The irangels became accustomed to life on planet Iredescent. There were so many sights and so much to learn. It took a while to get used to living on a planet where everything sparkled, where animals could telepathically speak, where money didn't exist, where anyone can fly a personal spaceship, where the interstellar music phenomenon Eleven Silvers took precedence, where creativity flourished, and where tiramisu reigned extraordinary over all the dessert choices.

Tiae Sivkov and Cloridy Dimiychuk were some of the most ecstatic irangels. The two women absolutely loved their new lives on planet Iredescent. They co-owned a fashion studio that was halfway submerged in water, so they could accommodate both finned and winged customers. Their fashion studio, "the Sparkly Rack", wasn't far from Auraglen, located in a city called Suetveor. It was entirely sparkly in multicolors and all kinds of glitters and shimmers.

Cydtin blinked his eyes as he walked inside the fashion studio, a humorous smirk appearing on his face as he thought, Luciu would not survive here.

Luciu was notorious for being anti-glitter, despite being an Iredescent with diamond skin shimmer. Desmond once pranked him by filling Luciu's bedroom entirely with glitter. In retaliation, Luciu threatened to teleport him to the moon. Cydtin shook his head at the memory and at the reality that the pranks would continue until Luciu eventually surrendered to glitter.

Tiae was busy with a customer in the underwater section while Cloridy was in the backroom processing an order. Cydtin's sparkly hand rested on the counter as he stood patiently waiting.

After the merman customer left, Tiae gasped and exclaimed at the sight of Cydtin. She emerged from the water, her fins becoming legs as she went through a room divider. Tiae draped on a skirt and tied a white shirt over her light pink cami, dressing as fashionably as the clothes she created and mended.

Tiae eagerly seized Cydtin from around the counter at the same time Cloridy appeared from the backroom and attacked Cydtin with hugs, saying excitedly, "Cydtin Mikasian! I'm so glad you're here for your clothes! I know you said you wanted that blazer to be dark blue, but Tiae and I totally changed it to make you look like a galaxy prince."

"Galaxy prince?" Cydtin murmured, smiling and shaking his head. "I'm just Cydtin Mikasian."

"A galaxy prince named Cydtin Mikasian," said Tiae, giving Cydtin a flirty wink as she handed him the blazer. Through the beautiful holographic bag, Cydtin could see the blazer was a stylish blue combined with galaxy blue and purple, with silver sparkles throughout. It was indeed a blazer befitting of a man nicknamed "the Galaxy Prince".

"Put it on," Cloridy urged him, already reaching over and taking off his jacket, stripping him of it.

"The pants too," Tiae said eagerly, her hands undoing his belt buckle.

Alarmed, Cydtin exclaimed, "Hey!" and attempted to back away, but the women were adamant to strip Cydtin. He had no choice but to submit as his clothes were taken off him, the women's enthusiasm overpowering his reluctance to strip.

At least they didn't strip me of my underwear, Cydtin thought gratefully, relieved that the women allowed him to keep his black boxers on. Their sensual thoughts were enough to make him blush beet red.

The women gawked over his lean, fit body. They regarded him for a moment longer before putting a beautiful blue shirt and pants on Cydtin prior to donning him in the galaxy prince blazer. The women stood in silence, their eyes wide as they admired their masterpiece, then they began excitedly commenting how handsome he looked.

Cydtin blushed from their appreciative thoughts, some a little too much for his comfort. "Thank you, ladies."

Warm sunshine wrapped Cydtin in golden sparkles as he left the fashion studio, floating down on him from above. Cydtin paused for a moment just to enjoy the warm feeling, his tears misting as he remembered Kaylie and Yennisse, missing them once again. Every time he felt warm sunshine on him, Cydtin thought of Kaylie and Yennisse.

Then Cydtin heard a man's voice exclaim, "Watch out!" and he ducked in time to avoid an incoming spaceship. After the spaceship passed him and began lifting back upwards towards the sky, Cydtin looked up, realizing that it was Vengimi instructing Stripes how to pilot his ship, hearing Trixy's chuckle as Stripes accidentally flew a little too low and Annika's happy cheer when he avoided hitting a purple tree.

Life is so wonderful here, Cydtin thought, enjoying knowing that his irangel brothers and sisters were having the most fantastic life on Iredescent. A life that couldn't be possible on Earth.

________________

Changes came with time, bringing new chapters to the irangels' lives. Weeks passed far too quickly, each day a new and different experience.

Not long after the ship piloting lesson, Stripes decided to permanently move to planet Mijishin with Vengimi and Trixy. He hadn't seen his father since he was nine years old. Now that father and son are finally reunited, neither wanted to be apart. Annika chose to move with Stripes, not wanting to be separated from her boyfriend. Stripes promised to keep in touch with the irangels via comect and to visit from time to time.

Demian gave Stripes a warm, lasting hug. "I will miss you, brother. But I know you will be happy with your family." Demian gave Vengimi an appreciative smile, including Trixy in his smile. "I wish you all the best. May the stars shine bright for you." The last statement was an intergalactic saying for space travelers.

Vengimi shook hands with Demian before giving him a hug. "I can never thank you enough for looking after my son in my absence."

"Thank me back by looking after your son in my absence," Demian said in response.

"Told you it would all work out in the end," Trixy told Vengimi as she playfully nudged him. "There's no need to feel any more regret for leaving him. If you hadn't left, you wouldn't have met me, Demian wouldn't have saved your son from his abusive mother, and Matvei wouldn't have turned into an irangel." Trixy turned to Stripes, hugging him warmly and running a hand through his blondish caramel hair. "We are both so proud of you. We're happy you're finally coming home."

My true home with my true family, Stripes realized, feeling tears in his eyes.

The irangels took turns hugging Stripes, expressing their wishes and sentiments. The irangels and Iredescents wished them all a good journey, giving hugs and chocolates, before letting them on their way.

After the departure of Stripes and Annika, the irangels somewhat sobered, realizing that they were free to do as they wished, that they could even move to a different planet if they wanted. With no enemies to fight and no problems to conquer, there was more time to focus on what they wanted for themselves.

For some, it was a career change. Because money did not exist on planet Iredescent, that meant people could choose work and careers based on their passions and interests, rather than income.

Luciu attempted food delivery service, due to his teleportation ability, before he became a pilot, enjoying the spectacular views from sunrises and sunsets. Later he decided to become a structural designer, implementing ideas for skyscrapers and buildings with marvelous architecture.

Cydtin and Civic continued to model, this time for Tiae and Cloridy's fashion studio. Teran, Anders, Inlivido, and Desmond also became models, but under the condition that they weren't subjugated to any stripping. However, the "no strip" policy only pertained to minors and those who were in a relationship with someone.

"Wonderful. That means Tiae and Cloridy can strip and dress us like Barbie dolls until we get a girlfriend, then we're 'no strip' because of that respect," said Inlivido, aware of his good looks, but not entirely uncomfortable with the enthusiasm garnered from the two fashion designers. Though the women didn't touch without consent, they were gleeful in admiring.

"I don't mind it much," said Anders, used to being the highlight attraction. "I like being adored."

Ironically, it was Anders who successfully entered the 'no strip zone' while the men who wanted to enter it, arrived later.

Turns out, a library was the place to meet people. Anders wasn't much of a reader. He spent more time looking in a mirror than reading a book. Ever since Anders first noticed Elivra, he had wanted to get to know her, but he didn't really have the chance to since everything moved so fast and there was so much going on at the time. Now that the irangels had settled in their new Iredescent life and things had slowed down considerably, Anders finally had the time to get to know some of the new irangels.

Elivra was the one who caught his interest. She often spent hours in the library, reading mostly fantasy and adventure books. Anders often hung out with Elivra in the library where they would drink tea and read books together. Elivra liked his company and appreciated the time spent with him.

With the increasing duration of time spent in the library came an increasing interest of returning to a hobby that Anders had neglected since working at a steel company in Sweden. Anders found he enjoyed travel books the most. Anders told Elivra of the time he went to South America with Cydtin, Kaylie, Inlivido, and Neveah, and of how he toured the Egyptian pyramids, Israel, and the Middle East. Elivra had been to various parts of Pakistan, but never to another country.

As Anders got closer to Elivra, Stripes got closer to Annika. Ever since he met her, he had a crush on her and he was always the one who carried her, since finned ones couldn't fly. He hadn't had much time to really dwell on his feelings for Annika, having been too preoccupied with Cydtin getting out of control. Now that there were no longer any problems and there wasn't anything urgent that required his attention, Stripes was able to catch up on things that had been put on the backburner because of other things that took priority.

Annika was a particularly cautious person, but she lowered her guard once she no longer saw the need for caution. She was initially terrified of irangels with powerful abilities, but her fears dramatically fell once she saw how kind and sweet they are.

Kirrie's fears also fell after gaining self-confidence. After suffering twelve years of rape and abuse, after being sheltered from the world, her human life was a living hell, to the point where Kirrie was even more cautious than Annika. But after spending time with irangels who treated her like a sister, their genuine care healed the scars of her past.

Turning into an irangel made her finally love life. Kirrie learned to love herself while also learning to fall in love. Cole's patience and gentle care towards Kirrie helped her overcome her fears and bring down the walls of distrust, allowing her to become close with someone. It was Kirrie who initiated her first kiss with Cole, and it was Cole who showed Kirrie how to love.

After listening to music from Iredescent's most popular music band called Eleven Silvers, Orion and Yuri decided to attend an Eleven Silvers concert on planet Chatt-ruin, the glow-in-the-dark music planet. Orion was a member of Yuri's rock band Winged Destroyer. He was in charge of the sound and volume. The irangel brothers focused on their growing music career that reached the stars of a different planet.

After attending modeling shows, Inlivido opened a clothing line called "The Vido Life", available both on planet Iredescent and planet Earth. Soon after the successful launch of his clothing line, Inlivido met a finned Iredescent model named Liqorina Errol and started dating her. Viraj also met his girlfriend at the same modeling show, a winged Iredescent makeup artist named

"Looks like the modeling show is the place to get yourself a date," Desmond joked when he saw yet another irangel, Yuri Descen, gain a girlfriend from attending the modeling show.

While most irangels were either trying to get to know their lover better or find a lover, Teran wanted to know more about the Iredescent people and the different alien lifeforms he only just recently learned about. He was intrigued by an eternal being who could ignite into flames, thinking Raistin was one of the coolest people ever.

Civic couldn't get over how his brother seemed to have instantly matured the moment he turned into an Iredescent. Perhaps being around the oldest guy alive might have made him grown up some, or at least influenced him to, Civic thought, marveling at how young Raistin looked despite his age being over three thousand millennia. Raistin looked like he was Tereza's adult son rather than her husband. Despite their huge age difference, the two were clearly in love. They met and married when Tereza was in her twenties.

Raistin had seen worlds rise and fall. He originated from planet Yaryar in the void dimension and lived on a bird planet named Ptichi. He had seen the entire extinction of the Vasyan race, an event whose devastation greatly traumatized him. Raistin's presence started the Phoenix legend during his time on planet Earth.

Tereza Rejkavik was the ambassador of Iredescent, an assignee who was sent by Irina Acai to observe humans on planet Earth. Tereza met Raistin while she was in California investigating a forest fire. The two had worked together in trying to stop the nosochki guy, Borsok Brüggemann, from sending ships to planet Iredescent. His efforts were in vain, however, as the ships wrecked in the massive floating trash the Iredescents called the Spiraling Whirlpool.

There was a struggle in trying to keep the German government from pursuing Iredescent, who clearly did not want relations with Earth. Irina Acai, the Ruler of Iredescent Past, came to planet Earth and forced the German government to sign a treaty to leave planet Iredescent alone. She even took a majority of Earth's hedgehogs with her "so at least some of them would be safe from human influence." If Yyoz was the Hedgehog Man, Irina was definitely the Hedgehog Lady.

Thirty years passed after the Iredescents and Raistin left Earth. It was then that Tori found the Iredescent file and changed everything for both planet Iredescent and planet Earth. Now that the world knew about the creation of irangels, both humans and Iredescents were allowed the long-forbidden contact with one another. Humans were allowed to finally see planet Iredescent, and Iredescents no longer had spies that secretly observed planet Earth. Though Iredescents were hesitant and wary of humans, they allowed humans on their planet, and humans allowed Iredescents to visit their planet as well.

Raistin watched some of the humans arrive on Iredescent for the first time, viewing the screen from a port of entry center. It incited him how the Earth system of currency screwed the chances of allowing everybody to visit; only the super rich could afford to go to Iredescent since whoever was in charge of space travel made it ridiculously expensive. He voiced his concerns, telling the Earth higher-ups to cut the cost and instead make people themselves determine the eligibility of space travel.

"Space travel shouldn't have a price tag," Raistin told them. "It should be determined the same way you would determine a person in a job interview setting. Criminals should not be allowed the privilege of space travel to Iredescent for obvious reasons, but it should be that any person can go, not just the rich or those lucky enough to afford it. Iredescent doesn't put any value on money; therefore, you shouldn't put a price on the rare privilege of being allowed on planet Iredescent."

After Raistin cut the unnecessary red tape and legalities, Earth space centers and aerospace stations finally gave select people the privilege of visiting Iredescent. With the exception of Petyr Issersohn, no human was allowed to permanently live on Iredescent, only visit. Both the old and young, rich and poor, people of various backgrounds and careers, married and unmarried, were given permission to board the spaceships reserved for visiting Iredescent, but only after Raistin took care of the greatest danger to space travel: the massive floating trash, or Spiraling Whirlpool as the Iredescents called it.

The massive floating trash was a massive buildup of trash and objects from all over the galaxy, a sort of sparkly black hole space phenomena that stayed in place directly in front of the portal to Iredescent. It acted like a suction whirlpool-like tornado, constantly spinning and trapping ships and objects in its gravitational radius, collecting things from both dimensions. It was the Bermuda Triangle of the galaxy.

Raistin went out into outer space as a fireball and destroyed the massive floating trash with his Phoenix flames, transforming from a fireball into his Phoenix form.

Iredescent film crew caught the entire action on live feed and video, allowing everybody from both planet Iredescent and planet Earth to see a giant flaming orange and yellow bird in outer space. Everyone was awed and amazed at Raistin's show of power in his Phoenix form. Raistin was the only lifeform that was able to destroy the obstacle that had killed many travelers before, never to kill again.

The Phoenix burned and melted all of it, even the dust, before returning to Iredescent. In the black space where the massive floating trash once was, there was nothing but flickering embers fading into the black, the danger eternally eliminated. People cheered, the Polish and German governments sighed in relief, and the Phoenix smiled, proud to have helped them.

Now that it was officially safe to travel, Earth started sending ships to visit Iredescent, per Iredescent's permission, and vice versa. As a result of free space travel, humans started focusing less on monetary value and more on people, taking their own kind into consideration. It was a once in a lifetime chance to see a foreign planet, with food, drinks, snacks, clothing, and other necessities free of charge. People began to appreciate Iredescent's influence on Earth, though a majority of corrupt businessmen still kept to their ways.

Iredescent air was safe for humans to breathe; it was the same air as on Earth, but pure and clean. It smelled wonderfully of vanilla, the result of native Iredescent red grass that smelled exactly like vanilla. People were floored by all the glitter and sparkles, the red grass, the purple and blue skies, the spectacular views, the dual moons, the hedgehogs and animals (both sparkly and non-sparkly), the different plants and trees, and glittering waterfalls and forests.

There was no poverty; every Iredescent lived in a beautiful gemstone home or apartment. There were no shanty towns nor slums, just beautiful cities, cozy cabins, lively villages, and prosperous farmland. Abundance of every good thing was in plenty. Humans learned much from Iredescent culture and way of life.

In turn, Iredescents used their abilities to help humans improve their way of life. They brought food trucks to starving people and helped transport the sick and injured to hospitals. They cared for animals and helped orphans find good homes and families, some even deciding to take them in and care for them themselves.

Mind readers evaluated which foster homes children should go to, using their telepathic ability to perceive whether potential homes were good or not. Some assisted lawyers and judges in their decisions. Telekinetics assisted in moving furniture and other items. Mermaids and mermen took care of ocean problems such as pollution, using their water manipulation ability to move trash and debris towards pyrokinetics who burned it or towards telekinetics who moved it out of the water.

In the conference room at Mirror Castle, the Ruler of Iredescent, the Phoenix, and the irangel leaders watched the world's progress on a screen, seeing the good that was done on both planets.

"So, Raistin," said Nend, enjoying a sparkly vanilla caramel mulberry pudding cup, "does this quell your doubts on whether humans can have good relations with our planet?"

Raistin was silent for a moment before he said, "The question is, for how long before they disrupt those good relations? They might be good for a few centuries, but we'll see how long it takes for them to ruin our trust."

"I'm with Raistin," Demian said quietly. "People are capable of change, but they are also capable of easily breaking trust. I know much about people and I was able to perceive a person's character even before I gained the telepathic ability to read thoughts and minds. No matter how good they may seem, most people cannot be trusted. Many conceal their true character, appearing to be good, but they are rotten on the inside, like a deceitful apple."

"Well," said Civic, comfortably leaning back in his seat. "I'll be the one that believes humans will stay good. I mean, look at how some of us have turned out."

"That's because none of you were ever truly rotten," Demian said in response. "Even Tori."

Surprise flickered in Cole's eyes before they hardened to steel at the mention of Tori.

Demian noticed his reaction and continued, "Tori did some very horrible things, but at the core, she did all those things because she was unable to cope with the loss of the man she loved so much. Her loss terribly shook her, making her become desperate. Tori's fear of death drove her into pursuing immortality so that she could bring Nate back to life and make him immortal. She was afraid of dying and wanted so much to prevent death. That's why she was so focused on immortality: because she believed that was what could keep people from dying. But in the end, Tori no longer feared death, and instead welcomed her fate, soon after feeling remorse for her actions."

"If only she knew immortality was reserved for certain lifeforms," Civic commented. "What do you think would happen if Tori knew Raistin was an immortal?"

"Eternal, not immortal," Raistin corrected Civic, rolling his eyes. "There is a big difference between an immortal and an eternal. Immortals can at least die in some way, but eternals can never die."

"In answer to your question, Civic, I think Tori would most definitely try to turn herself into an immortal," said Nend, setting the empty pudding cup on the table. "The only two immortal lifeforms we know of are machines and vampires. The Phoenix is the only eternal."

"Knowing Tori, she would probably elect to be a vampire," said Cole, "due to her fascination with Iredescent blood and elements."

"Iredescent blood is actually highly valued in some seedy parts of planet Ghatom," Raistin informed. "It's sold like gold. Treryians avoid it like the plague because they're scared of anything glitter. Torran lifeforms use it for healing and medicinal purposes. I think the Kashya also use it, but I don't remember what for."

"I think for corrosion purposes?" said Nend, frowning slightly as he tried to remember. "Anyways, that practice died out eons ago. No Iredescent willingly sells or gives out their own blood."

"Ok, gross," said Cole, grimacing.

Valerie spoke for the first time at the meeting, saying, "That aside, while we are in the presence of Raistin Fenice, the man who knows so much about everything, I need to know about my origin. I need to know the story of the first Black Rose."

"Of course," said Demian, giving Valerie a mysterious glance. "It's only natural you should want to know."

"I'll tell her and all those present," said Raistin, giving Demian a meaningful look. Demian locked eyes with him, understanding the implication of that look. "It is important for everyone to know the full story."

And so Raistin began to tell the story of the first Black Rose.

________________

Music:

"Nie vergessen"
by Glasperlenspiel

[Means "Never Forget" in German]

________________