Chapter Text
I scanned the bustling room, feeling really proud of myself. Sure, it was a lot easier to get people to attend art openings now that money wasn't a factor in acquiring art, but one still had to get the word out to the right crowd to get sophonts who wanted to take the art home. And I could see from the color of the lights under various pieces that almost every artwork had at least three "bids."
I wish I could take credit for that invention but while I always thought to myself that art should go to the sophont who loved it the most, it was some unknown floret who came up with it. Each sophont who is interested in a piece types or speaks into the device about why they want it, and then the artist gets to collect all these wonderful comments and decide who to gift the piece to. Of course, I knew Del would end up giving one to everyone who wanted it, because with a digital-native medium like fractal art, there's no reason to choose just one.
I wandered over to my favorite of Del's new pieces, "Better Learn To Resist." It was an abstract fractal like all of Del's work, in warm browns with highlights of white and pale blue, making up the shape of a large moth surrounded by less distinct mothlike shapes, floating on a black background. The artist's statement described it as "a visual cautionary tale; a moth with flaming wings, shedding ashes and sparks. Don't get too close to the flame!"
As I gazed at it, a presence came into my awareness beside me. I smelled her before I saw her, a sweet, musty chocolate floral smell. It made me hungry, but not in a food way.
"This is such a dynamic piece," said a warm voice beside me. I looked to my side - and then up and up and up, at the plant alien that was at least twice my height. Her dark purple vines were nearly covered in glossy green leaves, and puffy yellow flowers bloomed on her shoulders and occasionally across her body. Her "hair" was a long ponytail of leafy vines covered in small bluish-white berries, and from her forehead came two translucent yellow antennae with a bulb at their tips. Her face was the dark purple of her bare vines, with two large faceted eyes embedded in them.
I'd never seen anything so beautiful. Which is saying a lot, since I'd immersed myself in art all of my life. I'd seen Affini before, but something about the warm presence of this one... or maybe her smell? Or her stars-damned goddess-shaped body... or how the vines that draped around her arms gracefully twisted in sinuous patterns... anyway, I eventually realized I was staring, and quickly looked back to the fractal.
"Yeah, it really tells a story," I replied. "This is one of my favorites of Del's new work. It has such a threatening yet alluring vibe."
"Threatening? I don't see that," mused the affini. "I see it as a glorious transformation. Those" -- she gestured with a vine to the smaller mothlike shapes -- "seem to be past selves, being shed as the moth shakes them off to move into a new life."
I tilted my head, examining the piece with that interpretation in mind. I could see it, and that did change the whole vibe of the piece to something empowering, strong, forceful even.
"Hm, I can see that, but my interpretation of the piece is that it's a moth who got too close to a flame, and singed its wings. I see those bits as the parts of its wings that have been burnt off or caught on fire and are floating like ash and sparks in the air."
Her body rippled in a way that I somehow knew meant amusement. "What a pessimistic view," she said, her warm voice making me feel gently mocked. "Still, this is why I enjoy abstract art so much. There are so many ways to perceive it."
I forgot my slight embarrassment immediately as excitement took its place, and I bounced on my heels. "Same! I love to interpret and hear other sophonts' interpretations. I always make Del share the feedback afterward so I can know all the interpretations that I would never have seen."
"What about you? Do you make abstract art for people to project their perspectives onto?"
"Oh, no, my art is more representational."
"What is your subject matter?"
Shit. I was hoping she wouldn't ask that.
"It's usually mystical or mythical. Like, dryads and centaurs and naga."
"I would love to see that!"
"Well... it's also kind of... niche. It's, uh, not everyone's taste." I squirmed a little, avoiding looking at her.
"How so?"
Stars, she just kept on prying. I forced myself to answer. Lying is too gross.
"Well, it's usually kinky or sexual to be honest."
Her eyes landed on me with what I could have sworn was an audible thump -- and then I realized that sound was my breath falling out of my body like I got punched.
"It might not be everyone's taste but it certainly falls within the realm of Mine," she purred.
I felt small and exposed under her gaze. What the fuck is this! How is she doing this?! I wrenched my gaze away. Yeah she was gorgeous but I'm the top, starsdammit.
After I took a second to regain my composure, I turned on my best top charm, determined to turn the tables. "You should come to my place sometime and I'll show you my work, then. Maybe you could even pose for me." As I said this I felt my confidence returning. This had worked on so many Terrans, no reason it wouldn't work on a plant version.
She smiled and I saw a flash of sharp thorns. "I would be honored. Let's exchange contact information -- but first I should introduce myself. I was so drawn in by the conversation that it completely slipped my mind. Saliceae Azara, 5th bloom, she/her."
"Acorn Ramirez, they/them. What's a bloom?"
"Affini rebloom every so often to reset our telomeres, essentially. Blooms vary in length but can be as much as 300 Terran years."
My brain skipped right over the impossibility that this creature was 1,500 years old. "Oh, so you introduce yourself with your age? Well, lemme try again. Acorn Ramirez, 27 years, they/them."
Saliceae's body rippled harder than before, and she made a sound like wooden windchimes, which inexplicably made me giggle. Her eyes gleamed with sparks of pink and violet. "So adorable! thank you, Acorn."
I flushed a little at the praise and attempted to change the subject. "So, I don't know how we'd contact each other actually, I'm guessing you live on one of the ships in orbit? That would probably rule out texting."
"That's right, Acorn, I live on the Lepidophylla." She gestured upwards with a vine, tilting her head and smiling at me. "And you terrans are so charmingly rustic with your little short-range communications. You can message me on the Affinity app; it's designed for cross-platform communication."
"I thought that was some kind of dating app?"
"It does have a matchmaking function, but its primary purpose is messaging. Hand me your communicator and I'll install it for you and give you my contact information."
She reached out with her woven hand, and the blooms on her shoulder shimmered with her movement. The smell of warm, vibrant chocolate flooded me. I unlocked and handed over my communicator before I even realized what I was doing.
what the fuck did I just do!? I never let anyone touch my communicator, much less some random stranger! This is exactly how you get hacked in every one of those old films. Rookie move! I can't ask for it back now though, stars dammit.
It took barely any time before she handed it back, screen open to a conversation with "GoddessAzara." She'd set my username as "CrackingAcorn" which was a little weird -- is that like "cracking wise"? did she think I was some kind of jokester? She did seem to laugh a lot at things I said. It was fine though, I'd change it later.
"Thank you," I said, pocketing it. "I should get back to my duties now. I'm meant to be encouraging sophonts to put in their bids. Which reminds me, you should definitely bid for this one. I think your interpretation would make Del really happy."
Saliceae smiled gently, her antennae bobbing down towards me. "I will do that, Acorn. I look forward to your message later."
I nodded and strode off, trying to seem confident and busy rather than running away in a queer panic.
