When evening falls

She'll run to me

Like whispered dreams

Your eyes can see

Soft and warm

She'll touch my face

A bed of straw

Against the rays

...500 years ago...

A peaceful galaxy. A time of peace had dawned, even before the cragmites set out on their conquest. The planets lived in great wealth and peace with each other, without any kind of war or fighting. Ships for traveling through space had already been invented, and thanks to the help of the lombaxes, the most technically gifted and cleverest minds in the universe, there were many advances in research. One planet was not far from veldin or other planets, where an ancient species lived. It was said that these creatures there could live for over five hundred years, until now there was no one who could prove it. Probably because these beings lived out the witnesses.

These aliens had a humanoid appearance, but they also had pointy ears and small horns on their heads. Five fingers adorned their hands, but their feet had only three clawed toes, which were hidden in their shoes. The people lived in their monarchy, with a king and a princess as rulers. The lord of the planet was a well-respected man, and no one doubted his leadership qualities. He was also a role model of a ruler when negotiating with other aliens. His daughter, the princess, had been a picture of beauty. Her long, red hair slid down her shoulders, two eyes the color of green emeralds adorned her and lips as red as a literally blood moon.

It had been one of the king's quiet days. He was sitting at the table with his senators, discussing further political work ahead of him during the meal. The princess, on the other hand, was out in the woods, alone, enjoying the nature she loved. "If we continue to have a good relationship with megalopolis, then the nano-tech trade would be a fourth easier, your highness," one of his senators handed the bearded, well-fed man some papers. It all seemed to be fine, as there was no small print and no strange trade-offs were on the cards, "Excellent! I will contact the mayor tomorrow and..."

Before his sentence was finished, two villagers stormed the halls in panic.

"MY KING," the two ran towards the lord before his soldiers intercepted them, "The king is busy! How dare you disturb his appointments..."

"Stop! They look frightened! What happened," the bearded man in the cape stood up and turned to his people, "Calm down, what did you see?'

"A MONSTER," the word made the senators and guards jump to their feet with curiosity, "A snagglebeast?"

"No...we've never seen anything like it! It was...as dark as space and so menacing," the civilians exhaled heavily before they could utter a single word, "It's hiding in the forest...and almost killed me and my brother."

"The forest...oh no," the king immediately realized who else was there, "Tarjia is still out there. GUARDS, GATHER YOURSELVES AND FOLLOW! MY DAUGHTER IS IN DANGER!" They immediately gathered up the blasters and swords before following the lord of the castle outside.

His child's life was at stake.

Far to the east, the forest loomed. In the midst of it lay a variety of flowers and plants that glowed beautifully and illuminated the path even in the dark. Deep inside, in a field that caught the light of the moon, the princess was kneeling. She was carrying a basket in which she had stowed her food. She would often come here alone and eat dinner when her father had no time. She also had no one by her side to keep her company. Tarja liked the solitude, but the princess still longed for someone to stand by her side one day. Someone she could talk to about everything and give her love to. Since her mother died in a terrible asteroid accident against her ship, her father and she were closer than usual, but the redhead also longed for a special kind of love. The kind her parents had.

"Oh, it's getting so late. I have to go home," Tarja stood up, picked up the basket, which now contained flowers, and walked towards the fortress, which was visible on a hill. But every step she took felt as if someone was here. Something was watching her. Tarja looked around. The darkness was already oppressive, but the sound of the rustling bushes made her fear even stronger. Something was hiding, staring at the princess. "H...hello? Who are you," the creature that was watching her jumped out, but landed right behind her. Trembling, the princess turned around and stared directly into the stranger's eyes.

The creature began to snort angrily.

The creature had purple skin color on its body, as dark as the night. The hair was long and pitch black, which also hung down its shoulders. The eyes were pupil-less and white, but their outlines glowed a lighter purple like smoke from the ashes. For clothing, the monster wore only black pants, and its three-toed feet were visible. One might think that the beast was from the princess's race, but the color and presence certainly said otherwise. Tarja walked slowly and fearfully away from the creature, which on closer inspection turned out to be male. "...Go," it then suddenly growled from its trowel, to which the princess did not understand at first, "W-What are you...what do you want?"

"GO!"

The beast's loud cry had the princess landing on her backside as the creature retreated, leaving the terrified woman behind. Breathing quickly, she looked after the creature as it disappeared into the woods. As if it had never been here. However, the sound of floating objects then rang out, and the voices of the kingsguard appeared. "There she is, Your Excellency," a soldier found the red-haired woman, whereupon the king immediately took her in his arms, "Oh Tarja. You're all right!"

"F-Father", she was already a full-grown woman, but she appreciated every hug from her father. "It's gotten too dangerous. Two civilians have made a terrible discovery." The king helped his daughter to stand up, who looked at him questioningly: "What is it?"

"A monster is up to mischief," the bearded man had already known before her, "Did you happen to see the creature, dear?"

"No, father," came from Tarja. Only now did she realize that she was lying.

"Thank the Zoni! Come on, let's get out of here. From now on, we'll look for this creature before it does any damage." The king took the princess into his speeder while the guard also started the silent engines. During the ride, Tarja wondered why she had lied to her father. She could have uncovered a trail that could have found the beast, but there was something. If he was a monster, why did he look so much like her? Aside from the skin color, which was a dark purple, one would have thought this creature belonged to her people. She had never seen a monster before. It was scary, but there was also something fascinating about it. Tarja decided in her mind that it was enough for today and the princess just wanted to go to bed.

However, her interest in the creature began to grow.

The next day, the sun was already in the middle of the sky. The princess with the red hair had been freed from politics for the rest of the day, and she used the time for her own research. She had used her memory and made a perfect drawing of the creature with her pen. Plus more sketches and color tones that she had tried out. She wanted to take a closer look to find a connection with her anatomy. The princess couldn't recognize anything monstrous, except for the pointed ears, which were even taller then hers. The stranger was arousing more and more interest in her, and it was beginning to show.

"Hm...he must be hungry," a plan brewed in her head. Tarja took the empty basket in her room, ran down to the kitchen and filled it with food. Mostly bread, fruit and a small piece of meat from the stove. She walked to the gate and told the guard that she was going to the lake. In reality, however, she walked barefoot towards the forest, wearing a pink dress and a small crown on her head. She walked into the curtains of the forest, whose large trees served as shade, and Tarja did not lose her focus on the one she was looking for. The creature was hidden somewhere in the forest, it had to be him. At last she even found tracks on the ground that had been trodden in the dry mud. The trail led deeper into the forest until suddenly a large hole in the ground cut into a hill stood before her.

And the monster was there with its back turned to Tarja.

Nervously, she shrugged, but then the redhead gathered all her courage and strode towards the cave. The creature immediately heard the noise before standing up wildly and looking menacingly at the intruder. He had not expected the princess to stand in front of him. "I told you to leave," his deep voice came out of his mouth again, but this time Tarja was less frightened. She was afraid, but her curiosity drove her to continue, "I... I brought you something. You look hungry." She put down the basket with the food inside. The creature glanced briefly at it before crossing its arms and huffing, "I don't need that! Now go away, as long as you can!"

"But..." before she could continue, the beast turned around again and seemed very angry, but also annoyed, "Now get lost, or do I have to snap your neck first?" The threat frightened her this time, so she took a few steps away from the stranger, "I wanted to be nice... here, you can keep it." Then she retreated into the forest. The beast was still standing there, looking several times into the basket and back into the forest after the princess until she was no longer visible. He didn't need food, not from her, but suddenly a low growl sounded in his stomach. The sight of the basket intensified this feeling even more.

He lingered here for a while.

Tarja had not disappeared. She was still nearby, collecting some pebbles or new flowers. When she had finished, the sun slowly began to disappear, and so the princess decided to take one last look at the beast. She quietly crept up to the cave again, then spotted her basket in front of the entrance. Her eyes snapped up in surprise, because something unexpected had happened.

The basket was empty.

The crumbs had a trail that led to the cave. The redhead couldn't hold it back as a slight smile formed on her lips. The creature had eaten the food she had left behind after all. She crept up quietly, even heard a snore from the beast, and grabbed the basket. Tarja planned to come back tomorrow to make another attempt. She finally escaped the forest and walked along the path to the castle. Her father was still going through some papers in the castle when he heard the door and saw his daughter: "Tarja! It's so late, where have you been?"

"At the lake... I forgot the time, father," the princess lied again, to which the king raised his eyebrows briefly but then shrugged his shoulders, "Next time, remember to check the time. I'm off to rest until tomorrow, my little one."

"Goodnight, father," they both said goodbye and went to their rooms. Tarja would sleep wonderfully tonight, as the first approach was a success and she would not let up on the creature.

Maybe he wasn't a monster after all.

By now, the princess had been playing the same game for several days. Each time she said that she was going somewhere else, but then walked towards the forest. After each basket, the beast accepted the food, hesitantly at first and then he waited patiently in front of his sleeping place. One day she came to the hole in the ground again, where the beast was already waiting. It even seemed to come closer, whereupon the princess briefly closed her eyes and was ready to be shouted at or threatened again. But suddenly she felt the basket being gently taken away from her and the creature sat down on the floor. It nibbled on the fruit with relish, which made Tarja smile and she decided to take another step.

The redhead picked up a nearby stone and sat down next to the creature, which didn't mind her proximity. "...Why are you doing this," the creature suddenly said. Tarja raised her soft brows before answering. This was the first time he had ever engaged in conversation. "My father said you were a monster," came from her, to which the creature briefly lowered its gaze. It even looked like the term hurted him, "...But...you don't look like one." Astonished, he looked at the princess, who continued, "You...could be one of our people, since we have so much in common. Tell me, do you have a name?"

"I don't have a name," he returned almost sadly, "I only know that I woke up here...nothing more."

However, he then lifted up a small stone, "I have a gift. I can absorb things and use their ability." A small demonstration followed, whereupon the stone disappeared into his purple skin and his hand turned to stone. Tarja watched enthusiastically as her companion banished the stone from his body again, "I've been able to do this for as long as I can remember." Before another word was spoken, the first drops fell from the sky. Rain was forming, even though the sun was still here, "That means a rainbow is appearing... I'd like to see one up close." The princess smiled gently, but the beast had an idea. "Tarja," he had already learned her name, "You gave me food and company...let me give you some too!" Suddenly the beast stood up and his feet did not touch the ground. Startled, the redhead watched as her new spokespartner hovered in the air and stretched out his arms, "Come on, let me carry you!" Tarja hesitated at first, but then she took a closer look at the creature. There was warmth and protection there, so the redhead agreed and was soon in the beast's arms.

"Hold on," came from him before he flew off into the sky.

Her fear came up briefly. Until now, she had only been this high in the air with ships, but never by herself. Then they passed through the clouds and found themselves in the sunset, close to the rainbow. Tarja couldn't believe her eyes. The creature had brought her as close as possible so that she could reach out to it. Tears of joy formed in her eyes as the monster continued to carry her proudly through the air. In the end, he landed on a mountain with a view of the whole kingdom and they both just sat there, enjoying the sight.

And the closeness of each other.

"Thank you," the princess whispered to the purple one, "Thank you for this experience."

"It's me who should thank you," came from the male, "You were the first to want to spend time with me. Everyone runs away from me, so I thought that I would just be the monster... but you taught me what it means to be liked." Silence fell again for a moment. Their eyes locked before Tarja spoke again: "I...have a gift for you! A name...and it's Nightwish!"

"Nightwish," he raised his brows questioningly before the princess placed a hand on his, "You're not a monster. You grant wishes...you granted my wish, and for that I am eternally grateful to you, Nightwish."

Then they looked deep into each other's eyes again. Neither of them realized how close they were getting until their eyelids closed. Then their lips met and the princess and the monster engaged in an inward kiss. Her second hand gently touched his face and he accepted the warmth. Nothing could destroy this moment. Two souls had found each other and would walk the galaxy united. Tarja loved him and Nightwish loved her, and nothing could extinguish their fire of love.

But they were watched by the king with a telescope, which formed a fist.

Three days have passed since Tarja and Nightwish confessed their love. Wonderful memories were created that the princess wouldn't trade for any gold bolt in the universe. She always came to him, and they would either fly again or just lie cuddled up in the meadow while the redhead told the purple one all about her life. One evening she returned home and slipped happily into her room before her father stood in front of her.

"F-Father, you're awake," she waved to him, slightly nervous but still normal.

"We need to talk, Tarja," the king crossed his arms. His gaze was so hard and serious that any normal citizen would have fallen to their knees immediately. Except his daughter. "What is it," before she could somehow calm the situation, her father already had enough, "Stop making a fool out of me! I know where you've been going every day!" The king's angry tone was new to her, for it had been a long time since her father had been so angry with the princess, "You're seeing...that monster!" Now everything had been revealed. Her father had found out and now no amount of lying would help anymore, "Every day you make up a new excuse to meet with that creature. You lied to me for this...monster!"

"He's not a monster," Tarja suddenly spoke up. The bearded king was also taken by surprise before the princess continued, "Nightwish is like us! Something must have happened to him. Please father, let us him. Greet him welcome to our people and it might help him!" The king, however, pounded the table with his fist, causing his daughter to flinch away for a moment. "He... dared to kiss you! I WILL NEVER GREET HIM WELCOME," the man looked at his daughter even more angrily before raising his finger, "You know what I'm going to do? WE ARE GOING TO FIND THIS THING, AND LOCK IT AWAY...I made sure of that, because the lombaxes will help us." At the mention of the galactic protectors, and that her father would go this far, Tarja burst into angry tears, "How could you?"

And she ran up the stairs to her room. Even as she dropped onto her bed, she heard the footsteps of five new figures stepping in front of the king. Looking through the crack in the door, she recognized the hairy warriors carrying their firearms and wrench-like weapons and going over the plan with the king again. Tarja had to do something, so she tied the blankets and clothes together, threw them out of the window and used them to climb down. Finally on the ground, she ran towards the forest where Nightwish would be. The redhead had to warn him of the coming threat or it would be too late.

But once again she was being watched. "She's running to him," The king pointed at her, "We'll follow her without being noticed."

Tarja ran as if her life depended on it. She dodged every bush and shrub just to make it to the cave where her love was hiding. Nightwish was already waiting there, and seemed to be hiding something behind his back. When the beast saw the princess, his mood improved, "Tarja. I forgot to give you something!"

"Nightwish, please. You must..." but he didn't let her finish, because he took out her gift. A necklace made of light steel that he had "borrowed" one night, bearing a heart, landed in her hands. He had carved his name on it, "This is for you. I'll always be with you, even when I'm not there." He also wore one, only it had her name carved on it. The princess couldn't help but smile before wrapping her arms around him, "I love you."

"I love you," he rested his forehead on hers and enjoyed the closeness of his princess. Then he finally wanted to kiss her and leave this night in his memory forever.

But his ears picked up a noise.

Suddenly, an electronic web shot against him, shocking him and separating Nightwish from Tarja. She looked around in horror as the lombaxes from the palace and her father emerged from the bushes. Two of the hairy warriors threw energy ropes at the beast's ankles, which also shocked him, and from behind one of them flicked out an electric staff. Tarja wanted to do something, but was held back by a larger lombax, but it didn't stopped her from screaming, "DON'T HURT HIM!" Nightwish became more and more electrified as he watched the king hold his love back, "Keep going! Don't let him get away!"

"You...lied to me," came out of the creature, growling and hurt, but Tarja had tears in her eyes, "No, Nightwish! I...I..."

"YOU BETRAYED ME," new rage built up as Nightwish suddenly, with a monstrous roar, knocked the lombaxes off the sides and disarmed the one behind. He also lunged at the furry alien and bit into its neck. "NIGHTWISH, NO," the redhead managed to free herself. Her father called after her, but she came at the purple creature, "Please, stop..." In a furious move, he swung his arm backwards and almost scratched the princess's left eye out, who fell to the ground. The beast felt remorse for a moment before it was filled with anger again. The redhead, on the other hand, held the blood on her hand in shock as she saw the beast coming towards her.

But then a new weapon was opened.

A purple portal appeared behind Nightwish, pulling the monster closer to it. Screaming, the purple one struggled against it until he saw the cause. The leader of the lombaxes had activated a vessel that would draw the beast in. A final, avoidant scream followed before Nightwish was locked in and the brown lombax immediately closed the lid. Followed by six keys used by his fellows. The fight was over and the princess remained emotionless on the floor. "Tarja, are you alright," her father worried about her eye, which had turned from green to completely black with a white pupil, but the princess didn't say a word and continued to bleed in silence.

"Give her a moment, your highness," the lombax helped his comrades up, taking their fallen brother with them, "She'll be fine, just heal her eye. If you don't mind, we'll take the beast with us and hide it."

"...Do as you wish," the king did not feel victorious. His daughter didn't say another word to him, and he couldn't compare that to a victory. The lombaxes disappeared and in the near future they had dipped the vessel in liquid phase quartz, whereupon it dried. Now it seemed to be just a giant crystal that was sealed. Life in the kingdom went on, but Tarja would never speak a word again. Her love was torn from her, and she refused to use words ever since, and her eye would forever retain its black color. The story of a forbidden love ended with both beings losing something and never regaining it.

But that was not the end, then...

"Ratchet, can you turn off the light now?"

This question snapped him out of his thoughts. At that moment, Ratchet was lying in his big bed reading his book, which he could never finish. The request came from his girlfriend Rivet, who had turned her back to her boyfriend so that the light wouldn't dazzle her eyes. "Oh! Riv... okay. No problem, I'm tired now anyway." He put down a bookmark, placed the book on the bedside table and lay back down on the mattress.

The white lombax rebel immediately seized the moment and laid her head on his chest, whereupon his arm immediately wrapped around her.

"Just when it was getting exciting," the orange one murmured with a laugh, to which Rivet, still with his eyes closed, also laughed softly, "You can continue reading tomorrow! And now turn off the lights or I'll break the lamp." The playful threat was not meant seriously, and so the light was switched off after all. The story in the book remained in Ratchet's mind for a short while before he finally closed his eyes and slipped into the realm of dreams, together with his sweetheart. He had never finished the book because something always came up. He resolved to finish it tomorrow to finally find out the end of the fairy tale. The orange one knew that this would take time, of course, as this book was only fiction and therefore never really happened, and with these thoughts the hero finally fell asleep.

But every story also has a spark of truth in it.