the Dirt of her. The frail Terran she had just held in her vines seemed so… Sad. Lonely. Depressed, with that look in his teary eyes. ‘Poor little thing. He must have been given such a scare, with how we arrived…’

 

Silwey Anul wasn’t sure of what she was doing. The little Terran perplexed her so, in the way he acted and wept to how his emotional instability got the better of him. A sense of curiosity was sprouting in her as she made the trip back on board her vessel. Medical personnel on board were already attempting to treat her wound but she quickly brushed them off. A vine got grazed in the scuffle by a shotgun pellet. Just a scratch and nothing more. Not even bleeding. Silwey didn’t even feel it. There were many other Affinis and Terrans that needed treatment, her little scratch could wait. 

 

Silwey stood in front of the transparent door in a medical ward on the ship. It was more of a waiting room area than anything else. Her eyes locked onto the Terran lying motionless on the bed. Why did she follow her comrades as they loaded him up? Why was it that she couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little thing.

 

She needed to know what perplexed her so much with this small little being and just standing there wouldn’t do much. With a gentle tap the doors opened making the Affini tending to Lily look towards her. “<Silwey! You’re the last bloom I’d expect to see around here.>” The nurse chimed in their native tongue, surprised to see someone who’d never seek first aid to voluntarily walk themselves into medical.

 

“<I did not come to treat myself, Bilvara, this is more a courtly visit to our captive. How is he?>” Sylwey replied, getting straight to the point of her visit.

 

“<Well if you must know. He is actually a she. Or at least that’s what I can assume Terrans consider early stages of “transitioning” I believe is the term they use?>” The nurse Bilvara spoke but soon continued seeing that emotionless expression on her friend. “<Gooooing past that, her vitals seem fine. No injuries or scratches. The damage seems to be more mental than physical.>” quickly added seeing how Silwey looked at her without a word.

 

“<And what about her crying? Why hasn’t she stopped crying even till now?>” she asked, taking a few more steps towards the bed to look at that face full of tears. 

 

“<It is hard to pinpoint the exact problem but I believe Terran’s call it “The weeping angel syndrome”>” The nurse replied.

 

"<Angel?>" Silwey asked, a bit confused by what the word meant.

 

"<It is an old name for this illness, yes. The word basically describes a form of spiritual deity. In simpler terms an underling to a god in some old Terran religions>" Her eyes met the confused expression on Silwey’s face and quickly added. “<It’s a rare condition in Terrans, so rare in fact you’d be lucky to find two people in a given world to have it. The illness bears no physical harm and the only symptom is an increased production of lacrimal fluids from its gland which makes patients shed tears more frequently. Terrans never sought to find a cure for it. And believe me. We haven’t either. It’s a curious enigma.>” The nurse spoke, explaining what she knew about the condition.

 

“<Curious…>” Silwey hummed to herself as she stepped towards the sleeping figure. 

 

Bilvara raised her eyebrow, or rather the vine that represented an eyebrow, her look going from Silwey to Lily connecting the two dots together. DING! “<OH! Can it really be!? You fancy this child?! The brave conqueror of 7 realms Silwey Anul, Twelfth Bloom had found their worthy floret?>” She said bombastically, trying to emphasize the amusing turn of events.

 

“<Get out.>” Silwey snarled, pointing to the door with a mean look in her eyes. 

 

“<OoOoooOh~. As you command thy highness.>” Bilvara chimed again, packing up her things and leaving, however before she did she quickly turned her head to add: “<I take it you’ll fill them in and call me should anything happen?>” She gave a stern ‘I’m still a nurse’ look to Silwey as she left. 

 

Silwey sat on the chair and simply looked over the weeping form on the bed. Was this possible? She’s been to more galaxies than she bothered to count. Visited so many planets. Met so many beings in that time. By her command, conquered seven galaxies. This was supposed to be her eight. The eight one she was ordered to just watch over and gain her satisfaction of growing protective vines around another galaxy. Yet now… she was doting over a Terran as if all other achievements in her life were pointless. Her mind swam. Trying to remember if she ever had such feelings in her. There was a time she thought she did. In the Perskyplavin galaxy, around the asteroid belt in the Oban system. A pretty face. But that’s all that it was. How quickly she sent that thing to domestication. Her eyes trailed back to Lily and her reminiscence of the past quickly evaporated. Her eyes were open. Slightly disconnected as the sedative drugs were still acting upon her yet visible fear was plastered on her face. 

 

“You’re up awfully quickly after such a scuffle.” Silwey’s voice flowed like a melody to Lily, who could only gasp sharply for air trying to revoke the spell of that charming voice and the constant stream of tears flooding her face. 

 

“W-what? W-where am I? Who- WHAT happened?!” Lily said as she slowly began to crawl backwards into the corner of the bed.

 

“Calm yourself young one. Your planet has surrendered. There’s no need for you to continue your aggression.” Silwey hummed her tunes while slowly tilting her head either side trying to make up her mind. 

 

Lily however only heard horror in that melody. “N-no… O-oh no… This can’t be happening! Fuck fuck fuck FUCK! Brypso fell!? Oh my stars! You’re gonna eat us all! Holy fuck how could the let this happen?! I-I-I’m too young to go out like this. I have my whole life-”

 

Silwey cut into Lily’s rambling as she raised her hand like vines. “Hey, hey, hey! We Affini don’t eat Terrans sweetie. What a preposterous idea.” 

 

Lily wasn’t buying it. Her eyes were full of fear as her heart began to race. “N-no? Y-you don’t? I don't believe you! You're lying! Just kill me! I don't wanna be tortured!” She squeaked just a little out of breath as tears began to flood her face. Her hands tightly grabbed one another's arms, starting to dig her nails into them. This was it. She was going to die but not before being tortured and eaten alive. Her sense of reasoning was completely shot as quick and shallow breaths began to hyperventilate her brain. Those nails kept on digging into her own flesh as that self preservation began to work as merciful death in her eyes. 

 

“Hmmm, tell you what. Let’s calm down first and I’ll go over what we actually are.” Silwey said not waiting for a proper answer or consent as she simply brought up a blooming flower situated on her right wrist in front of the Terran and blew on it. 

 

“Huh?” Lily didn’t know what happened but bright dust specs blew in her direction. Between the stuttery breaths of air she quickly inhaled the pollen Silwey dispersed her way. Her pupils dilated, those panicked induced thoughts just somehow became too slow for her to keep them as she almost instantly became a little bit docile. The impact of that realization hit Lily more than it should. Her hands slammed against the wall as she lost her balance, tears stopped flowing from visible fear. She was stunned by what her body just experienced. 

 

“What did you do to me?” She demanded to know, struggling to draw up her non-existent anger with Silwey’s polen in her system.

 

“Just a little something to calm your nerves darling, nothing too potent.” She stated softly, her head slowly lowered itself down to Lily’s level. “Shall we discuss what IS happening now?” 

 

‘FFFFFFFF! Stars, that voice was so melodic... ‘ 

 

“Why thank you, dear.” 

 

‘You heard that?!’

 

“You’re talking out loud sweetie~” Silwey happily chimed, amused by the Terran's actions. 

 

Lily felt her face warming up. Oh she was sure as hell blushing furiously. What was she doing?! Sedated out of her mind blushing to a xeno flirting with her. Was that really who she was?! Someone to give in so easily and just roll over? No, She was… she was supposed to... be… a protector of the people. Thoughts were getting rough to muster up together. Her eyes were desperately trying not to just dim out and stare into the void, wanting to keep focus on the Affini before them. Those lovely shining rose gold eyes, softly glowing and staring deep into her. As if to unearth her deepest darkest secrets. The poor girl tried to speak yet all that came out was incoherent half words that sure as dirt amused Silwey .

 

“Shall we start from square one, my dear girl?” the Affini woman asked. 

 

Lily inhaled a stuttered gasp of air. 'How did it…' “I-I suppose…” Lily agreed, leaning her head up against the wall to preserve her strength. “Lily… that’s… at least what they call me… But my legal name is William Pine.” 

 

Silwey gave a soft smile in return. “Silwey Anul, Twelfth Bloom.”