Species XD-63

Yellow Brick Road

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Green.

A vibrant, strong and lively green.

Stretching in front of them was a vast field with emerald crops, going up to Lola's waist. Tall yellow flowers were generously scattered throughout like the sprinkling of cocoa on a coffee. Their petals were large and waxy with the tips doused in copper, like the setting of the evening sun. 

Their ball of burning gas was a vivid orange and bathed everything in view with liquid gold - the light dripped from the branches of the trees and poolled over the crops. Much like The Wizard Of Oz, in the distance was a large building made from bricks and large trunks of trees. 

It didn't look like it belonged there. Compared to the space ship, the building was a crumbling ruin yet had all the character of a thick, leather-bound novel. In this light, Egris' pupils had turned as aquamarine as the deep-sea trenches and the flecks of gold became visible. 

The sweet scent of flowers and hay penetrated the air and filled her lungs. It wasn't a perfume - it was just the natural state of the air. 

"Welcome to Xyon." He murmured and started to walk forward.

Lola followed closely behind as they crossed the barrier from ship to land. Her skin seemed to catch a glow much like every other female who followed behind them. 

The sun on Xyon had that ability to nurture one's skin instead of damaging it, unlike on Earth. Women tended to age gracefully and maturely like a fine wine. That was also why all the male's skin was a strange blue in colour - they didn't need melanin to help with the rays or UV. 

"Just over there," he pointed to the large building, "Is the main hall. We'll head over there to get everything sorted."

"I can't believe you get to live here every day. It's just - wow." she breathed and committed as much of the scene as she could to memory. 

"You live here too now. It's our home." 

A small path had been worn out through the field with the feet of walkers. It was just wide enough for two people so Lola and Egris started to walk through, their arms brushing. He held her belongings in front of them despite Lola insisting that she should carry her own stuff. 

"So we've decided on the farmhouse, right?" Lola asked and picked a random petal from a yellow flower. 

"If that's what you would like."

"Well I haven't seen it but I like the sound of it anyway. As you said, we can always move."

"Or build our own. I'm not completely useless with a saw and hammer." Egris smirked and plucked a whole flower head and gave it to Lola.

"Never said you were." she chuckled and held her gift up to the light, "Is everywhere like this?" 

"Pretty much. It's a very green place, like I said. We like to earn a simple living from what we find around is. Our lives goal in a way."

"Very.....environmental."

He scoffed and surged ahead, a small smile playing on his rugged face. Over time, Lola had slowly started to filter out the scar and it just became a feature on his face. Although it was intimidating at first, now it's just a part of who he was. 

If anything it made him even more handsome.

A large, pearlescent butterfly with wings the size of her hand flew in front of Lola and hovered for a few seconds. It beat its wings so furiously, a hum could be heard. The light reflecting from its flakes turned it into a beacon. 

Suddenly, Egris'large palm came down and struck the butterfly in a blink of an eye. It fell to the floor, stunned than dead. 

"What was that for!" She exclaimed and looked down at the battered beauty.

"Poisonous. It wanted to get you." He said calmly and walked on. 

"Poisonous? Are they all like that?"

"No, just a few. I'll tell you if they are or not."

She nodded and looked back once more at the butterfly to see it being trodden on by an excitable Sestru. 

Poor thing.

"Hey!" He called out and latched his hand on Egris' shoulder.

Julie followed shortly behind, a small suitcase in one hand and her handbag in the other.

"You're trying to get away from us, aren't you?" Sestru joked and forced his friend back.

The power those two warriors exerted would be enough to knock a normal man down - but luckily they weren't normal and it felt like a small nudge.

"How did you guess?" Egris laughed and shoved his friend's chest. 

In a way, they still acted like children. 

"You just stormed off. Left me and poor Julie here."

At this point, Lola started to hang back from the two boys and pulled up alongside Julie. Her face was rosy with the effort of carrying two heavy bags and a thin sheen of sweat was forming.

"Here." Lola said gently and prized the suitcase from her friend's grip, "How are you feeling?"

Julie offered a fleeting smile and took in a long, laboured breath. 

"Umm, not that good? I've got some really bad nerves going on."

"Same to be honest. But you know, after a while, it'll all be alright. This will be a new experience for all of us." 

"I really hope so. We will stay in contact though, won't we? You're a good friend and that's hard to come by nowadays." Julie mused and squinted at the sun, "What time is it?"

"We will stay in contact and I don't have my watch. I'll ask Egris. Egris!"

"Yes, my sweet!" He called out behind him. 

"Do you know the time?"

He lifted up his burly arm and scanned the watch, his Prussian eyes dancing over the strange alien lettering.

"Around 6 pm Earth time."

"When does the sun set?"

"Very soon, you'll want to see it."

Lola nodded and watched as the large gas ball started to drift gently towards the curvature of the planet. It's amber rays become increasingly intense as all it's power was spread out over the fields. It would burn itself crisp then come back tomorrow morning, bright, strong and nurturing.