Dusk Note

The sky was filled with polluted, murky brown clouds. They clung low to the sky, heavy and dank, spreading their filthy waters across the barren and forsaken lands. Mountains of ruin and rst dominated the skyline, casting decrepit shadows over the world. There were some large, naturally occurring rock formations here or there, and it was under the shadows of such rocky creations that the bones of creatures long since dead and picked clean of meat lay in silence. It is here, in the shadow of a such a rock formation - shaped almost like a mushroom - that our story begins.

"What was that? You actually want to meet her?"

A group of three strange creatures were sat huddled around a rusted bronze dish, within which a pool of oil burned with acrid blue fire. Outside the group stood a fourth figure, looking on, waiting for something. One was heavily bandaged, their flesh hidden under stained and mucky strips of cloth. Their face was barely visible too, the skin that was visible wrinkled and dry, their eye sockets hollow, save for the red lights that glowed within. It was he who had spoken just then, and as he waited, he licked his lips with a vile serpent's tongue, revealing his black teeth. He shifted the weight of the scythe that rested on his shoulder ever so slight, waiting for a response.

The second was hooded and cloaked, hidden in a black robe. Silver lights glowed where there should be eyes and mist coiled from the end of his sleeves, his bony wrists and hands snaking their way into a pair of silver gauntlets. At his back there was folded a pair of leathery black wings.

The third was a skeletal figure made seemingly of golden bones. In his hollow eyes sockets were diamonds. Draped over his shoulders was a heavy red robe made of velvet. On his golden fingers were many rings of precious metals, each inset with at least one precious stone.

The fourth figure, the one who was waiting was different. Seemingly female in appearance, she was tall, with dry, leathery skin, and patchy indigo hair that coiled down her back in ringlets. Blue lights glowed in her hollow eyes sockets and her mouth was filled with pointed fangs. She wore a black blazer jacket, dusty and damaged, a stained white blouse, dress trousers and damaged trainers. Perched on her forehead was a pair of goggles, the lenses of which were made of some orange material.

She smiled slightly as the bandaged figure spoke.

"Good, you heard me correct then," she muttered. "Of course I want to meet her."

"Why waste your time talking to her?" the cloaked figure asked.

"It's not like she'll tell you anything interesting," the golden figure chuckled. "If anything at all."

"There's no point," the first figure snapped. "Forget it. Now push off."

The female frowned, she reached a gloved hand behind her back and pulled a twisted knife and held it to the light.

"Answer the damn question," she hissed. "I know she's around here somewhere and it's only a matter of time 'til I find her anyway, whether you help me or not. Why don't you make it easier for me and just tell me?"

The three seated figures looked at each other, before the golden figure looked at her, a quizzical look in his diamond eyes.

"Why do you want to see her anyway? What's so special about her?"

"I just want to talk to her that's all," she replied. "I heard she had some fun in the human world, and since no-one around here wants to tell me just what went on when she travelled down to the human world, I figured I'd ask her herself."

They looked at each other again, before they pointed in unison to the rock behind them.

"The sooner she tells you no, the sooner you'll stop pestering the rest of us," the hooded figure commented. He paused and then withdrew something from his robe. "Hey kid, take this."

He threw something to her and she caught it, looking at what he had thrown at her. An apple. A wizened old fruit, nearly dessicated due to lack of fluid. She smirked as she slid the apple into her pocket, nodding in acknowledgment to the hooded figure.

"She's always been partial to apples. But I reckon you knew that didn't you?" he chuckled.

"I might have done," she said, smiling to herself.

She soon found herself in a cave that had been cut into the rock. Natural causes of course, as no artificial method could create such a smooth surface. Dotted around the cave, in between stalagmites and columns of rock, were candle brackets, their waxy form made of some sickly black substance, yet they burnt with a pleasant deep blue flame. Sitting at the mouth of the cave, looking out into the stars above, was another female figure.

She was beautiful in a deadly sort of way. Her skin was a deathly pale white, like snow, her eyes dark blue like the night and her lips were a cold blue like death itself. Her hair was long and royal blue, interspersed with glittering lights like the very stars she looked at. A pair of navy blue feathered wings were folded at her back. She wore dark blue garments that may have been armour, though it was hard to tell under the heavy cloak she had on over them. At her side was a small black book stamped with a symbol that resembled a crescent moon.

"I know you're there," she said quietly, turning in place to look at her guest. "Speak or else be gone. I am in no mood to entertain."

"I wanted to hear you're story Luna," she replied simply.

Luna raised an eyebrow: "Story?"

"Lot's of Yorugami are talking about what you did when you went down to the human world, but nobody seems to know the specifics. I want to know what happened. It's so boring hear after all, and if what their saying about you is true then the human world is much more interesting."

Luna chuckled. "It's no good complaining about how boring this world is. But if you WERE going to do something stupid like try interfere with the human world...well, I suppose that would be interesting. It all depends on what you do."

"And what did you do then Luna?" she asked. She reached into her pocket and withdrew the apple. "I'll make it worth your while if you tell me."

She threw the apple to Luna who caught it with one perfect pale hand. She brought it up to her eyes and chuckled to herself. "Well I suppose beggars can't be choosers, but I would have liked one that was a little more juicy."

She took a bite from the apple and looked out to the sky again as she chewed. When she swallowed she turned back to her guest and sighed.

"What the hell," she said, taking a bigger bite from her apple. "You better be paying attention 'cause I'm not telling it again. This is the story you want to hear after all. This si the story of a human girl who took the Dusk Note I dropped and used it to change the world."