Angst August - 2 - Alone in the rain - Vissers
The rain fell. Stormed, strong rainfall, with rays and thunder. Everybody knew you weren't supposed to be at the beach when that was happening. Yet, Esplin stood there, looking at the ocean water.
The ocean, immense. So big it made him feel smaller than usual. And these days, he didn't feel big anytime.
<Do you want to get us killed?> Luke's voice protested in his mind.
He ignored it. He hated him. And humans. And this stupid, big planet. He wished he had arrived here with an army. Then Earth would have seen the Yeerk glory.
But it was just him. And... her.
Ugh. He didn't want to think about her. Out of any yeerk, he was stuck with the absolutely worst one. Stupid planet and stupid Edriss.
<Seriously, we're going to get shocked to death. Do you want to get shocked to death?>
He didn't. But seeing the storm... He closed his eyes for a minute. He could almost imagine his home planet. He had only see it through Gedd's and Alloran's memories, but it was so beautiful. And the storm here was the closest thing he had to that memory of memories. He stood with his eyes closed, pretending, just for a second, that he was back home. A home he never got to know, but home nonetheless.
But, as he had come to know, good things don't last.
"Wh- YOU'RE HERE!?" Edriss voice was a slap back to Earth. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!? God. Do you want to kill yourself? Is that it? Because I know faster ways. Or slower, maybe, so I can enjoy the show."
"Shut the fuck up, Edriss." Esplin said, not opening his eyes yet.
"No, you shut up. I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Wow. Miss me that badly?"
"You are, without a doubt, the most infuriating person I've ever met. You know your gang misses you, don't you?"
Esplin just shrugged. He didn't care. Not for the gang, not for the distressed voice in his head.
"Can you at least PRETEND that you're interested in the invasion we were supposed to be doing?"
"I am. And you? Am I supposed to think you're not interested in it, considering how much time you dedicate to do "other stuff"?" He made air quotes, now finally opening his eyes and turning to look at her. She looked furious. Not that he cared.
"That "other stuff" could be relevant to the mission, you know."
Esplin laughed, Edriss ignored it. "And what are you supposed to be doing here? Getting wet?"
"...I was reminiscing."
"What?"
"Remembering."
"I know what that means, dumbass. But what could you possibly reminisce about?"
"...Home planet."
Edriss looked shocked, then bit her lip and looked past him.
"Ah."
They stood in silence for a moment, looking at the sea.
"Didn't know you came from there." She said softly.
"I didn't." Before Edriss could say anything, he quickly added. "But I have seen it, through the eyes of a Gedd and Alloran's, which were much powerful eyes."
"...Huh. Did it look... Different from the andalite's point of view?"
"Certainly." Now Esplin was on his favorite subject, so his mood quickly improved. "From the Gedds' perspective, everything was a lot more hazy. Unlike Andalites, who have clearer and sharper eyes. Even humans have their vision more defined that Gedds."
Now Edriss was on her favorite subject, so she perked up instantly. "So you say that Andalite vision is akin to humans?"
"Certainly not." He made a noise of disgust. "Their four eyes allow them much better vision than anyone."
"I know, stupid, but taking one individual eye from an andalite and comparing it to a human, is the vision similar?"
...Esplin didn't like the question.
"I... Suppose so. Still, that doesn't-"
"Shut up, I have another question."
Esplin made a gagging noise. Edriss ignored him again.
"It's... What we're seeing here, similar to what Alloran saw in our planet?"
Esplin thought for a moment.
"...Somewhat. But our planet was much more yellow."
"I do remember that." She nodded. "Gedd's eyes are good enough to pick on that."
"...Huh. Do you also just remember what a Gedd's saw?"
Edriss thought for a moment if it was a good idea to answer truthfully. But Esplin had, so...
"No, I... I was born in homeworld."
Esplin turned really fast to see her.
"You're kidding."
"No, I meant it." Edriss sighed. "I was born there, Generation 682."
"How was it like?" Despite himself, Esplin felt curious.
"Well, the Andalites had already taken over a big part of it, so Gedd's were under supervision most of the time. But we had plenty of them, so I got to walk around for awhile." Edriss voice sounded lost in thought. "It was... Nice. Even with the Andalites constantly pointing their guns at me."
Esplin made a face. "Don't take it so personally, Andalite's number one fan. Like I said, it didn't bother me that much. And... The pools were nice, too. Proper pools, not like the things we call pools these days."
"What's the difference?"
"Oh, so much. Fauna and flora were aplenty in our pools, and it all felt so natural..." She sighed. "But we have new priorities now." She finished.
Esplin didn't answer for a moment.
"... I'll concede that you are right, today." He began to walk towards her. "I don't actually feel like dying right now."
"Good. Let's go, then."
"Not disappointed I didn't die?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"Like we said when we got here: plenty of space for two yeerks."
"It'll eventually be more than that."
"And then, I'll personally make sure you won't be around."
"Keep dreaming, Edriss. It'll be the only way you'll achieve that."
"Oh, I dream of that plenty, I'll assure you."
And bickering, they both left the storming beach behind.