Rose Blumen ~ Exogignesthai

(Zeslinry)

I suffer a little from the sea sickness. Although everything in the landscape are saharian grey and golden sands.

It’s because we ride the beast that flies on too many wings to easily count.

Myls is on her head. I’m behind trying to hold on, along with Grape.

Grape and the great bird manage to communicate.

G – There’s one. A good one ahead.

She laughs, flushes. I’m sick, but cheerful as well.

I’ve cut my hair shorter because of the warmth of this land. Myls on the contrary looks like she’s thriving and growing, full of life. Her long hair is wild and dirty, but looking healthy. There’s more meat on her bones, and her face looks like herself again. Minus the eyepatch.

But one good eye is all she needs, obviously.

Sanïssia flies and crawls, gallops in a way, at very low altitude over the barren lands.

A little further ahead appears an oasis where we’ll come to a stop.

~

The sea is close by actually, but it feels like we’re in the middle of the continent.

I drink some of the exotic fruit juices mixtures that Grape made for us.

Myls chats with her voluminous friend, as its head goes closer to a specific tree.

Grape nods and confirms.

It’s a pine tree. Surrounded my more appropriate flora for the area. This one tree is abnormal with where it’s located. It’s likely a mutant. Grape examines its needles and its bark. She nods a yes again.

The great beast opens its mouth wide, dislocating its soft jaws to open wider.

The beast dives from above, all over and around the tree, diving into the ground and swallowing it whole.

The head swallows at least one metric ton of earth along with the full tree, now packed safely inside of its throat.

We rest a little while, and then return home as we came.

~

Sanïssia lands over the sea by the shore, and then crawls her way over the gardens.

With her help, we’re collecting all the friends Grape can find. Peculiar species of the surrounding lands, with potential as she says.

The odd pine tree is soon regurgitated softly in a new place, re-potted as a simple bulb or house plant.

Grape then uses her magic to reinvigorate the roots of the tree so it fully settles there in this new place.

Around us, a phantasmagorical jungle is growing. Real woods grow already.

The garden of Grape is now slowly growing over the colourful desert.

The shrubs grind and win a few metres every month or so against the dry land. It’s going incredibly fast really.

The vineyards by the seaside remain the same at the heart of the garden. But now, surreal woods grow around and slowly expand. Grape has a dream. And it’s lush.

They’re comprising the species that were already around as well. Now we just add to it all the new ones we venture to collect. The diversity grows and hybridise. It’s a melting pot growing richer every time.

Creating new shrubs, moss and trees, before you even know it. Grape’s will is behind this speed.

Grape herself is as merry and alcoholic as ever.

However what has changed is that will to expand her territory, and to remain awoken as long as possible this time.

Z – Why this new desire of growth?

G – Because you three are funny to live and drink with.

Fair enough.

We drink into the night with her, celebrating the finding of the day, or something. Grape doesn’t need anything specific.

~

I wake up with a headache, but both my brain and my liver are getting gradually accustomed and tougher against hangovers. You need it with this host.

Grape is looking at the sea outside, from the dam balcony.

Z – Good morning Grape.

G – Hello Zes.

She has that kind way to smile on the rare occasions she’s not laughing or drinking. She’s as friendly as humans can be. It should be a sad thing, but she makes it easy truly.

I open a coconut and begin to eat.

Outside, Sanïssia covers the dam like a cat-like vine, messily but softly lying all over the place.

Sanïssia herself is much skinnier than before, and her wings have darkened. The tip of them has turned darker and almost black.

Grape, and the young one I heard had fused to Sanïssia, helped the bird adapt to her new environment.

The wonders of what Evolution could do with a million trials, this is what they become in this day and age.

Sanïssia still prefers to eat trees, but isn’t allowed to eat the garden woods. She’s lost a lot of weight with her forced new diet.

A little while later, Myls appears, sloppy but full of life.

She kisses me good morning. I let it slide now.

She has something else than my cheek in mind though, I can tell at her smile. Something further away caught her attention.

M – I think I know where we should go for the next unusual tree.

Grape looks even more surprised to hear this than me.

~

The sea.

All blues and green, as far as we can see.

Sanïssia sails fast, but makes me more easy in flight regarding sea sickness. She slides over the waves instead of breaking them, and my tummy doesn’t enjoy this.

We’re heading north east at great speed.

Not toward Grape’s native island as we first suspected.

No, something more amazing.

Something even Grape could only dream off.

We sail toward a lonely island, with dots in the sky above it.

Not birds. Globe trees.

Trees, floating above ground, spreading branches to form globes essentially.

Grape is agape.

Old friend, we found the island back.

Myls feels like an explorer on the trail of previous ones, and now discovering the great treasures they left behind.

She’s almost squealing her joy. She found the legendary island.

I’ve rarely seen her so happy.

Sanïssia circles around the island and its reefs, letting us enjoy the sight of the floating trees above it and all around like ballons.

~

While Myls and I went leisurely around, the beasts went to grab and pluck as much as they could carry.

Grape’s garden will open its options to the third dimension. The prospects are hard to imagine.

M – I think she has a dream of an entirely vegetated world. At her own merry pace, she’ll be happy to turn this desert into a new primordial jungle.

Z – She sure does look happy.

We can hear her laugh in the distance. On a human perspective, it’s an innocent and almost childish laugh.

Hopefully, for the species she is, it is as well.

Myls scratches her hollow eye socket, underneath the leather patch. Her long messy hair floats a little with the sea breeze.

She notices me gawking at her.

M – What is it?

Z – I’m proud, so proud!

I give her an embarrassing motherly hug. She hates it so much I end up laughing.

She finally pulls herself free from my embrace. I fall on my bottom from the struggle.

She’s conflicted but gives me her hand to help me stand back up.

M – Don’t break your hip bones already old one.

Z – He. Young punk.

I love you so much, brat.

She smiles it back eagerly at me.

Sanïssia in the distance gobbles another flying tree like a mere fruit, her wings stretched beautifully in the landscape.

~